Looking to do my first build / Spec computer

Y

yiteurp

New Member
Im looking to do my first computer build.. sfter paying tons of money having computers built for the family. I want to spec my own system out .

I want to use it for the following :

Watching T.V.
transcodeing
Heavy photo work editing. printing, etc.
Heavy home movie Use

I would like some advice on it all .
I hear Gforce is really good.

I would like

16G + of Ram
12+ USB ports
HDMI
TV tuner
4 TB hard drive.
Enough speed to do multiple tasks at the same time ..
 
yiteurp said:
Im looking to do my first computer build.. sfter paying tons of money having computers built for the family. I want to spec my own system out .

I want to use it for the following :

Watching T.V.
transcodeing
Heavy photo work editing. printing, etc.
Heavy home movie Use
Click to expand...
Good start, we know what you need, but what's your budget? Can't give any recommendations without that. It would also be very useful to know what programs you're using, because different editing programs make use of hardware in different ways.

I would like some advice on it all .
I hear Gforce is really good.
Click to expand...
Implying AMD/Radeon is bad? :confused:
Both of them are perfectly fine to use, though if your program is coded for Nvidia then you'll obviously want that.

I would like

16G + of Ram
Click to expand...
Jeez dude...will you really use 16GB of RAM during home movie editing?

12+ USB ports
Click to expand...
This could be difficult unless you use a hub...most motherboards have ~6-8, with 2 more on the front of the case

HDMI
TV tuner
Click to expand...

HDMI is not a problem...most graphics cards have that, and the TV tuner is easy enough to add

4 TB hard drive.
Enough speed to do multiple tasks at the same time ..
Click to expand...
Biggest hard drive I've ever seen is a 2TB, though I'm sure there's a 2.5TB somewhere. 4TB though...no way. You'll need multiple drives. It's better not to store your projects on the same drive as your OS anyway.

Define "multiple tasks"...? If you mean watching youtube and checking your email, any system younger than 4 years old should be able to do that...no worries.
 
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Drenlin said:
Good start, we know what you need, but what's your budget? Can't give any recommendations without that. It would also be very useful to know what programs you're using, because different editing programs make use of hardware in different ways.

$1,200 - $1,500 Budget

Implying AMD/Radeon is bad? :confused:
Both of them are perfectly fine to use, though if your program is coded for Nvidia then you'll obviously want that.

No.. just the guy that used to build my computers say's
Nvidia Is really good

Jeez dude...will you really use 16GB of RAM during home movie editing?

More Memory = smoother Operation ?

This could be difficult unless you use a hub...most motherboards have ~6-8, with 2 more on the front of the case

thats Fine


HDMI is not a problem...most graphics cards have that, and the TV tuner is easy enough to add


Biggest hard drive I've ever seen is a 2TB, though I'm sure there's a 2.5TB somewhere. 4TB though...no way. You'll need multiple drives. It's better not to store your projects on the same drive as your OS anyway.

2 X 2 is fine

Define "multiple tasks"...? If you mean watching youtube and checking your email, any system younger than 4 years old should be able to do that...no worries.
Click to expand...

Transcoding a file ,watching TV.. Surfing the net, dowloading a large file and keeping my work program up
 
I dont know exactly what I have now. but if I am downloading a larg file
1.3 g. and attemt to use my work program.. my work program slows way down and dosent want to work proplerly

it is an SSL Secure mainframe, internet program
 
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Your work program?

I'm trying to figure out what software you're using so I'll know how it uses hardware, you know? Like with the RAM...more RAM means smoother operation, but only if you actually use that much. I'm using less than 1GB right now, and playing games I rarely top 2GB, so 8GB would be utterly useless to me. However some editing programs could eat through 8GB like nothing.

Downloading files and surfing the net use almost no system resources...even an old Pentium 4 can do that. Transcoding typically will use all available processing power, to efficiently make use of what resources are available, but some transcoding programs can make use of the graphics card(GPU) to speed things up. Same with editing programs, which is a big reason I was wondering what you're using. If you can use GPU acceleration, it's best to get a GPU that's supported, you know?
 
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as you can tell I dont know much about computers ..
My work program
is an internet based network Applet that is supported by Java

my wife has paint shop photo pro 2 .. and its really SLOW.. takes a while for photo to load foe editing.

I have no video software, as the computer cant handle what we got now,
 
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Well that's a start...a web-based Java app most likely isn't going to support GPGPU, and probably won't be too terribly processor-intensive. So the only thing that will possibly require a lot of resources would be the transcoding and editing programs.

As for the hard drives, there aren't very many fast 2TB drives...most of them trade speed for capacity. Maybe consider a solid state drive to put the OS on, and use the big drives for storage only?
 
Drenlin said:
Well that's a start...a web-based Java app most likely isn't going to support GPGPU, and probably won't be too terribly processor-intensive. So the only thing that will possibly require a lot of resources would be the transcoding and editing programs.

As for the hard drives, there aren't very many fast 2TB drives...most of them trade speed for capacity. Maybe consider a solid state drive to put the OS on, and use the big drives for storage only?
Click to expand...

thats What I need.. Somone who knows WTH they are talking about..
My old computer builder told me no-one needs more than 500 GB HD. It will take for ever to fill up .. and as for RAM 4g is plenty , unless you are gonna launch the space shuttle.

I was looking at this processor..

