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1. Re: hard drive capacity, memory, & processing speed needs...

Subject: 1. Re: hard drive capacity, memory, & processing speed needs...
From: "James Shatto" wwwshadow7
Date: Wed Aug 11, 2010 7:57 pm ((PDT))
I'm still using my old 2006 laptop.=C2=A0 I passed on the upgrade of the co=
mputer for other trinkets.=C2=A0 USB docking station ($50).=C2=A0 And when =
I need a few GB, I go buy a 1TB HDD (SATA) for $100-ish.=C2=A0 Since most o=
f my data sits idle tucked away anyway, this works for me.=C2=A0 I also opt=
ed for the largest HDD available for my laptop.=C2=A0 Which is 320GB at the=
 moment (PATA).=C2=A0 Which gives me a second partition for work only files=
 of 200GB.=C2=A0 Sound like a lot?=C2=A0 Not really.=C2=A0 16GB an hour for=
 HD video.=C2=A0 An equal or greater amount for temp / work files.=C2=A0 4G=
B for the destination DVD disc INPUT.=C2=A0 x2 for the OUTPUT.=C2=A0 x3 for=
 an iso image to speed up the burn process.=C2=A0 Which would be 44GB and t=
hat's per HOUR of content.=C2=A0 Once done, you can delete most of your wor=
k files and keep the script(s) that got you there.=C2=A0

And did I mention DSD audio, which comes out to almost 6GB an hour in AUDIO=
 only.=C2=A0 Plus work files.=C2=A0 I like the oversampling quality aspects=
.=C2=A0 Especially if you have to do some severe edits like speeding up or =
slowing down a track to achieve sync with other devices, or some major EQ e=
dits.=C2=A0 THEN resample down to the more common distribution formats.=C2=
=A0 But I do most of my work at the command line level and script it where =
possible.=C2=A0 So not that many human hours of work.=C2=A0 Just dump it, k=
ick it and go fishing.

Basically ample room to work with is primary.=C2=A0 Then a place to store a=
ll of that off computer.=C2=A0 Why you ask, because your work drive is goin=
g to get run through the ringer and probably not last a year, maybe two yea=
rs.=C2=A0 The one you plug into the docking station and turn on occassional=
ly is going to be far less worn out over the long run.=C2=A0 And hopefully =
more reliable.=C2=A0 And ALWAYS backup your SOURCE content BEFORE working o=
n it.

Beyond that it's what you can afford.=C2=A0 If you don't need to have a lot=
 of realtime / throughput.=C2=A0 Then you just script the task at hand to r=
esample HD video to DVD, DSD / SACD audio to CD.=C2=A0 And let it rip over =
the day or two it takes to process.=C2=A0 You're probably going to be spend=
ing 1/3rd or more of the time sleeping anyway.=C2=A0

If you need the throughput and don't have the time to just let it sit and p=
rocess, then get the beefiest workhorse you can afford.=C2=A0 I tend more t=
owards the cheapest workhorse and scale in quantity, 2nd, 3rd, 4th computer=
 to do my bidding on the back end as needed.=C2=A0 But I'm a bit of a tech =
and data packrat.=C2=A0 And those 2nd+ computers are my previous workhorses=
 that I didn't just throw away.=C2=A0 My current laptop is 32 bit, 2GHz sin=
gle core, with 512MB of RAM.=C2=A0 I have a desktop that's faster, but I li=
ke working on the laptop, because it takes up less realestate, and has a bu=
ilt in UPS system.=C2=A0 Plus it's quieter.=C2=A0 Even though it's probably=
 half as fast as the other option.

I generally do event recording stuff and can pump out the audio in less tha=
n 24 hours for a 3+ hour event.=C2=A0 And then video within a couple of day=
s, a week max.=C2=A0 But that's per event.=C2=A0 Which works fine for me si=
nce I'm more of a weekend warrior.=C2=A0 If I needed more throughput, I'd p=
robably opt for 7x $300 laptops than 1x $2,100 laptop.=C2=A0 But most of my=
 edits are start and stop times of long segments.=C2=A0 And a speed factor =
which remains mostly the same once figured out.=C2=A0 If I need more artsy =
stuff with multiple camera angles and video effects, maybe 3D rendering I'd=
 defnitely consider the beefier computer.=C2=A0 But I don't "need" that (YE=
T).=C2=A0 But I'm not doing anything commercial either.=C2=A0 Just helping =
out a few 501(c)3 types when I can.=C2=A0 A side effect of having portable =
and battery powered gear is that I can record anything anywhere.=C2=A0 Well=
, anywhere within the specs of the gear anyway.=C2=A0 Vacuum of space and l=
iquid atmospheres need not apply (yet).

- James


--- On Wed, 8/11/10,  <> wrote:

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