Info: Suggestions, video editing computer

[Mike_S]

Any of you fellas do any video editing? I got a pretty sweet camera for christmas but dont have any hardware that will handle 1080p HD video...LOL! Looking for any suggestions or advice on systems that you guys use or think would be good for this use. Hoping to stay under $800 or so...i realize thats a tall order at that price, but ya know, the house has to get paid first.

 

[Poltergeist]

If you're looking for a PC any of the i5 or i7 machines should be able to handle it for you. I have an i7 laptop that I do my editing on. Something like this DELL would work. Might take it slightly longer then an i7 but it would get the job done.

 

[Mike_S]

Thoughts on an all in one machine? I like the idea of less clutter however im concerned about upgradeability.

 

[jmaz268]

Honestly if thats all you want it for....Get a MAC....they are beasts at editing.

 

[Poltergeist]

I've never dealt with all-in-ones. And since it seems I'm always upgrading my desktops probably won't get one. To me an all-in-one is a laptop.

Macs are supposed to be good but I don't have any experience with them.

 

[Kat]

Thoughts on an all in one machine? I like the idea of less clutter however im concerned about upgradeability.

I have a HP that is a couple years old.
I tried to copy and the spec's and it wouldn't let.

But, it doesn't have the ability to run the video editing software that came with the camera Pat got me for Christmas last year.

 

[dmaxman06]

i just have a acer laptop that i got from walmart that i do editing on it works ok

 

[jlawles2]

Was trying to edit 1080p video at work and it was taking about 1 hr to do the download. Came home at lunch, picked up my 2 year old MacBook Pro and did the entire editing with PIP in just over 1 hr using the iMovie software that comes preinstalled.

With the iMovie software, you can even take time lapse photos and make a movie. One of the guys at work does it all the time. Takes longer to download the pictures from the camera than to make the movie once he figured it out.

 

[bigmackmiller]

Yeah pretty happy with my MacBook using either iMovie or Final Cut, iMovie is very simple to use and can produce very nice results

 

[jmaz268]

I've used Final Cut before, its a very nice program.

 

[Mike_S]

Well i ended up buying myself an iMac. So far, it is very nice. Bit of a learnig curve coming from a lifetime of PC use, but im liking it so far. Its running an intel i5 2400 processor and from what i can tell it is an editing monster. I have yet to even phase this thing. Came with iLife '11 preinstalled, iMovie is pretty awesome. IPhoto leaves a lil to be desired coming from Photoshop though. Might have to do something about that, i think the girlfriend needs something for her photos.

 

[fajitatone]

Well i ended up buying myself an iMac. So far, it is very nice. Bit of a learnig curve coming from a lifetime of PC use, but im liking it so far. Its running an intel i5 2400 processor and from what i can tell it is an editing monster. I have yet to even phase this thing. Came with iLife '11 preinstalled, iMovie is pretty awesome. IPhoto leaves a lil to be desired coming from Photoshop though. Might have to do something about that, i think the girlfriend needs something for her photos.

i5 will run Photoshop like a beast. iPhoto is a great way to manage photos, it's by no means an image editor. Personally I use Avid Media Composer on a 12 core MacPro with 32GB of RAM. Uncompressed 1080p is a breeze on that box, but it was well over $800.

I think you will get a lot out of iMovie, but you may find that you will out grow it and will be looking for something with more bells and whistles. In that case, drop the coin on FCP or Adobe Premiere.

Good luck.

 

[Mike_S]

Yeqh im liking iMovie quite a bit so far, but im sure as i get more footage and get more into it i'll end up with something more powerfull. Thanks for the suggestion, i was wondering how photoshop ran on a mac, that is what she wants anyways. Plus, i already threw the budget out the window, spent just over $1100 on this hardware, but oh well, its a great machine so far.:thumb:

 

[jlawles2]

Photoshop does not affect them at all. It will run the full adobe suite and never phase that thing.