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Configuring Mac Pro
First off, please excuse my ignorance as I am new to Mac (converting from Discreet and Avid). We are getting ready to purchase a Mac Pro and I am seeking advice on setting it up. We currently shoot Beta SP (but will move to DV Cam or DVC Pro in the next year). My main question is in regards to hard drives, internal vs. external. I have recieved advice telling me loading up on the on-board storage will work and others saying that is crazy, set up a RAID. If RAID is the way to go I am greatful for advice and suggestions. Any other advice regarding the purchase and set-up of a new system (i.e graphics card, RAM, etc…) is also appreciated. Thanks!!!!
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2 Replies
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The new MacPro allows you to install 4 SATA drives. You can use all 4 in a striped RAID0 for media
and either install another drive as your boot drive in the spare optical bay or use a FW drive for that.
We’ve used a FW drive as our boot drive in the past with a G4 with 4 internal ATA drives striped, and it
worked great. The people who said it was crazy might have been concerned about heat, a valid concern.
The new Intel chips run much cooler than than old chips, but that doesn’t necessarily translate into a
cooler computer. Apple reduced the number of fans in the MacPro. You have to understand, though, that
if Apple made room for 4 drives, plus an additional optical bay, that they assumed people will fill them up
with drives, and have accounted for that in their cooling design. If you go external SATA, there are a lot of
options. Check out barefeats.com for tests of most of those options. Check out Firmtek and Sonnet for cards
and/or cases, GTech for complete external drive units. There are lots of others, do a search here in this forum
for many discussions on the topic.
HTH,
Ed -
Hi Ed,
I had a quick question for you since I am configuring my Mac Pro G5 the exact way you are (using the 4 internal in a RAID 0 config.). My big question is how to make the 5th drive with my OS and programs just as fast as leaving it as an internal drive. Is using the optical drive the fastes possible connection?Phil
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