Thnx Everyone for the advice.

I knew you guys were great :)

I'm also looking to upgrade...um, replace my computer. I'm not interested in "building" anything. I want to plug it in, load my Adobe stuff and start editing. (I have Adobe CS2 now but I asume I'll upgrade to CS3 when I get the new machine... are there really any benefits to CS3?)

I saw that someone posted somewhere about a package offered by one of the board sponsors (Video Guys DIY6) and that looks awesome. It'd be nice to get a system built with video editing in mind. At the same time, if I save $1000 and get this HP from a big retailer would it work?
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1204331848242

I guess my main concern is video card etc. Any thoughts on this are appreciated. I'm editing SD now but, like most, will probably move into HD sometime soon. I'm real tired of slow renders and unexpected crashes.

-Don B.

IMO this is NOT optimal for NLE work. However the price is attractive, but you get what you pay for. The video card is clearly sub-optimal as is the processor. The disk configuration is severely lacking, so overall this is not a good editing station. The missing 1394A connection makes it virtually worthless for editing. Look at something else.

Thanks Harm. These are all things I was assuming. I think I'd be better off getting a machine built for editing. Soi far I'm looking at Video Guys and B&H. Thanks for the input.

also check out guygraphics.com, they build some nice systems w/ decent prices. I don't think Videoguys have complete systems for sale.

I second that, although the decent prices seem to be at the upper end of the range, but the quality and service are also at the upper end.