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Blackmagic speed test suggestions…
Hello.
I am about to buy a new RAID on a very small budget. I currently own a USB3 Proavio loaded with 5 WD Red 3TB drives, that seems to have some problem. I can’t get it to read or write over about 130 mbps either in RAID 0, RAID 5 or anything, which is slower than a single drive (I tested it the same way and it was surprisingly faster, as was a software RAID 0 made with two of the same drives on an external USB 3 dock, over 250 mbps). It’s full about 30% of total capacity. Every now and then it slows down to 35 mbps, until I restart the Mac, but the very same happens to even SSD’s, that are sometimes very fast, sometimes 35mbps , so I gather it is a double problem. Something is going weird with maybe the controller on the large RAID (it used to be able to read and write over 200 mbps), something with the USB3 of my old 2013 MBPr, So I thought I might be better off with a new Thunderbolt RAID. I edit mostly 1080p from AVCHD or XAVC, 50 mbps, and some 4k from a JVC camera and Mavic Pro drone. Max 100 mbps. Plain documentary style, max three streams and some filters like color correction, resize, nothing too heavy, about 12 to 24 minutes projects. When reading the Blackmagic speed test, it seems that 100 MBps only allows one stream of 1080p, maybe not even all frames, while the math I know would suggest about ten streams. When I’m on site and build the rough cuts on a single external USB 3 drive I usually don’t experience any serious problem. So if I look at budget and personal experience, I’d buy a two drive RAID 0 unit like Lacie 2big or G-RAID, keeping the current RAID 5 as a backup and archive, of course with other copies on single drives, while if I follow Blackmagic speed test suggestions I should go for a much faster drive, like a Thunderbolt RAID 5 with four drives or more. How much speed is really needed?Fabrizio D\’Agnano
Rome, Italy -
6 Replies
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Hi Fabrizio,
what computer do you own?
What is your raid connection?
Do you have a thunderbolt connection within your computer?cheers
Rainer
factstory
Rainer Wirth
phone_0049-177-2156086
Mac pro 8core
Adobe,FCP,Avid
several raid systems -
Hi Rainer.
I currently own a late 2013 MBPr 15″, so I can use two TB2 connections. The USB3 ports have always been someway unreliable, with drives randomly dismounting, more often during long copies or backups, variable transfer speed etc. Using the drives or arrays via the USB3 on my Belkin TB adapter was often tricky because it sometimes took several efforts to have the drives recognised, and transfer speed was slower than direct connection. That’s why I was thinking about going for the TB connection. As I wrote, I am currently running a very low budget, so I was wondering if a 2 striped drives small array like Lacie 2Big or G-Raid would be enough, or if a larger setup like a Pegasus R6 was convenient. Until last year I only edited 1080i or 1080p, but I am adding some 4k media.
Thank you!Fabrizio D\’Agnano
Rome, Italy -
Hi Fabrizio,
TB 2 is fine.
You need a raid array with a minimum of Raid5 level, better Raid6.
A two bay raid won’t give you this.
You need at least a 4bay Raid.
The 6bay is ideal – also with 4k in mind.cheers
Rainer
factstory
Rainer Wirth
phone_0049-177-2156086
Mac pro 8core
Adobe,FCP,Avid
several raid systems -
Thank you very much, Rainer.
Your suggestion for a larger RAID5 is more for safety while working (I know that a RAID5 is not a backup) or speed? I am used to synch and backup the projects I’m working on onto two different sets of slower drives at noon and at evening, so what I’d loose in case of failure is a couple of hours of work, four at worst, that is not deadly in my case. That would balance the at least 1.000,00 Euros of price difference between a two drive RAID 0 and a Promise Pegasus r6. Real need for more speed would of course change everything and push me towards the larger and faster and more expensive set, and that’s why I was wondering if about 250 MB/s like a two drives set would offer would or not be enough for editing two or three streams of 50 to 150 mbps footage.Fabrizio D’Agnano
Fabrizio D\’Agnano
Rome, Italy -
Hi Fabrizio,
You need roundabout real 450-500 MB/s speed, especially if you work with 4k..
cheersRainer
factstory
Rainer Wirth
phone_0049-177-2156086
Mac pro 8core
Adobe,FCP,Avid
several raid systems -
Thank you again!
Fabrizio
Fabrizio D\’Agnano
Rome, Italy
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