HD webcasting setup

[StevenB]

The Oklahoma regional is going to be using HD video (1080i@59.94) for the spectator display this year, so I'm trying to build a PC to handle the webcast and video archiving. My 6-year-old laptop had enough trouble keeping up with 640x480, so instead of spending my spring break working on low-cost match archiving boxes, I'm going to be working on a high-cost box.

Here's the setup I'm looking at so far:

• Intel Core i5, 8GB RAM
• 4 x 1TB HDD, in RAID 5
• NVIDIA GT 540 (In my dreams, I'd like to use NVENC to do H.264 encoding in real time on the GPU, but that will have to wait for next year)
• Blackmagic Intensity Pro HDMI video capture card
• Ubuntu 12.10
• ffmpeg and VLC for capture and streaming
• Ustream.tv (Only because I've used it for five years; I'm open to others)

I've looked at the Hauppauge HD PVR boxes/cards as well.

I'm looking for any suggestions on capture hardware, software setups, and general recommendations about what it takes to work with HD video. After the regional, I'll write a whitepaper about my setup and experience, since the move to HD will be a common trend in the next few years. Thanks!