Sony Vegas editing (AVCHD) on Laptop

[Michelle Sheen]

I wish to purchase a laptop which is compatible with the other Sony products I own. I would also like the best laptop with the largest screen, blu ray RW, Full HD. I currently own:
(1)Sony High Definition handycam...flash memory (AVCHD) HDR-CX505VE
(2)Sony High Definition handycam on hard disk drive (AVCHD) HDR-XR550VE
(3)Sony video editing Vegas pro 9 £506.90
(4)Sony Vegas Movie editing Studio Platinum Pro Pack £93.90
I use these Sony products to edit large High Definition (AVCHD) video with lots of editing and effects, 30 minutes long. I'm looking for a laptop which meets the system requirements with my two Vegas Movie Editing Software's and it is compatible with my two Sony handycams (HD).
I have been looking at the Sony VAIO AW series VGN-AW31XY/Q and was wondering if this would do, even though it has been discontinued? But a shop in London has one left. I already have a desktop computer which works fine with my Sony High Definition Handycams and editing software, but I really need a laptop for editing as well.
Please help


Best regards
Michelle
Ps I know lots about editing but not system requirements and specifications

[Paul Cascio]

I would forget editing any HD format on a laptop. My advise would be to buy a cheaper laptop and a good desktop for the same total outlay. Between the small screen, lack of storage and slower CPU, a laptop is good for almost anything except editing.

[Michelle Sheen]

I have been looking at the Sony VAIO AW series VGN-AW31XY/Q and was wondering if this would do, even though it has been discontinued? But a shop in London has one left. I "already have a "desktop computer" which works fine" with my Sony High Definition Handycams and editing software, but I really need a laptop for editing as well.
Please help


Sony VAIO AW series VGN-AW31XY/Q ???

[Paul Cascio]

Wow, that's a monster - 18.4-inch screen. Great laptop, and as good as you may find for editing, but still not good enough IMO. As for portability, don't expect to use it on a flight - it won't open wide enough for most airline seats.

[Brian Luce]

I've used slow laptops to edit HD. Check the sys requirements for the Epic plug in. You can also hook up external monitors to laptops.

[Zulqar Cheema]

AVCHD has trouble on a quad core (sony Vegas 9), so a lapop will have its work cut out.

Jsrtky playback mainly

HD (HDV) s is easier to edit on a duo core

[Michelle Sheen]

Thanks for the help everyone :)
I built this one on the sony website.
Do you think it will do ? ? ?

Sony Laptop Your configuration VPCF11X5E £1,978

Processor:
Intel® Core(TM) i7 Processor

Operating system:
Genuine Windows® 7 Ultimate

Finishes:
Premium Black

Hard drive:
256 GB Ultra SATA Flash SSD

Memory:
8 GB 1333MHz DDR3-SDRAM

Optical Drive:
Blu-ray Disc(TM) writer

Display:
41.6 cm LCD, 1920x1080, webcam

Microsoft Office Suites:
No Microsoft Office Suite

Internet security:
McAfee® - 1 year protection

Also Included

Graphics:
NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 330M 1GB

Keyboard:
English QWERTY keyboard

Battery:
Battery life up to 3 hours

Wireless LAN:
Wireless LAN + Bluetooth

AC Adapter:
1 AC Adapter

HDMI(TM) output:
HDMI(TM) output

Memory cards reader:
SD and MS card slot

Ports:
2 USB 2.0

[Chris Barcellos]

Get Cineform Neo Scene for your HD editing. For many reasons it will ease the system power requirments. Also consider Cineform Neo HD -- with the included First Light you will have great color correction and "film looks" without all the long hours of rendering..

[Martin Wiosna]

The above laptop exceeds the specs for HD editing. I'm editing HDV footage on a AMD dual core with 4 GB RAM. Its not ideals but its not the end of the world either. Previews you will need to set to draft to get any decent frame rate.

[Brian Luce]

Originally Posted by Michelle Sheen

Thanks for the help everyone :)
I built this one on the sony website.
Do you think it will do ? ? ?

Sony Laptop Your configuration VPCF11X5E £1,978

Processor:
Intel® Core(TM) i7 Processor

Operating system:
Genuine Windows® 7 Ultimate

Finishes:
Premium Black

Hard drive:
256 GB Ultra SATA Flash SSD

Memory:
8 GB 1333MHz DDR3-SDRAM

Optical Drive:
Blu-ray Disc(TM) writer

Display:
41.6 cm LCD, 1920x1080, webcam

Microsoft Office Suites:
No Microsoft Office Suite

Internet security:
McAfee® - 1 year protection

Also Included

Graphics:
NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 330M 1GB

Keyboard:
English QWERTY keyboard

Battery:
Battery life up to 3 hours

Wireless LAN:
Wireless LAN + Bluetooth

AC Adapter:
1 AC Adapter

HDMI(TM) output:
HDMI(TM) output

Memory cards reader:
SD and MS card slot

Ports:
2 USB 2.0

That's one Bada$$ lappy.

Make sure it has eSATA and Firewire 800 ports. You need that for your external drives.

Have you researched SSD's for video use?

