Monitor and PC for PTE, Photoshop + basic hd video editing

[Philip Fennessy]

Hi,

I need to get a new monitor and PC for Photoshop, PTE and some basic HD video editing work. Some of my work will be for the web. The PC will not be used for gaming. I will be browsing the internet and using some Microsoft Office.

At this stage, the Dell U2311 looks promising but I’ve noticed the following remarks on some Dell U2311 reviews: “The hardware aspect ratio controls didn't feature a 1:1 or "aspect" mode which might have been useful to some. The screen features hardware level aspect ratio control available via the OSD menu. However there are only options for 'fill' or '4:3' which is a little strange. You would have hoped for an option to maintain the original source aspect ratio and perhaps a 1:1 pixel mapping mode as well."

Can anyone advise on whether the Dell’s options of ‘fill’ or ‘4:3 aspect ratio and lack of 1:1 pixel mapping will be a problem for my intended uses? I’d really appreciate any help with this!

On the PC side, would an i760 fit the bill or do I need to go i870 / i950?

Here’s a spec from PC Specialist in the UK for you guys to look at and tell me if I’m wrong.

Case

COOLERMASTER SILEO 500 QUIET MID TOWER CASE

Processor (CPU)

Intel® Core™i5-760 Quad Core (2.80GHz, 8MB Cache) + Turbo Boost

Motherboard

ASUS® P7P55 LX: USB 2.0 & SATA 3.0Gb/s, CrossFireX™ SUPPORT

Memory (RAM)

8GB SAMSUNG DDR3 DUAL-DDR3 1333MHz (2 X 4GB)

Graphics Card

1GB NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX465 GDDR5 PCI EXPRESS - DirectX® 11

Memory - 1st Hard Disk

1TB WD CAVIAR GREEN WD10EARS, SATA 3 Gb/s, 64MB CACHE

2nd Hard Disk

1.5TB WD CAVIAR GREEN WD15EARS SATA 3-Gb/s HARD DRIVE WITH 64MB CACHE

1st DVD/BLU-RAY Drive

24x DUAL LAYER DVD WRITER ±R/±RW/RAM

Memory Card Reader

INTERNAL 52 IN 1 CARD READER (XD, MS, CF, SD, etc) + 1 x USB 2.0 PORT

Power Supply & Case Cooling

CORSAIR 650W PSU (TX650) 80+ ULTRA QUIET (£76)

Processor Cooling

SUPER QUIET 22dBA TRIPLE COPPER HEATPIPE CPU COOLER (£19)

Sound Card

ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)

Network Facilities

ONBOARD 10/100/1000 GIGABIT LAN PORT

USB Options

6 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL (MIN 2 FRONT PORTS) AS STANDARD

Firewire & Video Editing

3 Port IEEE 1394a Firewire PCI Card (£9)

Operating System

Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64 Bit - inc DVD & Licence (£79)

Office Software

Microsoft® Office Home & Student 2010 (Incl Disc & 1 License for 3 devices) (£85)

Anti-Virus

NO ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE

Keyboard & Mouse

Logitech® Wireless Desktop® MK250 Keyboard and Mouse Combo (£19)

Warranty

3 Year Silver Warranty (1 Year Collect & Return, 1 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour) (£5)

Sorry for the long post!

Thanks

Phil

[fh1805]

Phil,

I cannot help on the HD video side of things but for PTE you do not need the latest and most powerful hardware. Igor and his team go to great lengths to give us the wonderful features of PTE packaged such that they will run successfully on relatively modest resources.

regards,

Peter

[8321]

Phil and Peter,

While it is true that PTE is not resource hungry, a fast video card is advisable. There are many posts here about how to test cards.

Also, at some future time you may wish to view an AV made with another product and some of these hog processor and video card resources.

regards, jeff

[Guest Yachtsman1]

I would up your OS to W7 Professional 64bit.

Yachtsman1.

[Philip Fennessy]

Hi Peter, Jeff and Yachtsman,

Thanks for all of your comments.

Peter, I take your point but I’ve made some allowance for the HD video editing. I’m really looking forward to seeing what Igor and his team devise in terms of video files. For example, I’ll be using .m2t from a Canon HV20 camcorder. Regardless, I’ve tried to get as much as possible for the money but PCs are quite expensive once you start adding more memory, graphics cards with more CUDA and so forth. Also, I took some initial guidance from Barry Beckham’s new PC purchase.

Yachtsman, can you let me know why Windows 7 Professional would be a better buy?

