Chuck's Corner
Chuck’s System Recommendations for Problem Free Video Editing
Introduction
Let me start by saying that these are my own personal recommendations. There will be some that disagree with these specs and suggested setup. In fact, some people run Premiere Elements on less than what I have listed below. Still, for people looking to upgrade their system, or purchase a new computer, this will give them a good idea of what to look for.
I base the following specifications and configuration on my own system. I have had no problems using any feature in Premiere Elements, versions 1 or 2. I have never received an error while Exporting, or burning a DVD as some of you have. I believe this to be a stable system, environment and maintenance schedule.
First, the specs on the box for Premiere Elements 1 and 2 are either misleading or inadequate (sorry Adobe). Not that the software has not been tested, and proven to work with those requirements, they are just not realistic for today’s user. Nor do they take into account the full use of the application, especially in disk space and RAM usage. Some people are running Premiere Elements 1 on a minimum requirement system, or close to it. I am afraid they will not be quite so fortunate with Premiere Elements 2. Even still, the people with minimum requirement systems probably have no idea how slow the program really is running.
My Experience
Let me start by providing you with some personal experience in the way of Premiere Elements (or digital video editing in general), and the systems I have had over the past year and a half.
I started this adventure with a P4 1.5ghz system, 512mb of RAM, a single 80gb hard drive, and an nVidia Graphics card with 32mb of video memory. I purchased a TV Tuner/Capture Card, DVD Burner, and an additional 80gb hard drive and thought I was in business. The capture card was included with Nero 6 and Ulead Movie Factory, so I thought I had all the software necessary. With this setup I could not capture video at even reasonable quality.
I then moved up to a P4 2.0ghz system, 512mb RAM, 2 80gb hard drives and a little better quality nVidia graphics card with 64mb of video memory. I Purchased Ulead Video Studio, Video Explosion, and Sonic MyDVD. Still I was not able to capture video at a reasonable quality, even after upgrading the video card to a little better quality nVidia card with 128mb of video memory. I spent months trying every setting possible, every configuration available, in every piece of software. I also tried some of the freeware available, such as VirtualDub.
I then purchased Premiere Elements, but was unable to use the mpeg files captured by my Tuner Card in the program. Believe me, by this time I was very, very, frustrated. I posted on the Adobe users forum hoping for a solution. With help from Steve, Sergio, Tiki, Ed and many others, this is the solution that worked for me.. I could go on and on about interlacing issues and questions, codecs, and all I learned about them along the way. But when it comes down to it, I didn’t need to know all of that to simply create DVDs from my old VHS home movies. Hopefully this little article will save someone a whole lot of frustration and headaches, by saving them from going through all that I went through to get here!
The System
I have used Dell computers for the past 2 years and have been very happy with them. Dell would be my recommendation for a brand name system. If you are looking at purchasing a refurb from the Dell Outlet, or a new machine, take a look at their XPS line or the Dimension 8400 (what I use).
The Processor
Although Premiere Elements will run on a system under 2ghz (as proven by some of the forum members), there is no way I would recommend that to anyone, especially after seeing what a difference it makes in speed, and how much better the program runs on a faster machine.
Minimum 3.0ghz P4 with Hyper-Threading or comparable AMD Athlon64. With an Athlon processor you must ensure it supports the SSE2 instruction set, especially for Premiere Elements 2. The amount of L2 cache is also important, and should not be less than 1mb.
If you have the ability, choose a dual processor system or a dual-core processor.
RAM
I would advise a minimum of 1gb, however, get as much as you can afford, up to at least 2gb.
Graphics Card
nVidia cards have always been my favorite, but now I have an ATI PCI Express card and am very happy with it. What ever brand you choose, make sure it has; Direct3D, Pixel Shader (PS)1.3/1.4, and Vertex Shader (VS) 1.1 support. This will ensure you get the full benefit of the GPU functions, effects, and transitions in Premiere Elements.
PCI Express would give you the best performance for the money with a minimum of 128mb of video memory.
A nice little extra would be a dual monitor card.
Hard Drives
RAID is not required, nor will it really make a lot of difference, so don’t even worry about it. Two hard drives is a must (make sure your system can hold 2 hard drives if you plan on adding one later). I prefer the faster SATA drives at 7200rpm and a minimum of 120gb each. Adding a third external USB drive is not a bad idea either.
DVD Burner
By all means don’t forget the burner; dual layer would be nice. I have a Toshiba single layer and a Philips Dual Layer, both work just fine with Premiere Elements 1 and 2.
ADS Pyro A/V Link
I have used The Pyro Link for almost a year now. This has got to be the one item that has made the most difference in my video experience. It makes capturing VHS and other analog video a dream come true. I can capture via firewire directly into Premiere Elements with no problems; for the money, this is a fantastic unit.
Firewire Card
It is hard to capture using Premiere Elements without one, actually it is impossible. Although there are many, and prices vary, any Firewire (also known in the Sony world as iLink) will do. Make sure it is OHCI compliant and if possible has the TI (Texas Instrument) chipset.
The Page File
Set your Windows Page File to a minimum of 1024mb and a maximum of 1.5 times the amount of RAM you have in your system. Make sure you set this Page File on all of your hard drives. This is how my system is set up. Some experts do not think it is necessary to set a Page File manually, and that the Auto option should work just fine, I disagree.
The Video Editing Software Recommendations
Adobe Premiere Elements 2, Photoshop Elements 4, Virtualdub, and Audacity.
Additional Software Recommendations
Anti Virus, Anti Spyware, K-Lite Mega Codec Pack.
Maintenance
Run the Windows Defragmentation on your drives regularly, one or two times per month minimum. Scan your system for Spyware and Viruses on a daily or weekly basis. Delete old programs and files at least monthly. Also, remember to empty the recycle Bin after deleting files. Reboot your machine daily or turn it off at night, Windows ties up a lot of resources if you keep your machine running all the time. This is not as necessary as it was with Windows 98 by a long way, but still a good habit to get into.
I wish you all the best in your future video endeavors.
October 2005
About Chuck
Chuck Engels grew up in a suburb of Chicago, Illinois and moved to northern Wisconsin at the age of 17. He graduated from Trans American School of Broadcasting in Wausau, Wisconsin. He worked in the radio industry for five years; KMRS/KKOK Morris, Mn, KLQP Madison, Mn, and KBRF Fergus Falls, Mn, and studied theater and film at the University of Minnesota-Morris (Chuck won a few awards for a college video production in 1982-1983). Chuck has spent the past 18 years in the transportation industry, in management, and in software development.
Chuck has also been very involved in Senior League Baseball, managing and playing in a 35 and over league for 4 years and coaching Little League Baseball since 1982. He has been playing baseball since he was 7 and continues to play as often as he can, now at the age of 49. He currently lives near Atlanta, Georgia, with his wife and three of their four children.
He is a senior programmer and analyst in the software development department for AFC Worldwide Express. Chuck is also involved in the media department for Trinity Chapel, a 10,000-member church, and is an active member and regular contributor to the Adobe Premiere Elements Users Forum. Chuck also hosts a website where users can share their videos, tips, and tricks chuckengels.com/PremierVideo as well as a site that involves 3 other forum members; Steve Grisetti, TikiTim, and Ed Mann videoinasnap.com.