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103894
 
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4GB is usually what we recommend, yeah. However the price of 8GB kits hase come down significantly, so that may actually be a good thing if your editing programs will use that much. That's pretty much what I'm trying to figure out right now, which is why I was wondering what all you'll be using. I do audio editing, and with a lot of effects in use, space in my 4GB of RAM starts to get pretty cramped.

Same for the hard drives, 500GB is more than enough for most people, but of your video editing program has large HD project files, then it could very easily eat though a 1TB drive.

For your purposes, I'd consider a Phenom II x6 of some sort if you're going AMD. That would easily fit into this budget.
 
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If it's AMD then you may consider an x6 for a tad more.

Edit: also, if considering an ssd, more ram is better.
 
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yiteurp said:
Im looking to do my first computer build.. sfter paying tons of money having computers built for the family. I want to spec my own system out .

I want to use it for the following :

Watching T.V.
transcodeing
Heavy photo work editing. printing, etc.
Heavy home movie Use

I would like some advice on it all .
I hear Gforce is really good.

I would like

16G + of Ram
12+ USB ports
HDMI
TV tuner
4 TB hard drive.
Enough speed to do multiple tasks at the same time ..
Click to expand...

Ram and cpu will help you do more tasks faster. 16 gigs of ram is highly unnecessary, i'd recommend 4, or 8gb max of something 1333 or faster. Why do you need so many usb ports? Either use an external usb hub or pick a case with 4 front ports, as well as a motherboard with a nice amount as well. 4tb hard drive is very very big and would most likely be found as an external device, which means slower speeds due to it's connection type. I'd try a smaller 1 or 2tb internal drive instead. As for hdmi and tv tuner, you need a case, motherboard, or hub that supports and has those ports. Hope this helps you some.
 
Russ88765 said:
Ram and cpu will help you do more tasks faster. 16 gigs of ram is highly unnecessary, i'd recommend 4, or 8gb max of something 1333 or faster. Why do you need so many usb ports? Either use an external usb hub or pick a case with 4 front ports, as well as a motherboard with a nice amount as well. 4tb hard drive is very very big and would most likely be found as an external device, which means slower speeds due to it's connection type. I'd try a smaller 1 or 2tb internal drive instead. As for hdmi and tv tuner, you need a case, motherboard, or hub that supports and has those ports. Hope this helps you some.
Click to expand...

Why is the RAM highly unnecessary ? .
So I could do 2 tb Internal for storage. and a 500 gig to run the system ?
I could use a hub instead.
I have USB for ..
Cell Phone, 2 camera's, photo printer, document printer, mouse, External HD. PSP game System
 
 
Drenlin said:
With your budget, you should be getting much higher quality components than that. :/

I'll put a build together in a little bit...maybe tomorrow if my eyelids get too heavy.
Click to expand...

Great thats what I need.. someone with knowlede that isnt looking to make the store they work at lots of money.. by selling me junk
 
^ Well that's most of us :P


Sorry I'm still not around to it...the fiancee has taken up nearly all of my waking hours. I figure I have about 5 minutes right now before she's back from the store, and she isn't planning on leaving till after midnight. I have no say in the matter :(

Daisy, I would really advise against that mobo/cpu combo...a 4-pin CPU power connector and 4+1 power with no cooling does not mix well with high TDP processors.


edit-she's gone, lol

This should do it-

CPU + Cooler- i7 950 + Freezer 7 Pro- $305
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.574340

RAM + Mobo- 12GB Mushkin Silverline + Asus Sabertooth x58- $315
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.574735

Case- Cooler Master 690 II advanced- $90
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119216

PSU- Antec TPN650- $92
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371021

GPU- EVGA Superclocked GTS 450- $130 ($40 mail in rebate)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130573

OS + Hard Drive- Win7 Pro 64-bit + WD Caviar Black 1TB- $180
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.573308

2nd hard drive- Caviar Green 2TB- $90 (use this for storage, put the OS on the other one)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136514

Card reader- $31 (reads most cards, has three extra USB ports and a Firewire)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820132021

Total cost- $1233 shipped, before rebates (or tax, if you live in CA, NJ, or TN)


To explain it a bit-

-Yes, 12GB RAM is probably total overkill, but if you consider the mobo as full price, it's only $115...the price of many 8GB kits. A 6GB kit can be had for ~$70, if you'd rather do that.

-You wanted a lot of hard drive space, so I tagged on the 2TB drive. It isn't particuarly fast, but it'll hold your large files nicely, as well as backups of any important files on the main drive.

-The graphics card(GPU) isn't up to the CPU's standards as far as gaming goes, but it's still quite capable and should be fine for anything you throw at it. You should be able to find several GPU-assisted transcoding programs, so at the very least it'll help out there.

-The CPU has about as much raw power as the 6-core in Daisy's build, maybe a bit more, but does so with fewer cores, meaning it'll be faster in any program that uses four or fewer cores. (that's most of them) It also uses a motherboard that has tri-channel RAM, so it goes un multiple of three, rather than two. If you'd rather go with the other one, I can certainly change the build up...a 1055T and 8GB of RAM would take a good $200 off.

-The cooler in that combo with the CPU isn't really necessary unless you're overclocking, but it will help the system run cooler and, more importantly, quieter. It was only a $10 difference, so I added it.


Bear in mind, this is all rather high quality stuff. If you wanted, you could probably have something that suits your needs for $800 or less. It wouldn't be as powerful or as well-built as this, but it'd still be fairly quick and still have pretty good quality.
 
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