Pc for processing?

[Robstaffs]

Hi, fairly new to imaging, I’m using an ioptron skyguider pro with a Williams optics z61 and canon 6d. Feels like my next step up is a PC for processing - at the moment I’m trying muddle my way along using old software like lynkeos on an ageing Mac. 
A friend who knows computers (but not astrophotography) has suggested this https://www.scan.co.uk/products/scan-home-h11i-intel-core-i3-8100-coffee-lake-8gb-ddr4-120gb-ssd-1tb-win-10 which meets my budget......could I get a few opinions here? Is this going to meet what I need to stack and process using DSS/registax photoshop etc? Thanks

[TerryMcK]

A core I3 is going to be really slow when processing. Also the disk is very small. You may be better with something like a coreI5 or I7 and plenty of RAM.

[Tomatobro]

I see its got a 1 terabit hard drive and 8 gb of memory. I used to process with APP on a used laptop with 4gb of ram, i5 and win 7.

[Robstaffs]

Cheers - have to say it’s very difficult to be clear on what is needed/you are actually buying if computers are not your thing 😕

[Tomatobro]

Your not alone on this point. My brother spent quite some time in arriving at a specification for his imaging pc having used a basic laptop for a couple of years. The trigger was that the size of the imaging sensors now available in cmos coupled with the relatively short imaging exposure times means that there is now lots of data to be processed. 

[Miguel1983]

I would also suggest  a I7 processor or better with at least 16GB RAM, more is better, and a 256 or 512GB SSD + 1TB HDD but this wil be a 1000£+ machine

Happy hunting !

[happy-kat]

I use an i5 6 cores with 8GB ram and none SSD disk but I do have a 2GB graphic card and the case and board has plenty expansion options. You might get more through refurb outlets but choose company carefully.

Edited September 26, 2020 by happy-kat

[Erling G-P]

I won't haphazard a guess as to how suitable the processor is, not having tried processing on anything similar. Use quite old hardware myself (1-gen Core i7, Hexacore running at 4.25 GHz, 12 Gb RAM in triple-channel config).  Processing times with DSS are resonable, but it's very important that its work folder is placed on an SSD drive.  For lack of space on mine, I've had to use an external drive via USB3 earlier, which has a tremendous impact on processing time - it easily increases 10-fold, so make sure your SSD drive is large enough.  The 120 Gb in your suggested config is on the smallest side, so would recommend getting at least a 256 Gb one, and preferably larger yet.

[Robstaffs]

This is all helpful thanks guys

[tomato]

Here is the spec on the desktop PC I decided on for image processing:

Case: PCS GENESIS G1B CASE + SD CARD READER
Processor: AMD Ryzen 7 3700X Eight Core CPU (3.6GHz-4.4GHz/36MB CACHE/AM4)

Motherboard: ASUS® PRIME B450-PLUS (DDR4, USB 3.1, 6Gb/s) - RGB Ready
RAM: 32GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR4 2400MHz (2 x 16GB)
GPU: 4GB AMD RADEONTM RX 550 - HDMI, DVI - DX® 12
Primary storage: 512GB PCS 2.5" SSD, SATA 6 Gb (520MB/R, 450MB/W)
Secondary storage: 2TB SEAGATE BARRACUDA SATA-III 3.5" HDD, 6GB/s, 7200RPM, 256MB CACHE
power supply: CORSAIR 450W CV SERIESTM CV-450 POWER SUPPLY
1 x 1 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead)
PCS FrostFlow 100 V2 Series High Performance CPU Cooler (AMD) STANDARD THERMAL PASTE FOR SUFFICIENT COOLING
ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
WIRELESS 802.11N 300Mbps/2.4GHz PCI-E CARD
MIN. 2 x USB 3.0 & 2 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL + MIN. 2 FRONT PORTS
 

I went with an AMD CPU rather than Intel on reading a post by Ivo Jager,  the author of StarTools, saying they offer better value for money on calculation heavy applications such as Astro image processing.
 

From what I have read the key elements are Processor spec (the more cores the better) at least 16 GB RAM and a decent sized SSD. The GPU is less important although some processing packages are starting to utilise them.

I’ll let you know how it compares to my i5 quad core 16 GB laptop when it arrives.

[BlueStinger]

That PC in the OP is vastly overpriced. If on a budget get a Ryzen 5 3600, 16GB DDR4 3000/3200, and any of the MSI B450 MAX motherboards.  This is a good base to work from, and cheap.