At present, I’d really like to sort out the remarks from various reviews on the Dell U2311 monitor, which include: “The hardware aspect ratio controls didn't feature a 1:1 or "aspect" mode which might have been useful to some. The screen features hardware level aspect ratio control available via the OSD menu. However there are only options for 'fill' or '4:3' which is a little strange. You would have hoped for an option to maintain the original source aspect ratio and perhaps a 1:1 pixel mapping mode as well."

Can anyone advise on whether the Dell’s options of ‘fill’ or ‘4:3 aspect ratio and lack of 1:1 pixel mapping will be a problem for my intended uses?

I’d really appreciate any help with this!

Once again, thanks to all of you for your input.

Best regards,

Phil

[Guest Yachtsman1]

If you have XP compatable software you will be adding to your new system, W7 Professional 64bit is backwards compatable. Unless they have changed it Home edition 32bit wasn't in April this year. Also the amount of Ram is / was limited in HE.

If you like, look back on my posts there is a fully detailed spec I used when up/grading, around March/April 2010.

Yachtsman1

[Conflow]

Hi Phil,

I had intended to reply to your post in detail but Eric/Yachtman beat me to it

and to confirm what he wrote ~ I have contacted (off-Forum) 3 Members over the

past month concerning Win-7 Home Premium and its backward compatibility to older

32.Bit Programs and what a nightmare that is!

These are serious problems on 2 counts, see (a) and ( below viz:-

a)

Over 98% of current Programs are 32.Bit and only 2% are genuine 64.Bit and of these

only Adobe-Acrobat and Flash-Player and some AntiV-Programs are available.

If you buy Win-7(Home) 64.Bit it needs to be installed running in 32.Bit Mode should

you want to run 32.Bit Programs. The alternative is to install it in 64.Bit but then you

will need to install 'Virtual-PC' or 'Virtual-Box' or partition the Hard-Drive and install

Xp-Sp3 there in ~ so you will end up with a Dual-Boot PC.

c)

As Eric advised Windows-64.Bit Professional is the only real viable alternative.

d)

There are other design flaws in your "specifications" such as an i5.(3 Core Processor)

running a (next generation) NVidia GTX465 Graphics-Card along with 2 x Terabit Drives

and all the other Hardware specified. I assume one of the Drives will be used for PTE

Exes and Photo storage plus Music and other artifacts. If so I will venture to say that

this PC will slow down to a 'snails-pace' within one year.

The correct choice is the i7 (4.Core) Processor which can run +128.Gb of Ram Memory

running in 64.Bit Mode .

e)

You wrote:-

Can anyone advise on whether the Dell’s options of ‘fill’ or ‘4:3 aspect ratio and lack

of 1:1 pixel mapping will be a problem for my intended uses?...

Nothing to do with Dell, its to do with the Graphics processing of the Intel i5 Processor

and its intergration with the NVidia GTX465 Graphics Card. To sort this out you need to

contact "Intel-Support" for professional advice on this one.

f)

You intend to use:- "Microsoft® Office Home & Student 2010" that is not much better than

"Microsoft-Works 6,7or 8" which can not be read my Microsoft-Office 2007 and visa-versa.

If you cant afford Office-2007 (few can!) go and get yourself a copy of Office-2003 and install

the backward/forward Converters which handle everything from Office'97 (inc) Microsoft-Works

and Office-2007 Docs. (The latter is a 64.Bit Program)

Hope this helps, but you really need to do a lot more research on this important project.

Brian (Conflow)

For the benefit of others facing these problems I attach a 64.kB Pdf-File "Intel-Tech" which

contains live contacts to Intel-Support Divisions.

Intel-Tech.zip

[Philip Fennessy]

Hi Brian,

That was an excellent and detailed response!

Clearly, I need to consider matters further before adding any further comments. At first glance, this highlights a less than ideal situation and I’m starting to think about the complexities with adding video (.m2t) to PTE and how this will be done.

Thank you!

Best regards,

Phil

[Guest Yachtsman1]

Think I put this in the wrong thread this morning.

http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=11339&st=0&p=73099&fromsearch=1entry73099

Yachtsman1.

[Philip Fennessy]

Hi Yachtsman,

Thanks for posting the link, as it provides some great background to some of the problems that I had not researched before.

Really appreciated!

Best regards,

Phil

[goddi]

Hi Phil,

I had intended to reply to your post in detail but Eric/Yachtman beat me to it

and to confirm what he wrote ~ I have contacted (off-Forum) 3 Members over the

past month concerning Win-7 Home Premium and its backward compatibility to older

32.Bit Programs and what a nightmare that is!

