Best For Me?

My computer doesn't have enough virtual memory for what I do with it. I am using this one for digital photo, film, slides, and vhs reproduction onto DVD's. I am getting ready to upgrade and would like some pro's and con's from you pro's and con's. Do I need to get one with dual core processing? How about 2 gigs of memory as opposed to 4 gigs.rolleyes

 

I will be putting both a video and video capture care onto the motherboard, what is compatable with XP?

 

I'm uncertain what you mean by "virtual memory." Do you mean your swap file/paging file? That's a special file on your hard drive that Windows uses as virtual RAM to supplement your physical RAM. You can set it to allow Windows to manage the size of the swap file or you can specify the size yourself. Unless your hard drive is getting full, you should be able to increase your swap file to a satisfactory size.

If you need instructions for adjusting the size of your Windows swap/page file let us know.

As far as actual physical RAM...more system RAM is good up to a particular limit, and probably especially for someone like yourself who's doing lots of photo and video editing.

Most people have 32 bit versions of Windows XP. The 32 bit version will only use a little over 3 GB of RAM as 32 bits isn't enough to address more memory than that. If you have a 64 bit version of Win XP then you can use lots more RAM, but I'd think that 4 GB would probably be plenty unless you're really doing lots of demanding editing of really long videos.

As for the dual core processor question, that depends, I think, on your photo or video editing software. You'll need to look in your manuals for your editing software and see which, if any, of your editing software packages are designed to make use of a dual core processor. If the software isn't designed to use a dual core processor you won't gain much by having one, at least not until you upgrade or purchase new software that is designed for multi-core processors. Even if your manual says the software will use additional cores when available, there's still the question of whether the software uses the additional core(s) effectively enough to really make a noticeable difference. Software reviews often mention that program xyz says it will detect and make use of multi-core processors, but that in testing they noticed little increase in performance. Programming for multi-core processors is still in it's infancy, but I'd think that image and video editing applications will likely be among the first to show dramatic improvements in performance. So, check the software to see if it's written for multi-core CPUs and then try to find reviews that will confirm that the multi-core feature really is well implemented and makes a noticeable difference.

If you can afford it, dual core or even quad core is surely the way to go. Even if your current image and video editing software doesn't make any use of the additional core(s), it's likely that future generations of video editing software, and maybe image editing software also, will be written to make use of multi-core processors.

Sorry, I know absolutely nothing about video capture cards nor which graphics cards might be especially good for someone doing video editing. Check on the web for reviews at various computer magazine's websites and at websites devoted to photography and video. And check out photo and video magazines for reviews of editing software also. Of course, you'll want to check any graphics cards or capture cards to be sure they include the inputs and outputs you need to be compatible with your camera and any other equipment you plan to use for your projects.

 

I'm using Ulead8 video editing program, I'm not sure if it uses dual core, I'll read on it this weekend, I only have a few hours when I get home. You're the second person to say 2 gigs is best for XP. My XP Pro is 32 bit and it is the physical ram I'm referring to, I guess I'll go with a 2gig. Any suggestions on a mfg?

 

I like Kingston and Corsair for having lifetime warranties on a lot, if not all of their products.

 

I just recently purchased some dual channel 800 MHz DDR2 Mushkin RAM from NewEgg and I'm quite please with it so far. It also has a limited lifetime warranty and their customer support on the Mushkin forums responds quickly to questions and is generally quite helpful. But before you buy RAM you may want to check your motherboard or computer manufacturer to see what brand and type (DDR or DDRII, for example) and what speed of RAM they recommend.

No motherboard or computer manufacturer can test all the brands and models of RAM that might work in a particular system, but they usually can provide a short list of RAM brands and specific model numbers they've tested and found compatible.

2 gigs of RAM will probably be adequate, but 3 gigs might well make a noticeable difference for someone doing video editing, unless the videos are pretty short. But again, you should check with your computer or motherboard manufacturer (or look in your motherboard manual) to determine what restrictions may apply to how you can add RAM to your system. Some motherboards, for example, may require that you add RAM in equal "sized" sticks/DIMM. That is, you must have two sticks of RAM that are both 512 MB or two that are both 1 gigabyte. In such a system, since you can't buy RAM in 1.5 gigabyte DIMMs, in order to get the use of 3 gigs of RAM you have to buy two 2 gig sticks (2 x 2GB) to put into your RAM slots, but a 32 WinXP system will only be able to use 3 of those 4 gigs of RAM. In addition, if you mix two speeds of RAM you may have to run the system at the speed of the slower rated RAM in which case you may wind up paying extra for faster RAM that you can't actually run at the faster speed. So, if you really want to maximize your RAM performance you may need to scrap the RAM you're currently using and add all new and faster RAM.

Since speed is an important consideration to you, apparently, you should also make sure you purchase dual channel RAM if you can afford it and your computer motherboard can use it. Dual channel RAM is typically sold in a package of matched pairs of DIMMs ("sticks") to insure that you have DIMMs that will work together properly in dual channel mode.

Patriot, OCZ, Mushkin, as well as Corsair and Kingston are all well known makers of RAM. Check your computer maker's website or customer service to see what brands and types/models of RAM they recommend for your particular computer. Or, if your system is a home built one, look in your motherboard manual for RAM requirements or go to your motherboard manufacturer's website to obtain that info.

Hope this is some help.

 

This sounds like the operationg parameters I'm looking for in the upgrade of my motherboard. I'm seeing a friend of mine tonight and we'll pick a motherboard for my new computer. Thank's, preicate'.