hardware and software upgrade advice request

[bgamd]

Hello all:

As I become more advanced in my video hobby, I'm thinking of "upgrading" my hardware and software.
A list of my current inventory is below and I'm located in the USA.
I have a few questions to the group.

1: I've seen Mediastudio Pro 8 (boxed unused)advertised for $99 and wonder if there is any advantage to using it compared to VS Pro X2, which I am currently using. I do NOT currently work with HD files and doubt that I will for another year or two.

2: Are there any recommendations/experiences with PC hardware configurations that would be an "upgrade" to my existing setup? I wish to keep my old machine intact, but purchase another machine with improved capability. I don't wish to pay the price for the latest-greatest but usually look for value in previous model configurations. Are there any PC manufactured (not custom) models that one can recommend?

Current hardware/software:
Gateway 506Gr desktop
Intel Pentium 4 Processor 540
supporting Hyper-threading technology
Processor speed 3.4 Ghz
800 Mhz FSB, 1MB L2 cache
1.74 gb DDR Ram dual channel memory
Windows XP home SP 3
Using VideoStudio Pro X2 boxed upgrade with patch installed
(showing version 12.0.98.1)
DVD Moviefactory 4

Thank you for any advice you can share.

[Clevo]

If your planning on staying with standard definition for another year or two I'd wait to upgrade your system then.

By that time the i7 chip will be more common and cheaper and hopefully there will be standards set to the many flavours of AVCHD seemingly doing the rounds.

Your current sysytem should serve you well enough even with any future upgrades to VSProX2.

In the meantime set up a savings account, put a little away and in a year or two you can buy a more than enough grunt for HD and hav enough left over to buy a decent HD video camera.

That's my two bob's worth

[Black Lab]

As far as MediaStudio Pro is concerned, it is a dead product; there will be no updates, patches, new versions, etc. If you really need to upgrade your software I would at least look to a company that will support what you buy.

[martythebrit]

If you are going to buy a new system now I would start with an i5 CPU which is the cheaper version of the i7 and gives you an upgrade path in the future.

[sjj1805]

Bearing in mind the advice above by Black Lab, if that is indeed a full version of MediaStudio Pro 8 AND providing you stay with Windows XP and also SD Video then it is a good bargain.

I have just completed my latest video project - editing 2 hours worth of DV video taken by one of my sons on his visit to Africa. Despite the wealth of software I have (See my signature block below) the software I used was indeed MediaStudio Pro 8.

Until Corel bow to the pressure from this Web Board for them to introduce "Moving Paths" into VideoStudio, I will continue to use MediaStudio as my prime video editing tool.

[mitchell65]

Until Corel bow to the pressure from this Web Board for them to introduce "Moving Paths" into VideoStudio, I will continue to use MediaStudio as my prime video editing tool.

I wonde if I am the only member reading this post who doesn't know what "Moving Pahs" are!

[Ron P.]

Moving or Motion Paths are those Enter and Exit arrows found in the Attributes tab, Direction/Styles of VS. The big difference between those and what higher-end editors like MSP offer, is with the higher-end editors you have key-frame-able control over the position and scaling of your image, video, object on the stage..

[mitchell65]

Thank you Ron. Understood

[sjj1805]

I created this particular video to show off "Moving Paths"
Wouldn't it be nice to be able to do this with VideoStudio!

Telford