These are serious problems on 2 counts, see (a) and ( below viz:-

a)

Over 98% of current Programs are 32.Bit and only 2% are genuine 64.Bit and of these

only Adobe-Acrobat and Flash-Player and some AntiV-Programs are available.

If you buy Win-7(Home) 64.Bit it needs to be installed running in 32.Bit Mode should

you want to run 32.Bit Programs. The alternative is to install it in 64.Bit but then you

will need to install 'Virtual-PC' or 'Virtual-Box' or partition the Hard-Drive and install

Xp-Sp3 there in ~ so you will end up with a Dual-Boot PC.

c)

As Eric advised Windows-64.Bit Professional is the only real viable alternative.

d)

.......................

Brian (Conflow)

For the benefit of others facing these problems I attach a 64.kB Pdf-File "Intel-Tech" which

contains live contacts to Intel-Support Divisions.

=============================

Brian,

I have a question sort of along the lines of the above discussion, but more toward the hardware conflicts with Windows7 as opposed to software conflicts. I have the Windows7 Professional 32bit version. I have been able to install many programs that did not want to install directly into Windows7, using the Windows7 Compatibility Mode to successfully install these programs. However, I have run into a brick wall when trying to install some hardware with my Windows7. Specifically, I have tried to install my Nikon slide scanner. No luck. Also I have borrowed an Epson slide scanner and an HP slide scanner and have had no luck in trying to install them, even when trying to install the setup.exe file and changing its Compatibility Mode to WindowsXP or Vista. No luck. What appears to be the problem is that these companies will not develop the drivers that are needed to function with Windows7. So my question is, is there any workaround to being able to use these now-paperweights? When I tried to install the HP scanner, for example, it showed a list of dll's that are needed and missing, but I don't know what to do at this point. Are we out of luck at this point when it comes to hardware incompatibility with Windows7? I have 1000's of slides I'd like to get into PTE shows but I'm still behind this brick wall with these older scanners.

I have not yet tried the 'Virtual PC' setup. Is this worth the effort to try it?

Thanks... Gary

P.S. I tried the links in your Intel-Tech Pdf file but they would not link to the Intel-Support sites.

[Conflow]

Hi Gary,

First things first ~ The "Intel-Links" ~ they definitely work with Win XP.Sp2 and Sp3 and on Win2000 and Vista

I dont know about Windows7 32.Bit. Its most likely to be the PDF-Reader you are using after you unzipped the File.

Many PDF-Readers will not resolve 'active-scripts' embedded in a PDF Document. You might also have your security

settings set to 'Custom or Hi-Mode' in your Browser.

Concerning the Film-Scanners and Windows-7 (all versions) ~ yes you are correct, there are major problems about

the "Loaders" for these devices....note I use the word loaders !

Its not simply a matter of loading suitable 'Software-Drivers' to process the Graphic-Files generated after the

Scanning process. USB Drivers are also needed so the PC can communicate with the Scanner. Other 'specialised'

drivers are also needed to decode the functionality of the 'data-streams' coming from the Scanner in particular

those needed to monitor the 'operational-sequences' within the Scanner itself, items such as:- Scan-Light intensity

and Scanning-Resolution and Image-Format size and Pixels/Cm for subsequent printing. (and much more).

Drivers are available for Windows XP.Sp2 and Sp3 and for Vista. Also available for Win'95, 98se' Win2000 these

last 3 items are known as 'Twain-Devices'

This is not a Scanner-Manufacturer problem, its simply that Microsoft has not yet developed 'Legacy Scanner-Drivers'

for Win-7 and they have not yet developed Win-7 "Application-APIs" which the Manufacturers would need to develop

their own Win-7 Drivers. In fact (genuine) 64.Bit Programs are as rare as Hens teeth !!

My advice, do as I do ~ Use an old XP.Sp2/3 for this particular function and then 'import' the Files into Win-7.

Sorry I cant be more helpful ~ but what can a fella do when the bottles' empty ??

Brian (Conflow)

[Barry Beckham]

Brian

How the hell do you know all this technical stuff? You must spend your whole life with your head in technical manuals or else you have the most wonderful memory I have ever seen

I can't recall if your living is in Computers, but in my world there would never, ever be enough hours for to:-

1. Read all this stuff

2. Understand it

3. Remember it

and, no I am not taking the P

[goddi]

Hi Gary,

...My advice, do as I do ~ Use an old XP.Sp2/3 for this particular function and then 'import' the Files into Win-7.

