[Bob Zelin]

It appears that the iMac Pro in a useful form will be about $6399 (B&H). If you look at the HP Z31X monitor, it’s
$3999 for that monitor (at B&H) so $6399 for the “complete system” is a pretty good deal. The Mac includes for that price the Vega 64, 64 Gig RAM, and the 10G card (and the monitor).

I mean – we do want to compare “apples to apples” (pardon the pun).

Bob Zelin

Bob Zelin
Rescue 1, Inc.
bobzelin@icloud.com

[Bob Zelin]

Well contrary to my panic (I always panic and try to create hysteria) – B&H is showing the iMac Pro with
the Vega 64 GPU, 64 gig of RAM, and the 1TB SSD for $6399. That’s actually a pretty good price if you consider you are getting the 10G card and the monitor. (And yes, I know that when things become obsolete 3 years from now, you can’t open it up and change parts out).

Bob Zelin

Bob Zelin
Rescue 1, Inc.
bobzelin@icloud.com

[Bob Zelin]

once again – he mentions that it’s $4999. His configuration is NOT $4999 – it’s much more expensive

bob

Bob Zelin
Rescue 1, Inc.
bobzelin@icloud.com

[Bob Zelin]

Vincent LaForet’s review was with the blown out version. OF course it was fast. Will the $4999 model work this well ?
Probably not

Bob Zelin

Bob Zelin
Rescue 1, Inc.
bobzelin@icloud.com

[Bob Zelin]

for $88,000 ?

This is the Silverdraft Flame workstation for Autodesk Flame applications –
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?A=details&O=&Q=&ap=y&c3api=1876%2C%7Bcreative%7D%2C%7Bkeyword%7D&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIwe7Clf711wIVw4uzCh2pkwxAEAQYAyABEgKuDfD_BwE&is=REG&sku=1297200

$23,500

this is the Silverdraft Davinci Resolve workstation
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1297201-REG/silverdraft_silver33_base_resolve_computer_system_xeon.html
$12,7500

this is the Silverdraft After Effects Workstation
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1297199-REG/silverdraft_silver11_adobe_after_effects_workstation.html
$10,500

and a Silverdraft Resolve “blown out” workstation for $33,000
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1297197-REG/silverdraft_silver55_power_resolve_computer_system_dual.html

So you tell me exactly what is an $88,000 workstation for. This is like saying “I can’t use any shared storage system except Quantum, and it is SO worth the $200 – $300,000 that we spend for it”. My reply to this – that’ just stupid.

Bob Zelin

Bob Zelin
Rescue 1, Inc.
bobzelin@icloud.com

[Bob Zelin]

for $88,000, it better come with one important feature – CLIENTS !

Bob Zelin

Bob Zelin
Rescue 1, Inc.
bobzelin@icloud.com

[Bob Zelin]

I fully appreciate the fact that you want to run FCP X, and that you have a delivery requirement for ProRes.
I am just continuing the conversation about the easy instant availability of powerful PRE ASSEMBLED Win PC’s from companies like ASUS.

This is a ASUS ROG GT51CA for under $3500
https://www.amazon.com/GT51CA-XB71K-GTX1080SLI-Overclocked-overclockable-GeForce-Graphics/dp/B01K1JWD9A

Intel i7
4.2 Gig
64 Gig RAM
NVidia GTX 1080 SLI
1TB SATA AND two NVMe 512 Gig SSD’s.
USB C ports and 8 USB 3 ports
in the top “questions answered” – apparently this version comes with TWO 1080 SLI cards.

All I know is that this is cheap. And you don’t have to put it together yourself. For running Resolve, Premiere, etc.
and again – I KNOW it won’t run FCP X.

Bob Zelin

Bob Zelin
Rescue 1, Inc.
bobzelin@icloud.com

[Bob Zelin]

Hi Andy –
for the first time in all these years, I am having this conversation more and more. Now – are you referring to a computer for use with FCP X (making this into a Hackintosh), or just a PC to run Resolve and Premiere (and possibly AVID).
Yea, ASUS and MSI (and others) are making some fantastic looking products. And while most people are not willing to build their own Win 10 PC, companies like ASUS are making pre fab hi end models for less than a HP Z840 or Dell Precision, that come with NVidia GTX-1080’s. And of course, there is always Boxx Systems and Puget Systems (and probably others). So if the blown out iMac Pro is in fact $17,000 retail – well, that’s just crazy. But as has been discussed before, if the iMac Pro can be fitted with a Sonnet or Akitio eGPU box for $300 and you stick a AMD Radeon Vega 64 or RX580 in the box – well, this is a cheaper way than paying Apple for a blown out unit.

I think that the bottom line here, is that NOT ONE SINGLE PERSON on this forum (even Robin) will pay $17,000 for an Apple computer in 2017. Period.
https://247wallst.com/technology-3/2017/07/06/building-a-17000-apple-imac-pro/
https://www.macdiscussion.com/index.php?topic=1085.0
and plenty of other links.

Bob Zelin

Bob Zelin
Rescue 1, Inc.
bobzelin@icloud.com

[Bob Zelin]

Simple answer – I never tried it.
It would certainly be cheaper to buy the correct box (TVS-871T, TVS-1282T, TS-1685). And the new TS-1277 is about to come out with the Ryzen processors.

I use the TX-800P for expansion to the TVS-1282T and TVS-871T, and it works great via thunderbolt expansion. You get the full speed on the expanders. Because I am not a fan of thunderbolt 3 connection to your computer (are you really going to be 2 meters maximum away from your TS-453BT3) – and always recommend the 10G connection, I feel the other units are a better value, and a better decision. Will the TS-453BT3 work with the TX-800P as a thick volume storage pool and be fast enough ? I don’t know. I never tried it.

If you want a 12 bay, simply buy the TS-1685. Its under 3 grand, and it comes with the 10G ports. It will be fast enough for 6K and 8K editing, if its setup correctly. I would do a RAID 6, not a +1 . I hate hot spares. There is a speaker in the TS-1685 that will speak to you when a drive fails, and of course, flashing lights, and email notifications.

Bob Zelin

Bob Zelin
Rescue 1, Inc.
bobzelin@icloud.com

[Bob Zelin]

It seems obvious to me that the ONLY thing that is more important than “cheap” is “easy to use”. And if a Mac (in every application) is easier to use with minimal aggravation, people will pay for that.

As for PC’s – I too come from a background where you just wind up saying “just buy the HP Z840, shut up, and be done with it”. But with that said, the “how much does it cost” comes into play. The generic solution has been a HP Z840 (or Z820), or a Dell Precision workstation (or off the shelf boxes from BOXX, or Puget Systems).
But never underestimate the Chinese companies marching in. Blackmagic Design specifies the ASUS X99 Deluxe motherboard in their hardware specifications as alternates to the HP Z840 computer. And everyone at QNAP seems to love ASUS computers. SO – with that said – look at this “cheapie” with a “free” NVidia GVX-1080ti –

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1354215-REG/asus_gd30ci_db71_gtx1080ti_i7_7700_16gb_1tb_256ssd_gtx1080ti_w10.html
$2000, and no one is “custom building” a computer from scratch (with all the aggravation).

Bob Zelin

Bob Zelin
Rescue 1, Inc.
bobzelin@icloud.com