Do I need a RAID to edit DVCPRO HD?

[Hans Damkoehler]

First of all, here's what I'm working with:

Dual G5 with 4 Gig's of RAM, 2 internal 250 gig HD's, FCP 5 suite, Kona LH card.

Purchasing an HVX200.

I know that I can edit DVCPRO HD with my current set up but my questions is this:

Does having a RAID (thinking of a Lacie S2S system or the like) SIGNIFICANTLY help speed up editing, especially with mutliple streams in the timeline? Are there other issues I am not considering either way?

As a bonus question ... how much does the KONA card speed up the process ... at all? Or does it just off load some of the already "realtime" effects?

Thanks!

- Hans

[Shane Ross]

The faster the Raid you get, the more streams of video you can use in realtime. YOu can get 3 streams with firewire 800 or internal SATA drive, and more with an external SATA Raid, or fibrechannel raid.

A Kona card does nothing for you in terms of capturing and editing DVCPRO HD. It doesn't add any more realtime effects nor speed up rendering. Only a faster processor does that. What the capure card gets you is the ability to capture and output in UNCOMPRESSED HD formats. Few places accept DVCPRO HD as masters, but rather want D5, or digibeta downconverts. The Kona can do all that in real time...no additional rendering.

[Hans Damkoehler]

Shane,

Thanks so much for the reply. I'm intrigued about your statement:

Originally Posted by Shane Ross

A Kona card does nothing for you in terms of capturing and editing DVCPRO HD. It doesn't add any more realtime effects nor speed up rendering. Only a faster processor does that.

What then does the "hardware acceleration" mean, cut from the KONA documentation:

# DVCProHD hardware acceleration
# HDV hardware acceleration

If the KONA doesn't "accelerate" something ("does nothing" as you say) how can they advertise it?

Just trying to clarify. (PS - I don't currently have a KONA to work with.) Thanks!

[Shane Ross]

It's called Marketting. All it means is that if you capture those formats via SDi or Component thru the card, that you will see the same realtime effects that you see when you capture via firewire.

I was pumped by this comment too, until I asked an owner of said card who said that it offers no performance enhancements, just what I mentioned above.

[Hans Damkoehler]

Originally Posted by Shane Ross

It's called Marketting.

Shane,

What you say is true. I've worked with the KONA LH card for the last few days and have found no apparent "acceleration." Wish there was some way to accelerate the process w/o upgrading my cpu.

Regards,

Hans