Hey Everyone,
I very new to the video world so any help would be greatly appreciated. I just bought a GL2 and looking to buy a new Dell computer for editing my footage. My question is how hot rod do i need my computer to be(memory, hard drive,optical drive,video card,sound card,etc.)
This is what i'm looking at now:
Dell Studio XPS
Intel Core i7-920 processor(8MB L2 Cache, 2.66GHz)
Windows Vista Home Premium Edition SP1, 64-Bit
6GB Tri-Channel DDR3 SDRAM at 1066MHz-6 DIMMs
750GB 7200 RPM SATA Hard Drive
Single drive 16X CD/DVD burner (DVD?RW) w/double layer write capability
ATI Radeon HD 4670 512MB video card
Intergrated 7.1 Channel Audio sound card.
I will probably run Vegas Pro 8 editing software because most people say its very user friendly. I also want the computer that will be fast enough to do HD in case i switch cameras in a year or so.
Any sugestions would be appreciated and i am new to this. Thanks

I have a Dell configured similar to your specs and it does't skip a beat editing AVCHD files from my Canon HF-S100. I add a 2TB WD Studio Raid using the eSata port as well.

You mean your eSATA port works???? I have the same computer and we (Dell and I) have not been able to get the eSATA port to work. They have even sent a tech to my house to work on it!! Even changed mother boards.

Chad, take a look through the Any Core I7 users yet? (http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/what-happens-vegas/138334-any-core-i7-users-yet.html) thread as several users there were looking at a similar computer.

No matter what you get, add at least one more SATA drive.
Keep your programs on drive C and all your project files on drive D.
Render times will be faster this way.
I've got a 3-drive setup with drive D for captures and drive E for edited projects.

I just plugged the drive in and Vista loaded the drivers. I did anticipate problems based on what I read in this forum. I am impressed with the system. I did consider building an i7 machine but the deal I got on the Dell was to good to pass up.

Chad,

I have been using a dell i7, same as Frank sense january. I felt the price was definitely better than I could have built here in Canada on my own.

I had my share of issues to be certain. Mostly capture issues. Dell was great trying to help me resolve them and, Knock on wood, I have been pretty flawless for some time.

I use a dual drive external box but run it on usb, not esata.

I have had zero problems other than the media manager gives me trouble with the external drives, I just disabled it and do not use it.

there is the odd time when I thought rendering seemed a problem and I felt it was a heat issue, but have no real proof of that. I intend to put a cooler and a couple more fans in it just to be on the safe side, they are really economical.

Interestingly Dell just sent me an esata firm wear upgrade, perhaps this will deal with prior issues that Frank has them sorting out!!!

this is a very good computer but if i were to do it again, i would build the one that the Video-guys built!! put in 12 gigs of ram and get the Raid 0 configuration. Aalso I would get it with the Blu ray burner.

Also HP has recently released an I7 that has two hot swapable bays, about 1000 dollars US I believe, amazing. I saw it at cosco.

I have had good service and products from Dell in the past.