What kind of mac pro specs should I have for video editing?

I am running the media department for Skagit Valley College and am in charge of editing for our online content. I am currently using an imac with FCP6 but am spending way too much time rendering. I am wondering about what kind of specs I should consider for building a mac pro to cut down on some of that time as well as setting up an audio recording studio. Microphones, cables, software, and hardware specs are all issues that puzzle me at the moment as far as what is going to be the best fit for my productions...
please help
-anthony

Virtually any Mac Pro 6-core or up will work well, but obviously the more cores the better. Save the budget by adding your own RAM (I like 2GB per core) and hard drives (3TB Hitachi 7200 RPM drives are a good value) from reputable vendors. Avoid "green" drives that use lower spindle speed to save energy.
Get the fastest available video board (currently the 5870) and consider consider dial third party displays (I'm using a pair of 27" Samsungs, half the price of a single Apple 27) and look into a Matrox MXO2 mini to handle your grading monitor.
Get a copy of Final Cut Studio (2009) ASAP while it's still available and talk to your Apple rep about additional licenses if needed. If you know FCP6 and like it, you need to "bunker" the app and ignore FCP X until it fleshes out.
If you need more help, let me know... I've been on FCP since version 3 and I'm a native Washingtonian. Just don't call me Homie!
Good luck!

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What Mac Pro specs should I consider for photography?

After years of putting up with various pc configurations, I've decided to take the plunge and go over to a Mac Pro system.
I have up to £4000 to invest on a system to use primarily for my work as a photographer. But which areas should I concentrate on when configuring my set-up? Given that Photoshop seems happy to suck up as much memory and processing power as one can throw at it, a sizeable amount of RAM and a decent speed of processor appears obvious. But how much RAM and what size processor, bearing in mind that my image file sizes are usually around the 300Mb mark and often go as high as 700Mb when containing unflattened layers? These file sizes have rendered my supposed powerful Dell to performing at a snails pace. Also, what else should I consider in my configuration?
My image library is stored on a separate drive, so I could probably live with a reduced hard drive capacity if necessary.
Incidentally, I am far from being a computer boffin, so I'd appreciate advice which isn't overly technical.
Thanks in advance.
Message was edited by: halfwit iPod user

I'm in the UK and I use my Mac Pro for Video and Photography and I've had a few Mac Pro's getting to my ideal solution. If you are only using it for Photography I think you would be fine with 8Gb of RAM but if you fill out all 8 slots with 2Gb modules from Crucial it's not too bad to go to 16Gb. My advice would be to run the Mac Pro on a large Western Digital Caviar Black (their quickest) such as the 2Tb model. Then, I'd invest in a Tempo SATA card so you can purchase either a Drobo or a Hive for your Vault for Aperture so you have total peace of mind with your data. Display wise, just buy an Apple 30" Cinema before they replace it with a glossy version. They are absolutely superb for Video and Photography but beware, if they go wrong and they are in the bin, so buy AppleCare immediately. I've listed my setup below with where to buy and costs in UK pounds. Good luck and enjoy.
Mac Pro 8-core with the 8Gb upgrade from Apple as that will give you 4x2Gb allowing you to not have to bin the 6x1Gb's you would get as standard. Then also add the ATI Radeon HD 4870. Should come to £2798.00 inc. VAT.
Western Digital 2Tb Caviar Black (eBuyer, http://www.ebuyer.com/product/173388) for £173.86
Sonnet Tempo SATA E4P Serial ATA Host Adaper (Cancom, http://www.cancomuk.com/Brand/Sonnet/Product/59673?_Sonnet-Tempo-SATA-E4P-Serial-ATA-Host-Adapter-for-PCI-Express-(TSATAII-E4P)-TSATAII-E4P&ref=5681a404afd60a8d) for £232.00
Apple Aperture 3 (Jigsaw, http://www.jigsaw24.com/product-details/mb957za/apple-aperture-3-web-updatable-t o-3.0.3) for £119.00
Hive 4Tb Raid (Give's 2.8Tb of SAFE storage) (Cancom, http://www.cancomuk.com/Brand/Hive/Product/66109?_Hive-4TB-RAID-(4x1TB-drives)-5002) for £716.00
Apple 30" Cinema Display (Jigsaw, http://www.jigsaw24.com/product-details/m9179ba/apple-30-cinema-display) for £1115.08
All the prices are inclusive of the dreaded VAT so if you are VAT registered you can save. I would say that with Aperture 3 you need full Photoshop less than ever, I'd consider Elements to start with to save some cash. You could also look at a Drobo instead of the Hive but we bought both in our office and the Drobo is painfully slow in comparison to the Hive and the Hive uses a dedicated Hardware RAID where the Drobos use a software version and I've heard some horror stories from Drobo owners.

