The 'best' machinima computer set-up imaginable

I've been trying to get consensus on the 'best' computer specs and development process to capture SL machinima video. I was hoping someone (the pros here) could help me and the community out.

Some folks tell me to use FRAPS while others say FRAPS isn't very good and use CAMTASIA instead. Some suggested running SL on one machine and use an S-VIDEO cable to capture the video on another independent machine.

Some argue, if you have a fast machine that you can run and capture on the same machine.

I am looking for the BEST quality available and willing to buy a new machine to do this.

1) What would an optimal machine look like (dual-core versus quad core? Is quad core overkill at this point? 3 or 4 GIGs of RAM? Which is the best video card for this? (please be specific)

2) Is is better to use one machine or capture in a second machine? If second machine what is the best process?

3) Use FRAPS or CAMTASIA or other?

I have been experimenting and my output is fair-good, I want the 'best' possible

Thanks in advance for your advice

Hey Daniel. Here's my opinion.

I have a 2.8ghz P4(single processor, 2+ years old now) with 2gb ram. I use FRAPS exclusively for recording. I don't have a problem with any of this.

FRAPS is light-weight. Records well.

I have a 2.4 GHz quad core intel cpu, 2 gigs of DDR2 RAM... a good quality vid card that supports Direct X 10 a good quality machine, cost me 1000 USD to build on my own... runs fraps and SL perfectly together, no framerate loss that is detrimental to vid playback (Stays around 58FPS while recording in full screen, in a club, around 100-200 when not recording)

I can edit films just fine with it as well(WMM, just learning, love iMovie but not on mac, and dont have $ to spend on a prog right now), and have 200gb free space on it before any video has been made.

My only downfall is game lag due to my crap netz... seriously, I have a 'high speed' wireless isp, and I lag worse than a sloth climbing against downward winds in slowmo (OK..exaggerated a bit)

Thanks for your responses. I'll keep reading up on graphics cards - seems like lots of choices and not sure which one will be the best for this type of work. I think I'll go dual core, 4 GIGs RAM and still debating the graphics card (i'm reading: http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1697,1945656,00.asp)

can I see some of your output? I used a similiar machine and output was 'problem-free' but not excellent quality. This is for a client so needs to be top-notch

Hi,
Multi-Core CPU's aren't fully, if at all, utilised at the moment by SL.

I use a 'special' version Graphics Card based on the nVidia 7950GTX PCI-E, which gives me excellent capture footage.

I would recoment strongly, fast ram, 2gb minimum and 4gb maximum.

For really high quality capture, the key has to be the Hard Disc setup you use. I have just over 2TB of SATA II Raid setup over 4 controllers. It is one thing to be able to capture footage, but if you canot save it fast enough, you are going to get bottlenecks resulting in jerky footage and dropped frames.
This is moreso true as I capture at 1600x1200 resolution in Raw format (uncompressed). This gives me excellent raw data to use in my Post Production software.

With the current memory leaks in the Client, it seems worse now, than the FirstLook client when it first came out which had increased graphics pipelines, which was great for machinima, IMHO. I look forward to a fully scaleable Client that can be engineered to capturing footage in SL.

So far I think AWM's description is the best. For example, I cannot capture at the same quality of resolution that he can.

As long as it's RAID0 (maybe RAID5) that you're using. The others slow you down. Personally I use raptors (10000rpm).

I actually have each controller setup to Raid 0 (2 HD's) and another set to Raid 5 (2 HD's), with one controller supporting a single HD with Windows and Secondlife's cache's on. I use a Seagate 10,000 IDE for Windows and SL programmes.

I actually find it cheaper to buy SATA II HD's and hot swap them as required to use for particular clients, rather than messing with backing up onto dual layer DVD's, especially as I have an external SATA controller that I plug in the 750GB 'storage HD' to, to save important footage.

Only draw back is that one side of my left leg is devoid of hairs due to the heat generated by the system LOL. It's amazing what a Tumble Dryer extract hose can do though

Hi

My own pc is an amd x2 64bit 4200+ processor (dual core)
1024 mb ddr2 533mhz
geforce 7600gs 256mb silent

ive tried alot of single core chips in the past for video editing and could never get suitable framerates for capture no matter how hard i tried, you ended up needing external capture methods.

The setup i use allows me to run sl using one core, and capture using the other, i also use a program called gamecam which is very easy to setup (like fraps) but i feel offers a better feel for my videos. It also compresses extremely well for my needs.

My advice purely from my own experience and needs would be that quad core is really overkill right now, one core for capture, another for the application is all thats needed till rendering time, and even then if your talking something like premiere it will only increase render speeds as far as the bonus speed you get from it being multithreaded.

Id say the 2 single most important things for video editing and rendering no matter what the cpu is lots of good fast memory (4gig or more being optimal), and a good speed hard drive, with 10,000rpm being good. If you dont want huge raw files steer clear of fraps (no offence to those using it, but raw quality will always take massive amounts of space) and give gamecam a try for your needs.

Hope that helps but again thats just my own personal opinion from my own experience, and this dual core is the first real time ive been able to capture and edit with no bottlenecks anywhere on the system.