Hi Biff,

Thanks for your input.

I did look at the i7 XPS, but as you know, as one starts going through the customizing pages on the Dell site, and with each page go... Oh, and I want that, and I want this, and I want that, and on and on ...and then upon completion one looks over to the right side for the grand total, well, that’s where one’s necessity and economy really collide. Striking the right balance between the two is the phase that I am currently in. And my preliminary findings are that I either need to decrease my necessity or increase my economy.
Sadly, the former seems more feasible these days.

So using Cyberlink’s minimum suggested requirements as what to exceed, and using all the great input I’ve received from forum members as a guide. I still hope to soon settle on a rig that will make both PD and my wallet happy. Though my expectations and original plan may have to be scaled back a bit.
But thank you Biff for your input on the 8800 GT "512MB" card. That is the direction I was leaning. Or at least a 512MB ATI card, which your words have confirmed to be something that I shouldn't compromise on.

As a side note, I am now told by a Dell sales supervisor, that a graphics card can be swapped out at a later date (assuming a compatible power supply), without voiding a new computer’s warranty. Originally I was told differently.
Click here PDtoots for a collection of PowerDirector Tutorials and Tips

I went $200 over the base price between memory upgrade to 6GB, the 512MB upgrade on graphics, and the 19 in 1 media reader.

I resisted the urge for more, and more, and more, and more.

Swapping the ATI card out for the Nvidia was really simple. No tools, no modifications (a shoehorn maybe), and just running the driver disk and that was it.

It was really quite easy. sometimes these sales reps get overbearing on these issues.

If you don't go the i7 processor be sure whatever quad core you get (and quad core it must be) doesn't clock any slower than 2.66Ghz.

Hi Biff,

I'm using a Q9300 at 2.5 Ghz and it works just fine. I almost always record at 1920x1080 at either 17 or 24 Mb/s AVCHD and PD gives me no issues. The playback is smooth and the rendering time is not an issue.

Is your Q6600 with the 8800GT giving you that much trouble that you have to upgrade already? The Q6600 and the Q9300 have similar performance, but you are using a better video card (I have a 9500 GT).

Cranston, the old saying is to spend as much as you can afford since it will give you the longest life. Swapping video cards down the road is very easy as Bif suggested, but be aware that you may void the warranty by opening the case if you get a Dell or HP. Q9300 2.5 GHz
4 GB Ram
Nvidia 9800 GT

With unbranded Pcs the choice to mix & match is abundant. We can also manage to keep our budgets going over board. PC specs :
OS Windows 10.0 Pro
MB - AS rock Z77 extreme 11
Intel 3770K @ 4.0 Ghz OC
Gskill 32 GB RAM 1800 Mhz
6 TB HDD, SSD bootable
nVidia ASUS GTX 660 Ti
BenQ 22" LCD monitor 1920x1080

Personally, I agree with Babdi. I prefer to purchase the individual components and assemble it myself. However, there are many people who find it easier to purchase a computer from a vendor already assembled. It's just a matter of preference and if you are willing to live with the consequences of you make a mistake (or frying the CPU/motherboard) in building it yourself.

My laptop is a Dell and they gave me good service when I had to have the DVD burner replaced when I first got it. Q9300 2.5 GHz
4 GB Ram
Nvidia 9800 GT

Quote: Hi Biff,

Is your Q6600 with the 8800GT giving you that much trouble that you have to upgrade already? The Q6600 and the Q9300 have similar performance, but you are using a better video card (I have a 9500 GT).

Part of my problem is I haven't switched completely over to PD7. I've used Pinnacle Studio from the version before 7 (StudioDV) and when they implemented AVCHD their software flat required a 2.66GHz speed in a quad core to edit the 1920x1080 17Mbps. The Q6600 clocks at 2.4GHz and my situation is what happens.

My style of editing has me using an overlay track for cutaway views. In Studio 12 the editing process goes kind of smooth but slow as long as everthing falls on the main video track. But slows down even more when I have to use a 17Mbps clip on the second or overlay track, and if I apply a processing heavy effect like time expansion (had to slow down a circling hawk in one case) background rendering shudders to a stop. I had to back off on the amount of time stretch I really wanted in order for that effect to process at all.

So why not use PD7 for that? It is significantly less demanding of computer resources but when I used a PiP track for overlaying a video scene, expanded it so it filled the frame, it went "soft" on me. In HD the degree of softness was not that noticeable, but if rendered to a standard DVD in SD it was so noticeable I felt I couldn't use it. And a lot of what I do is distributed on standard def DVD so that really matters a lot to me.

A few others were finding and mildly complaining about the same thing and my way of handling something like this is to simply be patient...Someday they will fix it. They may have. I downloaded the latest patch (still had 2429a on my system) and ran it (2724 I believe), then ran some tests with the same AVCHD clips that had the overlay on the PiP track going soft and it looks a whole lot better.

But just knowing my best computer is still marginal pushed me into ordering the new system. The current Q6600 machine can still be used and may become mainly a PD7 system while the new machine will use Studio 12. And from time to time I have had to use both on one project. Each has things the other won't do or won't do as easily.

Dang! Life just ain't simple...

Quote:
Cranston, the old saying is to spend as much as you can afford since it will give you the longest life. Swapping video cards down the road is very easy as Bif suggested, but be aware that you may void the warranty by opening the case if you get a Dell or HP.

My current Dell XPS 420 is in a case that opens by pulling on one latch. No bolts, screws, tools needed or anthing like that. The whole right side lifts off and gives access to everything inside. The manuals show how to change out cards, install drives, etc.

My 5 year old HP dual core had optical drive problem. HP sent me a replacement drive and detailed instructions on how to get into the case. They wanted me to do it.

Bif (watching out for sneezing pigs in Texas)

Stay safe Bif.

Personally, I think this is all a bunch of hogwash and nothing to be concerned about.

Q9300 2.5 GHz
4 GB Ram
Nvidia 9800 GT

I cannot get the GPU acceleration to work. I've tried to follow the various threads. Please look at my attached file and tell me what is wrong.

Key question, do I need the ULTRA Version to get the GPU acceleration?

Thanks, Peter

Okay this is what I upgraded to
1) CPU - AMD Phenom 955, 3.2 Ghz ( overclocking options open )
2) Mother borad - Gigabyte GAMAFXUD4P
3) Graphics card - nVidia GTS 250 1 GB
4) Memory - Corsair TW3X4G-1600C9DHX - 2 GB X 2, 1600 Mhz
5) 320 GB HDD, SATA
6) 17" Monitor ( retained the existing )
6) Altec Lansing speakers with subwoofer (retained the existing )
Microsoft keyborad + Mouse
9) LG dual layer DVD burner PC specs :
OS Windows 10.0 Pro
MB - AS rock Z77 extreme 11
Intel 3770K @ 4.0 Ghz OC
Gskill 32 GB RAM 1800 Mhz
6 TB HDD, SSD bootable
nVidia ASUS GTX 660 Ti
BenQ 22" LCD monitor 1920x1080