New PC Build Jan 2014 ~$800

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CutCutCut

1039 posts

Uber Geek

#160314 1-Jan-2015 22:58

Rightio so as in this thread, the old PC is not well and it looks like it's time for some new parts.

The timing of this build is not the best so the budget is fairly tight, I want to keep it under $800 if possible.

Firstly the current PSU is a Seasonic S12 550w version. From what I read the new Intel Haswell CPUs have some energy saving features that older PSUs like this aren't compatible with. I believe these features can be switched off so this won't be an issues. Anyone have experience with this?

Ideally I'd probably like a smaller case, I have a big Lian Li case and it's a tight squeeze fitting it into it's space. But due to the budget constraints I'll probably end up keeping the current case.

I also have an SSD I can use for my OS boot drive and other storage drives. So assuming that I can re-use the PSU, I need a motherboard, CPU, RAM, video card, DVD drive.

I'm a video editor by trade so I like to be able to fire up and play with some graphics, photo and video editing apps occasionally. My son is dying try out minecraft so there will be some low-level gaming. I have some legacy firewire gear that is still in use so I need some way of getting that in there other via the motherboard or a an extra card.

I'm thinking a core i5, not much idea on the motherboard but I was happy with the ASUS previously so probably will stick with that, ram - I'm thinking at least 16gb (2x8gb) with a couple of empty slots for an upgrade in the future. Video card, from what I've read Nvidia is the way to go for Adobe premiere etc. Possibly a GTX750 ti 2GB, seems like a pretty good compromise of performance and price.

Last time I built the PC I had no kids and did a ton of research, 7 years and 4 kids later, I'm a little less up-to-date with the latest components etc. I would love any input, so please comments and suggestions welcome.

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#1207059 2-Jan-2015 01:18

http://nz.pcpartpicker.com/p/dGnVZL

I'm a geek, a gamer, a dad, a Quic user, and an IT Professional. I have a full rack home lab, size 15 feet, an epic beard and Asperger's. I'm a bit of a Cypherpunk, who believes information wants to be free and the Net interprets censorship as damage and routes around it. If you use my Quic signup you can also use the code R570394EKGIZ8 for free setup.

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TLD

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Ultimate Geek

#1207061 2-Jan-2015 03:14

I can't imagine using Premier Pro on a low to mid end PC, although I don't know what CODECs you'd be using. I built my system with advice from the Premiere Pro Hardware Forum, because they really know their stuff, and the forum regulars include staff from The Video Guys

http://www.videoguys.com/
You could check out their DIY buid guides to see what components work well together
http://www.videoguys.com/Guide/C/DIY%2BSystems.aspx

And Eric Bowen from ADK
http://www.adkvideoediting.com/choose.asp

I would definitely run it past the forum lads before committing
https://forums.adobe.com/community/premiere/hardware_forum

Trevor Dennis
Rapaura (near Blenheim)

CutCutCut

1039 posts

Uber Geek

#1207064 2-Jan-2015 07:50

I did take a look at the video guys diy builds but the most current one was over a year old so I'm not sure how relevant it is? I'll check that forum out though thank you. Adobe's recommended specs are actually not that demanding

Windows
Intel Core2 Duo or AMD Phenom II processor with 64-bit support
Microsoft Windows 7 with Service Pack 1 (64 bit) or Windows 8 (64 bit)
4 GB of RAM (8 GB recommended)
4 GB of available hard-disk space for installation; additional free space required during installation (cannot install on removable flash storage devices)
Additional disk space required for preview files and other working files (10 GB recommended)
1280 x 800 display
7200 RPM or faster hard drive (multiple fast disk drives configured for RAID 0 recommended)
Sound card compatible with ASIO protocol or Microsoft Windows Driver Model
QuickTime 7.6.6 software required for QuickTime features
Optional: Adobe-certified GPU card with at least 1 GB of VRAM for GPU-accelerated performance

I ran a version of avid on my old rig with no problems. I won't be doing any pro work on it, just for dabbling and doing personal jobs and home movies on.

CutCutCut

1039 posts

Uber Geek

#1207076 2-Jan-2015 08:09

Lias: http://nz.pcpartpicker.com/p/dGnVZL

Cool, thank you, haven't seen that website before, I don't need the ssd but I'll check out those components.

TLD

902 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1207114 2-Jan-2015 11:50

Like I said, it would depend on what CODECs you'd be editing, but I believe Premiere Pro has the highest hardware requirements of the regular NLE apps. When I first built my system:

3930K 6 core, 12 thread running at 4Ghz
32Gb RAM
GTX570
multiple drives

...it still would not let me scrub the timeline smoothly with H.264 footage, because my project drive could not supply the data fast enough. I had to change the project drive to a raid0 with a pair of 3rd gen Velociraptors. I've had several drive failures over the three years since this system was built, and now use a single 1Tb SSD for the project drive.

I wouldn't be looking at a smaller case either. The lads on the PremPro Hardware forum will all say use a full tower for cooling and upgrade capability. I'd say your current PSU would be OK if you don't intend going crazy with the system.

The Video Guys don't update their DIY builds that frequently, because things don't actually move along so fast as to make it necessary. I remember them getting very excited when they announce DIY 10 because of its Thunderbolt capability, and I'd be thinking along those lines when I build my next system. But it still works fine, and is still placed 17th in the old PPBM5 results table (out of 1351 systems). Note that Bill and Harm stopped updating that table last year.

http://ppbm5.com/DB-PPBM5-2.php

The table is useful in that you can see the effect of various components, and how much the GPU speeds things up. Same thing applies, to a lesser extent, with Photoshop, and is obviously crucial with After Effects. One thing they stressed to me was to build a balanced system where all items support each other. There's no point in spending megabucks on a GPU if you are only using 8Gb RAM for instance.

