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ALTERNATIVES TO THE XServe Raid
I am putting together for the first time, my very own “full blown” editing suite. Final Cut PRO, Aja Kona 2, and Apple’s XServe Raid are my choices. I am also considering a lease option for this equipment, thinking that at the end of the lease I may want to explore with new “up to date” technology.
Since this is my first time at this, I would like to read recomedations and advices from the forum. Is lease a good alternative for this type of equipment? to be in business, with a good variety of formats (HD, DV, BetaSP) is the Kona2,FCP, Xserve Raid a good combination?
Finally what alternatives you guys recomend to the “very expensive” Xserve Raid.
Many thanks in advance, this is quite a time for me, and I want to be absolutely sure about the decisions I’ll be making.Thanks
Hugtab
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8 Replies
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Huge Systems 4105, 4110, or 4210. Whatever’s in your budget. Couple this with a atto FC-41XS or 42XS, you’ll be farting through silk as my mom always says.
People also have luck with Medea fibre raids.
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This is my choice when the funds are available: https://www.facilistech.com/
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I recommend ANYTHING except the Apple XServe RAID, which is expensive, and full of headaches, and non existant tech support. I like HUGE, Walter likes Medea, but lots of SCSI and Fibre arrays are out there from ADTX, Rorke, StorCase, and so many others. In addition, SATA drives will work for the formats you want to use, as will Firewire 800’s. These are available from Maxx Digital, Lacie, G-Tech, StorCase and so many others. Of course, the Facilis is teriffic as a shared storage product, but if you want cheap, there are lots of alternatives out there for you.
bob Zelin
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I can tell you that I have a HUGE 4210 with the 4gig atto celerity and it has been a tank. Fast, relaible and well made.
David
OK. I’m taking the Steelers, 23-21 !
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One more vote on Huge 4210 + Atto! Great combo! No installation problems, no usage problems, as stable as possible. The only problem in price.
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[digitalbrain] “Finally what alternatives you guys recomend to the “very expensive” Xserve Raid.”
Medea FCR2X has been a workhorse here for quite a while. In fact I’ve run Medea products for about 8 years now with zero missed deadlines due to a drive related failure. Outstanding company and some of the best tech support out there. We’re looking at a few new broadcast series coming in to our shop and will add additional FCR2X’s as we move forward.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
https://www.biscardicreative.comDirector, “The Rough Cut”
https://www.theroughcutmovie.comNow Posting “Good Eats” in HD for the Food Network
“I reject your reality and substitute my own!” – Adam Savage, Mythbusters
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If you have zero money, then buy a G-Tech FW800 drive, until you can afford SATA or a SCSI/Fibre solution.
Bob Zelin
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I think I found a great alternative to Xserve RAID or any other RAID I have looked at at least. I had been editing with FCP and Avid for a few years using my existing storage with no RAID protection, earlier this year I lost a disk and it really $#%!#! me up cause I had no backup of some of what I was editing. I know I was stupid and it was all my fault, but I really needed to become smarter…that is when I looked into RAID solutions. A friend of mine works at a TV station in NY, I told him about my issue and he told me to come look at some new hardware he had…it is called the Atto FastStream 5300. What is real cool is that I can connect all my storage up to it (it is a RAID head) and use their DVRAID to allow for fast transfers (I clocked up at 420MB/sec) and was able to use 2 streams of HD with it and my existing drives. I did buy one through the salesperson who sold him the unit (I guess attotech.com would be a place to find it). I have had it for a little over a month, and I could not be happier, it was a snap to setup and the best part is that now I have RAID and I did not have to buy the disks!! (I already had em).
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