I want to upgrade my Power Mac G5 Quad (Mac OS X 10.5.8) for video editing purposes. What upgrades should I make?

Hello!
I want to upgrade my Power Mac G5 Quad (Mac OS X 10.5.8) for video editing purposes.
Rendering,editing and exporting takes some time on my computer. I just want things to go faster.
What upgrades should I make?
Thanks in advance!!!

Here are other video cards that you can search for that will also work in your G5.
NVIDIA GeForce 7800 GT with 256 MB of GDDR3 SDRAM, and NVIDIA Quadro FX 4500 with 512 MB of GDDR3 SDRAM
http://www.amazon.com/nVIDIA-Quadro-FX4500-PCI-Express-631-0110/dp/B004XCYG10/re f=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1365657320&sr=1-3&keywords=NVIDIA+Quadro+FX+4 500
or
http://www.amazon.com/Power-Nvidia-256mb-Geforce-Express/dp/B00BL30JQU/ref=sr_1_ 3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1365657552&sr=1-3&keywords=NVIDIA+GeForce+7800+GT

Which MacBook Pro w/ Retina to buy for Video Editing?

Hi, I am looking into buying a MacBook Pro for Video Editing. This is not my main machine because I already have an i7, 16GB RAM, GTX 760 2TB HDD machine at home. My home machine beasts through my daily editing but I am stumped on which MacBook is worth the money!
I am comparing the...
13" Retina with
i7
256 GB SSD
16GB RAM
Integrated Graphics
for $1849 (with EDU discount)
VS
15" Retina with
i7
512 GB SSD
16GB RAM
GT 750m with 2GB DDR5 Memory
for $2,479 (with EDU Discount)
I don't really care about the screen size, I'll be using thunderbolt storage anyways, I am mainly wondering if the GT 750m will make much of a difference in editing footage. Mainly AVCHD 1080p but also I'd like it to be able to handle 4k in small amounts. I would mainly use proxy's at that point but just in case. I also don't do a ton in After Effects, but may need to send some shots here and there of for VFX work. This is mainly for if I'm on the go and need to make an edit or I need to do photography work (Lightroom and Photoshop)
Thanks,
Cameron Gallagher

Both will work fine with 1080p AVCHD but you will notice an increase in performance simply because Premiere LOVES a good GPU and the 750M is a good one as far as laptops go. Yes, its more but if you're serious about performance go with the better GPU.
That being said...save a bit and go with this below (same as your 2nd option but cheaper):
Refurbished 15.4-inch MacBook Pro 2.5GHz Quad-core Intel i7 with Retina Display - Apple Store (U.S.)
It'll save you $400. Bam! Thank me later. Apple's refurbished program is top of the line. Comes fully warrantied and you can get apple care, etc. if you want as well. It's like buying it new. These refurbished computers are often just ones bought and then returned within a few days by customers trying things out and there's absolutely nothing wrong with them. They can basically be looked at like new.

What "kind" of Mac Pro do I have

Would anyone mind helping me understand what "kind" of MacPro (early, late or whatever) I have and how all of this may or may not affect how memory is recognized by WinXP through Leopard?
Is there an issue here in terms of the difference and if so, what is it exactly?
Also, will these issues be the same in terms of Windows 7 when it comes out?
Lastly, I was looking at buying a MacBook mostly because I want a small profile computer for office related tasks while on the go, even though I should be buying something that will accommodate more ram if I wanted to run my professional software on it.
Are the same kind of issues involved in what kind of MacBook or MacBookPro I buy?
Much thanks,
Jonathan
P.S. If I can get this information without the kind of low-grade insult and hostility that the guy with five boxes gave me on my earlier posts on this, that would be super.