Check out the News page on the PPBM5 site for some good advice. The last paragraph on that page reads:

Currently the i7-960 with 12 GB memory and a GTX 470 or over-clocked 460 seems to be the sweet point for economic high performance systems if properly tuned and overclocked.

Trevor Dennis
Rapaura (near Blenheim)

TLD

902 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1207122 2-Jan-2015 12:33

I was thinking about my last reply, and decided I was misleading about the problem with H.264 and AVCHD. It's not just the need for a high drive throughput, but also the need to decompress the highly compressed footage on the fly, but I'm thinking you'll know that better than me. I find that the 50MB/s 4:2:2 MPEG-2 footage from my main video camera — Canon XF300 — is easier on my system than H.264 from my 1DMK4 despite the XF300 files being larger. You could get away with lower hardware spec by converting the likes of H.264 and AVCHD to Cineform, but like I just said, if you do this for a living, you'll know this better than me.

Trevor Dennis
Rapaura (near Blenheim)

CutCutCut

1039 posts

Uber Geek

#1207126 2-Jan-2015 12:41

TLD: I was thinking about my last reply, and decided I was misleading about the problem with H.264 and AVCHD. It's not just the need for a high drive throughput, but also the need to decompress the highly compressed footage on the fly, but I'm thinking you'll know that better than me. I find that the 50MB/s 4:2:2 MPEG-2 footage from my main video camera — Canon XF300 — is easier on my system than H.264 from my 1DMK4 despite the XF300 files being larger. You could get away with lower hardware spec by converting the likes of H.264 and AVCHD to Cineform, but like I just said, if you do this for a living, you'll know this better than me.

Yes, h.264 is a dog to edit with, we try to avoid it where possible. Even with our HP workstations, you wouldn't want the bulk of your footage in h.264. I would tend to use avid dnx codecs cos that's what I know.

Thanks for the info, I'll look into it. Your right, I need to get the balance right.

Mark

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Uber Geek

#1207128 2-Jan-2015 12:45

I just had a wave of nostalgia reading this thread :-)

Memories of showing off dual 9GB drives to the BBC that could handle AVR77!!!! Cutting edge stuff it was! :-)

CutCutCut

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Uber Geek

#1207129 2-Jan-2015 12:45

My last build way back when, I had a mid range core 2duo that I overclocked it from stock about 2.2 to 3ghz pretty easily.
From what I can tell, that isn't really possible with haswell, only the "k" versions. Is that correct?

TLD

902 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1207325 2-Jan-2015 21:51

Go ask on the PremPro Hardware forum. You'd know you were getting definitive answers from people who really know, than guestimates and opinions.

There are so many useful links in the threads as well

http://ppbm7.com/index.php/tweakers-page/83-balanced-systems/94-balanced-systems

But register and ask. You'll get answers from people like Harm Millaard, and Bill Gehrke who run the PPBM test sites; Eric Bowen from ADK, Todd Kopriva from Adobe who does all the After Effects stuff on Video2Brain etc. Jim Short....... there are an endless name of near legends in NLE. They will respect that you are a professional editor, and I promise they'll be helpful.

I used to live on the Adobe Photoshop forum, but Creative Cloud ruined it for me. There became less and less questions about how to do stuff with Photoshop, and endless repeat questions about installation, and OS issues. You have to get something out of it for yourself if you are going to put hours a day into helping people. I made some great long lasting friends I still keep in touch with, but only rarely visit the forum nowadays.

Trevor Dennis
Rapaura (near Blenheim)

CutCutCut

1039 posts

Uber Geek

#1208529 5-Jan-2015 13:39

Is there any easy way to use an IDE DVD drive in a new build?

Dairyxox

1594 posts

Uber Geek

#1208542 5-Jan-2015 13:48

Get a motherboard with an IDE header/controller.
Mostly entry level (asrock) & business models for POS etc. might have them.

EDIT: Another consideration, does the $800 include operating system? What is your preferred OS?

TLD

902 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1208557 5-Jan-2015 14:05

CutCutCut: Is there any easy way to use an IDE DVD drive in a new build?

I bet a PCIe IDE card would cost as much as a new DVD drive, and if your old one is IDE, I'd guess the spec is not flash.

Ahhh... I got that very wrong. This card has a buy now of just $6!

http://www.trademe.co.nz/computers/components/cd-dvd-drives/dvd-writers/auction-829750372.htm

Trevor Dennis
Rapaura (near Blenheim)

CutCutCut

1039 posts

Uber Geek

#1208575 5-Jan-2015 14:22

Dairyxox: Get a motherboard with an IDE header/controller.
Mostly entry level (asrock) & business models for POS etc. might have them.

EDIT: Another consideration, does the $800 include operating system? What is your preferred OS?

I would like to got to Widows 8.1 but with such a liimited budget I think I might be best sticking with 7, so no OS needed.

CutCutCut

1039 posts

Uber Geek

#1208592 5-Jan-2015 14:25

TLD:
CutCutCut: Is there any easy way to use an IDE DVD drive in a new build?

I bet a PCIe IDE card would cost as much as a new DVD drive, and if your old one is IDE, I'd guess the spec is not flash.

Ahhh... I got that very wrong. This card has a buy now of just $6!

http://www.trademe.co.nz/computers/components/cd-dvd-drives/dvd-writers/auction-829750372.htm

Oh you just reminded me, I think I have an old PCI card that added SATA an IDE port that might do it. I'll see if I can dig it out.

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