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Solve : Looking for Upgrade Recommendations...? |
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Answer» Hello all, I run the audio/visual department for my church. I've finally convinced them we need to upgrade our PC, and I'm looking for advice. I've done a lot of research, but I prefer to make my selections based on real user input; what is working for people, not should be. It's going to be a hard-worked MULTITASKING machine. We use our current machine for PowerPoint presentations throughout the service, CD/DVD playback, graphics editing (mostly images, but some videos), and general PC use (often all at once). The future plans include all this plus (hopefully) live multichannel audio and/or video recording, and more intense graphic & video editing. Efficient multitasking is essential, as we can't have it crashing or freezing in the middle of a message, presentation, etc. Here's the basic "requirements" (what seems best to me, but let me know if I'm off base): - Windows based (I know Apple is better suited for our needs, but Windows is doing better these days & Apple is way out of budget) - At least dual core processor, preferably quad if affordable - 64-bit processor - I tend to lean toward AMD, but I'm open to Intel - DDR2 or DDR3 RAM - At least 2 video outputs (using 2 now, but could use a 3RD), type of output is not terribly significant (can be upgraded later) - Firewire - 1 needed for now, but I anticipate more in the future - Upgradability is important (getting the okay to buy a new PC makes pulling teeth look good!) - Audio - I know very little about current sound cards, but I know we need to be able to input and output as many separate channels as possible (individual channels, not just surround sound). We want to be able to record several inputs at once, and filter channels as needed (for instance, record a music session and produce CD's either with or without vocalists) Those are the current known needs. There will be more I'm sure, but that's why I'm looking for input to help with this decision. Here's the tough part. The budget: I've got around $300 to possibly up to $500 to work with. I know - barely doable. Again, that's why I'm here. I need help finding the best bang-for-the-buck products out there. The most important thing is that we IMPROVE what we've got. What I mean is, if that budget will only get US a PC that is capable of doing what we do currently, but can do it without our current plague of crashes, freezes, & error messages; as long as we can upgrade and add to it later, that is good enough. We need to be budget-conscious, but definitely do not want to "cheap out". It has to work, and for a long time. Also, it needs to be fairly low maintenance. I'm pretty savvy and have no trouble building & maintaining systems, but I'm about it. Everyone else I work with is "dangerously educated"; they know just enough to get themselves in trouble and make things worse trying to get themselves out of trouble. Plus, there's a possibility we may be moving away for school, so we need something they can handle without me to hold their hands. So, what have you got? What would you suggest? What works for you? I know I'm asking a lot, but I know it can be done just from the research I've done so far. Please, if all you're going to do is tell me it can't be done, I'm wasting my time, or any other PESSIMISTIC mumbo-jumbo, then don't waste your/my time responding. I'm looking for real advice, suggestions, and recommendations. I want to know what will work. If you are "better than me", just be happy being better than me & humor my ignorance. I'm good with that. Also, now that you know what we're doing with it, if you have any software recommendations, pass those along too. With the limited budget I have to work with we do a lot of our stuff on freeware/shareware. I love that stuff, but it has its limitations. Tell me what you would recommend; I can at least use suggestions of what we should work on getting in the future. Thanks in advance for any help you might be! |
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