Hardware specs for HD?

[Jonj1611]

Hi,

Not sure if this helps you :-

http://www.apple.com/quicktime/guide/hd/recommendations.html

Thanks
Jon

[beenyweenies]

What are the minimum hardware specs for handling 720p and other hd resolutions with pc? Currently working with AE 6.5 pro. Does AE 7 pro has any advantages about hd?

And which is more important ram or processor? Tested quickly some hd 720p trailer and it seemed bit jerky with bsplayer on computer with 2gt ram & 3000athlon64. Maybe the player/codecs fault?


There are no firm minimum specs, because it depends entirely on the HD codec you use and the level of interactivity you need. Ultimately it comes down to the bandwidth requirements of the chosen HD codec, and your machine's ability to process that amount of data that quickly.

For example, a lot of HD work is done in the DVCPRO HD codec (quicktime). This codec has a relatively tame bandwidth requirement (for HD) of 100MBps, so for real-time playback your system would need to be capable of processing 100MBps (or more to account for overhead, system activity etc.). Then there is HDV, which is closer to the DV spec of 25MBps so any modern computer should handle it fine provided you have the right codec. If you are wanting to work with uncompressed 4:4:4 1080i HD your system will need to be capable of processing more like 250-400MBps.

To achieve the bandwidth requirements above, consider the following hardware roles:

Hard Drives - by far the biggest factor in working with HD is getting the data to your system fast enough to meet the bandwidth requirement. for DVCPRO HD (100MBps) you will likely need multiple SATA hard drives (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16822148106) in RAID configuration (RAID 0 or 5). For uncompressed HD (250MBps+) you're looking at 8 or more drives in RAID 0 or 5. As more drives are added to the RAID array, the aggregate bandwidth goes up. When purchasing your drives, remember that sustained data rates are MUCH different than burst rates. Many HD manufacturers hype their burst rates because they are much higher, but for video work a high sustained transfer rate is paramount. The HD linked above is a great option.
Also, for anything more than two drives, you will probably need a hardware RAID controller card. (http://www.3ware.com/products/serial_ata9000.asp)

RAM - Obviously your system will need as much RAM as you can stuff in your machine to process HD footage smoothly. 2GB is okay, more is better. Enough said. As for your question regarding which is more important, RAM or processor, both are equally important because a lot of RAM won't save you if you have a slow processor. Eliminating bottlenecks is the name of the game in HD land.

Processor - An AMD 3000+ is a decent chip for gaming and basic editing/AE work, but you will need a better chip to handle HD well. You will probably want to move up to a dual processor or dual core unit if you plan to do a lot of HD work.
The AMD X2 4400+ is the best bet here - both cores are super fast, and each core has 1MB of L2 cache which is a nice speed boost. This is by far the best price-to-performance chip in the AMD line, since it includes the 1MB L2 cache, a feature found only on their highly expensive dual core chips. With some overclocking, this processor can perform similarly to their $700-$900 chips, yet it retails for around $500. Highly recommended on the PC side. Many people love the Intel chips because of hyperthreading, etc. but I've always been a fan of AMD's pricing, performance, low heat/power consumption and motherboard options.

And while you're at it, if you are anticipating a lot of HD work, and you do decide to purchase a dual core processor, look into Gridiron Nucleo (http://www.gridironxfactor.com/products/nucleo_overview.asp). Using AE 7 and a dual core machine, the performance boost is very noticeable, both in RAM previews and final renders.

[Kraa]

Thanks for great answer!

I will receive first materials propably in 4:2:2 720p format. I will try how that pc will handle it in AE. If it is too slow then upgrading to some dualcore AMD would be next step?

BTW, what is the best way to convert hd to sd? Just put it to AE and make movie with sd specs?

[beenyweenies]

Thanks for great answer!

I will receive first materials propably in 4:2:2 720p format. I will try how that pc will handle it in AE. If it is too slow then upgrading to some dualcore AMD would be next step?

BTW, what is the best way to convert hd to sd? Just put it to AE and make movie with sd specs?

Having a fast processor is good, but as pointed out above the most important thing is getting the data TO the CPU quickly. You need to open your pipes up for more data flow, so I would recommend getting at least a 2-drive RAID going. This is remarkably easy to set up, and depending on your motherboard may be a simple matter of plugging in the drives and making one change in your BIOS. If you plan to do this but don't know how, tell me what motherboard you have and I can help.

As for converting HD to SD, you can nest HD footage into an SD comp (720x486, etc.) and scale it down to match the smaller size IF you are using 720p as you mentioned. If the footage is interlaced, it gets a bit more tricky because you will need to de-interlace before scaling the footage down, and AE's "deinterlace" feature isn't the greatest.

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