[Bob Zelin]

you posted on the AJA forum with the same question, and I have the same answer. Use 2 Gig of RAM until things get worked out with the MAC Pro. Then you will have no issues. When will these issues get worked out ? Who knows. Next time, when Apple releases their next machine (the super duper MAC Pro Hot Rod) – maybe you won’t be the first one to buy one.

Bob Zelin

[Bob Zelin]

cheap smaller SATA drives are a teriffic way to do long term backup- and you don’t have to restore when you want to use it – just plug it in, and away you go. With 500 Gig drives going for about $329 these days, you can get 160 gig drives for under 100 bucks – and that sure beats DLT tapes.

Bob Zelin

[Bob Zelin]

there is a new invention – it’s called a WAVEFORM MONITOR – it lets you check your levels, and observe exactly where your black is. So instead of getting those new chrome exhausts for your Harley this labor day weekend, how about renting a waveform monitor, or buying one off ebay, and checking your levels.

You see, there are too many reasons why you have crushed blacks. It could be your source tapes, it could be the way your camera is set. It could be the way your TV monitor is adjusted. SDI original source material uses 0 IRE for black, but analog material (like Beta) uses 7.5 IRE for black, so it is a common complaint when people are used to seeing their material on an analog source with 7.5 blacks, and then see it coming out of a Digi Beta SDI out, it looks darker to them, because the blacks are at 0IRE (blame SMPTE, not me, or AJA or Apple).

You say you are outputting – but you dont say to what – digi beta, Beta SP, VHS ? Many VTR’s, like DSR-45 DV decks have adjust ments for black level in their menu’s, so if you are set for 0, it’s gonna look dark and crushed.

Without a waveform monitor, it’s pretty hard to tell what is going on – especially from your description.

Bob Zelin

[Bob Zelin]

yes – I just heard the same – more than 2 Gigs of RAM will cause all kinds of problems.
See – this is what ALWAYS happens when you are the “first on the block” to get the new toys – you get all the development problems.

I have a feeling this will get worse before it gets better (meaning that we will discover new problems that we are not aware of yet).

Just like when the Quad first came out, it takes several months for the problems to get worked out by the third party developers.

Bob Zelin

[Bob Zelin]

Robert writes –

Also, what’s the MP issue with the SATA storage? I guess this is only a problem with external SATA boxes. I can wait a month…

REPLY – it’s a problem with the Sonnet E4P SATA host card. I am unaware of any other PCI express SATA host cards that work with Port Multiplier SATA boxes, that support the Silicon Image chip set. So you are stuck waiting for Sonnet.

BTW: it might take me several weeks to get either system in place anyway.

REPLY – I have no idea of how long it will take these companies to write the correct code.

[Bob Zelin] “the Mac Pro will be obsolete by Mid 2007, so you will be screwed ”

What are we expecting to happen–Mid 2007?

REPLY – you tell me Robert. The dual 2.7 G5 came out, less than a year later the Quad PCI Expres came out, and less than an year later, the MAC Pro came out. Are you expecting the progress from Apple with new releases to slow down ?

Bob Zelin

[Bob Zelin]

Hi Bart –
call ATTO yourself – I just spoke with tech support. I can only repeat what they told me, and what my personal results were (I only called ATTO because of my problems).

Bob

[Bob Zelin]

I don’t know Robert – do you have customers waiting to edit in your room? Do you need a computer now? Since you have “limited resources”, I guess that expensive storage is not an option for you – correct ? Or is this a hobby ? If you have to edit RIGHT NOW, and can afford a HUGE or Medea array or XServe RAID, get the Mac Pro – if you need SATA , and can’t wait a month – get the Quad.

But don’t worry – as I often say – the Mac Pro will be obsolete by Mid 2007, so you will be screwed no matter what you do – (and this applies to buying a PC too, since Vista will be released soon). No mattter what you do – you are screwed – (unless you get that deli slicer, and start selling us sandwiches).

bob Zelin

[Bob Zelin]

please don’t tell me that you have the Kona LHe XLR outputs connected directly to powered speakers with no mixer, or audio attenuator –

Bob Zelin

[Bob Zelin]

the selection is in the Kona Control panel – I forgot where.

It’s easy to find – just poke around in the kona control panel.

Bob zelin

[Bob Zelin]

go to the Kona control panel, select analog, and change the analog output from component to composite – the Y out will become the composite output. you should spend time screwing around with the Kona control panel. It is very useful.

Bob Zelin