I am using Vegas Movie Studio 7.0. I have three hard drives in my PC.

HD#1 is for the Operating System and Programs.

HD#2 is the source for DV video and temporary files.

HD#3 is the destination/render drive.

The idea (in my mind) is that the program doesn't have to use the same drive to READ FROM--->RENDER--->WRITE TO, and hopefully that optimizes speed.

Is this the optimal configuration, hardware-wise? OR, would it be better/faster to setup drives 2&3 in a RAID0 stripe?

What you have is just about top.

You may get better performance by using raid but I would say improvements will not be vast, but I havent tried going any further up the upgrade path than the three drives used as you describe.

I am a supporter of using those very fast drives, raptors, for the system drive. The difference a raptor made to my system was well worth the extra money - much more responsive in windows.

__________________
Lowering the tone of video since 2004.

www.zaskarfilms.com You tube channel 'zaskarfilms'
JVC DV5001e (big cam), Sony PC6E (tiny cam), Vinten pro5, PAG light, SM58, Sony ECM50, Sony C-76, 0.5x convertors for sony, Rode video mic, Vegas 7.

hd1 = Sys

hd2 = Graphic Work - All my in production stills work and any experimentation. DVDA creation menus and the like. And Prerendering files folder. This keeps it away from my hd4 disc!!!

hd3 = audio - Acid loops and royalty free audio. SFXs, recordings

hd4 = Finalizing rendering - This is MPEG. AVIs, Movs, Render to New Track . . .er . .. DiVX . . er . .. SteadyHand, Scenelayzer Index Folder and Frameserver folder.

PLUS, I have a whole bunch of external f/w hds for holding captured footage.

Thanks a lot, Mark W and Grazie! It's good to know that I've got it set up correctly. I've not been able to get any kind of an answer to this question on PC-related forums. Video is it's own little monster, apparently.

I'd love to have separate RAID arrays for the source and destination drives, but I just can't justify that expense. I don't do this for a living, so it's not like I could write it off as a business expense.

Thanks again.