Projection and Video Capturing/Editing Computers

[andrewc2]

My church just approved money for 2 new computers, 1 for Projection and 1 for Video Capture/Editing

Budget: Around $5200

What we have:
Sony Camera w/ S-Video to Videonics MX something or other, I'm not positive the model.

ProPresenter PC/Mac

They're looking at a Rain Computer, but I've been against getting a PC.

Projection:
I guess then we need either a PC or Mac with 3 total VGA outputs (we only have VGA ran 150' to our projectors) 1 for main display 1 for Projectors and 1 for Foldback

Video:
PC or Mac, a Analog to Digital capture source, and Video Editing Software.

[cmchamp]

Are you wanting to capture and edit HD (1080) video? If not, a MacPro is perfectly capable of doing both. GrassValley has several options for analog=>FireWire interfaces to capture in to Final Cut Pro for NTSC 4:3 capture.
For additional displays, order the MacPro with an additional video card.
C.

[andrewc2]

No it would be just 480i we have no HD equipment as of yet and none budgeted for quite some time.

It was proposed to get one computer but we would rather separate the tasks. This way someone can edit the presentation and get recording software setup without interfering with other people.

[cw4u]

Well for your projection computer, you can get a core i5 computer. It'll easily do what you need and leave you some room for growth. You might want to switch to a presentation software that outputs a stage display if yours doesn't already. I'd prefer a PC just because its easier (and cheaper) to add the stage display. A simple 1x2 VGA DA should suffice to give you the two VGA outputs to your projector and main display.

You should have a setup where you have two monitors at your projection area. One for controlling what's on your projectors and the other displaying what goes to your projectors. Then, you can add a PCI graphics card with a TV output to go to your confidence monitor.

For video editing, you could get an iMac with a canopus AVDC 110 for your analog input. Get Final Cut Express and a second monitor to preview your edited footage.

A Mac Pro could do the job for both stations, but honestly I think its a little overkill. You said that HD is pretty far down the road for your church. And any modern computer can easily edit SD.

[andrewc2]

Originally Posted by cw4u

Well for your projection computer, you can get a core i5 computer. It'll easily do what you need and leave you some room for growth. You might want to switch to a presentation software that outputs a stage display if yours doesn't already. I'd prefer a PC just because its easier (and cheaper) to add the stage display. A simple 1x2 VGA DA should suffice to give you the two VGA outputs to your projector and main display.

We already plan to use ProPresenter which I believe supports stage display.
Would you recommend having multiple graphics cards or just a dual card with a matrox dual head?

Originally Posted by cw4u

You should have a setup where you have two monitors at your projection area. One for controlling what's on your projectors and the other displaying what goes to your projectors. Then, you can add a PCI graphics card with a TV output to go to your confidence monitor.

That is basically the configuration we have with the computer, they have just finally agreed to purchase new computers.

Originally Posted by cw4u

For video editing, you could get an iMac with a canopus AVDC 110 for your analog input. Get Final Cut Express and a second monitor to preview your edited footage.

A Mac Pro could do the job for both stations, but honestly I think its a little overkill. You said that HD is pretty far down the road for your church. And any modern computer can easily edit SD.

That was what I was thinking, but what model of iMac would you recommend?

[cw4u]

I'd look at getting two different cards. One PCI-E which will drive your primary and secondary displays and then get a PCI (with a composite out) for your stage display. Should work perfectly for you.

I was just looking at the iMac line and I'm really not impressed. I mean, you'll be paying 2x as much for a core i5 iMac compared to a similarly spec'd PC. Also, iMacs don't have eSATA interfaces for some reason. You do have firewire 800 but it's not the same.

I guess this is more your preference. We've got a copule macs at our church but our number crunching video editing computer is actually an 8 core xeon computer. Would we like a mac pro, yep. Is it worth the money...in my opinion it's not.

I'd rather you buy a decent quality PC, get either an Avid or Premiere editing suite. Stick a blackmagic intensity card and you'll be good to go. Maybe you can get 2 TB scratch drive and a 2TB drive for storing rendered projects. Keep a 1 TB for OS/Programs.

[andrewc2]

Are avid and premiere the only good video recording software? Are there any others?

[JoshGuerette]

Originally Posted by andrewc2

Are avid and premiere the only good video recording software? Are there any others?

Those and Final Cut Pro

[andrewc2]

Not even less expensive software? Well I guess now at this point, I need personal opinion on the individual software's, we've been hung out to dry by one piece of software not working well at all, so we'd ideally like software with a personal experience behind it. Things they're good at, do they require specific capture devices, are they only for editing, or do they capture live video as well.

[Brent Bauman]

Originally Posted by JoshGuerette

Those and Final Cut Pro

And Vegas Pro!

[cmchamp]

I've used Final Cut Pro (and flavors) for almost 10 years. With settings for live capture, I can capture live, capture from tape, drag and drop from other sources.
I have an 8 core MacPro. Putting it through it's paces for Easter, here's what I do.
MacPro live capture center wide shot. Set up as server.
Dual 450MHz G4 24 channels audio capture saved directly to MacPro via Cat5
iMac1 - live capture stage left via iMove HD saved directly to MacPro via Cat5 & 10/100 hub
iMac2 - live capture stage right via iMovie HD saved directly to MacPro via Cat5 & 10/100 hub
PowerBook - live capture far wide shot via iMovie HD saved directly to MacPro via Cat5 & 10/100 hub.

5-10 hours of audio editing mixing 24 sources down to stereo via Mark of the Unicorn Digital Performer.
20-25 hours of video editing
Would I love to be able to capture a live switched version on top of that? You bet, but all the gear above is mine, and I'm not able to spend anymore on "toys."
The church doesn't seem to want to spend any for anything else either.

[cw4u]

The network capture feature of FCP is pretty cool.

I've used FCE/FCP for almost all of my editing over the past two or three years. Before that, I used Sony Vegas and Premiere Pro and have only played around in Avid.

Final Cut is just what I'm used to and haven't done much work with any other suite lately. The last big production I did with Premiere was three years ago and all that was was a four camera student event where I did all switching/editing in post.