P4 or AMD 64 - HDV editing system?

[Kevin Shaw]

"Study CPU and system architecture, take a couple of masters and in 10 years we may have a conversation at the same level. "

How about we skip that and just make the practical observation that most hardware and software developers still design and test for Intel compatibility first, with secondary consideration (maybe) for AMD. Like it or not, for cutting edge products like HDV editing, reliability and compatibility are much more important than possible slight differences in performance. Not to say that AMD systems won't work well with cutting edge products, but it's just common sense that we can't be as sure of this as we can be with Intel (and even that's not a sure thing).

Call all that FUD if you'd like, but it's also reality.

[Sylvain Pallix]

Intel recommandation is a commercial agreement too !

Like "Toshiba recommands Windows XP for better experience"!

(and what about Linux experience ???).


The lack of AMD recommandation except SSE3 is too because video editing companies let retailers and end-users to be the beta tester. They try in these way to have strict recommandation for warranty of use. A short compatible list, never exhaustive !


Instead of AMD / Via, AMD / Nvidia nForce is great tandem.


Edius 3.22 and Premiere Pro 1.51 are well running on my AMD XP 3000 station with 1 Go RAM.


Theses forums could promote a special place for threads about "your own good configuration with Premiere, with Avid, with Edius, with Vegas...". And with statistics for speed researches.


Why not ?

[Joe Carney]

Gabriele , I thought the latest Opterons now support SSE3 instructions and the 64Fx didn't.

And everything I'm reading about ISV's converting their software to 64bit puts the Opteron even farther out in front of the Xeon. Cakewalk/Sonar is going gaga over it. Everyone is hoping AMD will offer SSE3 support in upcoming 64fx chips.


Add the new nForcePro chipset and the ability to run multiple nForecPro chipsets on a single mobo (expanding the number of 16bit PCI express slots...), you have some incredible desktop power coming out. Lets not get started on the support for SLI graphics features for those of you doing heavy 3D work.


Unfortunately, most of us can't afford those expensive Opteron systems.
So for most of us Intel P4HT is still the best way to go for a single chip based system.

[George Ellis]

You are correct Joe. That latest Opteron was released with SSE3.

What Darren said, go with what the software mfgr recommends is the safest route.

[Marcin Tyszka]

I heard good stuff about dual opterons if amd for film then only opterons ,or Intel is other way. Amd was always better in gaming and intel in aplication.

[George Ellis]

<<<-- Originally posted by Marcin Tyszka : I heard good stuff about dual opterons if amd for film then only opterons ,or Intel is other way. Amd was always better in gaming and intel in aplication. -->>>

Yes, AMD for gaming and some server ops (many, especially with more than 2 CPUs). Not always Intel for apps. In fact, many apps do better with AMD. There are just some core things with video editing and animation that Intel still leads the way.

[Harikrishnan Ponnurangam]

AMD opetron 248 dual processor systems are compatible with HDV and editing softwares like avid,vegas,primerie works fine. Go to boxxtech.com . This is a new austin tx based company. I looked into it. You have to make sure you are not using AMD athlon. Athlon is for Computer graphics software like Maya and computer games.

[Marcin Tyszka]

I have 2.3ghz althon mobile with 1gb memory and it works just fine with premiere or vegas. I edited 30 minutes short and few wedings on this machine and it did just fine. I'm sure with dual cpu this will fly. Also if you will do feature films and all stuff then this won't go too strong heh.

[Chris Brook]

Just a question on the Opteron model, is there a minimum model number to use that supports SSE3.

At the end of the day you build a system that you feel comfortable you can support - I agree that if you want the safest bet you choose Intel as it gives you the biggest clout if anything goes wrong. AMD as it has always done tries to give more bangs for your bucks. One other thing is that most of us don't just use our coimputers for video editing (I don't have the space for more machines) so conflicts and reliability aren't always down to the chip chosen. My AMD system runs fine and very rarely crashes, my next machine will probably be a dual pro with XP 64 Bit (Which will probably fall over at every stage until SP 1 comes out for both OS and applications.

Bottom line is your comfort level - Full comfort buy a Dell, next level build an Intel and finally the money misers (like me!) build an AMD. This is not that AMD's are less reliable, just if you need to talk to a manufacturer there will be fewer hurdles to leap over if it says Intel on the box.

Oh one golden rule (learnt from very bitter experience) only buy BRANDED 1Gb and larger memory DIMMS. That £30 to £50 just isn't worth it.

Hope this is useful to someone !!

[David Newman]

The Opteron 252 is the first to add SSE3 -- these are really nice/fast CPUs. However most applications don't need (or even use) SSE3 -- none of the CineForm tools need it (all SSE2 optimized.) So you only need the CPU to match your needs. For HDV dual 248s would be blazing. For HDSDI work under Prospect HD the 252s can be handy. Yes I recommend dual Opteron as the best HD editing system.

[Peter Jefferson]

The Key to all this rabling and knife slashing is this statement right here..
irrespective of what ur thoughts or experiences may be with performance the fact that the product WORKS shoudl be enough to assist in the decision making..

"If our original poster, or any other reader takes your "educated recommendation" and builds a system that does not comply with the recommendations of the edit software, you're not going to be there to support them are you? No, most likely not. That's why it's important to go with the system the company specs."


either way i dont care, but jsut note that Intel jsut released their dual core systems, and AMD will be following soon.

xeon is actaully quite an old technology (in IT terms) so it might be best to wait till the new 955 chipset is releasd