128mb Graphic Card for Video Editing!

[biggip]

Hi it seems to me i'm only going to be able to afford the MBP model with the 128mb graphic card.

What would I benefit from buying the one with the 256mb card concerning video editing?

Would I be facing any difficulties with HDV if I only have the 128mb?

 

[MovieCutter]

Video editing isn't graphics card dependent. Not yet anyway, you'll be fine.

 

[dpaanlka]

Hi it seems to me i'm only going to be able to afford the MBP model with the 128mb graphic card.

What would I benefit from buying the one with the 256mb card concerning video editing?

Would I be facing any difficulties with HDV if I only have the 128mb?

Video editing has nothing to do with your video card. It's all about your processor. You'd be fine with even an Intel GMA 950.

Video cards only accelerate video that has already been rendered. It doesn't actually do the rendering, the processor does. Try to go for the fastest processor and fastest hard drive you can afford.

 

[Pressure]

On the contrary, many programs can actively use the graphic card when you render effects these days.

It all isn't processor speed. What I find more important though is really disk speed, so be sure to have a RAID-0 scratch disk.

 

[Anonymous Freak]

The other two answers are correct, for iMovie, Final Cut Express, and Final Cut Pro. For raw video editing, and for applying effects. Processor speed and main system memory are the two big things there. (For example, a beige G3 upgraded with 1.5 GB of RAM and a 1.8 GHz G4 should actually beat out a last-generation PowerBook G4's 1.66 GHz G4 with only 1 GB of RAM in the raw rendering of effects. In reality, I would be surprised if it did, due to other improvements in the PowerBook, but in theory it should win.)

Now if you get into rendering video effects in Shake or Motion, the better the video card, the faster it goes.

 

[dpaanlka]

On the contrary, many programs can actively use the graphic card when you render effects these days.

I can't think of anything in Final Cut Pro that would use the video card. Can you name some?

 

[LaDirection]

I can't think of anything in Final Cut Pro that would use the video card. Can you name some?

Of course!

In Final Cut Pro, all the FxPlug plug ins, such as conduit, uses your GPU to process your footage. Motion is HIGHLY GPU dependant. A faster GPU makes a huge difference, and will soon be as important as a faster CPU (Core Image accelaration will most likely be an integral part of FCP 6).

Guys, please, do not answer questions to which you do not know the answers yourselves.