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skydork

Need to start computer editing!

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After making about 1000 paid tandem videos using copyrighted music ( that statement is off the record ) two cd players, a JVC video processor and a Panasonic mx-12 with about a hundred wires all knotted up I think I may be ready for computer editing.
I am starting from scratch with vary little computer editing experience.
I would like to get a laptop with it's primary function being just this. Anything else I use it for would be a bonus.
Any input on Computer, software, music and anything else I am not thinking of.
I am currently using a HC-90 and a Rebel XT for tandems. A 109 for everything else.
We all had to start somewhere.
This post is my start.

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i bought a 2.0ghz, 2 gb ram 240 hd laptop with centrino duo processor and vista ultimate ($1100) {if you can get the 7200 rpm on a smaller hd i would but mine is 5400}. i use the stock microsoft windows moviemaker that comes with ultimate. i have made about 10 videos with it and the computer is working well. i have used sony vegas plat 8.0 as well.. it is a higher quality program ($120) that gives way more flexibilty but is very manual to use at first. i would suggest getting your feet wet with the movie maker ( or the stock mac if you go that route. mac is more expensive up front but a little more video friendly, i just hate mac. ). you probably dont need a 240 HD just get an 120-160 hd and get an external or two.. . i got my music from limewire. i use hc-42 and rebel xt as well. it is a lot of fun but very time consuming to make a quality video. if you need any more info feel free to PM.
dont let life pass you by

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i use a mixing board at the dz, but prefer to use my computer when possible (on slow days). I have an alienware computer (good for gaming and videos) but it's a bit more high end than you'd proly need. I use adobe premiere to edit my videos, it's simple to use if you are just starting off, and after you get good at it, you can make some really sweet stuff. However, it does take a lil more time to convert the movie onces you are done editing it (like 5-10 mins depending on what you are doing with the movie, and depending on how good a computer you got). Then burn time takes about another 10 mins depending on your prgm for that and your computer speed (i use nero to burn the dvd's).

All n all, it really depends on the money you want to spend...you can get a powerful machine, and it'd go quickly, or you can get a decent machine, spend a few more mins burning and still get a good product. I prefer to use my comp over a linear editing program becasue you can do more with the movies.

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Please see the FAQ for a list of software tools...
Computer; dependent if you're going Mac or PC, but in any case, faster is always best. RAM is important, you need/want at least 2 gigs.
External HDD system.
Decent monitor. Video card more or less doesn't matter, so don't get roped into a high end gaming card unless you're going to play games.
Quad core is of course, best of all, if you can afford it. I recommend a custom system over an off the shelf system such as a Dell, Gateway, etc, but those can be modified to be video-efficient.
For maximum flexibility, you can't beat a PC. For specific apps, in some ways you can't beat a Mac. Both are great tools.
Premiere-semi-steep learning curve.
Sony Vegas-almost no learning curve
NewTek SpeedEdit-very small learning curve
Canopus Edius, small learning curve
Avid Xpress-semi-steep learning curve
FCP-semi-steep learning curve.

then there is photoshop or PhotoImpact, or any number of other tools for photo editing.
SATA HDD's are best for speed, and external SATA's (for cost effective movement) is good to consider.

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How good or bad would these 2 unit fit into the requirements you provided.

