Video Card Upgrade? 2

[TheFang]

I am currently using a Nvida GForce3 w/64MB of memory. I do not play a lot of high end games but I do a lot of video editing like converting VHS to DVD format. My system configuration is as follows:

GA-8KNXP Motherboard
1 GIG DS/DDR Ram
Intel P4 3.0 processor
SATA WD 120 Gig Hard Drive
WS 60GIG EIDE Back Hard Drive
a WD External 120GIG Hard Drive
Audigy Sound Blaster recording System
SyncMaster 150T Flat Screen Samsung Monitor

I have been thinking about purchasing the ATI 9600 Pro Radeon 256MB card but I am open to suggestions. I am not sure about the power supply 300WT or higher?? I guess the big question is "Will I be improving my systems performance with a new video card?

Thanks,

WAF

 

[cdogg]

Video editing/conversion is mainly CPU intensive, unless you have a card that is internally supported by your video editing app. For example, a professional level Matrox x.10 or x.100 card is supported by Adobe's Premiere software allowing a lot of real-time editing and faster conversions using the GPU on the video card.

Other gaming-type 3D cards are not integrated for that purpose. Therefore, it doesn't really matter which one of that group you decide to get...

~cdogg
[tab][navy]For general rules and guidelines to get better answers, click here:[/navy] faq219-2884

 

[greymortis]

An ATI Radeon 9600XT 256mb would be a better bet, as you are getting better performance and many of the better manufacturers put features on that card to support video converting and the like.

 

[cdogg]

greymortis,
I'm afraid that's incorrect. Video editing will use the CPU and main system RAM only, unless the editing software supports the video card directly (as in the Matrox examples I gave above).

Remember that the one referred to here is a gaming card. It supports OpenGL and DirectX, which are not the tools required for faster real-time editing.

~cdogg
[tab][navy]For general rules and guidelines to get better answers, click here:[/navy] faq219-2884

 

[felixc]

To add a bit to cdogg's sayings, it depends on what video editing software you are using. If you are using soft in the class of Pinnacle Studio, you will find some improvement with the 9600XT but not by a magnitude.
If you are using, or are willing to use professional package that support video processing features, then the approach is the other way around. You have to check what are the system features that these softwares or video cards (like the RT) are requiring to work properly.

 

[cdogg]

I still don't see how a gaming card, regardless of how fast, will help video editing. Unless it has hardware-based encoding (which none of the ATI Radeons have), then it's not going to have any effect at all.

The software is half the battle. Pinnacle Studio Plus has some nice features to help with speeding up rendering time, but it does not provide real-time editing without the right hardware.

http://www20.graphics.tomshardware.com/video/20021126/index.html

If you're a beginner, then go for what you can afford and worry about real-time editing later. Or if you're a beginner that wants to save hours and hours of rendering time, then fork over the extra $300-400 and get a decent Matrox suite which ALSO comes with the software you need. Once you factor that part in, it's not so much more than it sounds.

~cdogg
[tab][navy]For general rules and guidelines to get better answers, click here:[/navy] faq219-2884

 

[greymortis]

Apologies, I was quite clear, I was referring to the supported dual monitor set up that is common with that card, which would come in handy for video editing. But you are quite correct, the card itself wouldn't be much help.