Re: Brand new to this stuff. Will my system cope? 2 drives or 3?
- From: "Scubajam" <jmcgauhey@xxxxxxx>
- Date: 27 Feb 2006 10:53:54 -0800
As I said, I'm not expert, but learn much from those who are and from
such forums. I strongly recommend you join a forum for the software
you choose for editing. You'll learn lots.
Now - I'm not really sure about max size of file, I just took 10 gig as
a convenient number from a 300 gig drive. Also, if 2X if the max, I
don't have to go back and change until I get up to 5 gig RAM, and I'm
only at 2 gig now. As I said, if you look at XP help, it recommends a
larger file on another disk. That's enough for me. I have heard that
Windows can be a bit more efficient with several small swap files over
different disks. I think that may be true, but it's a marginal factor
for us. Video is not the most intensive resource user of all programs
on a computer. Video gaming and 3D modeling are tops. That's why it's
not really necessary to get a high end video card for video editing
work. Everything we do renders into 2D, even the 3D effects. Games
that have 3D complex fast moving backgrounds are really resource
intensive and you want every bit of performance from every aspect of
the computer. I don't game. I think the concept of the use of several
swap files over different drives is that by using separate drive
pathways (completely separate physical drives, not partitions) you get
a bit faster speed. Remember, the virtual memory, or paging file, or
swap file (all different name for same thing) is trying to use this as
an extension of RAM. Disks are always slower than RAM.
I created a separate partition because in video editing streamlining is
everything, esp for rendering. For example, not only to defrag drives
regularly, but also many I know reformat a drive after each major
project. By creating a partition you can reformat without worrying
about your swap file.
You're learning with each post. Take what makes sense, try what you
like to be sure it doesn't slow things down and it works, then
incorporate the best, tested suggestions.
By the way - always use Firewire for your external drive instead of USB
2. While USB says they have 480 speed, which is faster than IEEE1394,
that's BURST speed, not sustained throughput. Again, test. I have a
external box that I load to move edit projects to my laptop when I
travel. I tried to move a large 20+ (I forget exact size) gig file via
USB 2, it said 30 minutes, and crashed after 5. Changed cable to
Firewire and it moved fine in under 15 minutes. I know many who have
successfully used USB2 for transfers, but whenever available, use
Firewire. From camera to computer, and between drives.
I'm learning that for Standard Definition video work, most modern
systems are fine without too much tweaking. Now I'm working in High
Definition, and everything requires much more time and computer
resource. After having everything work fine for years, now I'm into
tweaking again for max performance. I always render to a separate
drive from my captured drive. Even if I move rendered file back to
keep one project together. In my HD work it can save hours, even
though rendering to the same drive will work. I generally make sure my
final renders are at the end of the day, then let the computer work
overnight. It all depends on how many transitions, titles, special
effects, filters, etc I use. Some Smart Renders (where the software
does not render if there are no changes to the original file, or even
sections of it, it just copies the original) can be real fast in
minutes, even for a 10 minute HD video file, other times that same 10
minute file can take 2-3 hours if I tweaked it a lot.
Jim (aka Scubajam)
ewinter@xxxxxxxx wrote:
Thanks, Scubajam for the great post and especially for the info on the
paging file. I've not changed any settings on the paging file.
I read somewhere else about paging file limitations, i.e. in XP there
was a limit to the amount of the paging file that can actually be used.
I think the post said that you can set it for a bigger number, but the
most you will actually get is 4GB... (I think in my situation, with
only 1 GB actual 'natural' memory - 4 would be plenty)... I've also
read that you should generally set the page file to be 150-200% of your
actual ram. Not true? What might be the down side to setting a page
file number too large? (everything has its tradeoffs, no?)
Lastly, I've heard that you should make two page files... a big one on
another drive, and a small one on your c drive... I think the reason
was that Windows likes have a little paging file on the OS drive...
Any info appreciated.
.
- References:
- Prev by Date: Re: FCP Capture Problem
- Next by Date: How to Break out Final Cut Pro multiclip to individual tracks???
- Previous by thread: Re: Brand new to this stuff. Will my system cope? 2 drives or 3?
- Next by thread: Using Sony TRV950 as codec?
- Index(es):
Relevant Pages
|
