Wanna help me configure my MacPro?

[BiikeMike]

If I were you, I would use my money a different way...

Get the 8-core machine, and instead of the apple monitors, Get 2 dell 24" monitors. The savings right there will be enough to cover the cost of the 8 core machine.

Or just get the dell 30" widescreen monitor in the outlet for 1049. Thats a $750 savings which would be the cost to upgrade to the 8 core machine

I've SERIOUSLY been thinking about that. looking at going with a 24" gateway and keepint the 17" cheapo I have on my windows box. Get a calibrator, and don't touch the controls after its calibrated.

The Gateways are brighter, cheaper, faster response time, etc.

I think I may have just talked myself into it!

 

[diamond3]

So does this mean you are going to go with the 8 core mac pro or just save the money (or i guess not spend as much) by going with the 4 core

 

[BiikeMike]

So does this mean you are going to go with the 8 core mac pro or just save the money (or i guess not spend as much) by going with the 4 core

Definantly going with the 8 core, and with the suggestions from this thread, getting the base RAM and base HDD. The display is the only thing i'm stuck on, but I think I'm going to go with the 30" ACD after all. However, after speaking with someone at an Apple authorized retailer today, I am going to wait until after NAB to place the order. She said they are going to update the displays. I don't know if she actually KNOWS this, or was just saying it, but I'm going to wait anyway.

 

[dartzorichalcos]

2 more options

How about these options?
Two 2.66GHz Dual-Core Intel Xeon
8GB (8 x 1GB)
250GB 7200-rpm Serial ATA 3Gb/s
ATI Radeon X1900 XT 512MB (2 x dual-link DVI)
Apple Cinema HD Display (23" flat panel)
Apple Cinema HD Display (23" flat panel)
One 16x SuperDrive
Bluetooth 2.0+EDR module
Apple Keyboard and Mighty Mouse - U.S. English
Mac OS X - U.S. English
AppleCare Protection Plan for Mac Pro/Power Mac (w/or w/o Display) - Auto-enroll

or

Two 3.0GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon
2GB (4 x 512MB)
250GB 7200-rpm Serial ATA 3Gb/s
4 x NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GT 256MB
Apple Cinema HD Display (23" flat panel)
Apple Cinema HD Display (23" flat panel)
One 16x SuperDrive
Bluetooth 2.0+EDR module
Apple Keyboard and Mighty Mouse - U.S. English
Mac OS X - U.S. English
AppleCare Protection Plan for Mac Pro/Power Mac (w/or w/o Display) - Auto-enroll

 

[BiikeMike]

I thought about going with 2 23" as well, but lightroom does not support multi monitors, and I'd rather have it all on one anyway

and why would I need 4 video cards?

 

[dartzorichalcos]

and why would I need 4 video cards?

Just in case you want more displays for the Final Cut video work and some other stuff. Not to mention possible SLI support in the future.

 

[dkoralek]

NO, it must be s.a.t.a.

There are no power and data cables to connect to the hard drive for a Mac Pro (unlike the G5) when the hard drive is fitted into the "carrier" for lack of a better word, the hard drive is pushed back into a socket. That's it, job done.

This isn't completely true. Only SATA drives will fit in the four hard disk caddies. The optical drive bay has room for two PATA (EIDE) drives as the optical drive that comes with the machine isn't SATA and there is room for a second drive. If you were going to mount a 3.5" hard disk, you'd have to put a bracket in there, though.

cheers.

 

[dkoralek]

cool, thanks dk!

I have built PCs for many years, so I don't think it will be a problem installing any of the stuff, just wanted to make sure that everything would work well and play nice with the Mac Pro

My pleasure. There are a number of people around here who have upgraded their optical drives without any problem, so you should be all set. The optica drive bay is a bit weird, but there are directions on the apple web site on how to open it up if it isn't clear at first.

cheers.

 

[osx-linux]

What drive/s are you going to hook up to the system?

Just picked up some 400GB sata300 segate drives for $99 from frys, looks like newegg has a similar deal now.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148246

However the fry's one is the retail kit and has a different model number than the one at newegg.