Open the System Profiler in your Utilities folder. The machine information will include information such as the following:
Model Name: Mac Pro
Model Identifier: MacPro1,1
Processor Name: Dual-Core Intel Xeon
Processor Speed: 2.66 GHz
Number Of Processors: 2
Total Number Of Cores: 4
L2 Cache (per processor): 4 MB
Memory: 4 GB
Bus Speed: 1.33 GHz
The information after Model Identifier will tell you which generation and the model within the generation. 1,1 means first generation, first model; 2,1 would mean second generation, first model. The Early 2009 (newest) model should be 4,1. There have been thus far four generations: Mid 2006, Mid 2007, Early 2008, and Early 2009.
All Intel Macs are similarly identified.
The currently made MacBooks can accommodate at least 6 GBs of RAM, although the Unibody MacBook Pro is supposed to accommodate 8 GBs. However, I don't know that anyone has reported they have successfully installed 8 GBs.
If your work requires FireWire ports then you will need the White MacBook or a MacBook Pro. Unibody MacBooks do not have a FireWire port.
Oh, and I'm the guy you insulted not the other way around. You simply have a problem listening.
Message was edited by: Kappy

What kind of Mac configuration should I get for video editing

I have been using after effects and premiere pro a lot and has been experiencing lots off lag, even when I am using the Internet. What Mac configuration should I get for this type of editing?

When I was doing more video editing, two things mattered ..... a fast CPU and lots of memory. Having the horsepower to handle activities like rendering really helps.
On lag, while it certainly can be application-driven, you might look over this FAQ for some ideas.
If you haven't already, you might also ask in the FCP dicussion here.

What kind of menu bar navigation should i do for my website

My website to start off is a giant tree that i created in Illustrator and i want to put the navigation dispersed throughout the tree an idea i had was a tag like the kind they used to tie to your luggage with twine made out of paper I don't really want the words to just be sitting in the tree either it looks too boring. I tried doing larger leafs but i don't like that idea either it just looks out of place. what kind of Menu bar should i do for the website?

design decisions, like beauty, is your call. but, if you like the idea of leaves and a navigation system that's not particularly easy to use, create some leaves in your tree that stand-out some way. they need not be large and certainly not large enough to display their text. but on mouseover they could enlarge and display their text.

Mac Pro 8-core too slow for Multiclip editing

I have a Mac Pro 8core (pre-Nehalem), with 4 gb of memory. I'm doing some multiclip editing,and even with RT set to the lowest preview quality, my system stills blocks from time to time. I don't want to invest in a RAID-system, because I don't do multiclip editing that often. Is there an other - not expensive - way to speed up my Mac? Would adding memory - say to 6 gb - help?
I also have the impression that since I upgraded to Leopard Snow, the computer is much less stable. FCP shut down twice unexpectedly yesterday.

You don't say what format of HD you're editing but the fluidity of playing multiclip sequences is really dependent on the system's ability to provide all the streams of video in a timely manner. This means hard drive throughput is essential. A good quality sata drive in a MacPro can read somewhere around 115 MB/sec when empty. It will spool material less effectively as it fills.
Very good quality esata RAID systems can provide 5x that - which is why people utilize them. (fwiw-I've run 16 streams of 720p24 DVCProHD off of a Caldigit HDOne in a multiclip sequence without a hiccup. )
What can you do if you don't want to pay the price for the right gear for the job?
1. populate all your internal bays with fast hard drives
2. empty the drives
3. spread your captured files across all three (non system drives)
This will distribute the load as much as possible without going to a RAID setup.
Once you have all the drives empty, you could try setting up a RAID 0 set using Disk Utility and see if that works for you. One caveat - if you decide to go the internal software RAID 0 route, recognize there is no failsafe should you encounter a serious system crash. Everything on all drives that are part of the RAID set can be compromised.
Good luck,
x

2012 mac mini i7 or imac i5 for video editing with final cut pro 7 ?

