Hi Terry,

Again, congratulations on your new computer.

I recently replaced a hand-me-down 19" monitor with 25" so I now have two, 27 and 25. I have the preview monitor full screen on the 25". Since I mostly use VPX, I have the source monitor, project folder (not available in MEP), Media pool and Timeline on the 27". VPX has a feature to save multiple window settings so I can quickly switch to various setups. I love VPX. 

I'm still getting my head around using the Project Folder in VPX. Before, I was importing photos into a second movie, then copying into the main timeline when needed. Since my photos are all in folders based on dates, I want to get them all in one place at once. Now I am starting to use the Project Folder for this. I create a virtual folder(s) for unused clips, drag images and videos to their folders as I find them and then drag from the Project Folder to the timeline, deleting the clips that are used as they show up in the main project folder. One can add metadata to clips in the Project Folder.Too bad MEP doesn't have this Project Folder feature. At the end, I can clean up by deleting any unused clips and audio files from the Project Folder ( virtually not actually), and then backup all files to a real folder so as not to lose anything (to be backed up later to BD data disks).

I try to avoid putting anything on my C drive (512 GB SSD) except for programs as it can quickly fill up. Now that My documents is set to the large HD, less files go to C. I have another SSD, 256, connected by external SATA adapter that I use for exporting and burning. I suggest that you avoid putting data on the SSD. As well, if you use an actual project for keeping a copy of all project files, it may be a good idea to keep them on a separate drive from the original source data in case one of the drives dies. I also have automatic backups of my main drives to other drives, so I have quite a few of them.

Overall, the big things for me are the second monitor and multiple drives.

Here is my screen setup:

If you're wondering why the Media Pool full height, here is a shot with Brightness/Contrast effect and the new effect curve. It takes up a lot of the screen, in fact most of the height with the kf area, and I didn't like having to scroll down all of the time. So, I lose some space for the timeline. However, VPX has hot keys (F10, F11, F12) for the different screen setups, so I can quickly change the setup and get more space for the Timeline. I have one for the set up you see, one for 6 tracks full width and one for 10 tracks full width, meaning the Media pool goes up.

Hmm, maybe I should reconnect the 19" monitor.

Thanks both. Will study those more carefully later, I am considering either one larger monitor or another 24". A few follow-up questions meanwhile please.

What resolutions are your various monitors? I've found 1920 x 1200 on 24" just about right, although I expect it would not lose significant sharpness at 27". Not sure about 30 or 32". It's not a particularly common resolution, there seem more around with a 16:9 AR.

How are the monitors physically placed? In a straight line at right angles to you? If so, presumably with neither directly ahead? Or at an angle?

Either of you wear varifocals?

"And use a much larger monitor"  was ambiguous wording, sorry. I meant the preview display area. I'm interested to know how those with only a single monitor use the available screen space. How did you two do so before you moved up to multiple monitors? (I know, that was around the time you got mains electricity...)

Not sure I fully understand your respective workflows at first reading. Struggling in particular with the concept of a virtual folder! And also unclear about "Too bad MEP doesn't have this Project Folder". Is that significantly different to this 'project folder':

Higher quality: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/4019461/MEP2016-ProjectFolder-1.jpg

Away on holiday tomorrow morning so will get back on the case on my return in a couple of weeks.

My monitors are both 1920x1080. Excellent resolution and the Color Munki helps. I need to run it again as I see a big difference between monitors. One or both is out.

My desk is an L shape (actually U with the piano keyboard behind me). The computerkeyboard is in the crook of the L so the main monitor is aligned with it - i.e. at 45 degrees, and the 25" monitor is at the left.

I have contacts adjusted for distance with the left eye, reading with the right. Works well with the computer. Can't wear my glasses to look at the computer except for watching a video, and I have to back up a bit.

I really can't work anymore with the small preview monitor format, have to run it full screen or I am uncomfortable.

Where my files are saved is quite different from John EB. I have photos under My Photos with folders by date. I modify the folder name to add info like the location or event. Videos are under Videos, again with folders by date, etc. Of course I have other special folders to help confuse the issue. I keep everything on the computer (with raw photos and videos backed up to BDs), which is why I continually need more HD space. I have a folder for projects separate from MEP or VPX project files, in which I keep or put additional things, like mxv files, Xara contrived images, and other special audio, video, and image files made for the project, along with info for labels. Then I back up the project files to a subfolder for the project. I also have export and DVD or BD folders here and I move the compiled work from the SSD to here.

