Best way to work w/computer builder???

i am a relative newbie and am
about to get a new system for working w/cs5.
i want to be able to do hd..but nothing too fancy (weddings,sports,training...usual beginning videographer stuff).
i can go along w/harm's advice that the dells and hps etc. will overcharge for the upgrades etc....but i don't want to build it myself...how do i approach and deal with a computer builder...can anyone recommend one....what should i look out for and how can i know they know what they are talking about...
thx in advance...
p.s. ... am working w/@ $3k.

I have always done things a little bit differently from Harm's suggestion, but do see the value of that.
I provide a list of desired components, and then we work over each one. I try to be perfectly open to suggestions, so long as the builder can explain and justify his/her choices. Now, I have had some very good builders, and the most recent one has proved to be excellent. I usually end up with about 90% of what I spec'ed. and then allow myself to be talked into the other 10%, with proper justification. Though this gentleman builds mostly heavy-duty medical 3D imaging rigs, he understands NLE and still imaging very well. As he is constantly building, or upgrading the hospital's/research institute's machines, he is able to stay more atop the hardware improvements, better than I can - even with Harm's wonderful input.
Now, before this gentleman, I found myself between builders. One had moved far away, and the other had left the business completely. I did about what Harm recommends, and quickly eliminated four builders in a hurry. One said that XP-Pro could not use multiple CPU's (claimed that only Windows Server 2003 could do this), while another said that only SLI would work for Photoshop. Yet another did not understand why I wanted so many large HDD's. Gone from the list in a hurry. Same complaint when I wanted 4GB RAM - he would only build with 2GB, as XP-Pro could not use even that fully.
Good luck, and when you find the right builder for you, support them, so that they will be around, when you build that next machine.
Hunt

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Hi Shane,
Ok just to recap (thanks for being patient by the way)...I have put some questions in here...feel free to write in caps to respond and we'll put this baby to rest!
1) I will work in a 1080p FCP sequence, correct?
2) HD 1080p footage captured as applepro res hq I will leave as is and work with?
3) HD 720p footage which was captured as applepro res hq. Can I just drop in 1080 timeline and let FCP do its work? Or should i run through compressor, if so what setting shall I submit it too?
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Message was edited by: TimeKoder13
Message was edited by: TimeKoder13

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Best way to work w/computer builder???

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