What came first, the HD HERO 2 or the new computer?

[warthog]

Bit of a dilemma. I think to use a $300 HD video cam, I am going to have to spend a couple G's on a new computer.
Please tell me if I am wrong.

My main machine is an orig. iMac when they first moved to Intel.
I know this will not work.

My work computer is an Intel i5 laptop, dual core
6 gb RAM, Win 7.

I think this might work, but full 1080 might still be a pita.

Can I get away with it? I am not looking to make masterpieces, just want some footage of my kids in the pool and lake, along with some fishing and diving footage.

[powdork]

you'll be fine on the laptop. storage is another issue though as the files can take up a lot of space, especially at 1080.

[Supermoon]

Yeah, just stringing together helmet cam clips won't be an issue, since they come out of the camera already compressed. Get an external HD to bank your shots, then go nuts.

[warthog]

I have a 2tb backup that I keep all my photos on.
Why do most programs say they require quad core and 8 gb of ram min.?

[Supermoon]

Newer version of FCP, or Premier probably do, since they are built for more intricate editing than what it sounds like you're looking for.

I would get a free copy of mpeg Streamclip and use windows movie maker if you just want simple family videos style movies.

If you need to be able to edit multiple layers, add motion graphics, etc, you could probably find a pretty cheap copy of Premier or Vegas that is a few years old that would work.

Or if you're just looking for a reason to drop 2k on a 27" iMac, don't let me stand in the way!

[kalisto]

Bigger question is.... do you NEED to shoot in 1080? Why not 720... just throwing it out there.

[warthog]

That is another thought kalisto. Guess I will see. I am sure I will want to step it up at some point.

Phildo- no standing in my way. That is my next 'puter, just not ready to drop that kind of coin right now.

At this point I am thinking I'll just get the thing and have the footage. If I need to edit later, so be it.

[powdork]

i use avs video editor on my newer (early 2011) pc and did on the one before too. it was like $40. can do two layers, mix in sound tracks along with the video track, etc. rendering can be slow and having a quad core would help there so i could run other programs more easily while it goes on. no big deal though.

[systemoverblow'd]

Lets just cut through the bullshit...

I can edit 1080p HD video (and do motion graphics no less) on a 5 year old laptop. Fact.

There's a few things you need to know and I'm surprised how many people STILL don't get this. Your camera (as well as DSLRs) save video files in h.264. That codec (COde/DECode) is a delivery format. That enables the file to be quite small for delivery purposes and be less lossy. The problem with this, is it is very processor intensive to DECode the file on the fly while editing. It essentially chokes the system dealing with multiple streams.

Think of it this way. RGB (Red, Green, Blue) color is a range of 0-255 for every pixel. Say you have a pixel that is 214, 27, 39. Then say 4 pixels away is 100, 224, 92. What the codec does is takes away the pixels in between and interpolates the difference in numbers to recreate those pixels. This reduces the file size but increases the work the computer needs to do to recreate each frame. Depending on the codec it is very successful or not. Also, this is harder for the computer to deal with as it has to "think" about recreating each single frame instead of just playing it.

What you want to do is transcode all video to an edit friendly codec. If you are using FCP I would go Pro Res (any flavor above proxy) or if using iMovie I would go with AIC (I guess). Now people go... "but that takes time". And my reply is "shithead, it's faster than realtime and before digital media we always had to digitize or capture in realtime." So transcode your footage when you get home and leave your "24-hour edit" bullshit at the door and work when the media is in the correct format. PS... this isn't info for only pro's, this is advice every butthead that thinks they can edit video for teh youtubes should listen to.

On the RAM subject it depends on the OS and NLE. For example, OS X runs poorly on anything with less than 2GB. Each additional core to your computer needs RAM to successfully do its job. Having a single core with 4GB of ram will smoke a 4-core with 4GB of ram if the application is multiprocessor enabled. Example... I worked for a company that had 8-core MP's with 6GB of RAM. My After Effects project completely choked the system during render and it couldn't do anything. I brought the project home to my 4-core with 16GB and the render flew and the computer was still able to do other thing while it was rendering. Why? Because their system was giving .75GB of ram per process and mine was giving 4GB per process. Anyone running a quad core with less than 16GB is a retard (if they are doing shit that is MP enabled).

Now here's the big WTF... MOST NLE's are NOT multiprocessor enabled. What does that mean? It means that you could have the biggest badass 12-core dildo stroking tower on the block and it won't perform any better than a lowly iMac. BLASPHEMY you all say. Well it's the truth. The only reason I bought a tower was for a capture card, RAID card and the ability to fill it with RAM. Before the 2010 Mac Pros came out I was editing 6 camera broadcast television in 1080p on a....





















wait...













for...














it...























$500 Mac Mini with maxed out RAM. And before that on a Dual 2.0Ghz G5 that was from 2003 that you can buy today for a couple hundo. And the reason this was possible? Because I was working with a broadcast quality editing codec. NEVER edit h.264.

[bushman]

^^What language is that?

[systemoverblow'd]

Engrish, edit geek and apple fanboy rolled into one.

[kalisto]

^^

Damn, and here I thought I was going to get a free lesson on DCTs.

[warthog]

Makes sense I think. A couple of the Acronyms threw me, but I get the gist. I will give it a shot. Like I said, I can edit later if needed. Now I just need my local store to get the dive housing in stock.

