Re: [Hardware] Older Hardware and large Current spec monitor
- From: Paul <nospam@xxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 09 Dec 2009 20:17:55 -0500
Harry Putnam wrote:
[I'll apologize in advance for getting a bit windy on this but I've
been pondering about this stuff for a while and am somewhat frustrated
by not understanding what I see on line about the subject]
I'm really sick of not having enough room to easily work from tools
like Photoshop, premiere and After Effects or Edius, vegas .. etc.
comfortably.
I know that `serious' editors use a double monitor.. both large. But
that isn't an option for me. I am serious about editing.. but not a
commercial player.
My hardware isn't antique but is weak compared to todays' stuff.
P4 3.2ghz with 3gb ram has trouble with modern tools like CS4 tools.
They run but there is always some kind of grief. So I really need to
upgrade but again that isn't an option either.
My video card is Nvidia FX 5700. Now that, I might possibly be able
to upgrade but it would have to be a model that won't tax the
other hardware. And if its even possible something that would work
with upgraded more current hardware.
What I want to do right now is get a nice big monitor...
That is where I need advice. Like is it likely that my video card
would have trouble with something like a 26 in (higher end) monitor?
Further. what specs would be suitable for video editing. I've lost
all track of what is going on with monitors. I've been using a 17
monitor for quit a few yrs so something like 26" will seem huge, at
least for a while. I also plan to get a TV card but I've been planning
that for a very long time.
I see many monitors that say they are LCD which in my mind means it
will suck... but maybe that's from an antique mind set from yrs ago
I'd like the monitor to be fairly high res and will be willing to
spend something like 300-400 on it, but only if my current hardware
will handle it. (and like I said I might plop down another 150 or so
for a more powerful video card).
At least the monitor needs to be versatile enough to work well with
upgraded hardware when ever I get to that... The video card too if possible.
That brings me to the other questions:
Will a video card with more of its own ram make much difference in
editing? I have no need of gaming style video... but if more video
ram will help run CS4 tools then I'll get it.
My current card has 250 (MB I guess?) and I see cards with as much as
1gb which would be a 400 % increase... But will it really matter that
much.
I've never really known how much of a role the video card plays in
running applications.
I do know that for example... I have to turn off hardware acceleration
to even run Encore CS4 (that may be an Nvidia related problem or so
I've seen googling around.)
So, anyone who can throw some light on these somewhat vague and
somewhat poorly worded questions please let me know your thoughts.
I'd especially like to hear from people running similar
hardware... and what video cards and monitors they use.
What I want: Big wide crisp monitor.
A video card that will help run tools like Adobe CS4
Your P4 3.2GHz computer might have an AGP slot, based on your FX 5700
suggestion. Nvidia has stopped delivering new AGP cards. (They used
PCI Express chips and used a bridge chip to make AGP cards, and
I read a suggestion somewhere that they couldn't make the bridge
chips any more. I think the chip was HSI or something.) That leaves
ATI as most able to help you. ATI uses bridge chips too, but are
still making theirs (Rialto).
(List of video cards, where I get details on them)
http://www.gpureview.com/videocards.php
(Rialto chip, is the one surrounded by the protective green square)
http://images17.newegg.com/is/image/newegg/14-121-330-S04?$S640W$
New video cards would likely have at least one dual link DVI connector,
which could handle up to 2560x1600. There is a table, further down
in this article, with what resolutions a dual link connector can handle
at 60Hz. LCDs don't flicker like CRTs do, so 60Hz is not an
issue with the LCD.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Visual_Interface
Something like a 4650 or 4670 might be an upgrade. The amount of
RAM here, 1GB, is overkill, and even a 512MB card would be sufficient.
The difference between the two cards, might be the 4670 has better
gaming specs. But might not add much to your video editing experience.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121330
Notice the connectors on that one, are a bit weird. That particular
card has HDMI, VGA, and DVI. And the DVI is likely to be dual link.
http://images17.newegg.com/is/image/newegg/14-121-330-S02?$S640W$
Depending on what display devices you have, or plan to acquire,
there may be other cards with a better mix of ports.
This XFX card has two DVI connectors and a DIN for various video
output formats (composite, S-video, component ?, the spec doesn't
say - there is no component cable bundled in the box).
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150433
I can find the words "HDCP capable" here, which is something you
check for if the card has DVI connectors but no HDMI connector. If
an HDMI connector is on the faceplate, then HDCP is supposed to be
part of HDMI. HDCP over DVI is still required, when driving high
res monitors. HDCP supports encryption over the monitor cable,
to suit the movie industry attempts to prevent piracy by copying
the image digitally as it flows over the monitor cable. It is just
another tick box, when shopping for a video card.
http://www.xfxforce.com/en-us/products/graphiccards/HD%204000series/4650.aspx
About the best you can do, is use the most modern card, and hope
that the driver somehow provides the acceleration you want in
the tool flow you're using. There is too little detail in most
software advertising, to determine exactly what works or doesn't
work.
One problem with the latest AGP cards, is getting good quality
drivers for them. Always read the review comments for the card
you're buying, as to where is the best place to download a
working driver. Sometimes, it takes a particular driver, plus
the "AGP hotfix" download. The review comments on Newegg, are
a good place to find mention of driver issues.
Changing platforms, and moving to a computer with a PCI Express
slot, opens up more video card options. But you might not
get much more out of that, at least from the video card
end of things. You could get a faster processor that way.
It really depends then, on the GPU acceleration features,
as to whether some other video card, would give you more.
*******
Picking monitors is much harder, so I'll leave that to you.
This is an example of a big one.
http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/products/Monitors/productdetail.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19&sku=222-7175
30 inches, 2560x1600, dual link DVI, HDCP, 60 Hz refresh,
178 degrees (vertical), 178 degrees (horizontal) viewing angle (= IPS panel)
$1400.00
When I looked at an Apple one, I couldn't see proof it had HDCP.
Paul
.
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