Is this a good Laptop Configuration?

[DMS Video]

I'm getting closer to buying an Edius laptop (I assume SD will be all realtime). What type of performance can I expect editing EX-1 footage? Should I upgrade to the full version of ProCoder 3 ($199.00)? Does PC3 output to Flash? Is WUXGA easy to work with? All opinions appreciated. Here are the specs...

Gra-VT 2-GO notebook computer with Intel Wireless 4965AGN 802.11a/b/g/Draft N, 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet LAN Card, Built-In Digital Video Camera, 7-IN-1 Flash Memory, Internal Bluetooth Card, Card Reader, 100/240V Autoswitch AC Adapter
4GB - DDR2-800 memory
Intel Pentium Core 2 Quad - Q6700, 2.66GHz processor, 1066MHz
200GB System Drive - SATA-3G hard drive, 7200RPM, 16MC
400GB Storage Drive – RAID0, SATA-3G hard drive, 7200RPM, 16MC (2-200GB hard drives)
Blu-Ray slimline burner - 2X BD-R/8X DVD+-R/ 2.4X DL.
Nvidia GeForce 8800GTX Graphics Card, Dual DVI, PCIe x16, 512MB
17" 1920 x 1200 WUXGA with GlassView LCD Featuring Super-Wide
Viewing Angles Active Matrix Display
Microsoft Windows XP Professional, with SP2
Grass Valley Edius Broadcast 4.6 software
2 - Li-ION batteries
Standard carrying bag with strap

3 Year warranty on parts, labor, and Lifetime Technical Support

The system has 1-firewire port and 4 USB 2.0 ports.

Here is the information about the system interfaces:
1-IEEE 1394 Port (Mini DC in Jack)
4-USB 2.0 Ports
1-CRT Port
1-External DVI Port
1-Kensington Lock Port
1-S-Video Jack for TV Output
1-S-Video Jack for Video Input (Optional with TV-Tuner)
1-CATV Input Jack (Optional with TV-Tuner)
4-Audio Jacks for Line-Out, Line-In, Microphone-In, and S/PDIF-Out
Integrated Intel Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN 802.11a/b/g/Draft N PCIe Network Adapter
Integrated Bluetooth Ver2.0

Thanks

David
DMS

[STORMDAVE]

That system is more like a desktop hehe
It's using a desktop processor.

It will be excellent for EX1 footage and HDV.

[THoff]

One thing I don't see is an ExpressCard slot for offloading SxS cards. I'd make sure it has at least one such free slot...

[DMS Video]

Stormdave - Thanks for the reply

THoff - in the specs it listed "7-IN-1 Flash Memory, Internal Bluetooth Card, Card Reader"

Is that the same as an Express Card slot (for offloading SxS cards)?

Regards,

David
DMS

[THoff]

A multimedia card reader is not the same thing, I would make sure it has an ExpressCard slot.

[DMS Video]

That's why I posted, so I wouldn't make a mistake. I'll have to look into the Express Card Slot. Thanks THoff.

[PaulTV]

Yes it should have listed "Express card 34/54 slot" in the spec.

Paul

[DMS Video]

Thanks Paul for the information. I'm going to send an e-mail to the company and see what they say. I'll have to wait until Monday to get a response.
Regards.

David
DMS

[Blast1]

In addition to inquring about the express card slot, I'd also ask if the DVI port was HDCP compliant.

[DMS Video]

Blast thanks for the input. Being that this is my first laptop I appreciate all the help I received on the forum. It's always been my plan to learn as much as I can before making an appropriate decision. There are so many technical specs involed with buying a laptop. In addition, I was also trying to determine if I should wait. Then I go back to the concept that you have to buy at some point. I would say almost all of my Videographer colleagues have switched to Macs. I spent some time with a few of them working on their brand new Mac Book Pros with Sony EX-1 footage. My (much) older Canopus Storm systems are still faster (granted EX-1 footage isn't SD). To me I can't justify what I see as going backwards so Edius seems like the perfect fit for me. I hope I'm right.

David
DMS

[triciclo]

I would also consider an e-SATA plug for additional external array.
From the config. it seems this laptop?! has space for 3 HD, it must be hard to keep running on batteries for long.

[DMS Video]

Thanks for the reply triciclo. The person who builds the laptop says I can expect between 1/2 hour to one hour on each battery. That's pretty much what I expected. He uses the same laptop and says he just plugs his in. That somewhat defeats the purpose of a laptop (I suppose) but I can live with it.

I received a reply that said, "for external hard drives the connectivity would be USB 2.0 or firewire." So my question is which connection would be best? I thought I read somewhere that you have to use a raid configuation to edit EX-1 footage. Is this true? If so, does that still allow you to edit EX-1 footage, with a laptop, connected to an external drive (raid)?

Thanks

David
DMS

[Blast1]

I use eSATA external inclosures with a express card 54 raid controller, the external inclosures run off 12v and I have a auto adapter to power the laptop, so every thing will run off a car's cig lighter, problem with most new laptops is there usually only one express card slot, there are some older laptops that have both PCMCIA and express card 54 slots, the PCMCIA slot will accept a express card 34 adapter which can be used to off load a EX card to what ever is pluged into the express 54 card, can be used not to tie up another computer with data loading.

[Operater]

Silly question, from a newbie...

What laptop can give us the perfect and correct image?
The correct white balance?
My opinion is that a laptop must be followed by a saperate monitor....
What's yours?

[Rusty]

Hea David,
My laptop batteries are really only good for quick setup, shutdown and get through a power failure.

USB and 1394a/b are good for backup, but barely adequate for editing HD.