What is the best setup for video editing?

[letsrun4it]

Ok so my girlfriend is in film school and is really into using the program Final Cut. I want to create a studio for her using top end equiptment so she can edit her videos. Since she uses final cut I would like to do that instead of getting her a PC and have her learning avid.

*What processor speed?

*How much memory?

*How much hard drive space? I really don't have any idea how big 250GB is for example

*How do you setup 2 monitors on 1 computer? (she mentioned this is what would be ideal)

*Best sized monitor? 20? 24? If you had 30" would you need 2 screens? Etc

So basically hoping someone who knows final cut and would like to build their dream mac system would please tell me whats important! Thanks. Money isn't much of an issue but I don't want to buy extra stuff that isnt necessary.

[Grumpsimus]

Originally Posted by letsrun4it

Ok so my girlfriend is in film school and is really into using the program Final Cut. I want to create a studio for her using top end equiptment so she can edit her videos. Since she uses final cut I would like to do that instead of getting her a PC and have her learning avid.

*What processor speed?

The faster the better. The new 8 core Mac Pro would be ideal - 3Ghz

*How much memory?

As much as possible, but as least 4Gb

*How much hard drive space? I really don't have any idea how big 250GB is for example

Video eats up HD space. I would suggest 2 HDs at least 500Gb each

*How do you setup 2 monitors on 1 computer? (she mentioned this is what would be ideal)

The Mac Pro supports 2 monitors automatical.

*Best sized monitor? 20? 24? If you had 30" would you need 2 screens? Etc

Two 30" monitors are the best - you end up with lots of windows open when editing.

So basically hoping someone who knows final cut and would like to build their dream mac system would please tell me whats important! Thanks. Money isn't much of an issue but I don't want to buy extra stuff that isnt necessary.

I am glad money is not an issue the cost of this system would be about £6000.

[letsrun4it]

thanks so much i really appreciate it. i know she uses a lot of removeable hard drives..so i probably wont worry about the hard drive space as much. jeez thats a lot of ram but ok. 2 30-inch monitors seems like a lot of space but if this is what she wants to do.....


anyway thank you VERY much

[senu]

Wow... a lot of small scale media firms would drool at a System like that.


Perhaps for simple work such as I do on a PC platform, running both Sony Vegas 7 and Avid Liquid 7 ( a simple Dual core laptop) with 1Gb ram, an ATI car with 128Mb Ram and 120Gb HDD with various External USB HDD) £70 for 320Gb and a small 17" screen works quite well.
On the desktop the differences are

I wonder what a minimum working system for final cut pro would entail

[marty2005]

I'd get two 22" widescreen monitors.

A fast dual core amd/intel cpu.

2-4Gb ram.

Hard disks are cheap - 500Gb - £85

You could go scsi or western digital raptor(10k) - go for a 15K spinner for best. Get something fast for rendering and get a large 2nd harddisk for storage.

Hard disks are the slowest thing on a pc since with video you are juggling a lot of data.

Decent gfx card for fast rendering.


Total build under £1500.


I use Sony Vegas and Dvd Architect for video editing. I also use paintshop pro xi for creating masks and layers as you can save in photoshop format which Dvd Architect uses.

[celtic13]

I run FCP on a 20inch intel core2duo imac with 2gb ram, an second apple 20 inch cinema display and 2 ext 500gb lacie hard drives daisychained together. This is my home / family system and it handles fcp just fine. It very very occasionally stutters when digitising because the firewire inputs are on the same bus, but apart from that it edits and plays back hd dv beautifully.

A macpro would be awesome though!!!!

Best regards

P

[letsrun4it]

Originally Posted by celtic13

I run FCP on a 20inch intel core2duo imac with 2gb ram, an second apple 20 inch cinema display and 2 ext 500gb lacie hard drives daisychained together. This is my home / family system and it handles fcp just fine. It very very occasionally stutters when digitising because the firewire inputs are on the same bus, but apart from that it edits and plays back hd dv beautifully.

A macpro would be awesome though!!!!

Best regards

P

I asked my gf's instructor what he thought and he described the same exact system as yours (he suggested the 2nd monitor be 23")..he said 250GB HD is plenty, just have external hard drives ready. All in all about 3400$ for the complete system.

Money isnt a huge factor and could get her a macpro but it seems like why spend the extra dough on that? I could spend it on a camera for her and she'd probably be more thrilled with that. I doubt she can tell the difference between an imac and a big mac.

[celtic13]

I would have gone for a 24inch imac - better gfx card and firewire 800 but not quite enough space for that and 20inch monitor! I would suggest, funds permitting, you do that - or bite the bullet and go down the macpro route (far more expandable and you can add a bluray drive).

Best regards

P