A common misconception is that a quad-core processor will automatically do better at a task than a single-core one. In practice, you will often see core 1 running at 100 percent usage, while cores 3 and 4 are just hanging out idly. You can fix this by explicitly assigning programs to run on a given core as shown in the video. Please note that a quad-core computer will often have eight "CPUs" listed. This happens because your processor can run more than one thread. If you assign one process to two different cores, it'll run slower than if you leave it on the same core, so always assign affinity in pairs of 0 and 1, 2 and 3, 4 and 5, etc.

You'll need some decent gear to make your show shine. This is what we use.

Intel Core i7 Processor: A dual- or quad-core processor is required if you want to do H.264 encoding (recommended for high quality), and plan to have two of the cores dedicated to this task. If your computer needs to do anything other than encode video from your camera, a quad-core is strongly encouraged to prevent frame drops. I use an Intel i7 920 overclocked to 3.2GHz (about equivalent to an i7 950). If you're in an enclosed space where heat may be an issue, I don't recommend overclocking your computer, since it will run hotter. (Read "" for more tips on this topic.)

: This is great upgrade from the default mic that came with your computer, mostly because it's designed so you don't need to have it right in front of your face for it to clearly pick up your voice. It uses a USB interface, which makes it fairly simple to integrate into your setup.