Another workstation recommendation thread

Justin Molush · May 31st, 2011, 09:35 AM

Stay away from sandybridge for video editing: Videoguys Blog - DIY Update: Sandy Bridge Not Recommended by Videoguys

Steve Kalle · May 31st, 2011, 03:26 PM

PCIe x1 (Gen2) is only 4 gigaBITS, not gigaBYTES per second. Huge difference.

Also, current PCIe Gen1 & Gen2 incur a 20-25% bandwidth penalty due to the coding scheme.

Last I checked, BM Decklink Extreme is PCIe x4 and all Aja Kona cards are x4.

You can't see ANY circumstance where you need more than 2 large PCIe slots. I guess you wouldn't like my computers.

HP Z800:
PCIe x4 - Siig Expresscard to PCIe adapter (for offloading SxS)
PCIe x16 - Quadro FX3800
PCIe x4 - USB 3 and Sata 6 card
PCIe x8 - Siig Expresscard to PCIe adapter (for offloading CF cards from nano)
PCIe x16 - Areca 1680ix
PCI - BBU for Areca
PCIe x8 - BM Extreme 3D

Server with i7 Xeon:
2 BM Decklink Extreme 3D (one for inputs and one for outputs)
3ware 9690
nvidia 8400
That is 1 x16, 1x8 and 2 x4. And 2 slots are taken up by the HDMI brackets.

Home workstation:
GTX260
3ware 9750
Siig Expresscard to PCIe
USB3 card

Don't forget that most people use a dual-slot GPU so they lose a PCIe slot (this is why I have the FX3800).

Please realize that Premiere isn't the only program people use; therefore, testing a single program doesn't show the entire picture. For one, After Effects greatly benefits from more ram and more cores. The SB i7 cannot come very close to the 6-core in AE performance.

I would like to see a benchmark of the 8-drive R5 when there is a single stream being written and another being read plus another test with 2 streams being read.

On a side note: I recommend Redundancy and hardware raid controllers to all professionals who rely on their computers for INCOME. Intel's software raid cannot notify you via pop-up alarms or email that something is wrong. I had my first Seagate die a few days ago and it is most likely due to my dropping it a few months ago. My 3ware software emailed me that there were bad sectors and other issues and I was able to buy another drive by the time it died.

In addition, I just had yet another V-Raptor die a few days ago and my personal backup 2TB Hitachi just died today.

Randall Leong · May 31st, 2011, 04:40 PM

Also note that those systems that do well cost far more money (figuratively speaking) than even the wealthiest person in the world can afford. (Well, if one considers $20,000-plus per system astronomical.) The biggest problem is that I do not make any income from my work (I only edit for personal archiving). However, I am forced to use a "prosumer" editing software because I found all of the consumer editing software severely limited (for example, I often work with 720p60 videos but many of the consumer editing programs do not support progressive-scan frame rates above 30 fps, and some consumer video editing programs do not support progressive-scan video at all but support only interlaced video).

And for that matter, no quad-core i7 regardless of generation is anywhere near as fast as a hexa-core i7 in After Effects.

Brian Manning · June 2nd, 2011, 05:23 AM

Sorry to hijack, sort of, this thread, but you guys seem to have the answer for me....

Im about to commit to buying a pc for editing using adobe cs4. Currently I have a nvidia quadro fx 3500 in my crappy pc.
The options on the website PCSPECIALIST.CO.UK - Custom PCs, Custom Computers, Custom PC, Desktop PC, Custom Built Computers, Gaming PC only have geforce gtx 590 as theyre best card. I dunno which ones are good. Then I read on here that adobe premiere doesnt support SLI or something and that half of the 590 would not get used. I also heard I need CUDA encoding compatible card, which I think the quadro is. BTW I also use after effects and photoshop.

Question is- can I save money by using the old quadro 3500(about 4 yrs old or more now)
Or do I need a 590 or do I only need a 570.

I plan on uupgrading to HD camcorders soon so need to futureproof myself as work wont be buying me new pc for years and years.

You dont know how much I appreciate your comments,

Briano.

Ed Szarleta · August 4th, 2011, 10:15 AM

I am always partial to building my own, but if not, I like the HP's.