Brian (Conflow)

============================

Brian and Tom,

When I try to install the HP Scanjet G4050 scanner, I get the message that "This registry key does not exist and is required for the installation to continue..." It shows it needs the slbcsp.dll, sccbase.dll, gpkcsp.dll and Enum. I thought that copying these from my WinXP to the Win7 PC would make it work but I assume that would not solve the problem. I am working on getting my old WinXP PC working again and do as you suggest and will just use it for scanning. Also, I forgot about the Vuescan software, Tom. I will try that when I get back in town soon. It really is disappointing to have perfectly good hardware become paperweights.

Thanks, Gary

[nobeefstu]

Gary,

So my question is, is there any workaround to being able to use these now-paperweights?

Read this clip and checkout its link. These drivers do come for price ... but it may well put your paper-weight back to work.

SilverFast versions for older Nikon filmscanners

http://www.scandig.com/software/silverfast/silverfast-ai-it8-nikon.html

"Does NikonScan 4 run under Windows 7?

Nikon needed a lot of time to adapt its scan-software to Windows Vista. It is questionable if there will be ever a subsequent adaptation to Windows 7; finally, Nikon gave up the filmscanner production long time before Windows 7 and before that there was no more software-update available. This is why we think it is improbable that Nikon adapts its devices to Windows 7 when the company itself does not sell the devices any more.

But it is still possible to operate a Nikon scanner with Windows 7 and other future operating systems. The company Lasersoft always updates its SilverFast scan-software to the new operating systems, and it is anyway the better software for a Nikon scanner. Lasersoft continuously amends the software and corrects the software errors. The current versions of SilverFast are still available, also for the older filmscanner models of Nikon. In our online-shop, there are all Versions of SilverFast for the filmscanners of Nikon available and deliverable with immediate effect. There are also still current SilverFast versions for older Nikon filmscanners available."

[Conflow]

Brian

How the hell do you know all this technical stuff? You must spend your whole life with your head in technical manuals or else you have the most wonderful memory I have ever seen

I can't recall if your living is in Computers, but in my world there would never, ever be enough hours for to:-

1. Read all this stuff

2. Understand it

3. Remember it

and, no I am not taking the P

Hi Barry,

Luv your new Halloween "Merlin" rig out ~ makes a change from the sunlasses and thats a compliment

because your're a bit of a wizard youself seeing how you got your Business up and running in Ausland

in record time.

On our end of things we have 3 family companies, myself + 3 sons each to his own, but all specialising

in Electronics,viz:- myself in Electronic-Engineering, Brian(Jnr) in Microsoft API Programming,and Greg

in Systems-Logistics and Peter in Corporate-Website Planning. The whole outfit is a bit like televisions

'Orange County Choppers'. For my sins I'm obliged to make Computer & peripherals work properly with the

equipment I manufacture and for our Clients I have to make sure that all other resources fully intergrate

and work within the Clients-Specificationss...We have been doing this for years and got the Headaches but

PC's & peripherals have given us Migraine!!

Now you know the background, have a look at the Catalog (Client List not updated yet).

Best regards,

Brian (Conflow)

ConflowCat.pdf

[Conflow]

A follow-up to the above Post.

Gary,Phil,Stu,Eric,Colin,Peter,Barry and those interested.

Here at Conflow we have had many enquiriies over the past year about Scanners & Software

and in particular "whats suitable" for use with Windows-7 (all versions) and to tell the truth

the answers are so complex and "application specific" to each individuals' PC that I have decided

to open a 'New-Topic' on the Forum (Main-Page) for the benefit of Members where I would like to

introduce you to a German Company which we use ourselves. I travel to Munich regularily to buy

parts for our own Company and its there where we discovered the 'Scandig Shop'.

You will find many answers on their Web-Site as these people are application-engineers who really

know 'what they are about'.

(Product specifications lists the Windows-Software and Op-Systems suitable for that Scanner).

Gary you may also find Software which might suit your Win-7 ~ but thats a might !

Brian (Conflow)

[goddi]

Gary,

Read this clip and checkout its link. These drivers do come for price ... but it may well put your paper-weight back to work.

SilverFast versions for older Nikon filmscanners

http://www.scandig.com/software/silverfast/silverfast-ai-it8-nikon.html

.....

======================================

Nobeestu..

Yikes, it ain't cheap!!! I'd have to think long and hard about SilverFast. Here is what Nikon is saying about not providing compatibility in Win7 for some other products:

"We DO NOT plan to provide Windows 7 compatibility for the following applications:

* Picture Project

* Capture NX (v.1.x)

* Camera Control Pro (v.1.x)

* Wireless Camera Setup Utility

* Nikon Capture 4

* Nikon View 6

* Coolpix Remote Control

* DVD Show

We DO NOT plan to make SCSI- or Serial- connected products, or their associated software applications, compatible with Windows 7. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. For more information regarding this matter, contact Nikon Customer Relations.

