Friends, help me configure a $1500 system

[vintron]

Hi there!

I am trying to help my friend build a system for himself. It's main uses will be:

1. Programming
2. Video Editing (vcr output and stuff)
3. Internet browsing
4. NOT much of gaming
5. watch tv and DVD movies

MOST importantly, he does not want to spend a penny more than $ 1500.00 (He already had a cdrw drive)

oh, btw he is inclined towards AMD thunderbird and is NOT interested in overclocking. Also, he is not much of a computer person.

[Barney]

Ok, here is something quick. I don't know what the price is, but it should be below the 1500:

- Tbird 1.1ghz
- Abit KT7(A) (RAID?)
- 256mb memory (for video editing)
- Asus V6600 Deluxe (GeForce256 32mb SDR, TV-in & out and 3D glasses. TV-in records EXCELLENT quality)
- 30gb harddrive (could be less, serious video editing takes up about 10gb)

- Soundcard (take a Sound Blaster 128 PCI or SB Live!, live is better)
- case (any with 300w AMD Athlon approved PSU will do),
- 1.44 diskdrive (any).
- monitor: mail DrVette http://www.sysopt.com/forum/wink.gif
- keyboard and mouse, any will do.

I think that's about it.

Ronald

[Nighthawk]

I'd say go for the Radeon All-In-Wonder. It's rather expensive, but it has a TV tuner, DVD decoder, and 32mb of video RAM. It's also got video in/out for Svideo. Specs (http://www.ati.com/na/pages/products/pc/aiw_radeon/index.html) . Failing this, the Rage128 all-in-wonder is cheap now.

I'd reccomend going W2K on this, since Me isn't as reliable, and has better debugging support (I think) since it was designed to be used in a corporate environment.

256mb of RAM should be fine. Bigger hard drives are better for video editing, and you don't pay too much for the extra space.

[Variable]

Well you will have to think about Win2K and WinME because WinME is better suited for Multimedia stuff (it even has a videoediting software included).

I don't think you will be able to build such a system for 1500$ because as everybody forgot to mention profesional video-editing software costs BIG BUCKS!

[loki515]

I would tell your friend to put a IBM GPX 75 HD in the thing because I recently bought one and it is smoking faast.When doing the same atsk a friends computers at the same time,I bet them by a good 5 to 10 seconds some times up to a half a minute.In this era,time is everything.I think when you do this kind of work you need lots of memory.I think I would buy a stick of 512,maybe some one else can give you better advise on that part.

www.pricewatch.com (http://www.pricewatch.com)

The best link for cheap computer parts...SIC...

[vass0922]

WinME comes with video editing software... well i agree it does, but surely it would not compare with any quality video editing software. Granted I'm no expert in these regards... but in the same matter why buy photoshop when WinME comes with MS Paint?
Get my drift?

I'd definately go with Win2k (well actually with Linux but not sure of the video editing software availability and not sure what language he's programming in) due to it's stability vs. WinME. Many times if you really load down an OS like any Win9x it'll end up crashing Explorer and that's pretty much the end of it all!

Just my .5 cents.

[Variable]

Since VideoEditing software is -as far as I know- mostly for Win, you can only choose between Win2K and WinME.

Win2K: better multipletask OS and good stability

WinME: better multimedia

so it's your pick

[jad1097]

$125 Abit KT7A motherboard
236 AMD Thunderbird 1.2ghz 266Mhz FSB
91 256BM PC133 CL2 Micron Sdram
100 Case 300Watt PSU and 2 case fases
25 HS/Fan
200 Video card
50 SbLive Value sound
150 40 gig 7,200RPM ATA100 hard drive
100 DVD drive
300 19" monitor
30 keyboard
25 mouse
$1432 some of these prices are from www.pricewatch.com (http://www.pricewatch.com)



[This message has been edited by jad1097 (edited 03-06-2001).]