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COnfiguring Mac Pro for FCP
Hey everyone…i’m new to the Mac world so bear with me. I have $5,000 budgeted for a Mac Pro system. I am shooting with the EX-1 and will be doing compressed HD, thought would like to have option of uncompressed if budget allows. My question is really about the RAID card they offer. Would i have to get a SATA drive for OS and then have two ATA SCSI RAID drives(300 GB each) for the AV stuff? I’m kinda confused about how the RAID works with the OS drive, or if it is something separate. Is the RAID even necessary for uncompressed HD?
Also, i am probably stuck with 2GB RAM for the time being, cause i want to go with the 3.0 or 3.2 dual Xeons.
Any alteration to this thinking is appreciated, as well as assistance on RAID set-up.
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11 Replies
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[david soriano] ” Is the RAID even necessary for uncompressed HD? “
Yes, and generally a 5 drive RAID is a minimum for uncompressed HD. You want about 350MB/s minimum for uncompressed HD.
[david soriano] “Also, i am probably stuck with 2GB RAM for the time being, cause i want to go with the 3.0 or 3.2 dual Xeons. “
You want a minimum 1GB of RAM per core. So if you have an OctoCore machine, you want 8GB minimum RAM. If you have a Quad Core, you want a 4GB minimum.
RAID’s are usually an external box with multiple drives. If you have never set up a RAID, don’t try to do it yourself. Purchase a pre-configured box and follow their directions. We run the MaxxDigital EVO HD units and Sonnet and Dulce make very good boxes as well. the big advantage is that they are pre-configured and come with good tech support to assist in setup.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Biscardi Creative Media
HD and SD Production for Broadcast and Independent Productions.STOP STARING AND START GRADING WITH APPLE COLOR Apple Color Training DVD available now!
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hi David,
I agree with Walter about the RAM. That computer with only 2GBs RAM is like having a Formula1 and no money to buy petrol.
Cheers,
Rafael -
You may want to talk to the powers that be to give you more than $5,000. That barely covers the machine and Monitor. Other World Computing has good prices on RAM.
Good Luck,
Mike
Mike Kommersmith
Coast Media Solutions, LLC
240 Eisenhower. Dr.
Suite H2
Biloxi, MS 39531
coastmediasolutions@cableone.net
http://www.coastmediasolutions.com -
Why 1 GB for each core? I thought none of the programs used more than a few GB anyway? If that is true then 8 GB sounds like a waste to me… (if the computer doesen´t use more than lets say up to 4 GB at the most).
All this is based upon what I have been reading, so don´t take the comment like I am trying to correct you. I am only trying to understand you (and how the computer uses RAM). 🙂
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Hi George,
What you point is right when talking about FC. His capability to use all the RAM is limited.
But there are other applications able to use all the RAM and processors.
rafael -
OK, I just thought that the RAM had something to do with FCP, since the thread was about configuring a computer to FCP. Is it Color that uses up all the RAM available?
/George
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Hi George,
To have more RAM is also useful for example when you are working with FC and using Compressor at the same time.
About Color I don’t really know his RAM requirements. .
rafael -
I was given the choice of a 3.2 w 4 gig or a 3.0 with 12 gig and I went for the 3.0. ram makes the computer happy. FCP is an integrated suite which means that while FCP is open you might export something to Soundtrack Pro, or modify some stills in photoshop, maybe do some moves in Motion, Ram gives you the power to open them at the same time.
Best
DrewChaos is the beginning of everything.
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i’m kinda stuck at 5K. I work for a municipality, so it is what it is. That doesn’t mean i can’t get a 2GB ram system and add 2 more after i purchase it. That way i can use a separate PO to order it. I thought that it would be best to get teh max processing pwr that i can afford and add RAM later.
For this example let’s assume i am going to be running FCP and maybe Motion. That’s it.
No one has said whether the conventional SATA drives would work for HD compressed video. I assume i would get n OS drive and then a 2nd drive for video, correct? Or is it necessary to get a RAIS set up? I am talking about teh RAID set-up that is listed on the Apple web site when you configure the system. Is it best to get a third party RAID system? Or, again, is it not necessary for what i am doing. I have a neighboring city using iMacs to edit their HD stuff. they say it’s adequate. Not great, but adequate.
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Hi David,
If you are talking about HDV or XDCAM don’t worry about RAIDs. I’m working with my EX-1 with eSATAs and work great.
But I agree with Andrew. A 3.2 with 2GB RAM makes no sense.
Rafael
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