We hope that you will continue to choose Nikon for your photography needs."

Gary

[Conflow]

Stu and Gary,

Stu,

My apology, I had not realised you gave Gary a link to Scandig as I had been

occupied replying to others at that time.

Gary

Take hope ~ I have already introduced the German Company "Scandig" to the Forum

and if you give them a little time to digest the 'info' I sent them I am sure you will

be able to put a (specific) enquiry to them and they may have another solution to your

driver problems.(Later) I note that you have already made an enquiry to Nikon and

Scandig and received their replies but it is as Stu and I told you....

..."There is a lot more to this than meets the eye".

Brian.

[goddi]

Stu and Gary,

Stu,

My apology, I had not realised you gave Gary a link to Scandig as I had been

occupied replying to others at that time.

Gary

Take hope ~ I have already introduced the German Company "Scandig" to the Forum

and if you give them a little time to digest the 'info' I sent them I am sure you will

be able to put a (specific) enquiry to them and they may have another solution to your

driver problems.(Later) I note that you have already made an enquiry to Nikon and

Scandig and received their replies but it is as Stu and I told you....

..."There is a lot more to this than meets the eye".

Brian.

==============

Thanks, Brian. Lots of good info to chew on. I'll be working on it in the near future. I see that SilverFast comes in a less expensive 'beginners' version. I will check it and Vuescan out.

Sincerely, Gary

[goddi]

Hi Gary,

First things first ~ The "Intel-Links" ~ they definitely work with Win XP.Sp2 and Sp3 and on Win2000 and Vista

I dont know about Windows7 32.Bit. Its most likely to be the PDF-Reader you are using after you unzipped the File.

Many PDF-Readers will not resolve 'active-scripts' embedded in a PDF Document. You might also have your security

settings set to 'Custom or Hi-Mode' in your Browser....

Brian (Conflow)

=============

Brian...

I got to the Intl-Links. Not sure why I had a problem before but they all work now.

Thanks. Gary

[nobeefstu]

Gary,

If your not in a hurry to get your Nikon slide scanner operational any time soon ... you may want to wait for the first Windows 7 Service Pack release before you make any purchases. I have not seen or read up on its proposed release notes of fixes and additions etc, but its very possible this time around they may include generic/legacy drivers and support for such devices.

The sp release is not ready yet ... but you can see when

Service Pack Center - Microsoft Windows

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/downloads/service-packs

[goddi]

Gary,

If your not in a hurry to get your Nikon slide scanner operational any time soon ... you may want to wait for the first Windows 7 Service Pack release before you make any purchases. I have not seen or read up on its proposed release notes of fixes and additions etc, but its very possible this time around they may include generic/legacy drivers and support for such devices.

The sp release is not ready yet ... but you can see when

Service Pack Center - Microsoft Windows

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/downloads/service-packs

==========================

No huge rush. Thanks for the info. But if Nikon and HP are not making their drivers for their old scanners, is it going to make any difference with a Windows7 SP??? Gee, I hope this really might be a fix!

I'll be glad to wait.

Thanks... Gary

[nobeefstu]

Gary,

But if Nikon and HP are not making their drivers for their old scanners, is it going to make any difference with a Windows7 SP???

MS OS supply support drivers for various popular hardware devices. They supply these generic/legacy drivers as part of the OS installation process. Hopfully they expand their current inventory list available to support named devices such as yours for Windows 7 that are no longer supported by the manufacture. These drivers generally provide the basic functions without the full software enhancements.

The attached image shows an example inventory list of generic/legacy drivers already available for Nikon devices as provided on XP.

[goddi]

Gary,

MS OS supply support drivers for various popular hardware devices. They supply these generic/legacy drivers as part of the OS installation process. Hopfully they expand their current inventory list available to support named devices such as yours for Windows 7 that are no longer supported by the manufacture. These drivers generally provide the basic functions without the full software enhancements.

The attached image shows an example inventory list of generic/legacy drivers already available for Nikon devices as provided on XP.

======================

Nobeefstu...

It will be great if that will solve some of the hardware problems. I just remembered that there is the 'virtual-pc' installation for Win7. I won't be able to test this out for a few weeks but maybe this will allow the legacy scanners to function within Win7. I will give it a try when I can get to it.

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/virtual-pc/

Gary