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Get ConnectedOne consideration you will need to make is how you are going to get your footage into your computer so you can start working with it.If your movies were filmed on older analogue cameras (VHS or Video8 for example), refer to my article on converting analogue video to DVD for tips on digitising your movies. If you have a MiniDV or HDV camcorder, you will need to connect your camcorder using a "Firewire" cable. Many laptops have a mini Firewire socket, but if you don't have one, they are reasonably easy to fit to your computer or laptop. You may have a hard drive camcorder with USB connection. If so, you will almost definitely be able to connect this straight to your computer. Similarly, DVD camcorder footage is just as straightforward, requiring a computer with a DVD drive to transfer the footage. Basic Computer SpecificationTo get started on editing your video, most computers or laptops made in the last two years should have no problems editing standard definition video. If you are looking around for a software package, always check the 'System Requirements' on the box or on the publisher's website to ensure your computer is up to scratch.
My Recommended SpecificationAs you continue to work on your movies, there are a few points which should be considered, as they will make the experience easier and you will be able to work with less interruptions. In addition, many of them are absolute musts if you are considering editing in high definition.1. Second Hard DriveWhen using any software, your operating system will be reading and writing data on your drive. If your editing software is trying to read and write data to the same drive, performance will be compromised. Adding a second drive to hold your video clips will solve this problem.Look for a drive with a 7200 rpm speed. If you are running a laptop, you will need to add an external drive. Get one with a separate power supply, which connects by USB 2.0, Firewire or eSATA (the last two of these are preferable). 2. Physical MemoryVideo editing utilises lots of RAM (memory). 1GB RAM should be a minimum, for high definition, 2GB RAM is a minimum. If you run Windows Vista, you should consider 2GB regardless of the format you are editing.3. Fastest ProcessorMost editing applications are designed to use the maximum power available in your processor, so the faster the better.4. Screen SizeWith most editing software, the larger the screen resolution, the more workspace you will have available.5. DVD BurnerIf you are intending to create DVDs, you'll need a burner. If your PC only burns CDs, then upgrading this is cheap for desktop computers. If you have a laptop CD burner, then consider adding a USB or Firewire external DVD burner.Final Thoughts - Optimise Your SystemRegardless of the finer details of your computer, your computer will run smoothly by doing the following. Disable networking and anti-virusWhen capturing or editing video, you should temporarily disable your network connections and antivirus software. Security software is well known to interfere with editing software and can cause it to crash. Maximum Power ModeIf you are running a laptop, make sure it is running on mains power and that your power options are set to maximum performance. Also, in your 'power options', turn off the screensaver when encoding your final file or burning your discs. Defragment your hard drivesAlthough you will see each file on your disks as a single file, your computer will actually break the file up into multiple 'chunks' of data in order to store it more efficiently. This is fine for smaller files, but video clips are often quite large, and it will take longer for your editing software to fetch each file it needs if your drive has to get multiple sections of data from different locations. Running a disk defragementer weekly will help speed up your system. Best PerformanceOn Windows PCs, a certain amount of the resources are used to make the user interface look pretty. You can change the settings to 'Best Performance' to reduce the nice effects and get your PC to concentrate on your application performance. Other SoftwareAnything else running on your PC will take resource, even if it is just sitting in the background. Close any applications you are not using while you are editing. Useful LinksComputers, Camcorders, TV and HiFi with next day delivery - www.3wisemonkeys.co.uk |
If you have a personal computer, the good news is that there really is not much else you will need to get started with editing video.
Comments
Paul
I guess you're referring to something like the Casablanca range? I've never tried these, I would say that the advantage would be that you won't have any of the usual PC related problems, but I'm not sure how expandable they are if you wanted extra features or the ability to handle new formats as they emerge.
I would probably advise to steer clear of them unless you are 100% sure that you would want to do video editing long term.
Paul