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io + MBP + SATA = Bliss in the Field
Howdy alls! Just got back from a field shoot with the io, a new 17″ C2D MacBook Pro, and the Sonnet SATA ExpressCard. I’ve been shooting direct to disk in the field for a long time now (and none of this DV garbage), but this setup blew me away. In the studio I use a PMG5 2.0DP (late 04) with the io and a Sonnet X4P. The main RAID is 10 Hitachi/IBM 7K500s, with additional singles and small RAIDs. I was able to bring the whole online RAID into the field so I could not only shoot but have the whole project available on set, since we were shooting the main subject. The 2U 18″D 12-bay rackmount SATA drive case is a special order but on its way. I just brought the big hot-swap tower this time around, but having the whole shebang in the new Gator Studio-4-Go flight case will be one of the last pieces of the puzzle. It has wheels & a trolley handle, 4U 17.5″D for the io, drives, a couple gizmos, & patch bay, and… a top compartment for the laptop with strap-down and an interior pass-through to the rack. I switched this for the G5 and larger rack in my usual field setup and ran the laptop closed with my old ADC Apple 23″ LCD and brand-new model Bella keyboard with jog/shuttle, USB2 hub, worklight, etc. I also moved audio & mains into their own rack carry bags (gotta get the ones with handles & wheels).
This was the best & easiest field shoot I’ve had. The new laptop meets or beats my two-year-old desktop almost everywhere, and OpenGL performance is stellar, even compared to a slightly oc’ed 6800GT. I’m thinking about replacing the monitor, and replacing my drowned NTSC field monitor, but this was a pretty sweet setup.
Anyone else in the field yet with io & MBP?Mark Goldberg
Green Bean’s Productions -
5 Replies
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Yep, used it the other day on a varicam shoot and captured to a 2 drive Firmtek array with the same sonnet card you have via firewire and a 1200a. The SATA enclosure I have (it’s an older one) does not support port multiplication so I am stuck with the 2 drive and 2 port situation. Despite that, it’s still awesome. You are right about the performance and I was really impressed that it worked with AE 7 as well as it did (i haven’t really put it through it’s paces, but the small work I did with it was awesome). It makes me excited to get a MacPro when I pull that trigger. I am waiting for everything that I use to be universal (mainly, Adobe stuff, along with ATTO drivers) and I figure by that time bugs and kinks will be worked out of the MacPros and software development will be even further than it is now. Until then it’s rendering HD on a dual 2.0 G5. It’s ‘slow’ but it still makes money and is a solid machine and configuration.
I have also used my ioLD in the field and everything worked splendidly.
Do you have any pictures of your rig? Sounds like a cool setup.
Jeremy
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you are not “stuck” with the old 2 bay Firmtek enclosure. You can put those very drives inside a Sonnet Fusion 500P, and they will work just fine (with room for 3 more drives). And of course, you can move this onto a Mac Pro with the E4P card or the incredible Cal-Digit FASTA-4e SATA card.
Bob Zelin
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I understand. I know I can get another enclosure. If I need it I will. What I really want to do is hook my Huge RAID to my MacBook Pro. Have you heard of plans for an expresscard Fibre HBA?
Jeremy
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YES ! Would like to see Pictures of the set up if you could !
Would you consider the Panasonic BT-HL170 as the next monitor ? -
I’m really glad you posted your experiences with this set-up. I’m designing a very similar set-up and will be purchasing in a few months. I’m glad to see that I was headed in the right direction. I too, would like to see some pictures of your set-up.
postman
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