[Michelle Sheen]

I know the system requirements for Sony Vegas... and some other video editing software require 7200 RPM or faster on a regular hard drive. What I have been told by a few different people is that the "solid state drive 256 GB Ultra SATA Flash SSD" would work a lot better? Is this true and why ? ? ?
So to you guys does it seem that this laptop might do the job? ? ?
When I get enough reassuring answers I'm going to go ahead and buy it.
I just don't want to buy it and find out that it struggles with 50 GB's of .MTS HD video footage.
I just want to say again....I really appreciate all you experts helping me out

Best regards

Michelle
UK

[Michelle Sheen]

Compatible Sony VAIO laptop / Vegas Movie Studio Platinum 9
According to your submission:

You have: Processor: Intel® Core(TM) i7 Processor
We require: 800 MHz processor (2.8 GHz recommended for HDV and AVCHD)

It would appear that you meet this system requirement.

You have:Genuine Windows® 7 Ultimate
We require: Microsoft® Windows® XP SP 2, Windows Vista™, or Windows 7

It would appear that you meet this system requirement.

You have:256 GB Ultra SATA Flash SSD
We require: 200 MB hard-disk space for program installation

It would appear that you meet this system requirement.

You have:8 GB 1333MHz DDR3-SDRAM
We require: 256 MB RAM (512 MB RAM recommended for HDV and AVCHD)

It would appear that you meet this system requirement.

You have:Blu-ray Disc(TM) writer
We Require: Supported CD-Recordable drive (for CD burning only) ,Supported DVD- R /- RW /+ R /+ RW drive (for DVD burning only) ,Supported BD-R/-RE drive (for Blu-ray Disc™ burning)

It would appear that if your blu-ray drive can read/write CDs, DVDs and Blu-Ray, you would meet these requirements as well.

We require OHCI-compatible i.LINK® connector1/IEEE-1394DV card (for DV capture and print-to-tape). Your camcorder, HDR-CX505VE records in high definition. You do not require the OHCI-compatible i.LINK® connector1/IEEE-1394DV card as your camcorder creates HDV and not DV video. It should be noted that you cannot capture video from tape based recording units with out the OHCI-compatible i.LINK® connector1/IEEE-1394DV card. If you have a desire to work with DV or HDV tape based units, you do not meet the requirement of OHCI-compatible i.LINK® connector1/IEEE-1394DV card.




Sincerely,
Customer Service
Sony Creative Software Inc
Sony Creative Software - Vegas video - ACID & Sound Forge audio editing








To Sony Vegas

I own Vegas Movie Studio Platinum 9 and I would like to know if the Sony laptop computer I have built online meets the system requirements for Vegas Movie Studio Platinum 9 and is capable of making edited films in (AVCHD) format with lots of editing and effects for 30 minute long movies???
My camera is a Sony High Definition handycam...flash memory (AVCHD) HDR-CX505VE
This is the laptop I wish to buy if it meets Vegas Movie Studio Platinum 9 system requirements and works without editing problems.

Your configuration VPCF11X5E £1,978
Your configuration

Processor: Intel® Core(TM) i7 Processor
Operating system: Genuine Windows® 7 Ultimate
Finishes: Premium Black

Hard drive: 256 GB Ultra SATA Flash SSD
Memory: 8 GB 1333MHz DDR3-SDRAM
Optical Drive: Blu-ray Disc(TM) writer
Display: 41.6 cm LCD, 1920x1080, webcam
Microsoft Office Suites: No Microsoft Office Suite
Internet security: McAfee® - 1 year protection
Adobe Acrobat: No Adobe® Acrobat® Standard
Adobe Creation: No Adobe® Creation
Adobe® Lightroom®: No Adobe® Photoshop® Lightroom
Also Included

Graphics: NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 330M 1GB
Keyboard: English QWERTY keyboard
Battery: Battery life up to 3 hours
Wireless LAN: Wireless LAN + Bluetooth
AC Adapter: 1 AC Adapter
HDMI(TM) output: HDMI(TM) output
Memory cards reader: SD and MS card slot
Ports: 2 USB 2.0



Vegas Movie Studio Platinum 9
System Requirements■Microsoft® Windows® XP SP 2, Windows Vista™, or Windows 7
■800 MHz processor (2.8 GHz recommended for HDV and AVCHD)
■200 MB hard-disk space for program installation
■256 MB RAM (512 MB RAM recommended for HDV and AVCHD)
■OHCI-compatible i.LINK® connector1/IEEE-1394DV card (for DV capture and print-to-tape)
■Windows-compatible sound card
■DVD-ROM drive (for installation from a DVD only)
■Supported CD-Recordable drive (for CD burning only)
■Supported DVD- R /- RW /+ R /+ RW drive (for DVD burning only)
■Supported BD-R/-RE drive (for Blu-ray Disc™ burning)
■Microsoft DirectX® 9.0c or later (included on application disc)
■Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 (included on application disc)

[Perrone Ford]

Michelle, that's a very nice laptop. A bit more processor than mine, a bit less graphics card than mine. Yes, you can edit HD on it. I do all the time.

That said, I would STRONGLY encourage you to heed the advice of the posters who have recommend you purchase Cineform to convert the AVCHD footage. It will save you untold issues down the road.

I have been editing professionally in Sony Vegas for 7 years. And I am going to echo the sentiments of purchasing Cineform. Given your outlay here, an extra $100 is not going to be a deal breaker. But it will pay for itself in saved frustration.

Best of luck going forward.