Please help me choose

[Marie Boyer]

Buying a computer for DV editing. Choosing between

1. Locally built (great local company)
Antec case
ASUS P4C-800 motherboard (875 chipset)
Pentium 4 3 ghz (800 FSB)
350 watt (Antec)
1 Gig RAM
Hard drive 1 = 40 G
Hard drive 2 = 160 G
DVD Rom/CD RW
nvidia 5700 FX 128 MB
XP Pro
$1850

2. HP xw4200 workstation (local HP dealer)
Same as above except
Not sure on case
Intel Motherboard with 925 chipset (PCI-E)
410 watt
nvidia Quadro FX 540 PCI-E
$1995

Can you help me choose? Any other less expensive equivalents? I am getting close to purchase.

 

[bodhi]

I would choose a local computer shop over HP every time, as long as you know they are reputable. If you know people that have bought from them before and have been happy and you get a good feeling when speaking to them, i would go for that. You will probably get better customer support from them. Not sure about them now a days, but HP used to be a pain in the ass to work on!!

 

[Marie Boyer]

Thanks so much. I am planning on putting down the money this weekend. Looking for last minute advice (either encouraging or discouraging). Appreciate you weighing in.

 

[floppybootstomp]

I'd say:

Local dealer.
Disk 2 = 200Gb (you need a lot of space to store audio/video
Consider at least a 400W PSU, it's worth it.
And surely you'd want a DVD Burner for burning movies to? (rather than a CDRW)

Everything else looks cool and dandy

 

[Marie Boyer]

Thanks. Shall do.

p.s. I have a stand alone Sony DVD burner.

 

[Adywebb]

Marie, have a look at this company, I bought from them over a year ago - they were very helpful give good advice and were great to deal with.
They only use top quality componants, you can tailor it to your needs and I think you will get better spec for less money.

http://www.computerelectronics.co.uk

 

[Marie Boyer]

Thanks so much. I will check it out. Will I get great support if something fails? (i.e., worth ordering through mail rather than building locally and having local support?)

 

[floppybootstomp]

Hang on, Adywebb's link is a UK company. I'm assuming Marie is USA because of the $ sign in her pricing?

 

[Adywebb]

Ah - good point FBS, assumed Marie was in UK! - If not I apologise, but if so I can assure Marie that their after sales care is good, but obviously it is on a collect and return basis.

 

[Marie Boyer]

Yep, USA all the way. Thanks anyway.

 

[psd99]

Everything else looks cool and dandy

i understand the word COOL used here but am failing to understand the meaning of DANDY?

isnt that someone from a comic book?

what do u mean by Dandy?

 

[Alf]

Dandy mean something like, A'Ok or good to go. it think.

 

[floppybootstomp]

Am I showing my age again here?

It's an American expression, I think, but I must admit I haven't heard it used in some time.

OK, how's about 'Jolly Good' 'Wizzer' 'Superb' 'Top Ho' 'Spot On' or just plain ol 'Hey, that's pretty good'

I think you get my meaning...

 

[Alf]

so i was pretty close after all

 

[Adywebb]

Sorry Marie - in which case go local, that way you won't get a faceless person on the end of a phone when things go wrong

 

[bodhi]

Def go local. End of story.

Does someone stand at the door of the local company saying hello and good bye to you? Or is that just the disney store and gap?!