I want to build a computer for making home movies. The only component I have settled on so far is the:

CORE 2 DUO E6600.

Please help me choose the best motherboard and graphics card. I will take care of the memory, HD and sound card that I could really care less about. The goal is fast editing for DVD production.

Just Google it is not an acceptable answer. If you have ever built a PC you will understand what I mean. I do not want a dual display multi video card setup. I just want POWER FOR editing that is simple and efficient.

I will be installing WinXP and Ubuntu as my OS's.

Software recommendations are welcome but my first priorities are Motherboard and Graphics card.

Thanks in advance.

Take a look at:

http://forumz.tomshardware.com/bui [...] 27746.html

Swap parts out for your favorites. Then post the list.

All depends on your budget and how feature-rich you want these parts to be. There are plenty of inexpensive and good motherboards out there. But the "best"? Well then, you're looking at $$hundreds and it won't make your video editing any faster per se.

Same with graphics card. Do you want/need special built-in video features? TV tuner? etc? Again, the "best" will set you back over a thousand bucks for a Quadro-type of card. Will a 7600GT for $120 do? Maybe. Depends what you want/need and how much you're willing to spend.

Well, if 7600GT for $120 won't slow my processing down then thats all I need.
I already have a TV Tuner capture card so no need there.

I would like to get the least expensive graphics card that won't hinder performance, if that means $120 or $150 or $200 then so be it.

Same goes for the MOBO. Mainly don't want to do overkill on the board, just want something that won't hold CPU back. It appears from the other reply that I got that the ASUS P5W DH DELUXE/WIFI-AP LGA 775 Intel 975X ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail would work for a MOBO.

When I started looking I looked at ASUS Striker Extreme ATX The Ultimate Gaming Motherboard - Retail but was just overkill.

With all due respect, you need to do some more research. MB and graphics card should be your lowest priorities.
#1 priority is hard drive, since that will determine how quickly large files (like video) get loaded and saved. Best system here would be something like a RAID 0+1 with 4 Raptors.
#2 priority is CPU, since that will determine encoding/transcoding speed. Best here is a quad-core (QX6700 or Q6600).
#3 priority is software, since that will determine whether or not you can use a 64-bit OS. If your software will run on a 64-bit OS, then you will be able to access more than the 32-bit OS effective limit of around 3GB of RAM.
#4 If you can use a 64-bit OS, get 4GB of RAM (2x2GB), otherwise get 3GB (2x1GB + 2x512MB).
#5 Get a MB that will support your choices above.
#6 Get optical drives that support your choices above. Note: modern MBs are phasing out PATA connectors, so getting SATA optical drives is probably a good idea. Many MBs use aftermarket controllers for their legacy PATA connectors, which can cause software problems/incompatibilities.
#6 Get a nice passive-heat-sink 7600GS graphics card (about $100); will support dual monitors.

Mondoman,

I quoted and highlighted your input with my reply.

"With all due respect, you need to do some more research. MB and graphics card should be your lowest priorities." You are correct that is why I started with the best processor I could afford and then posed the motherboard and graphics card questions. They are the last and least important pieces. BTW you cannot offend me as I asked for free advice.

You make great points, but I had already determined that I cannot afford a quadcore CPU and that my next best option was the E6600 for affordability and want to build the system around the processor, hence the reason I started there.

The hard drives are a great point and this too has already been determined. a pair of Western Digital WD740ADFD Raptor WD740ADFD 74GB 10,000 RPM Serial ATA150 Hard Drives. Again-Affordability.

With another 400 GB storage drive.

So your suggestion to, "Get a nice passive-heat-sink 7600GS graphics card (about $100); wilh support dual monitors" is greatly appreciated.

The question is still what motherboard, as best as I can tell, my best option at this point is to go with Intel® Desktop Board D975XBX2. Speed features and possible future upgradability being the reason.

Thanks

Video Card:

As discussed earlier, the video card will not impact video editing, but you did not say what the source of your video will be -- if a digital camcorder, then you will likely only need firewire, which is on almost every mb discussed here, but if analog you need to consider a VIVO video card or some other type of capture card. Also, you did not say what monitor you propose to use -- while any decent video card will suffice for a standard size monitor, if you have aspirations of using extremely high resolution then might be a factor.

Hard Drives:

I assume you propose to set up the raptors in raid 0? I have no objective numbers for you, but when I was researching to build my current computer in Nov for video editing, a few different articles stressed not only the speed of the drives, but having several of them. The theory was that if possible you want to spread out the OS, Windows page file, input video files, output video files and scratch disks (if the video editing program you use allows you to designate that) so that the read/writes for each would not slow down the others. I have partially addressed this by having my OS on the raptor, windows page file on its own partition on one seagate drive, input video on the other partition on that same drive, Adobe Premiere Elements scratch disk on its own partition on the second seagate drive and video output files to another partition on that same drive. Although you already propose to get one other data drive, if the budget permits you may want to consider a second data drive.

If you are willing to take suggestions on the software side, which can have a big impact on the speed of video editing no matter how good your components, you may want to give a rough idea of your budget for that.

Raptors in RAID 0 is the shiz. But EXPENSIVE. Seagate 'cudas in RAID 0 will be FAST...and affordable Just go with 2 Seagates in RAID 0 and a 400gb storage.....no sweat.

6600 is a FAST CPU. It'll do what you want.

As for Intel 975 mobo, not sure that's the best upgrade path to be honest. Older chipset, etc. Why not a Gigabyte 965P-DS3 that's a proven winner, can take a quad core LATER, and won't break the bank now? Take a good look at it.

I'm also looking at a system for video. And first chose a E6600, check out http://forumz.tomshardware.com/har [...] 28344.html

I'm considering the following mobo & video card;
http://www.newegg.com/product/prod [...] 6813131070
http://www.newegg.com/product/prod [...] 6814130056

Good mobo, I hear it's a bit finicky with RAM and timings though....but if you're not overclocking it should be just fine.

Respectable vid card, will handle most games quite well at decent resolutions and will handle most other CAD and video encoding well to.

Good mid-budget build there.

Thanks for the thumbs up.
No overclocking or games
But 2 gig's of Corsair Ram & (maybe)4 WD Caviar SATA 320Gb.