VIA C3 1.2GHz with Vegas?

Edin1 wrote on 9/8/2005, 12:31 AM

I bought this cheap laptop fom Fry's for $400. It has VIA C3 1.2GHz CPU, 40GB HD, 256MB DDR RAM (PC2100 or PC2700, and I got 512MB for $50), 14.1XGA LCD screen, DVD/CDRW Combo.
It is GQ MX-3203, and I believe it's built by ECS, I don't know.
Here is the Fry's link about it: http://www.fryssupport.net/mx-3203.cfm

The question I have is whether I could use this laptop for video editing with Vegas. I checked Vegas 6.0 requirements, and the minimum CPU speed is 800MHz. Vegas 4.0 needs 400MHz minimum.
According to what I found on the Internet, this CPU's performance is equal to P3 or AMD CPU performance between 400 and 1000MHz.

I guess more than asking if I can use it with Vegas 6.0, I am trying to find out if I will have conflicts between 4.0 and 6.0 being installed at the same time? I am aware of not being able to use v6 project files in v4.

Comments

farss wrote on 9/8/2005, 12:45 AM

THe ONLY thing that is truly CPU / bus speed / disk speed dependant is capturing and PTT, apart from that everything just runs sloowwweeeeerrrrrrrrr.
You get the idea?
Bob.

Marco. wrote on 9/8/2005, 2:43 AM

I even work on a 900 MHz Athlon CPU desktop. It works fine, at least if it is about DV.

Marco

jbaudrand wrote on 9/8/2005, 5:06 AM

Ok, i don't have veg 4 and 6.0 at the same time, but I can say that every projects (10) made under 4.0 works perfectly with 6.0, you have to keep the same path to every plug in.

Now for your computer... I have once a P3 833 Mhz with a VIA chipset, i was never able to capture DV nor play output monitor..
After shouting a lot, crying, try to understand what's wrong with my computer (my brother used vegas 4.0 perfectly under his sony 500 Mhz Celeron)
I read the book Vegas 4.0 workshop from Douglas spotted Eagle
and find the answer: Avoid VIA chipset....

TheHappyFriar wrote on 9/8/2005, 6:14 AM

I've got a via with no problems... maybe it's not older chipsets (I remember those had some problems).

Vegas should work fine. Send us some benchmarks! I used to edit all on a Pentium 3-667 with 256DDR & an 8gb HD. :D THAT was slow.. and I could only work on a few minute at a time! (I quicly picked up some 80gb drives)

Edin1 wrote on 9/8/2005, 7:35 AM

What's PTT?
I did plan on also using this computer for video capture, but it has no PCMCIA slots, nor it has a built-in Firewire port, so it's out of question, unless I find a USB to Firewire adapter (I've got 4 USB 2.0 ports), or unless I find a way to do an internal hack (electronics ;-) ).
I plan on using an external USB 2.0 drive.
I should be fine with Vegas 4, as it has pretty much everything I need, and current clients aren't too demanding on the features; they just want a plain, functional video with few nice things and transitions in i, and that's it!
So, I figured I could save some nice amount of money, get something to start with, and when, God willing, I make more money, I would buy a more serious laptop, and let my sisters play with this one.

Thank you guys for all the replies, they have been helpful!
If able, I will post some benchmarks and results here.
The question still remains whether I will have problems having v4 and v6 installed at the same time (plug-ins issues?).

cbrillow wrote on 9/8/2005, 7:46 AM

PTT = Print to Tape, a method of writing your project from the Vegas timeline to camcorder or other recording device via firewire.

Nat wrote on 9/8/2005, 8:49 AM

When I started editing with Vegas I had an Athlon 500mhz... and it worked fine.

Edin1 wrote on 9/8/2005, 11:24 AM

Thanks for the answers, guys!

Which version of Vegas did you use, Nat?

RalphM wrote on 9/8/2005, 5:49 PM

Edin1,

Please let us know your results.

Nat wrote on 9/8/2005, 6:25 PM

On my 500 it was Vegas 2 and then 3. Aftwards got a 850mhz (I was probably using V4 at that time). Then jumped to 2.4 ghz for V5 and now at 3.2 with V6. My laptop is an AMD 1.4ghz and it handles Vegas 6 pretty well, so I think you shouldn't have any problems running it.