The Recommended System Specification

This type of program demands a performance level that exceeds most programs available today. Where high performance is required, there is only one simple rule to follow: Bigger is always better. If you are serious about video editing, you need something like the following:

• 3.0 GHz or dual-processor system using 2x2.2 GHz CPU.

• 1,024 MB of fast, reliable RAM.

• A fast graphics card with at least 128 MB on board and DirectX 9.x support.

• A DVD burner. This is essential if you want to author DVDs or create an archived backup of your project.

  HDV System Requirements

  If you intend to do the bulk of your editing in the HDV format, you need even more power than the specifications I recommend.

  Your CPU should be at least a 3.2 GHz with hyperthreading enabled, and your graphics card should be a PCI Express card with 256 MB on board and pixel shader support. The more RAM you have on your motherboard, the better.

  
  

• A sound card with ASIO 2.0 compatibility. To edit in 5.1 surround sound, you need a sound card that supports this and a speaker system that allows you to accurately monitor the results.

• A certified USB 2.0 interface. This is required if you're going to use MovieBox and MovieBox Pro. For a list of which USB interfaces are certified, visit the support page for Liquid Edition (www.Pinnaclesys.com).

Liquid Edition with a Laptop

You can also use Liquid Edition on a laptop but only if the laptop is powerful enough and is equipped with a graphics chip that has enough muscle to power the effects. To use Liquid Edition on a laptop, you'll also need an external FireWire hard drive on which to store your media clips.