Card for AVCHD editing - which nvidia chipset?

[djbauda]

Hello. I'm putting together an i7 920 system with a GIGABYTE GA-EX58-UD4P motherboard for editing home AVCHD video, converting AVCHD, etc. I don't play any games (though I should start!). From what I read about editing AVCHD, the graphics card matters a lot due to the OpenGL processing required by the editing software. I'm having a hard time though figuring out which graphics card to get.

Choices:
EVGA 512-P3-1150-TR GeForce GTS 250 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card
Core clock is 756MHz with 128 stream processors and memory size is 512MB

EVGA 896-P3-1257-AR GeForce GTX 260 Core 216 Superclocked Edition 896MB 448-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI
Core clock is 626MHz with 216 stream processors and memory size is 896MB

PNY VCQFX580-PCIE-PB Quadro FX580 512MB 128-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 Workstation Video Card
32 stream processors and memory size is 512MB

I was really debating between the first two but I'm not sure if it's better to have more stream processors/memory than to have a higher core clock for video editing. The third card I threw in because videoguys recommend it as an "Entry-Level Professional Graphics Solution".

Can anyone please help me decide between these? Thanks!

 

[evongugg]

The GTX 260 is equivalent to a Quadro 4800:

Workstation Graphics Cards and their Mainstream Equivalents Quadro

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/quadro-fx-4800,2258.html

 

[evongugg]

If you do this for a living you cannot settle for a gaming card.. The drivers/tech support for a work station card are other worldly as far as proffesional apps go.

Some say even the lowest end work station card will beat the pants off of a high end gaming card (unless you mod the bios, which doesnt always work..). As far as 3DSmax goes the performance is smoother, the rendering is faster, and it is far more accurate. I'm not sure if you have ever tried to design 3d art on a gaming card but often times (due to poor drivers) as you zoom in and zoom out the textures never seem to line up quite right (they seem to overlap and slide around as the gaming card is made for speed in games, not accuracy in design), makes it very difficult to do anything other than hobby messing around. A profesional card is much much more accurate in edges and what not.

Now, as for which card you need.. I would go with a gaming card, since you do this as a hobby.

 

[djbauda]

But the review you posted from tom's hardware states: "As one might expect, the gaming card is carefully impeded and is largely unable to exercise its performance potential when running workstation applications. Our benchmarks show this phenomenon at work clearly and unmistakably."

Considering I don't play any games and just watch internet video and do AVCHD video editing, wouldn't the FX 580 workstation card make more sense than either of the Nvidia gaming cards? I'll probably use Sony Vegas Movie Studio 9 (NOT PRO). Thanks.

 

[grgryl]

djbauda, I'm curious what video card did you end up getting for AVCHD editing?

 

[djbauda]

I ended up going with:
EVGA 512-P3-N884-TR GeForce 9800 GTX+ Superclocked 512MB 256-bit DDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card

Due to cost, I don't plan on using a professional video editor (Sony Vegas Pro), which would utilize the GPU, so I will most likely use something like Sony Vegas Ultimate Movie Studio, which is a consumer level editing app. I don't think the app utilizes the GPU so I went with a card that would be good for HD playback. This card has PureVideo support. Or I might try one of Nero's apps as I think they utilize the GPU.