Need help: Right graphic card for video editing

[meesmuiste]

Hi guys,

I'm building myself a maschine for video editing. I'm also on budget.

Mainly I'll work with Avid Media Composer.

Currently my set will be:
Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550 2.83 Hz
Asus P5Q P45
4 x A-DATA 2GB DDR2 800
2 x 320GB, WD3200AAKS (system @ raid1)
2 x 640GB, WD6400AAKS (media @ raid1)
320GB, WD3200AAKS (scratch)
2 x 750GB WD7500AACS (media @ raid1)
ASUS DRW-2014L1T
CHIEFTEC PSU ATX 750W
COMPUCASE 6A21BS-UG
Zalman CASE FAN 120
BenQ FP241
UPS (not decided yet which one)
Windows Vista 64bit

As you've noticed I'm missing graphic card here. Currently I'm trying to choose between two options:
- PNY Electronics QUADRO FX 1700 512MB DDR2 128B
- Club3D HD 4870 (RV770XT) 512MB

So my question is wich one will you guys prefer. I'm going slightly crazy in the net comparing these two, that now I just need help.

According to my budget I'll have to pick Club 3D card. But if you say that Quadro is so much better that it is worth paying almost double for this, then I just have to get this money from somewhere...

Thanks in advance!

Oh and apologises if my english isn't perfect as it isn't my native language...

 

[meesmuiste]

ok, one more card to selection, which might be a middle way

GeForce GTX 280

one review here:
http://www.trustedreviews.com/graphics/review/2008/06/25/nVidia-GeForce-GTX-280/p1

Of course if you have other suggestions about the maschine, they are gladly welcomed

 

[-Fran-]

Uhm... For video editing, from what i know, ATI is your road.

Now, i don't know if you actually *need* a "pro" card for that.

ATI can do compression for you, but that's where your card goes. Everything else is done by the CPU my friend.

I'm not to savvy on Video Editing Software though and can be wrong here, but don't buy the ultra-expensive card cause it won't matter THAT much to your purposes.

Esop!

 

[meesmuiste]

ok, thanks mate

 

[dokk2]

Graphics editing,,the card is not as important as the rest of the system [and your selections are ok ] ,after all you're not talking cad/cam just editing already drawn/photographed video,,,,,
up to a certain point almost any card with at least 512 ram on it will do the job
as to the two cards that you are looking at go with the club 3d you will not regret it ,,anyhow you will/should have a "grace" period during which you can return/replace it should you feel the need..

 

[MarkG]

Uhm... For video editing, from what i know, ATI is your road.

Do not buy an ATI card if you're running Media Composer.

Do not buy an ATI card if you're running Media Composer.

Just to reiterate: do not buy an ATI card if you're running Media Composer.

Avid are basically an Nvidia-only company, and trying to run their software on an ATI card is a pure crap-shoot; it may work, it may not, and you're unlikely to get any support help if it doesn't. I was able to run Xpress Pro on my Radeon 9500 Pro for some time, but I eventually had to replace it with an Nvidia card to get all the features to work reliably.

Generally, however, you're OK using a consumer Nvidia card; again though, you won't get much support help if you don't use a card that Avid officially support, and I believe that's only Quadros. Media Composer works on my Geforce 7800, but it's not 100% reliable (e.g. sometimes full-screen HD playback works and sometimes it doesn't).

 

[MarkG]

Ah, here we are:

http://www.avid.com/products/Media-Composer-Software/system-requirements.asp

Graphics Card:

* NVidia Quadro FX 560 or higher
o Note 1: Only Nvidia cards are supported
o Note 2: Full Screen play feature requires a minimum of 128MB of graphics memory

Anything else might work, and any Nvidia card is likely to work, but those are the only ones guaranteed to work 100% (or get support if they don't).

Similarly, only Intel CPUs are officially supported, but you're fine there. I actually run Media Composer on my P4-3.06, which is officially below the minimum requirements but still works OK.

 

[meesmuiste]

ok thanks guys

currently then i'm looking for the card GeForce GTX 280 then. If you have other suggestions they are very welcomed

 

[keola27]

I know this is an old post but i found it on google and though i would add a side not. I would recomend only useing Nvida because of CUDA all adobe products will be takeing advantage of cuda filters, it makes a huge differance in codeing videos!