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Upgrading Mac Pro 2010 ??
Hello Forum,
I have a MacPro Mid 2010
Processor 2.8 GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon
Memory 4 GB 1066 MHz DDR3 ECC
Graphics ATI Radeon HD 5770 1024 MBIt’s treated me fine for all my 1080p video editing needs. Using FCP 7 still. Recently I did an 8 camera shoot that I’m now multicam editing after transcoding my various formats to ProRes 422. The system just can’t handle it. I’m pulling media from a USB 3.0 external drive with a 5 Gbps capability. I’ve read about older macs handling this workflow fine using fw800 media drives, but I think I’ve tried everything to optimize the workflow to no avail. The timeline plays for a few seconds then stutters and stops. Will Premiere Pro CC offer me any better performance given the same hardware?
Should I take advantage of my Mac Pro’s expandability and upgrade my processor, RAM, and graphics card? I know it’s expensive but probably less so than a new iMac. And the new MacPros are way out of my price range and apparently not performing as promised.
Will I be able to get a big boost in performance from upgrades to this machine and are they’re recommended products to buy? SSD? Max out RAM? Hi Speed Graphics card?Thanks for the advice/info!
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8 Replies
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[Jay Galione] “I’m pulling media from a USB 3.0 external drive with a 5 Gbps capability.”
The drive might have that connection, but your MacPro doesn’t. The USB ports on it are USB2, and not suited for video editing. The only way to get the speed of that connection is to get a USB 3 PCIe card.
BUT EVEN THAT WON’T CUT IT! You are talking 8 streams of ProRes 422. USB3 won’t cut that…FW800 won’t cut that. You a need Fibre or SAS or GIG-E Ethernet connected RAID…4 to 8 drive RAID. USB3 can do 1 to 2 streams fine…but 8 requires VERY fast speeds.
[Jay Galione] “Will Premiere Pro CC offer me any better performance given the same hardware?”
No, because it’s not the app, it’s the connection.
[Jay Galione] “Should I take advantage of my Mac Pro’s expandability and upgrade my processor, RAM, and graphics card?”
To breathe new life into it…sure! It’s a good option. Macsales.com has upgrade kits for this. That won’t solve the current issue you are having, again, that’s a drive connection issue.
Shane
Little Frog Post
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Thanks, Shane. I am using a USB 3 Card, but as you said, it’s not enough, huh.
“You a need Fibre or SAS or GIG-E Ethernet connected RAID…4 to 8 drive RAID.”
Any particular recommendation to help me narrow it down…Anyway to get running for under $1000Much appreciated.
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https://eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/M3QX2T16.0S/
Plus an eSATA PCIe card.
https://eshop.macsales.com/item/NewerTech/MXPCIE6G2S2/
Shane
Little Frog Post
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def -
Good answer, Shane. If this will solve my problem, I’m in. I’m still unclear how the eSata connection is better/faster than my USB 3.0 PCIe? Every source I find is to the contrary.
Will this OWC will allow speeds for 4K editing on my 2010 Mac Pro?
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Ah…I see. It is only like 20/Mbps difference. USB3 is 480, eSATA is 500. Well, then do they sell 5 drive USB3 RAIDS? The key is multiple drives…4 drive RAID 0 at least. Didn’t know if they made USB3 RAIDS like that. THUNDERBOLT, yes. But you don’t have thunderbolt
Shane
Little Frog Post
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def -
Any possibility my machine (Mid 2010 MacPro) will have thunderbolt expandability? Anyway, I’m not finding RAIDs that support thunderbolt AND USB 3. So looks like USB 3.0 is the best option. This OWC product can be configured as a RAID 0, 1, 5 or 10. It has 4 drives. Am I best off going with RAID 5? Been pouring over the Creative Cow RAID forum as well. My head is spinning at 7200 rpm at the moment.
Thanks for the help! -
POSSIBLY this…but I have no idea how well it works:
RAID 0 would be the fastest. RAID 5 on those OWC drives is via software, so not as reliable as hardware controlled. Not sure I’d use that. Just go RAID 0. Still not sure that 500MB/s is fast enough for that many ProRes streams though…
Shane
Little Frog Post
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def -
Although….Thunderbolt 2 is said to be 20 MB/s…I was wrong. That’s 4x the speed of USB3.
Shane
Little Frog Post
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def
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