May 31st, 2011, 09:35 AM	#16
Justin Molush Major Player Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Montreal Posts: 388	Re: Another workstation recommendation thread Stay away from sandybridge for video editing: Videoguys Blog - DIY Update: Sandy Bridge Not Recommended by Videoguys

May 31st, 2011, 03:26 PM	#17
Steve Kalle Trustee Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 1,554	Re: Another workstation recommendation thread PCIe x1 (Gen2) is only 4 gigaBITS, not gigaBYTES per second. Huge difference. Also, current PCIe Gen1 & Gen2 incur a 20-25% bandwidth penalty due to the coding scheme. Last I checked, BM Decklink Extreme is PCIe x4 and all Aja Kona cards are x4. You can't see ANY circumstance where you need more than 2 large PCIe slots. I guess you wouldn't like my computers. HP Z800: PCIe x4 - Siig Expresscard to PCIe adapter (for offloading SxS) PCIe x16 - Quadro FX3800 PCIe x4 - USB 3 and Sata 6 card PCIe x8 - Siig Expresscard to PCIe adapter (for offloading CF cards from nano) PCIe x16 - Areca 1680ix PCI - BBU for Areca PCIe x8 - BM Extreme 3D Server with i7 Xeon: 2 BM Decklink Extreme 3D (one for inputs and one for outputs) 3ware 9690 nvidia 8400 That is 1 x16, 1x8 and 2 x4. And 2 slots are taken up by the HDMI brackets. Home workstation: GTX260 3ware 9750 Siig Expresscard to PCIe USB3 card Don't forget that most people use a dual-slot GPU so they lose a PCIe slot (this is why I have the FX3800). Please realize that Premiere isn't the only program people use; therefore, testing a single program doesn't show the entire picture. For one, After Effects greatly benefits from more ram and more cores. The SB i7 cannot come very close to the 6-core in AE performance. I would like to see a benchmark of the 8-drive R5 when there is a single stream being written and another being read plus another test with 2 streams being read. On a side note: I recommend Redundancy and hardware raid controllers to all professionals who rely on their computers for INCOME. Intel's software raid cannot notify you via pop-up alarms or email that something is wrong. I had my first Seagate die a few days ago and it is most likely due to my dropping it a few months ago. My 3ware software emailed me that there were bad sectors and other issues and I was able to buy another drive by the time it died. In addition, I just had yet another V-Raptor die a few days ago and my personal backup 2TB Hitachi just died today.

May 31st, 2011, 04:40 PM	#18
Randall Leong Major Player Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Melrose Park, Illinois, USA Posts: 936	Re: Another workstation recommendation thread Also note that those systems that do well cost far more money (figuratively speaking) than even the wealthiest person in the world can afford. (Well, if one considers $20,000-plus per system astronomical.) The biggest problem is that I do not make any income from my work (I only edit for personal archiving). However, I am forced to use a "prosumer" editing software because I found all of the consumer editing software severely limited (for example, I often work with 720p60 videos but many of the consumer editing programs do not support progressive-scan frame rates above 30 fps, and some consumer video editing programs do not support progressive-scan video at all but support only interlaced video). And for that matter, no quad-core i7 regardless of generation is anywhere near as fast as a hexa-core i7 in After Effects.

June 2nd, 2011, 05:23 AM	#19
Brian Manning Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Dublin Ireland Posts: 57	Re: Another workstation recommendation thread Sorry to hijack, sort of, this thread, but you guys seem to have the answer for me.... Im about to commit to buying a pc for editing using adobe cs4. Currently I have a nvidia quadro fx 3500 in my crappy pc. The options on the website PCSPECIALIST.CO.UK - Custom PCs, Custom Computers, Custom PC, Desktop PC, Custom Built Computers, Gaming PC only have geforce gtx 590 as theyre best card. I dunno which ones are good. Then I read on here that adobe premiere doesnt support SLI or something and that half of the 590 would not get used. I also heard I need CUDA encoding compatible card, which I think the quadro is. BTW I also use after effects and photoshop. Question is- can I save money by using the old quadro 3500(about 4 yrs old or more now) Or do I need a 590 or do I only need a 570. I plan on uupgrading to HD camcorders soon so need to futureproof myself as work wont be buying me new pc for years and years. You dont know how much I appreciate your comments, Briano.

August 4th, 2011, 10:15 AM	#20
Ed Szarleta Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Florida Posts: 156	Re: Another workstation recommendation thread I am always partial to building my own, but if not, I like the HP's.