 

 

13 hours ago, tomato said:

Here is the spec on the desktop PC I decided on for image processing:

Case: PCS GENESIS G1B CASE + SD CARD READER
Processor: AMD Ryzen 7 3700X Eight Core CPU (3.6GHz-4.4GHz/36MB CACHE/AM4)

Motherboard: ASUS® PRIME B450-PLUS (DDR4, USB 3.1, 6Gb/s) - RGB Ready
RAM: 32GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR4 2400MHz (2 x 16GB)
GPU: 4GB AMD RADEONTM RX 550 - HDMI, DVI - DX® 12
Primary storage: 512GB PCS 2.5" SSD, SATA 6 Gb (520MB/R, 450MB/W)
Secondary storage: 2TB SEAGATE BARRACUDA SATA-III 3.5" HDD, 6GB/s, 7200RPM, 256MB CACHE
power supply: CORSAIR 450W CV SERIESTM CV-450 POWER SUPPLY
1 x 1 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead)
PCS FrostFlow 100 V2 Series High Performance CPU Cooler (AMD) STANDARD THERMAL PASTE FOR SUFFICIENT COOLING
ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
WIRELESS 802.11N 300Mbps/2.4GHz PCI-E CARD
MIN. 2 x USB 3.0 & 2 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL + MIN. 2 FRONT PORTS
 

I went with an AMD CPU rather than Intel on reading a post by Ivo Jager,  the author of StarTools, saying they offer better value for money on calculation heavy applications such as Astro image processing.
 

From what I have read the key elements are Processor spec (the more cores the better) at least 16 GB RAM and a decent sized SSD. The GPU is less important although some processing packages are starting to utilise them.

I’ll let you know how it compares to my i5 quad core 16 GB laptop when it arrives.

Ryzen 7 3700x is a great cpu but needs fast ram to get the most from it and 2400mhz is as slow as ddr4 gets. It will prevent you getting the most from it. Still a big improvement over a laptop i5 (which is much slower then a desktop one) but could be better.

Edited September 27, 2020 by BlueStinger

[Synchronicity]

Specifying a computer for someone is really difficult - for many reasons. The biggest impact on performance will be RAM. With Windows 10 8GB is quite limiting for normal stuff.  Nobody notices if an email takes 2 or 3 times as long to send on one machine compared to another but if a 90 second process takes 4 minutes that's different!

If you have enough RAM then a SSD (solid state drive) is less important as the computer isn't swapping blocks of data to and from the disk.

Data can build up quickly, especially when your new to processing images and don't want to delete anything just in case!

I'd go for something with 16GB RAM minimum and the ability to upgrade it if needed. 2TB hard disk is a good compromise between size and cost.

Also, don't forget to check how many USB ports it has - I'd say 3 is a minimum.

HTH

Michael

[Astrid]

I personally use a laptop (macbook air 2017) and it works veryy good for photoshop 2020. The only downside is that DeepSkyStacker and Registax are only available for windows so I have to improvise. 
Clear skies! 

[Synchronicity]

On 27/09/2020 at 12:24, Synchronicity said:

If you have enough RAM then a SSD (solid state drive) is less important as the computer isn't swapping blocks of data to and from the disk.

I've just watched a video about processing and realised that this is wrong.   While processing each image is read into memory, processed and then written back to disk, or a new version of it is.  That means there's going to be a lot of disk activity during all preprocessing and batch activities so a SSD would certainly show a speed benefit.

Michael

[rnobleeddy]

Without suggesting that is a good choice, everyone seems to forget that modern PC's are all pretty powerful and that it'd certainly work fine.

An i5 or i7 will process your images faster, sure, but does waiting twice as long for DSS to stack kill your processing? Probably not!

I have an older gen i7 which seems to work fine. The i3 in your link is about 15% down on raw CPU power compared to mine, which I'd doubt would translate to a noticeable difference.

I'll echo the advice - if you're buying new, get an i5 , i7 or comparable Ryzen and 16Gb ram - but you'd also be able to manage fine with a second hand PC for £100.

 

 

[bruno]

Also Have a look on Aria computers (manchester) they do refurbs some have decent spec and a 1years gaurantee.

[Robny]

I wouldn't go for the kne in the OP....it will be under powered for what you want to use it for.

It even suggests it in the title, ideal for email, web browsing and multimedia.  Im currently using Ryzan 5, 16gb ram 1tb ssd and 2gb graphics card.

If you're not to familiar with computers or components, you won't go far wrong which states it is ideal for video and photo editing.

Rob

[SmokeyJoe]

If I can't get to my main pc (cos the other half is using the office) I use a 10 year old HP pavilion laptop.  Stacking is quite slow (about an hour for 100 2-3 min subs plus darks and bias) but it if fine for post processing.  As the song says it ain't what you've got it's the way that you use it.