What are the true min spec's for PRE7

Question

I have been using PE7  with mixed results on my Sony 1.8 GH moble centrino laptop with 2 gig of memory running XP. When importing Jpeg video from a Sony flash memory camcorder the problem is centered around the low on memory issue. I seam to get this more frequent when editing in the native Jpeg format  (smaller file size) than if I convert to DVI( larger file size ) I'm not sure I get this. I am just doing standard def video for play back on a 42" plasma or 178" projection home theater. The footage looks great and the DVDs come out fine but the low memory problem gets to be a pain. I have considered moving to a mac as I'm just doing home videos in standard def  and would like to have the system be a lot more stable while doing the creative stuff (adding effects & teaking transitions ). The big reason I have not made the switch is I have been using Premiere for a long time and many versions and like being able to have many layers of video ( multiple tracks for effects and video layering ) and being able to pretty much do anything I can think of in ways of effects and transitions with graphics and effects layered over top of them. Sorry for the long winded description but my question is simple ( maybe ) what is the min spec for a laptop to produce standard def DVDs with respectable previews, stable operation and no low on memory errors. I would way rather stay with a PC and Premiere to produce my family videos as all the PC software I already own but would like to know how much of a laptop I would need to upgrade to to make PRE7 run clean. I know more is better but you can get a pretty respectable laptop for $700 and can easily spend up to $2000. Would like to be able to run PRE7 clean but would also like to be aimed more toward $700 than $2000.

Answer 1

will I have to live with some system house keeping and a few crashes or can I expect to run mostly clean ( no crashes ) with a Core Duo 2.0 ghz system with four gig of memory.
The biggest limitation that you will face is with your I/O sub-system, i.e. your HDD's. The rest should be fine.
What happens with most laptops is that they have one HDD. NLE work requires a lot of HDD access. When your OS (including the Page File) and the NLE needing to access the media files, plus the files that it writes to the Scratch Disks. All of this is happening at the same time, and something has to give. Something needs to come at the end of the line. If that happens to be the NLE, then it could well crash.
The first thing that I would do is clean out the Boot.ini and Startup w/ MSCONFIG to get rid of the "junk," that is not needed. Next, I'd turn off all AV, spyware sweepers and pop-up blockers. Last, I'd run a program like EndItAll2 to stop all other unnecessary Processes. Then, and only then, would I launch the NLE. During this time, I would refrain from anything involving the Internet, or my POP server, and would also not do things like use iTunes, etc. Remember, we shut down our AV and the other protective programs, plus programs like iTunes want to bring a lot of other applets along for the ride. The former exposes you to all sorts of problems (I do this, and I am behind a hardware firewall), the next just uses up resources. If you also want iTunes, buy an iPod to listen to, while editing.
Now, when I wanted a laptop to do editing, the first concern was for one that would allow me 3x SATA II HDD's. I managed to also get a Quad-core processor, and had to bargain to get a full 4GB of RAM and XP-Pro (the 4GB option was only available for Vista and I did not want that).
Now, on my laptop, editing to/from a FW-800 2TB external (so I can also take the Project to my workstation), I am editing an 8 hour epic in PrPro. While I do not use PE so much, I've done quite a few Projects, just for this forum. I've never had one crash and a few of those were over 2 hours of SD (DV-AVI Type II) footage. Never hiccuped, crashed, or even ran slow. I use PrPro most of the time, because it reminds me more of my cine days. PE4 (my version) is a bit too automated, and "prettied up," for this old guy. I'm also a control freak, and want to do everything pretty much by hand. I seldom like "big button" solutions, 'cause I want to do it frame by frame.
Also, I often have PrPro, PS, AI, Encore and a word processor open at the same time. With 3x HDD's and similar specs to yours (OK Quad vs Duo-core), I can do almost anything that I want. Still, without the bloatware and the other detritus.
Now, will PE7 work on your laptop w/ HD material? Much will depend on how clean your computer is, what the exact format of your HD footage and how patient you are with working with this.
Good luck,
Hunt