HD Video Recording & Streaming

[bdriesse]

I haven't seen much in the way of RECENT recommendations on video production / editing rigs, so I'm going to ask for some up-to-date help.

In short, I have an HD video setup (cameras, switcher, distribution, etc) and I want to be able to produce from it 720p videos (like you might find on youtube) and also have the possibility to stream the video live... so probably two rigs, but I'm focused on the recording right now.

I think I'm looking to record 720p (compressed?) and then the ability to do some basic editing (adding intro & trailer). We currently do this in SD using a Dell Studio XPS desktop w/ Win7, Core i7-860, 8 GB RAM and Adobe Premiere Pro CS4.

What are the current "best on a budget" components for such a requirement? I'm most likely going to get such a system from Puget in the next 30 days.

I'm also looking for advice on capture cards. I currently use a BlackMagic Intensity Pro.

[PCC-William]

A big part of the specs will hinge on your software. Are you planning to stick with Premiere Pro CS4, or will you be moving up to CS5? If you upgrade, that will open up a whole new set of possibilities: CS5 (and later) are now 64-bit programs, meaning you can harness more RAM to help improve performance, and Adobe introduced a technology that utilizes the graphics card to *massively* improve performance of editing some video formats: http://www.pugetsystems.com/blog/201...ayback-engine/

If you will be going that way, I would suggest an Intel Core i7 processor, 16GB of RAM, and a video card that is compatible with the Adobe software (as described in the link above). If possible, a solid-state drive for your OS / programs would be nice too - and then either a second SSD for the editing drive, or a larger hard drive if you prefer capacity over speed.

On the capture card side of things, the thing to look at is what your camcorder (or other source) is designed to use. If you have Firewire or USB connectivity then you can likely copy files whole, without needing to 'capture' them in that sense. If your video stream is coming in from some other source, though, I would focus first on what the highest quality output it has is. HDMI, component, etc...

[bdriesse]

Thanks, William. I am not decided re: sticking it out with APP CS4, going up to CS5, or even switching over to Vegas which I'm told is simpler to use (which is a factor for our post-production staff). The editing of the video is not a major concern for us since we usually just add an intro and a trailer, and do not require much 'tweaking' of the video itself... so not sure if CS5 is going to be worth the cost of the upgraded in software and hardware.

Our video switcher works in component HD (currently 720p) and the native output is HD15. In order to minimize the number of conversions/adaptors I'm looking to stick with component HD. The Intensity Pro I have has the component inputs as well as HDMI, but wondering if there is a recommended alternative.

So... from a Puget view, I'm thinking the Genesis I is the way to go... right?

[PCC-William]

The Genesis I is definitely where I would start, and it has plenty of room for a capture card like the Intensity Pro (I am working with another gentleman who is planning to put four such cards in his Genesis!). If that ends up being more power or higher in price than you want, the Serenity Professional or Spirit would also be fine options... or we can do something more customized to your specific needs.

As for the capture card itself, I'm sorry but I don't have any specific recommendations. The video editing I do myself is just via files copied over through USB or off a memory card from a camera / camcorder. I have heard mostly good things about the Blackmagic brand of cards, which it sounds like you have already, so if that works for you I'd be inclined to stick with it.