If you want advanced digital entertainment coupled with leading-edge mobile performance and communication features, the HP Pavilion dv6500t Notebook PC delivers! Its highlights: a 15.4" Brightview display and a dazzling new high-gloss design.
Powerful processor
The Intel Celeron M processor is designed specifically for mobile computing, featuring a 1MB L2 cache and a 533 MHz front side bus. It delivers a balanced level of performance needed for basic applications, while providing exceptional value.
Sleek look, simple controls
The dv6500t features a new notebook finish: a high-gloss, black resin with an inlaid "Radiance" pattern. The exterior is amazingly sturdy and is designed to survive rough handling at places such as airport security checkpoints. In addition, you can control the volume and launch buttons by simply tapping or swiping your finger across a strip on the keyboard.
Made for entertainment
This notebook's 15.4" high-definition widescreen facilitates viewing; the BrightView option provides a higher contrast ratio and better viewing with DVD movies and games. The Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100 graphics card with up to 358MB of shared video memory delivers best-in-class video for games and multimedia. You also get high-quality sound from integrated Altec Lansing stereo speakers, plus two stereo headphone jacks (one of which is S/PDIF capable) which enables connection to your surround sound audio system.
Ideal for music, photos, and video
The Pavilion dv6500t features HP QuickPlay, which launches DVDs, music, and photos without booting up the system. Transfer photos from your digital camera to the dv6500t via the 5-in-1 digital media card reader, then use HP Photosmart Premier software to help with photo editing, printing, organizing, sharing, and storing. You can turn pictures into movies, edit video, and create CDs and DVDs.
Easy connections
The HP xb3000 Notebook Expansion Base (sold separately) connects your dv6500t to peripherals, including a monitor if you want a desktop experience. You also get an integrated 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet (RJ-45 connector), three USB 2.0, a 5-in-1 digital media card reader, an ExpressCard/54 slot, a modem (RJ-11), an IEEE 1394 FireWire, an S-Video, and a consumer IR. You also get Intel Pro/Wireless WLAN with optional Bluetooth.
graphics features
The new Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100 offers enhanced 3D features such as Shader Model 3.0 and Intel Clear Video Technology for an enhanced home theater digital entertainment experience. Intel GMA X3100 supports Intel Dynamic Video Memory Technology 4.0 allowing for up to 358MB of system memory being allocated to the graphics engine to maximum system performance. The Intel GMA X3100 is Microsoft Windows Vista Premium capable to take advantage of the latest consumer applications. Shared video memory (UMA) uses part of the total system memory for video performance.
specifications
PROCESSOR
Intel Celeron M Processor 530 (1.73GHz/1MB L2 Cache)
MEMORY
2GB DDR2 SDRAM (2x1024MB)
HARD DRIVE
80GB 5400 RPM SATA Hard Drive
DISPLAY
15.4" WXGA BrightView Widescreen (1280x800)
MULTIMEDIA DRIVE
Super Multi 8X DVD+/-R/RW w/Double Layer Support
VIDEO GRAPHICS
Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100
DIGITAL MEDIA
5-in-1 media card reader
COMMUNICATION
802.11b/g WLAN
KEYBOARD
Full-Size
POINTING DEVICE
Touchpad with dedicated vertical scroll up/down pad
DIMENSIONS
14.05" (L) x 10.12" (W) x 1" (min H)/1.69" (max H)
WEIGHT
6.14 lbs.
PC CARD SLOTS
ExpressCard/54 slot (also supports ExpressCard/34)
EXTERNAL PORTS
Expansion Port 3 connector
Three USB 2.0
IEEE 1394 Firewire port
S-video TV-out
Integrated Consumer IR (remote control receiver)
Two headphones out
Microphone in
RJ-11 (modem)
RJ-45 (LAN)
VGA port
SOUND
Integrated Altec Lansing stereo speakers
POWER
Standard Lithium-Ion battery
OPERATING SYSTEM
Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium
SOFTWARE
HP PhotoSmart Premier
RealRhapsody
Muvee AutoProducer Basic Edition
Adobe Acrobat Reader
Microsoft Works
Microsoft Money
Microsoft Windows Media Player
HP Games Powered by Wild Tangent
Intuit Quicken New User Edition
Sonic Digital Media Plus
HP QuickPlay
HPCTO5

