Mac Forum / General / Hardware / June 2005

If anyone else is wrestling with some of the following, then please
weigh in and share what you've learned... I can't be the only one in
the same fix...

I have a G5/2.5 ghz dual w/2.5 mb and a 23-in. Cinema Display.  The
video card is the ATI Radeon 9600 XT that came with the machine.  I
have one immediate goal and one longer term goal:

Immediate: I am processing my old video cassettes to DVD (mp4's with
iMovie/iDVD) with a Miglia system.  The video freezes up randomly
meaning I either can't watch TV until I close the on-screen window and
reopen it, or else I have to start a new clip if I am recording.  I
looked at the log file and the cause of this is listed as a buffer
overrun.  Is this caused by the ATI Radeon 9600 XT or should I look
elsewhere for a solution (and where would that be)?

Long term: I plan to buy one of the new HDV-24p/1080i wide-format
prosumer cams in the immediate future.  If the ATI Radeon 9600 XT is
having problems with a standard definition feed, then I wonder what it
will do with a feed from an HDV cam?

Possibilities?  I see that Apple recommends the Nvidia 6800 Ultra as
its top-of-the-line card.  Will that particular card at $599 be the
answer to the immediate problem I'm having with the Miglia video
conversion freezups?  If so, then is this the card to use for HD video,
or should I go for something else?  

I guess I'll also have to spring for a sound card at some point.  I can
see from DV and VideoMaker magazines that there are cards that combine
these functions, and also that some videographers use a deck (which I
do not plan to do because of the expense) between the camera and the
computer.

I have no problem spending $599 on a Nvidia 6800 Ultra, but I wouldn't
want to waste the money, either.  And one further consideration is the
Nvidia 6800 Ultra has a fan in it and I wonder if it increases the
amount of noise coming from the G5 (which is already a problem for me)?

Sorry for so many questions.  If you can answer one or two, then please
do.

Thanks.