Hi, all.
I've been editing ACVHD shot with a Canon Vixia camcorder, which hasn't been much of a problem in terms of file sizes and processing. We're looking to improve our video capabilities and I've started shopping for a decent pro-sumer video camera. I'm looking mostly at Panasonic and Sony cameras and would like to know something about how the DVC Pro or XDCam formats work with AE and Premier. I'm assuming that these formats will produce much larger files, requiring more storage and possibly more processing power. At the moment I'm running a Dell Precision 490 tower with these specs:
Windows 7 Enterprise - 64 Bit OS
Processor: Intel (R) Xeon (R) CPU 5160 @ 3.00GHz (2 processors)
4.00 GB RAM
150GB HD
I've been running CS5, but an upgrade to CS6 is on the way. Project files have been stored on a network server, so the small HD hasn't been a problem, but I'm usually writing and reading over ethernet. Our finished videos usually run about 3-5 minutes, but occassionally we might do something running between 20-30 minutes.
So, my questions:
- will this system, as is, be able to handle prosumer video formats? If not, what kind of system or external hardware would I need to bring me to at least entry level specs for this kind of work?
- will working over the network be an issue? If so, what will I need for internal/external hard drives?
- are there other questions I should be asking? What am I not considering?
I don't know how much money I can get for this, so I need to bring my bosses a number that won't scare the hell out of them. I can probably bring the camera and assessories in for under $10,000, but I'm guessing that adding two new high-powered work stations might double that figure. Not sure exactly where the line is. Can anyone offer any insight or advice? I certainly don't want to invest in a decent camera only to find I don't have the muscle to edit the footage.
My thanks in advance for any help or information.