OR-

Pavalion DV9500D
Offering the latest in multitasking and multimedia, the dv9500z is a desktop-replacement-level entertainment powerhouse. It's also packed with innovative features and sports a cool new "Radiance" finish.
The power of two
The dv9500z features the latest AMD Turion 64 X2 Mobile processor for improved system performance when running multimedia applications at the same time. AMD processors also supply enhanced virus protection as well as PowerNow! for longer battery life. The dv9500z also supports dual hard drives, so you have plenty of room for digital treasures.
Elegant and functional
The dv9500z features a new notebook finish: a high-gloss, black resin with an inlaid "Radiance" pattern. The exterior is amazingly sturdy and is designed to survive rough handling at places such as airport security checkpoints. It also has a full-sized keyboard with separate numeric keypad; volume and launch buttons are controlled by simply tapping or swiping your finger across a strip on the keyboard.
Luxurious digital entertainment
An NVIDIA GeForce Go 7150M graphics card with NVIDIA PureVideo technology will bring you first-rate games and multimedia. A 17" high-definition widescreen with BrightView technology provides you with a home theater-like viewing experience. You also get high-quality sound from integrated Altec Lansing stereo speakers, plus you get two stereo headphone jacks (one of which is S/PDIF capable) which enables connection to your surround sound audio system.
Ideal for music, photos, and video
The Pavilion dv9500z features HP QuickPlay, which launches DVDs, music, and photos without booting up the system. Transfer photos from your digital camera to the dv9500z via the 5-in-1 digital media card reader, then use HP Photosmart Premier software to help with photo editing, printing, organizing, sharing, and storing. You can turn pictures into movies, edit video, and create CDs and DVDs.
Equipped for video chats
Stay in touch with friends and family using the integrated, low-light VGA webcam and two omni-directional microphones. Use the webcam with an instant messaging application to have a live chat with people who have an internet connection anywhere in the world. Or use a video application to capture video for playback later. You can even use the webcam to take still pictures and e-mail them to friends. The integrated microphone also supports VOIP applications.
Plentiful connections
The HP xb3000 Notebook Expansion Base (sold separately) connects your dv9500z to peripherals, including a monitor if you want a desktop experience. You get an integrated 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet (RJ-45 connector), four USB 2.0, a 5-in-1 digital media card reader, an ExpressCard/54 slot, a modem (RJ-11), an IEEE 1394 FireWire, an S-Video, and a consumer IR. You also get 802.11b/g wireless LAN with optional Bluetooth.
graphics features
NVIDIA's GeForce Go 7150M combines with NVIDIA nForce 630M to create a notebook motherboard GPU on a single chip. It is designed to support the graphic and audio capabilities of today's popular games and media on a single chip solution. NVIDIA has taken the two chips used in the older dv2000/dv6000/dv9000 products, combined them into one, and added some more memory buffering. This implementation makes it possible to see an improvement in performance and battery life. Included in this graphics solution are the following: NVIDIA PureVideo technology which provides enhanced picture clarity and images will appear more life-like, NVIDIA DisplayCache technology which helps to manage graphics performance to extend typical battery life and NVIDIA PowerMizer SX technology which helps you enjoy excellent HD audio, storage and communications performance without sacrificing battery life. DISCLAIMERS: System memory dedicated to video performance is not available for other use by other programs. Note - this disclaimer affects system memory and Graphics. Battery life will vary depending on the product model, configuration, loaded applications, features, and power management settings.
specifications
PROCESSOR
AMD Turion 64 X2 Dual-Core TL-62 (2.1GHz/1MB L2 Cache)
MEMORY
2GB DDR2 SDRAM (2x1024MB)
HARD DRIVE
160GB 5400 RPM SATA Hard Drive
DISPLAY
17.0" WXGA BrightView Wide Viewing (1440x900)
MULTIMEDIA DRIVE
LightScribe Super Multi 8X DVD+/-RW w/Double Layer
VIDEO GRAPHICS
NVIDIA GeForce Go 7150M w/ Webcam
DIGITAL MEDIA
5-in-1 media card reader
COMMUNICATION
802.11b/g WLAN and Bluetooth
KEYBOARD
Full-Size with Number Pad
POINTING DEVICE
Touchpad with dedicated vertical scroll up/down pad
DIMENSIONS
15.6" (L) x 11.22" (W) x 1.56" (H)
WEIGHT
7.7 lbs.
PC CARD SLOTS
ExpressCard/54 slot (also supports ExpressCard/34)
EXTERNAL PORTS
Expansion Port 3 connector
Four USB 2.0
IEEE 1394 Firewire port
S-video TV-out
Integrated Consumer IR (remote control receiver)
Two headphones out
Microphone in
RJ-11 (modem)
RJ-45 (LAN)
VGA port
SOUND
Integrated Altec Lansing stereo speakers
POWER
Standard Lithium-Ion battery
OPERATING SYSTEM
Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium
SOFTWARE
HP PhotoSmart Premier
RealRhapsody
Muvee AutoProducer Basic Edition
Adobe Acrobat Reader
Microsoft Works
Microsoft Windows Media Player
HP Games Powered by Wild Tangent
Intuit Quicken New User Edition
Roxio Creator Basic Edition
HP QuickPlay
HPCTO5



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Look for these accessories and more to go with your Portable Computer!
Warranty
90 days from HP
Package Contents
Laptop, Power Adapter and Rechargeable Battery

I know it is a lot to ask but I have very little knowledge of these things so why not just ask the question.

You are welcome to ignore it also!

Thank You for your time!!

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All I had to see was "HP" and "Celeron" in there, and I stopped reading. I'd also avoid the Celeron.
Off the shelf *can* work, if you know how to configure it. I'm one known to hate HP, so I'm very biased. I'll never own an HP product based both on personal experience and experiences within the video industry.
If you *do* go for off the shelf, the new Gateways (no longer owned by gateway) Dell, Alienware, some Sony's are all pretty good and easy to configure.

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What sort of budget are you dealing with here? Do you really need a notebook?

In my opinion if you want performance in an affordable system, it doesn't come in a notebook chassis. When it comes to speed, notebooks are always lacking. You can buy a top-of-line model notebook that almost matches performance of a fast desktop system, but you'll pay 2 to 3 x the price, and still it's just almost as fast.

All CPUs in notebooks get hot. The way Intel deals with that is by dynamically adjusting speed of the CPU. Interpretation: when you start rendering and the CPU is chugging away it'll get smokin hot and the system will get alarmed & protect itself by slowing the CPU down. Which means slower processing. CPUs in desktop systems have big heatsinks with big fans. They can run full speed without hiccups... for a lot cheaper.

But that's just my opinion. Many people feel the portability of a laptop more than makes up for slow progress bars.