The Project Folder in VPX is actually a window in VPX. At its simplest, it contains an entry for the movie(s), and any objects that are placed on the timeline, even those that may subsequently be deleted. Like the Import folder in the Media Pool, if the object is used, the red light is on. The folder has many fields for metadata, like Description, Scene, Take, Rating. The first 3 are accessible to insert information. Rating seems to be inaccessible here. Folders can be created here, but they are virtual, and not on the HD. So objects can be dragged into the Project Folder, to the main part or any subfolder without showing up on the timeline. This way you can get all of the files that will be potentially used for a project from all over the place and put them in one place without making copies - just virtually. Deleting a file just deletes the virtual entry, not the actual file.

Once you have the objects in the folder, they can be placed on the timeline one or more times by dragging or clicking on the insert button. They can be previewed.

Here is a screen shot of the Project Folder expanded.

There are some nice features with this. The project folder can be exported and used/imported into another project. You can find the object on the timeline by selecting the entry in the folder, right-clicking, Select associated source material in movie. You know how it is, you used the clip or the photo, but where? This helps find it.

This is just one of the nice features of having VPX.

Have to get to work tiling the bathroom. Almost finished, finally.

Have a good holiday!

I failed to mention that the Project Folder can be changed to a list with icons, or large icons, as well as the detailed list.

Hi Terry

My computer desk like Johns is an IKEA Galant series L shape curved corner desk and extensions on both ends - all from IKEA ( they do not make it now however the Bekant range is very similar) and its overall length at the fornt edge is about 10 feet / 3m.

2 Computers and an APC UPS are hung underneath clear of the floor - great for cleaning - and a lot of ancilliary equipment and cabling are in cable trays and cable ducting (IKEA again) fastened under the table top. 

I sit in the curve, main screen in front of me (left monitor) and other to the right almost touching.

Like John CB having small monitors is a no go now after getting the 2 matched 24in LED 1920*1080 LG's

. . . . Either of you wear varifocals? . . . . 

No - my optician, and a couple of friends I know who have used them, say they bad for you when working on a computer - literally a pain in the neck, and from my H & S days (years ago now) we banned them for regular computer users. I have a pair of glasses specifically for computer and reading use - they are set to focus in the range  12 - 18 in / 30 - 45cm - due to my eyes have a limited focussing range.

 . . . . How did you two do so before you moved up to multiple monitors? (I know, that was around the time you got mains electricity.... . . .

Was that AC or DC electricity?  Yes, our town was originally on DC with bare copper wiring behind the skirting boards in grooves when electricity became available domestically.

The simple answer is default layout and worked slowly.

@ John CB the virtual project folder looks good for me to use as well - in addition to the project folder structure I posted below, I also have a resources folder in the same root as the project folders - this contains literally thousands of resources - audio, video, images, masks etc etc.

Cheers

John EB

Many thanks both, very helpful.

I swap my varifocals for my 'PC specs', set to similar range.

Warming to dual monitors. But existing IKEA 'Billy' shelving, plus filing cabinets etc probably rule out an L shaped desk. Still using my ancient desk, pre-dating home computers.

Hi Terry

Good to see you have your new rig up and running. Did you get a discreet graphics card in the end, or are you seeeing how things go with the Intel graphics and if so, is the HDR behaving with with the Intel iGPU?

I have resisted using a second monitor because my workspace and requirements for other computer work would not fit so well with the L shape and I tend not to like panning from one monitor to another. Having said that I do have a second 1280x1024 monitor off to the right at an angle to the main 24" HPZR24w 1920x1200 main display. This an inferior res. and colour to my HP so I can not use it for the preview monitor. With the advent of VPX I have put the Media pool onto there because of the extra height needed for that window with the new effects curve as JohnCB has pointed out (BTW John good tip using the Hot keys for the monitor layout). I also like to have as much width for the timeline as I do most everything there and do not like scrolling and zooming, and have toyed with the idea of getting a 32"...but no! Having the Media Pool on a separate monitor gives a magnified Keyframe timeline, plus a bigger overview of you folder contents when importing.

I like to work with the preview screen at 960x540 at Full res with the "flash" symbol, but at reduced frame rate for my 50p material, for a smooth playback with effects on the clips. Half res. looks too fuzzy even with the 1/2 size monitor. 960x540 allows me to have the Scopes (RGB parade) or source monitor in VPX side by side at equal size for easy viewing whilst colour grading, etc.

