Hardware needed to fansub.
 

Just to ask the various groups,

What is the average pc hardware requirement and software needed?

Is it better to use a Hardware Encoding Card and Video Editing Kit?

Cheers!

Depending on what you are doing. If your encoding/sfxing then the most powerful computer you can get your hands on is what your aiming for XD Then again, I don't exactly have the fastest computer. (Mobile Athlon 2500+@2500 real mhz =p) Other positions don't require too much.. as long as you can watch raws with out the video shuttering and can run SSA etc... you don't need the latest and greatest.

Translating: 500 MHz is enough to watch raws and start Notepad

Editing: Just notepad... hell 100 Mhz (running windows 95 =P) would be enough (unless you watch the raws too then its 500 Mhz)

Timing: I'd say 300 Mhz is more than enough, ssa is a program from 1999 or so?

Typesetting: If you're going all out on effects and stuff, 500~800 Mhz would be enough

Encoding: 800 Mhz minimum, im currently on 1.83 GHz and i get 30 Fps max (no filters)

QC: again, 500 MHz is enough

In all cases 256 MB ram is enough, but more ram will always be helpfull of course =)
im at 768 MB now

Just make sure it's not a celeron :P
And 500mhz is on the slow side anyway.
You'll want 700-1000mhz to make sure you're going to be able to play everything back fine. A WMV9 raw on 500mhz? Yeah right.

My boyfriend is upgrading his computer, in fact going tomorrow to shop with me.
He is getting,

AMD64 Fx55 + MSI K8N NEO2 PLATINUM
SAPPHIRE x800XT PLATINUM
2 GB CORSAIR RAM
WD RAPTOR 36GB
WD 160GBX2
TDK 16X DVD WRITER
PANASONIC FLOPPY
LIAN LI PC7A + ANTEC NEOPOWER
PINNACLE LIQUID PRO V6

According to him, he bought the Hong Kong bootleg of Getter Robo and since they butchered the English Translation, he is willing to try his hand at it since he is an otaku of sorts.

I take it the above setup is ...overkill?

This is my advice as good computer you can get, and nothing is overkill, if your gonna try your luck att encoding you would need more hdd space thne most others who fansub etc.

If you ever try your luck at timing join in a-t #timers @ irc.rizon.net

Take Care
Sakaki-

Heh, overkill for fansubbing, but it'll be a good gaming rig. :D

The CPU and RAM part is good for encoding. For encoders, no CPU is overkill. But for most codecs, as far as I know, any hardware encoder is an overkill - they aren't optimized to take use of those processors. I know XviD doesn't. I don't know about DivX 5.2, but I doubt it. I know nothing about WMV...

Heh, good CPU is also useful for karaoke - can render more complex effects in real time, removing the need to hard-sub them before seeing them ^^

he changed his mind at the last moment and got an Dual OPTERON setup instead. Is that good or bad? From AMD website, the Fx55 and the A64 4000 are the top range cpu.

Better stick with one processor. Not many programs use dual processors, that includes encoding programs.

True, not many programs use both processors, but that doesnt mean that each program cant use its own processor. Dual processors allow you to easily watch anime while you encode, encode in two instances of Vdub at the same time, or play a game while you encode. About the only negative side to dualies is that some software or hardware might have problems... but this is rare. I only had a problem with the first Thief game and also my Sound Blaster Live. I also think the extra processor adds alot of stability to a system.

Personally, I went nuts when I decided to get a uniprocessor machine after using a dualie for years. Im now back on a multi Xeon.

The only problem I see with the setup is with the Antec PS... Antecs have always been weak on me and have given me the most problems so far. Biggest problem with a buggy PS is that everything else gets the blame and theyre tough to diagnose without switching out for a new PS. I would hunt for a better PS if possible... or maybe Im just unlucky with Antec, but I doubt it.

Yeah, I thought antec's were good power supplies. Learned the hardway when I upgraded my system to Intel 865 chipset... My Antec TruePower 430 wasn't supplying sufficient stable voltage to my mobo.

Funny... my old Enermax 350 watt supplied enough stable voltage, yet the Antec 430 didn't. Well... I'm currently using an Enermax noisetaker 470watt PSU. Voltages more stable and it's even more quieter than the Antec.

That system is not suitable at all, you'd better pack it all up into a box and send it to me and I'll give you something suitable in exchange.

And Sony floppy drives are far superior to Panasonic ones.

Does anyone still use floppies? my home system has been without a floppy for over three years and never missed it a bit.

Actually, if you really need someone to see if the system is good, ship it to me and I'll give it a nice run through for the next year or so and get back to you.

BTW, with that much power, you should go with a SATA vs IDE. The 160GBX2 is more suited for IDE RAID vs independent drive. You will pay more for a device than what you will get out of it.

I dunno if you can say that all Antec power supplies have poor quality with that one incident... in fact, I have an Antec installed in my machine, which works great, while another computer in my apartment was an Enermax which has been flaky. Funny thing is, the Enermax has a higher wattage rating, yet performs worse on than the lower wattage rated Antec on a setup that requires much less power. Could be that I got a lemon from Enermax, while you got one form Antec.

I go on a floppy hunt through my room about once per year.

Usually for some random gay boot program I'm using to try and fix a problem with my computer ^^;;

Make that 3 out of 4 Antec Lemons over here. The only one Im still using is on my C3 machine. My current machine used to run on an antec True 550WEPS but my SCSI raid drive kept giving me errors every once and a while during vidcap or cutting. Shortly around the middle of this year, atleast 1 whole drive somewhere would drop offline everytime I would try and capture a video. I just went all out and replaced it with a PC Power and Cooling PS and its been running like a dream since.

Yup... I second that... PC Power and Cooling PSU's also are great. Bought their very first ones back in 1999 or so. But boy, was that sucker loud.

I never had any power supply problems though i avoid antec cause whne they launched here they where like a no name company who sold cheap crap stuff...

Take Care
Sakaki-