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HP is fine, celeron is not. You want a pentium dual core or core2duo processor, 2 gb ram, a nvidia or ati graphics, a bigger screen is better for editing (if you don't mind lugging a 17" laptop around) , firewire port, bigger harddrives are better (80 md is budget, look for 160 mb), faster harddrives are better, or get a usb or firewire external drive.

Bottom line, a budget notebook like you mentioned is really no good for editing, get a medium to high-end one. HP offers some nice ones at a good price range, which is why my latest 3 notebooks are all HP. Dell is also ok but usually works out more expensive than an off-the-shelf HP with good specs.

ciel bleu,
Saskia

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problems???

uh oh..:o

CPU's...and RAM, and processor this, and notebook that...:o[:/]:S
and a list of details from skyD. a mile long....B|;).....

HOW i miss the days of yore,,,, with nothing more than a radio shack mixer...( $29.95)
a VHS deck, a cd player, a monitor and a bunch of cables..... and Voila' !!! a finished video, and a smiling First Jump student.....

Seemed like we could deliver them within 20 minutes of landing as well , instead of 'mailing them'
later in the week...and then go up and do it again.....

well i suppose this is the way of progress and as long as technology marches on and images can be captured and saved in much sharper formats, we should do what we can to keep pace and deliver the finest finished product available...:)
jmy

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I remember DSE posting a while ago about being able to give students their videos before they leave the DZ. I don't remember what thread that was, though. Hopefully somebody else does.

Also, the only machine I would ever buy stock would be a Sony, and that probably only for office usage. If there's a PC Club near you, they build custom systems for pretty reasonable prices if you don't want to try building your own. They also warrant their work for year.

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I give the passengers their video dvd + stills cd within 30 minutes after getting back to the hangar, only if I need to grab a 2nd rig and get on a plane quicker they have to wait one more load for it but that has only happened twice so far. I am definitely slower than the guys using linear editing but then again the rendering and burning give me time to pack. Mailing videos at our DZ is unacceptable really.

I mostly edit on HP laptops, although now the Acer pc at the DZ is a bit quicker (quadcore, 4 gb ram) so I prefer that one.

Edit: our videos include music and slo-mos, I made templates for the music and intro otherwise I'd be way longer than 30 mins.

ciel bleu,
Saskia

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Bear in mind that HP outside the US isnt' the same as HP in the US...the HP version of Vista and XP are nightmarish, and filled with autoloaders, sniffers, and locators. Lots of adware, too. If you format your drive, and put clean OS on, then HP isn't any different than anyone else.

I just finished hotrodding a new Sony desktop with a 4X BD burner (BWU-200S) and look forward to the speed. With card-based Xfer, it's about identical to linear editing, and a MUCH better product with titles, color correction, etc.

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Almost all notebooks and pcs I've installed lately have been full of "ad"ware, regardless of brand (Dell is pretty good about this though), it's not hard to either manually de-install all this cr*p and keep whatever you do want, or just reinstall the supplied OS but choose the option "just OS".

HP is good with price/quality, Sony at least here is way overpriced for what you get. I had multiple driver problems with mine, wlan refused to work at all and the harddrive quit after a year too... I mostly stick with HP these days, only had problems twice over the years and these were fixed pronto. Acer is ok sometimes (not Aspire notebooks), Packerd Bell is generally cr*p notebook-built-quality-wise (luckily for you they stopped selling in the US), Dell is ok, and those are all the brands I've had personal experience with ;)


ciel bleu,
Saskia

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Please consider an Apple with I-Movie HD. I think you will find it will fit your needs just fine and it is easy to work with. I'v been doing my tandem vids with it for several years now!

Mac Book Pro 17!

"You made my panties wet!" Skymama (Fitz 09)
"Never argue with an idiot. They will bring you down to their level and beat you with experience."

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It's funny how i've heard videographers complain about mailing DVDs to customers when I haven't heard a complaint from any of the people I've mailed video to... :)
I think because it's what I do for a living that I want to make sure I do a good job and don't want to rush it after shooting someones first jump. If we had a full time editor, an editing system or I had a solid state camera I think I'd work on my videos right at the DZ, but I'd have to upgrade my computer and camera for that... so it may be a year or two until I make the jump. Plus I already lug enough equipment there and back each trip :S

DSE is dead on about the use of NLE. It gives us a chance to look far more professional. Especially when nearly every disc of any kind that a person puts into their DVD drive has menus, titles and 'extras'.

Matt

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I also edit at home on a mac and mail my end results to them.I do all my photo's on site though edit in photshop, add logo's ,print right there. Burn a disk of photo's to take with them. I get to jump and not mess with editing ,and i always get rave reviews on my work . Never a complaint of waiting on a video. I mail out during the week asap, never later than the following friday.


A friend will bail you out of jail , a REAL friend will be sitting next to you in the cell slapping your hand saying "DUDE THAT WAS AWSUM " ................

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