[systemoverblow'd]

codec = (COde/DECode) aka... Apple Pro Res, AIC (Apple Intermediate Codec), h.264, etc.
RGB = (Red, Green, Blue) values from 0-255 that are the information for each color for the pixel. lower numbers are "more off" or more towards black and higher numbers are "more on", more towards white. Literally like turning the color up or down. 0,0,0 is black and 255,255,255 is white. 255,0,0 is total red, 0,255,0 is total green, and any combination of number creates a different color pixel.
interpolate = insert (something) between fixed points.
transcode = convert (language or information) from one form of coded representation to another.
FCP = Final Cut Pro
NLE - Non-Linear Editor
OS - Operating System
RAM - Random-Access Memory
MP - Multiprocessor
multi-core processor - A single computing component with two or more independent actual CPUs.
CPU - central processing units.
RAID - Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks that allow you to write to them simultaneuos and disperse information on 2 or more disks. Depending on the RAID setup, some are for redundant data storage and some are to increase speed.
WTF - What the Fuck?

[thrav]

Nice thorough write-up system.

If you guys want to see a basic how to on that process, look at the USC ski team tutorial on building a workflow. Even if you don't have final cut pro, he explains what to do for iMovie as well. Abe makes screencasts that have a lot of good information.

[Supermoon]

Abe's good people and very talented. His instructional on CC is good too.

[kidwoo]

Now here's the big WTF... MOST NLE's are NOT multiprocessor enabled.

Define 'most'

I've got a few computrons to edit on and the one with lessor ram and multicock processor smokes the smaller cock more ram version using the exact same software.

[Hugh Conway]

Define 'most'

I've got a few computrons to edit on and the one with lessor ram and multicock processor smokes the smaller cock more ram version using the exact same software.

does that mean a 26" with multiple chainrings is better than a 29" SS? Or not?



Don't buy a gopro.

[systemoverblow'd]

Define 'most'

I've got a few computrons to edit on and the one with lessor ram and multicock processor smokes the smaller cock more ram version using the exact same software.

It also depends on the processor. Core number and Ghz size is not always the determining factor especially if not from the same date period. Newer processors, even at a lower Ghz can outperform older procs at higher ghz and more cores.

What exactly are the chips you are talking about?

Also, what do you mean it smokes? What is your POS sucking at? If rendering... Well no shit. If it is simply editing you have a bigger problem as like I said, 4 years ago I could edit on a $500 computer just as well as my dildo machine now.

And yes, we know you use premiere and yes it is multiprocessor "aware"... But that doesn't make it most.

PS... What video cards do the machines have? It's not a simple one word answer. But as the OP uses macs, and single Mac made today less the air will handle GoPro footage just fine if worked with correctly.

And you still editing h.264 like I told you you shouldn't because premiere says you can natively?

[warthog]

Don't buy a gopro.

Care to explain?
720 60fps,1080 30 fps,
170 degree, 120, and 90 options
Dive housing good to 200 ft, with flat lens.

I have done a ton of research. It seems to be the best option out there.

[Supermoon]

GoPros definitely have their time and place. You just need to make sure you know it's capabilities and what you shouldn't be doing with them.

Waterproof, HD and tons of mounts for $300 is pretty amazing, really.

[Todds]

Systemblow'd:
Thanks for the write up and the glossary.

[warthog]

GoPros definitely have their time and place. You just need to make sure you know it's capabilities and what you shouldn't be doing with them.

Waterproof, HD and tons of mounts for $300 is pretty amazing, really.

Yeah, should be nice for everything I need it for. Hope to make some nice fishing videos too.

[warthog]

Newer version of FCP, or Premier probably do, since they are built for more intricate editing than what it sounds like you're looking for.

I would get a free copy of mpeg Streamclip and use windows movie maker if you just want simple family videos style movies.

If you need to be able to edit multiple layers, add motion graphics, etc, you could probably find a pretty cheap copy of Premier or Vegas that is a few years old that would work.

Or if you're just looking for a reason to drop 2k on a 27" iMac, don't let me stand in the way!

I got mpeg Streamclip downloaded. What format should I export to for iMovie? I am trying MOV right now. DL is at 50 min, so I think I might have done something right.
I dl'd the orig. video to iMovie, and it looked like crap. I am assuming that was because it was compressed.

I am trying this on the Mac first. If it is too slow, I'll get the laptop going with movie maker, and see how that goes.
Baby steps.

[systemoverblow'd]

MOV is a container wrapper for the codec. An mov could be Apple Pro Res, Apple Intermediate, h.264, etc.

For imovie here's what you should do:
open MPEG streamclip.
command + B to bring up the batch tool.
drag and drop your clip into it
tell it where to save the transcoded file to
select export to quicktime and click oK
On the settings window that pops up:
in the drop down choose Apple Intermediate codec (it defaults to motion jpeg a)
Set the quality slider to 100% to the right
frame rate to whatever frame rate the original is or something else in certain circumstances
select frame size (unscaled)
Click to batch
go.

Every clip you drop into the batch will have these setting until you close and reopen streamclip. You will need to learn this and make these settings each time you transcode stuff. That batch allows you to do many files at once. Select a bunch and drop em in that window.

If you had compressor you could create an applet that allows you to just drag and drop your clips onto it and it automatically does all the settings for you.