Varifocals - Wow, you guys are really off the grid! I am using Bausch and Lomb Multifocal contacts which have been the makings of me. I can perform such tricks as computing and still see objects clearly at infinity, in a single bound! And this from not being able to read Eftpos machines in restaurants, or my watch for that matter. I clean them about once a month and am supposed to change them after 30days, but I usually push that out by several weeks much to the horror of my optometrist (teehee). You should test drive them if your main problem is Presbyopia, and of course you can adjust the base correction power in each eye (similar to what John CB is doing) for even more range.

Cheers

Peter

Hi Peter

. . . . Multifocal contacts . . . 

They look great however if you have the issues strong myopia - too strong even for laser surgery -  a symmetry defect of the lens in one eye and unable to wear contacts due to irritation - some us have to be 'off the grid'       

You would think from the above that I where bottle bottom glasses    - no - just very expensive ultra high RI plastic or glass lenses which are very thin and you cannot tell I have bad eyesight - it is just a pity I have to have 2 pairs of glasses for driving (legal requirement when we are in several EU countries).

Back to the topic - sort of  - 

@ Terry - what did you finally settle on in terms of Mobo, graphics card, drive configuration etc and I guess the performance went through the roof compared to your previous PC?

I think I might start a new topic on this one so we can determine best performance combinations with a standard project - any takers ?

Cheers all

John EB

Hi John EB

You mean like we started in this post: http://www.magix.info/uk/dvd-bluray-space-issue.forum.1151592.html ? I would be keen.

I have done a bit more with the HEVC codec and an encode from H264 to H265 1080 50p pushes through in better than realtime with the HW acceleration available in the 6th Gen Intel. Very good quality too and file size about 1/3 smaller. I must try the Magix Demo project we used, with an HEVC encode.

Sorry about the contacts - I realise they wouldn't work for everybody.

Peter

Hi Peter

. . . . like we started in this post . . . 

That is the one.

. . . . I must try the Magix Demo project we used, with an HEVC encode. . . . .

I was thinking along the lines of creating a real world project, which is complex enough to push various systems we have, and share it to see if we can define which hardware improvements can be benificial. 

. . . . encode from H264 to H265 . . .

Takes about 3x real time as get no HWA on this format with the Haswell (HD4600) chipset

. . . . Sorry about the contacts . . . . 

No apologies necessary - every one is different - yours is an interesting eye condition that I have never heard of before - I feel a little more knowledge has crept into the brain cells - thanks.

Cheers

John EB

Hi Peter,

Re the hot keys to save the window arrangements, they are assigned automatically. See under the Window menu to save the workspace, and pages 315 and 316 in the manual. They mention VPX and MEP. I'm wondering if this feature is also in MEP. I'm not at my machine so can't check. Each setting is saved in a file in the same folder as the ini file, so you can back them up in case of a reinstall.

You didn't mention the Project folder window in your setup. Do you use it? This is the folder in addition to the Media Pool folder. 

@John,

I would be interested in the performance test if only to see how my aging machine compares with the newer ones.

OT: I just purchased Ultimate StreetMaps 6 from Motion Studios for use with Vasco da Gama. Quite a step up from v4. I created a map with a lot of detail for the Magdelaine Islands (Iles de la Madelaine) and it took about an hour and a half to produce it. There is a lot of detail, including buildings and some walking trails that weren't there before. Other than the time required to produce the map, the interesting thing is that there is an option now to produce the maps directly for use in VdG, no tiff file is created, so an intermediate step is eliminated. If anyone has this version, I would be interested in seeing a comparison in speed between my computer and a newer one.

Hi

John EB

I was thinking along the lines of creating a real world project, which is complex enough to push various systems we have, and share it to see if we can define which hardware improvements can be benificial. 

Sounds good if we could create something meaningful that wasn't too massive to download. Some of your Sony 1080 interlaced avchd material would be good and we could apply some effects that we know would push the CPU and GPU respectively including Magix FX, NBFX and Mercalli.

yours is an interesting eye condition ..

Not really, it is a fancy name for the very common inability of the eye to accomodate a large range of focus, that comes with age. In other words the lens loses it's elasticity which normally allows it to be squashed and stretched to change it's focal length. The result is normally the loss of close focus for people like me who have always had 20/20 vision.

John CB

Yes the project folder looks useful and thanks for the enlightenment on it's features, however I have bunted it off to save space and my projects are normally not that complex with most of the files I use in one folder.

Peter