Advice on buying new editing system...

I've been editing on outdated equipment for awhile now. HD has seemed like such a steep transition. I'd like to take my videography and post work to a higher level and it's obvious I need better equipment. I've done lots of research over the last two months. I'd like to get some outside opinions because, even though vendors have been helpful, I know they ultimately have to make money and have plenty of bias when it comes to their products. Here's what I've put together as a possible HD editing system:

1.) Apple Mac Pro with the following:
Two 2.66GHz Dual-Core Intel Xeon
4GB RAM
Two 750GB 7200-rpm Serial ATA 3GB/s drives
ATI Radeon X1900 XT 512MB (2 x dual-link DVI)
Two 16x SuperDrives
Both Bluetooth 2.0+EDR and AirPort Extreme
Apple Keyboard and Mighty Mouse- U.S. English
Mac OS X - U.S. English
AppleCare Protection Plan for Mac Pro

2.) Apple Aluminum Cinema HD Display 30" Flat Panel

3.) AJA KONA-3 Dual Link HD/ HD/ SD 10-bit PCIe Capture and Output Card

4.) AJA K-3 Breakout Box for KONA-3

5.) JVCDT-1710CGU 17" HD DTV Monitor (I'm told I should consider the DT-V20 instead)

6.) Storage:

I'm torn between these two:

SATAMAX 2.5TB 5 Drive External Array w/ Port Multiplier (card included)

CalDigit HDPro - D - 2TB (card included)

The first is not that expensive and it would work in RAID-0 for most projects, but there is no data redundancy. If I lose something, it's gone forever. The second is a little less storage, but it's superfast and works in RAID-5. There's a review on LAFCPUG by Shane. I'm just wondering if it's worth the extra money. I'd like to have the ability to work in 2K, but that seems like something in the future when you consider how much the cost is (I guess I could buy another one in two years).

7.) Surge protector:

Monster PRO 2000 with Clean Power Stage 2, Dual Mode Plus Protection, and 12 Color-Coded Outlets.

8.) Power back-up:

APC BE750BB Back-UPS ES 10 Outlet 750VA 450 Watt UPS

9.) Blue Sky MediaDesk 2.1 Monitoring Speakers System

10.) Mackie 1604 - VLZ3 Audio Mixer

11.) Apple Final Cut Studio Upgrade

12) Apple - Shake 4.1

That's the basic system. I'd like to spend less than $17,000. I do weddings and events, but I'm working my way into features. I have some short films I've edited, but still trying to get those seen by producers. Anyway, outside input would be really appreciated.

-Aaron

You say you do weddings and events. What sort of camera equipment you use? Do you often get tapes from others to ingest? Whats the Kona and BOB going to be used for?

This is a kick ass system you got spelled out here but it might be overkill.

Michael Horton
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Thanks for responding, Mike.

The last wedding I did was actually shot with a Canon XL2, but my plan is to upgrade everything to HD over the next six months (either HVX-200 or XDCAM EX with Firestore Drives, which I may end up just renting). Wedding/event is good income, but it's not a place I'd like to stay forever. I'd like to be doing features, documentaries, commercials, and music videos and that was what I had in mind when I put together this system. I figured that if I offer the widest array of post-production options, the better projects I can break into. The more research I do, I think about the only online 2K project most of us can handle is in a short-form scenario. It seems like nearly everyone but Walter Murch is still editing offline and onlining when they have picture locked. It would be nice to edit online 1080i, but even that's a stretch in some situations (documentaries with tons of footage, for example). I've read the specs for the RED 1 (something I'm trying to future-proof my system for) and, while Cineform looks promising, that's still a LOT of data to be working with, unless you're solely working with the Quicktime wrappers and handing it off to someone with a more robust system to do the color correction in 4K resolution (correct me if I'm wrong). I guess, to make a long story short, I'm trying to build a system I can grow with. Something that's going to last at least two years and, hopefully a little longer.

In terms of the new formats and codecs that are coming out (like a tidal wave, it seems) do you think a 2.66GHz Dual Core Mac Pro is robust enough? Some vendors would have us believe an octo-core Mac is the holy grail of HD editing.

Do you think the KONA 3 a good choice? Outdated? In a perfect world, I'd have my clients do their ingest at a post facility and I'd drag and drop the files into the RAID, but I'd like to have the ability to do ingest from a wide variety of decks (something I can also charge for). I looked into Blackmagic, but their card/box solution didn't appeal to me and I thought the high end stuff was too pricey in comparison to AJA. Also, the AJA I/O is nice, but it won't do 2K. Motu's V3HD might as well be a kaleiope.

I graduated from Brooks Institute in 2001. My thesis film was a 35mm short that I edited in FCP 2.1 with Film Logic (now Cinema Tools) and went to answer-print. Funny, but after working with digital on and off for the last few years, I may never shoot on film again (not a bad thing, to me). I've done a series of jobs since, directing/editing a short film occasionally, but I feel like editing has always been my strong point. Maybe I'm getting a little ahead of myself. I'd be happy to assist any number of editors (there's always more to learn). It's going to take time to build a career and I appreciate your input tremendously.

Looking forward to RED night. You guys put together some thought-provoking, informed, and entertaining events. Keep up the good work and thanks again for responding.

Dont worry about future proofing. If a HVX or XDCAM is in your future then nor real need for Cards or BOBS from BMD, AJA or anyone else. Its just Firewire. 2K? You planning on getting a Red? Be at least a year before you' d get it even if you put in your order now.

A MacPro is as good as it gets right now. Add cards if you need them.

Honestly, just get what you need and forget about what you want. That comes later. Its hard to future proof when the future holds nothing but changes.

Download the SuperMeet magazine. has a good article in there on "What kind of Final Cut Pro system should I get?"

[www.lafcpug.org]

Michael Horton
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Aaron,

If you give us a call, I'll make sure we set you up with a HDPro at a really good price. (Of course once you've made a good, informed decision). And as a member of LAFCPUG we'll cut any of you a good deal, right Mike?

Quote

Of course any user of LAFCPUG we'll cut a good deal for, right Mike?

I heard that...I HEARD THAT!!! You'll be hearing from me soon, Jon

When life gives you dilemmas...make dilemmanade.

Joey,

Thanks for the chuckle......I wouldn't have posted it if I didn't mean it.

Jon

We are eternally grateful. Your Customer Service rep is building nicely here so I personally am looking forward to doing business with you

When life gives you dilemmas...make dilemmanade.

Thanks again, Mike. I gave it a read and it narrowed a few things down for me. I won't be getting a RED (or whatever it's equivalent will be from other vendors with HDcams in development) for at least two years, but I'd like to have the option to edit RED footage. You make a good point in getting what I need, though. I still think the KONA 3 is worthwhile because it just gives me more options for the kind of material I can edit and, also, it's essential if I ever want to do any accurate color-correction on a monitor. I'll just be glad when we all have quantum computers and don't have to worry about processor speed. lol. ;-)

And Jon, I will definitely be contacting you. From what I've read and heard, the HDPro sounds exactly like what I'm looking for.