I am setting up a new machine and want to get to work with the fewest problems using ProspectHD, First Light and Premiere and AfterEffects.

If I install software next week, should I put on CS4 or should I stay with CS3?

Without RT acceleration, I see no point in PHD4, and without PHD4 I see no point in CS4. I'm still using v3 of both, although I have purchased and downloaded v4 of each -- just waiting for all the kinks to be worked out.

I'm sure I'll think of a use for First Light at some point, but at this point I can't think of anything it has that I need. But if you need it, you can use PHD4 with CS3 and all should be well.

cs4 with prospectHD 4. We need more beta testers :)

cs4 with prospectHD 4. We need more beta testers :)

I will put your kind suggestion under advisement.

We would ditto that suggestion: for now, a nice, fast 64bit machine running the version 3's is just fine...and has few probs.

If it were me, I'd keep a couple of drives separately in that new system. One for CS3 with either Prospect 3 or 4, and another for the 4's mess. You could easily boot off either one with most modern motherboards.

If you already have Prospect version 4, you can use it just the same as version 3 (with CS3), but it would allow you to try out CS4 on another drive if you so wanted.

It just seems better to keep things separate, especially for those using their workstations for serious editing. It's possible that Adobe will never get their CS4 probs ironed out from some no-so-great programming decisions they might have made, and end up having to do a CS5 pretty quickly!

They've done it before...just look as Premiere Pro (1)...or some of the other now-bundled progs from them...like the Encore mess...

My two bits

cs4 with prospectHD 4. We need more beta testers :)

I have an i7 64 ultimate and CS4 PHD4.
Just need the real time effects and all is OK here.