Transition to Mac Pro

[freebird2003]

Transition to Mac Pro

I have been using pc/windows environment for more than 15 years. I never even thought of purchasing a Mac system. I am studying filming and visual effects and I plan to purchase a killer 64bit environment workstation for high end video editing and rendering. I have considered HP workstation and dell precision workstation. I also realized recently apple unleashed octec core Mac pro. After careful analyzing the specification and I must say I am impress with the specification and it is a no nonsense system.

And furthermore it is more cost effective when compared with dell, hp or ibm workstation. My main reason to consider mac pro is boot camp and able to install xp or vista 64 bit edition. Before I make the full transition these are my concerns:

1. Should I wait for boot camp to be compatible with 64bit of windows?
2. I am still new to the EFI. I am aware the vistas 64 have EFI. Will I be able to install vista 64 successfully?
3. Will I be able to set vista/xp has the default os?
4. Will I abe able to install vista/xp in a separate hdd ?
5. This question might sound strange. Will I be able to format the hdd (remore mac osx) and juz install vista 64 or xp x64?
6. Say, I have installed all the vista/xp and all the drivers successfully, does that means, now the mac pro is juz like another pc workstation. And now I can install all the windows software as I would install in a normal pc?
7. For hardware, am I able to add hdd from 3rd party vendors like WD, Maxtor. Am I be able to add blu-ray internal drive from 3rd party vendors if they are sata interface(diy)

 

[Father Jack]

Transition to Mac Pro

I have been using pc/windows environment for more than 15 years. I never even thought of purchasing a Mac system. I am studying filming and visual effects and I plan to purchase a killer 64bit environment workstation for high end video editing and rendering. I have considered HP workstation and dell precision workstation. I also realized recently apple unleashed octec core Mac pro. After careful analyzing the specification and I must say I am impress with the specification and it is a no nonsense system.

And furthermore it is more cost effective when compared with dell, hp or ibm workstation. My main reason to consider mac pro is boot camp and able to install xp or vista 64 bit edition. Before I make the full transition these are my concerns:

1. Should I wait for boot camp to be compatible with 64bit of windows?
2. I am still new to the EFI. I am aware the vistas 64 have EFI. Will I be able to install vista 64 successfully?
3. Will I be able to set vista/xp has the default os?
4. Will I abe able to install vista/xp in a separate hdd ?
5. This question might sound strange. Will I be able to format the hdd (remore mac osx) and juz install vista 64 or xp x64?
6. Say, I have installed all the vista/xp and all the drivers successfully, does that means, now the mac pro is juz like another pc workstation. And now I can install all the windows software as I would install in a normal pc?
7. For hardware, am I able to add hdd from 3rd party vendors like WD, Maxtor. Am I be able to add blu-ray internal drive from 3rd party vendors if they are sata interface(diy)

I think all the Vista / bootcamp questions will be resolved by the release of Leopard.

In the mean time I can answer 6 and 7

6. Yes you will be able to install what ever PC software you like.

7. Yes you can install any make of hard drive as long as it's sata (I have two Maxtor drives and one WD in my Mac Pro)

 

[SMM]

There was a nearly identical thread like this a week or so ago. Many opinions were exchanged. I am a huge Mac fan and would almost always recommend them. However, if you want a purely Windows machine, get one. If you are studying filming and visual effects, then you have surely been exposed to Macs, and know they are the major player in those fields. With 15 years experience, and never 'even thought of purchasing a Mac system", I am shocked to say the least. I am even more surprised that someone in filming and visual effects would not want to leave the world's finest desktop OS on the machine. It seems like you are into such a small niche environment, you would be better off with the next step down, but runs your software.

 

[freebird2003]

If you are studying filming and visual effects, then you have surely been exposed to Macs, and know they are the major player in those fields. With 15 years experience, and never 'even thought of purchasing a Mac system", I am shocked to say the least. I am even more surprised that someone in filming and visual effects would not want to leave the world's finest desktop OS on the machine. It seems like you are into such a small niche environment, you would be better off with the next step down, but runs your software.

Here is Singapore, the system they use are all in pc environment. the reason i consider mac pro is juz beause of hardware. it would be great to have both os. but there are more software application/support in windows than in mac. i would want a enjoyable transition when i get a mac pro.

i can definably wait for leopard version for 64 bit support.

Thanks

 

[Pressure]

I would recommend buying Final Cut Pro with that Mac Pro and buy an extra hard drive for, ehm, your Windows partition.

I strongly suggest you try out the Mac side of things before continuing in old tracks

 

[hessdesigns]

Yeah, why waste the Mac Pro's performance, beauty, simplicity on making it a Windows machine? I grew up with a PC, and with my dad a hard-core Windows advocate. I recently returned to school for motion graphic design and got myself a Mac Pro. One of the many reasons I love it is that there is support for it. I know Windows sends out updates, but not the way Apple does. It's updates are for the WHOLE computer, not just the OS. If you were running XP or Vista only, I don't think you would get those updates... Finally, I couldn't be happier I switched. I don't even use Boot Camp, just straight Mac.

 

[Pressure]

Here is Singapore, the system they use are all in pc environment. the reason i consider mac pro is juz beause of hardware. it would be great to have both os. but there are more software application/support in windows than in mac. i would want a enjoyable transition when i get a mac pro.

i can definably wait for leopard version for 64 bit support.

Thanks

Do you mean you cannot find sound and video-editing software for Mac?

 

[freebird2003]

Do you mean you cannot find sound and video-editing software for Mac?

Thanks for all your advice. i am so used to windows environment, i am not really sure how will i feel when i switch to osx environment. i am sure there are video editing apps like final cut studio. i am so used to tweaking the registry and furthermore, i have software like unigraphics and solid edge that i might install in the future. i dont think, there are available in mac environment.

i also like to ask another question,

1. say i have a intel mac pro with one hdd. if i took out the hdd and put another empty hdd(sata) can i juz insert a xp/vista cd into the superdrive and install the os like i would in a regular pc.

2. if i where to put back the the mac hdd back into the second slot, will i be able to switch boot to osx anytime so that i can perform any updates or use final cut.

3. to solve the blue tooth problem, if i did not opt for the bluetooth option in the purchase, i have a belkin usb bluetooth, will able to get it workin on osx environment and will the apple keyboard/mouse work with is usb bluetooth.


Thanks alot

 

[twoodcc]

well i would use bootcamp to install windows on the second harddrive, and then you could dual boot windows and mac os x.

i also advise you to wait til Leopard before you buy. and at least try out final cut if you can

 

[freebird2003]

well i would use bootcamp to install windows on the second harddrive, and then you could dual boot windows and mac os x.

i also advise you to wait til Leopard before you buy. and at least try out final cut if you can

Thanks again for all your advice. i think i will wait for leopard and wait for 64bit drivers to be more stable. i guess in future apple will release boot camp 1.3.

another question:

can i say there is only one graphic card from ati (x1900) which can work both in mac & vista(32/64) ??

thanks again.