I would like to ask the community for their personal opinion on CS5.5's pro's and cons, and your CPU and video card specs and the type of files you edit, AVCHD etc.

GPU acceleration a plus for you ?
is your computer fast or slow ?

Thanks

Hi Don,

Such a BIG question, one no doubt you will have such varying response - though I'm a little surprised I am the first to post.

I started with CS3 then to CS4 and now to 5.5. I try to upgrade every 18 months or so.

I edit native AVCHD (from a Sony NX5) and MPEG2 HDV from the Sony (Z5) often mixing the two in a single timeline 1440x1080 50i. I do long and short-form. I export via AME and burn using Encore or IMGBurn software, depending upon the requirements.

Overall, CS5 and GPU Accelaration was stepping into another world in comparison with previous. Definitely a plus for me. There is recent debate about audio/video sync issues which I have not experienced, but that's for the Adobe Help Forum to sort out. Generally, my system runs well.

I use i7 970 Hex Core, on a Asus P5T MB with 24GB Corsair Extreme (1300) RAM, Nvidia GTX580. I use the MBs software RAID (which is a known bottleneck), but doesn't really impact upon the work I do. My next move is to change out the MB probably to a Gigabyte UD7 and install a "proper" RAID Controller. But I don't need to at the moment (not until my next fincial year - in April). PSU is 850W. I also use a 1500W UPS.

My boot and program disc is a Vortex SSD. I use two separate RAID 0 pairs - one for media, the other for previews and caching. A single HDD for my exports and other stuff. Backup is to a separate network PC 2 x RAID 1 system.

I use an IcyBox HDD enclosure in a Centurian tower. No special cooling system, although I have done numerous tests on circulation and flow adding 2 90mm fans to the side to assist the 120mm fan at the rear for additional intake - the IcyBox has its own fan. Exhaust is at the front in phase with the CPU fan (the reason why intake is at the back and outlet at the front to minimise air flow impedence - sucking and blowing is in the same direction). MB temps are 40C at rest to 60C at some fx intensive renders. MB temp is generally static at about 46C. I do not overclock anything.

I have very little fan noise during much of my sessions.

The only niggle I have is with Dynamic Link - it can be a little inconsistant at times, but having found the wrinkles I know how to work-around or solve, so once I got use to the software I adjust accordingly.

But overall, my experience with CS5.5 after CS4 is very much different. I will upgrade to CS6 about 6 months after release (as is my strategy) once CS6.1 is out.

Hope that helps Don?

:)

Awesome Claire, many thanks. what is your render times, real time I hope ??

Render to Timeline Preview depends upon what VFXs. Most of the often-used VFXs like Proc Amp, RGB Curves etc are Accelerated Effects and yes, I would expect to get real time or better. But if you are using non-accelerated effects or a stack of fxs then it will not be real time - and I'm citing my experience with the i7 970 (not overclocked, but multi-threaded) and my Nvidia GTX580 core count.

As for encoding via AME (Abobe Media Encoder) I get real-time or better to an MPEG 2 file (9mb/s or 30mb/s) - but again, if you have a stack of non-accelerated fxs in the timeline then it will be longer. Or perhaps are encoding to another format. It's "How long is a piece of string...?" Again, I'm citing my experience using my system, using my input to output workflow.

Harm Millard & Bill Hunt have set up PPBM5 Benchmark which will objectively test your system. But generally, my experience is better - I am no longer pulling out my hair and shouting at that long red line in the PPro timeline looking continually at a render information box which in CS4 was a pain.

I would hope in CS6 there will be more VFXs using acceleration and that Dynamic Link is rock solid (or that they have taken some of my niggles away).

:)

How smooth is the AVCHD editing? I use AVCHD with Edius and sandybridge 2600. The editing I do is very cut and dry not alot of effects but I like to scrub through the footage quickly. Edius has proxy editiing which helps but I am thinking of migrating to CS 5.5.

"Harm Millard & Bill Hunt have set up PPBM5 Benchmark which will objectively test your system."

Its Bill Gehrke not Hunt.

PPBM5 Benchmark (http://ppbm5.com/)