Reccomendation for non-overkill MacPro for my FCP workflow

[Deleted User]

I have a 2010 Mac Pro 12-core 2.66 model. It was taking about 20 min. to burn a 24 minute program to XDCAMHD disk using a Sony PDW-U1 drive. The same process took the producer over two hours on a 2 yr old Macbook Pro. So if time is money…..

Lee
SAMDOG Digital Post
Calgary, Alberta
Mac Pro 2.66 12-core 16gb ram • FSI LM1760W Monitor • Matrox MX02 • Caldigit HD One 8tb Raid • Euphonix MC Transport • Final Cut Studio 3 • Premiere Pro CS5

[Richard Herd]

Wait a minute…I thought a 32-bit system could only access 4GB of RAM. Hence Adobe pitching (and look there’s an ad right there) their 64-bit system. It can therefore access 8 GB RAM.

Given the limitations of a 32-bit system, why do you need/want more RAM (assuming you’ve made the processor purchase first)?

Thanks!

[David Roth weiss]

[Lee Warner] “The same process took the producer over two hours on a 2 yr old Macbook Pro. “

I spot a foul here Lee… Isn’t this comparing Apples to, well tiny Apples?

The point of the conversation is whether it’s best to spend on high-flying processors for a MacPro, or to save some hard earned dough… I didn’t see anyone suggesting a MBP was a great alternative.

David Roth Weiss
Director/Editor/Colorist
David Weiss Productions, Inc.
Los Angeles
https://www.drwfilms.com

POST-PRODUCTION WITHOUT THE USUAL INSANITY ™

A forum host of Creative COW’s Business & Marketing and Apple Final Cut Pro forums. Formerly host of the Apple Final Cut Basics, Indie Film & Documentary, and Film History & Appreciations forums.

[Deleted User]

Point taken David, but rendering/compressing is a major part of today’s workflow. Regardless of whether the older device is a laptop or a desktop, the time savings during the crunch will add up.

Lee
SAMDOG Digital Post
Calgary, Alberta
Mac Pro 2.66 12-core 16gb ram • FSI LM1760W Monitor • Matrox MX02 • Caldigit HD One 8tb Raid • Euphonix MC Transport • Final Cut Studio 3 • Premiere Pro CS5

[Jeremy Garchow]

[Andrew Rendell] “I’ve run some hardware monitoring and I seem to be using up all my RAM (which is, I’ll admit, just the 4GB) but hardly ever getting the CPU anywhere near the top of the scale.”

Not when playing back footage, but logging and transferring, using Compressor, etc, it is possible to use all a lot of the available processing power.

[Andrew Rendell] “‘ll also admit that “editing = rendering” isn’t the way that I look at it, “

I don’t see how you couldn’t unless you edit dv25 all day or you work with some magical form if video where you never have to render (or perhaps your timelines are cuts only). The other day I ingested an hour of Red material to ProRes Proxy and it took 15 hours to come in. I wish my computer was faster. DSLR footage takes for-fricking-ever as well. The faster the machine the faster this gets done. Buy the fastest you can afford. OK, I’m done.

[Richard Herd]

[Jeremy Garchow] “The other day I ingested an hour of Red material to ProRes Proxy and it took 15 hours to come in. I wish my computer was faster”

How do you charge clients for this (i.e. by the hour)?

[Nick Ravich]

Just bought this Mac Pro refurbished from Apple Store – 2.4 GHz 8 Core
“Westmere”
https://store.apple.com/us/product/FC561LL/A?mco=MTkyMTM1ODQ

So I wimped out a bit on the processing speed (didn’t get the more expensive 2.9 GHz 8 Core), but still hoping the 2.4 has enough heft to handle the HD workflow I first described.

Also, thinking I’ll do the Final Cut Studio install myself – or at least use our generic IT folks. Wondering if there’s any crucial things I need to know for install? Tips for optimizing? I know QT version is crucial.

And any reccomendations for RAM on this? I know FCP only taps a max amount. This 2.4 8 core has 8 slots, 8GBs max per slot. Comes with 1 6GB chip installed. (In current FCP-running Mac Pro, the 2.93 8
core, I’ve got 12 GB total, 6 2GB chips.)

Nick.