I would like to know what is your idea of a dream system/edit suite (for Vegas as well as CS4). In addition how would you spend a budget of $ 8000 (excluding HDV cameras). Thanks.
But the key to this being a dream is also that I have half a dozen assistant editors to do the initial assembly of all scenes for me, before I apply my "big picture" artistic sensibilities:
i mean it's all well and good getting a turbo charged v8 under the bonnet, but it's pretty much useless if your steering wheel ceases to function when taking a bend at speed.... you get my drift?
i read about mac's / pc's, version this, that and the other, but i would much prefer if this board was full of useful hints regarding the use of vegas rather than the bugs / problems people face.
in the program itself.
no, i'm not bashing vegas, i'm bashing the whole concept of technology running ahead of reliability.
i simply want to start my edit WITHOUT the niggling little thoughts about what could go wrong with the technology.....
i was able to get it up to $7000 without too much effort. they have a great reputation in the audio industry for reliable will-not-let-you-down systems.
OSHA would not approve of that work environment, beware of inspectors... :O)
When it comes to editing bays, there is currently no way to future-proof it.
If you want "NICE" get a 24" HP Dreamcolor display for viewing 10-bit HD footage sufficiently accurately (to go with your 30" Vegas screen or 2x24" with the time line on one of them), then get good audio monitors (no agreement on what's best for that, but spend say $1K for something reasonable), then add an AJA or BMD card to your BOXX computer that will of course also have a 24/7 onsite service agreement.
Bella Vegas keyboard, add After Effects CS4 and training for it, plug-ins for keying and whatever else you need: Particular V2, Red Giant everything, GenArts Sapphire, Digital film Tools, etc. For buying plug-ins, ask someone who is actually using them, as there is a lot of overlap and some work better than others.