MacBook Pro hard drive, RAM, external drive & where to buy?

[Tony! Hulette]

[PDPost] “1) I noticed that there are three MacBook Pro hard drive configurations – 100GB/7200 speed, 160GB/5400 speed and 200GB/4200 speed. For working with FCS, I assume the capture scratch and render files should be on an external drive, probably optimumly in this case a FW800 drive. If this is the case, does it matter what the speed of the MacBook Pro drive is if just the FCS project files are on it?”

The 160GB drive works pretty well on the MacBook Pro’s, but if it were me I’d get the 100GB/7200rpm model as it will access system and application files faster and generally speed things up. You do need an external for you captured media/scratch disk. I’d go with a eSATA drive or RAID. You can get a SATA card for your MacBook Pro and attach the external drive to it. Firmtek makes one. There are several good eSATA Drive/RAID manufacturers. You might consider G-Technology.com, Wiebetech and ProMax, but their are several others that are good.

https://www.firmtek.com/seritek/seritek-2sm2-e/
https://www.g-technology.com/Products/G-SATA.cfm
https://www.wiebetech.com/home.php
https://www.promax.com/Landing/Storage/index.html#satamaxe

One reason to avoid Firewire drives, besides SATAe being faster, is that you want try to avoid using your Firewire bus for both the camera or capture device (AJA Io for example) and the drive/RAID as they want to be on their own bus, not sharing with the other devices.

[PDPost] “2) I noticed that the RAM quantity is 2GB that the MacBook Pro comes with but I have heard that you can add 1GB to total 3GB to max out the new MacBook Pro. I know 4GB seems to be the magic number for FCS on desktops. Are there any tricks or things to consider if I do ad”

You may want to order it with 3gb or else Apple will fill both slots with 1gb RAM sticks and not leave you room to add another (unless you remove one).

If you’re in Los Angeles, checkout the DV EXPO at the LA Convention Center this week 11/15/06 – 11/17/06 as you’ll find a lot of solutions there.

Good Luck,

Tony!

[Steve Eisen]

Pat,

You will be fine with the standard HD and RAM that comes with the MBPro. There are no advantages to upgrading other than spending more money that you can use for external storage. Wait until RAM prices drop.

As far as external storage, OWC, Weibetech and G-tech are great resources.
OWC has a the best deal on a 1TB (2-500GB) eSATA External Build-it-Yourself kit that INCLUDES the SATA Controller Card for $495.
https://eshop.macsales.com/item/Other%20World%20Computing/SATADIY1TBP/

You will need to get a Serial ATA ExpressCard/34 ($120) if you go with external SATA.

FW800 drives are fast enough for what you do.

Steve Eisen
Eisen Video Productions
Director-At-Large
Chicago Final Cut Pro Users Group