Going to buy a Mac Pro… what configuration?

[Walter Biscardi]

Is $6,000 your total budget including storage? You could easily spend $3,000 – $6,000 just getting the proper storage for multiple HD projects.

Base minimum. Fastest MacPro you can afford. ATI1900 Graphics Card. 4GB RAM.

Very fast SAS/SATA array such as MaxxDigital, Sonnet, Dulce. 2TB Minimum, though I would probably recommend 4TB so you can run in RAID 5 with plenty of overhead.

Walter Biscardi, Jr.
https://www.biscardicreative.com
HD Editorial & Animation for Broadcast and independent productions.

All Things Apple Podcast! https://cowcast.creativecow.net/all_things_apple/index.html

Read my blog! https://blogs.creativecow.net/WalterBiscardi

[Marc Brak]

yes, $6000 total. I was thinking of going for 1 TB storage, just using the mac’s internal harddrive docks (that’s SATA, right?).

But i’m getting the idea that for HD, that won’t be sufficient?

[Marc Brak]

And what about other peripherals, like a capture card? In my pc (regular DV) all i needed was a firewire card.

Do you really need an AJA Kona or IO or such stuff??

[Walter Biscardi]

[marcbrak] “But i’m getting the idea that for HD, that won’t be sufficient?”

Compressed HD that’s fine. Uncompressed HD, no.

Walter Biscardi, Jr.
https://www.biscardicreative.com
HD Editorial & Animation for Broadcast and independent productions.

All Things Apple Podcast! https://cowcast.creativecow.net/all_things_apple/index.html

Read my blog! https://blogs.creativecow.net/WalterBiscardi

[Walter Biscardi]

[marcbrak] “And what about other peripherals, like a capture card? In my pc (regular DV) all i needed was a firewire card.”

If all you’re working with is Firewire sources, then you don’t need anything else.

Walter Biscardi, Jr.
https://www.biscardicreative.com
HD Editorial & Animation for Broadcast and independent productions.

All Things Apple Podcast! https://cowcast.creativecow.net/all_things_apple/index.html

Read my blog! https://blogs.creativecow.net/WalterBiscardi

[Marc Brak]

Right, and to capture uncompressed HD, i will need a special capture card?

Right now everything i do is still regular dv, but i’m expecting within 1 or 2 years that will have changed.

So that would mean for the time being i could postpone buying a RAID rack + capture card, and just go for that octo-core macpro with enough RAM.

[Aaron Zander]

[marcbrak] “Right, and to capture uncompressed HD, i will need a special capture card?”

Yes something like the Kona 3 would be what you would want

[marcbrak] ”
So that would mean for the time being i could postpone buying a RAID rack + capture card, and just go for that octo-core macpro with enough RAM.”

yes currently I don’t work with alot of uncompressed media, I just use a lot of dvcpro hd captured via FW. Along with all 4 internal bays filled up and a drive in my optical bay as well (who needs two burners?) Ram will go along way with helping you out. Save some of that money for the future for what ever you find yourself needing. either that, or you can take Walt and myself out for a few drinks every now and than, over time you’ll end up with less equipment, but more stories.

[Marc Brak]

hm, those drinks sound tempting… even if I’m the one who pays for them 🙂

If i’d start with a mac setup that’s high-end in the regular (mini-)DV market, and upgrade to HD-level in 1 or 2 years, it would seem foolish at this point to invest in an octo-core, no? Working regular dv a quad 3ghz mac would be more than enough… and by the time i start working HD, the octo will seem quaint.

It’s really awkward, this period, isn’t it? High Def knocking on our doors, but it’s too early and expensive to really jump on that bandwagon already. At least in my market of small-time corporate video. But any investment in regular dv in two years will be obsolete. Like, i’m also not buying that XL2 now…

Sorry for rambling on, but it’s a real dilemma. Go for a $10.000 Mac pro i’m not really ready for, or settle for a mac book pro that will allow me to familiarize with the mac and fcp, but is too light-weight for real heavy editing…

what do i do? Maybe i SHOULD get some drinks with Walt and Zander…

[Aaron Zander]

[marcbrak] “Sorry for rambling on, but it’s a real dilemma. Go for a $10.000 Mac pro i’m not really ready for, or settle for a mac book pro that will allow me to familiarize with the mac and fcp, but is too light-weight for real heavy editing…”

If you are stable enough on you Premier system this is a very good option as well. And you get alot of versatilty with this. A MBP would probably be a very good teaching tool, and catch you up on the curve, and when it comes time to go and get that 10g HD editing comp, you will be good to go. It’s one thing if you were in a situation and aski “I’ve been hired on to cut this hdcam footage they need uncompressed 4:4:4, with grading, I wont be working with more than 5 hours of footage at a time, and I need it in a week with budget of $x what should I do for set up” This is a clear cut setup, with limited choices and options.

I have a quad 3.0 (which is in desperate need of more ram) And I work (as stated) with alot of dvcpro hd footage, and pro res stuff, I have no need to expand past my internal drives and a few firewires for transport. I’m also very happy with the results I’ve had. Then again I cut my teeth for 18 months or so on a powerbook g4, learned FCP there and on some other resources. A quad would be fine, and as is said time and time again, If business is good enough to afford you Uncompressed HD footage, It’s probably good enough for that new comp. You should be fine for now, on either a quad of a MBP. And cut your teeth on fcp. A quad is still extremly upgradeable. Lots of room for storage, ram, cards, etc.

[marcbrak] ”
what do i do? Maybe i SHOULD get some drinks with Walt and Zander…”

The only problem I see, is Walt and I are kind of on opposite sides of the continent. I do have a bunch of free miles, with 0 free time…Damn expirations.