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How much processing power does my computer need to edit HD video?
I fresh purchased an HD camcorder and was wondering how brawny of a machine do I requirement to modify the HD recording without effort frustrated at lag? I currently hit a 2.16 GHZ macbook with 2 GB RAM. Im forward this is not enough?
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about 1 month ago
It depends what kind of HD you’re talking about. HDV brought in as HDV is a hard one to edit. DVCPro HD is a lot easier on the system for editing. And 720 is easier than 1080. AVCHD (or whatever they’re calling it now) I believe is fairly easy to edit as well.
I would be a bit curious how well HDV would hold up for you, but other formats, on the described laptop should hold up okay. But that’s based on the footage being connected in a fast manner. Because that’s another potential bottleneck.
If you’re storing the files on the same hard drive as your editing software that’s a tough demand on the system and will harm performance, regardless of codec. If you put the files onto an external drive, then it depends how you’re hooking that up. USB isn’t editor friendly. I know some people that play with fire and use it, but its a unidirectional communication, so not good for editing. Firewire 400 is far better, but still a bit sketchy for HD. Preferably you would want Firewire 800 or eSata.
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Ignore the first post. After Effects is not video editing. Its a whole other beast. You should be able to push your system a lot harder for editing than for visual effects (which is what AE is for).
about 1 month ago
I did some video editing(1900×1200) in After Effects on a 2.5 quadcore with 4gb of ram, that was frustrating. I’d find it doubtful that your system would run smoothly with Hd
about 1 month ago
I agree with the second answer, I have done some video editing on much slower computers then that and I have been fine. You have to remember also that Macs don’t use as much "overhead" or as much of your hardware as Windows does, and I’m sure thats what the first guy was using. I do know that the 2.16GHZ macbook isn’t the "fastest" chipset in the world, but I have seen a lot of people editing Video and HD Video on that specific type. It all really depends on what RES your doing it at (i.e. 1900×1080, 1650×1080… Basicly 1080p, or 720P and so on) 720 won’t be as demanding, but if you got one of the "low" end sony camcorders that take at like 1650×1080 that will be easier to work with speed wise then a 1900×1080. But in the jist of it, that macbook should be able to run it fine. You may notice some lag spots, but shouldn’t be alot.