Hello,
I am totally new to mac world.
I read some posts but not clear to me if better a mac mini 2012 i7 2,3Ghz and video card Intel HD Graphics 4000 or an imac 2012 i5 2,7GHz and NVIDIA GeForce
GT 640M with 512MB of GDDR5 memory.
The software is final cut studio 3 from final cut pro 7.
So better more performance in the l cpu or in the videocard?
Thank you
Gianni

If the Mac Mini has not had its hardware changed since the release of Mountain Lion, July 25, 2012, Final Cut Pro 7 is reported as not working in some situations under Mountain Lion. If it has been hardware changed by Apple on or after July 25, 2012, you won't be able to run Lion, and may not be able to run all Final Cut Pro 7's features. The two entries for Final Cut Pro 7:
http://roaringapps.com/app:4449
and
http://roaringapps.com/app:4909
Appear to conclude it launches, but there must be something that doesn't work. There are some issues both with Lion and Mountain Lion with Final Cut Studio 3:
http://roaringapps.com/app:1384
My advice, check the Final Cut forums to see what people have experienced with both. And make sure to follow specs exactly.

What kind of hard drive should I get for video editing on my MacBook Pro

I work in film preservation, which requires a lot of rendering of DPX files.
I currently have a late-2009 MacBook Pro. It's having a lot of problems such as freezing and overheating, so I think it might be best to just replace the hard drive. Any tips on ssd vs hdd for quick rendering performance? Also, the optical drive is not functional so if like to use that as extra hard drive space as well.
Don't know too much about hard drives, and I'd really appreciate any help.
Thanks in advance!

Thanks everyone,
The symptoms don't exactly correlate with the ones listed on the page about resetting the Systems Management Controller. Typically when I'm running a demanding program like After Effects or Compressor alongside Chrome, the screen will typically freeze up, though I retain control of the mouse. I can't click anything though, and it usually takes about a minute or two (after I've pressed command-option-esc) for the mac to start responding again. I think it's because I'm trying to make the mac do things it wasn't designed to do, such as run these processor-heavy programs. Lately it's also been freezing very frequently while playing Netflix. The movie just freezes, though I can still hear the sound continuing, and then in about a minute or two it will snap back to the currently playing part of the movie.
As far as overheating, I've made it possible for my mac to perform with these programs by either keeping it on an icepack or heavily ventilated with an exterior fan. It seems that after heavy bouts of using these programs though, the freezing frequency and seriousness is worse. If I don't keep the mac really well ventilated and it gets too hot, the screen just goes black, everything stops, and then in a few seconds it pops back as if nothing happened, running normally.
The model of my mac is:
MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2009)
MacBookPro5,5
MB991xx/A
13.3"/2.53/2X2GB/250-5400
However, I did add some more RAM when I go the computer to help it along.
Thanks again for all and any help! It's very much appreciated.

What macbook should I buy for video editing?

I'm an indie filmmaker and I need to have a macbook that I can take with me, so I can do editing. I never owned one before. (I have an iMac at home) I would like to keep it around $1800 (with tax&Shipping). I've seen some refurbished 2011 models here on Apple way under that amount.
I need one that will able to handle Adobe CS5.5 and Final Cut without any problems. I've been told 512MB was more than enough to run FCP. Should I just go with the 1gb video ram model instead? I just don't want a macbook pro that has issues with playback and rendering issues. I found a 17" online for $1900 with 1GB Video Card. Is that considered a good deal?
In the future should I consider putting in a SSD drive in the to help speed things up?
Thanks in advance.

It doesnt matter really what macbook u buy.. If u buy the latest ones they have usually i5 and i7 processors which are quite powerful for Logic 9. The important bit is to have a good amount of ram 4-6 GB is quite good
Also if you make a practise to run just Logic while ur working on it and close other applications it should be flying.. Althought i am pretty bad at following this habit.. I have a macbook pro with the following..
Processor 2.8 GHz Intel Core i7
Memory 4 GB 1333 MHz DDR3
Works MAGIC for me

What graphics card should I get for video editing?

I recently purchased a G5 2.3ghz,Canon GL2 camcorder and Final Cut Express HD. Does any one have any suggestions on a good graphics card? I was thinking of buying a radeon 9800pro or would I be better off with the Radeon X800 XT.

Hi,
Firstly the card may work properly and the monitor may go to sleep after 1 hr or the power option (even it does not have battery) may turn the screen off after 1 hour. What is the model of your machine actually, for example the following link shows one model (HP TouchSmart 610-1150y):
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?cc=us&lc=en&docname=c02861058#N155
Upgrading/replacing video card on AIO machines is relative simpler than on laptops BUT finding the RIGHT card could be very difficult.
Regards.
BH
**Click the KUDOS thumb up on the left to say 'Thanks'**
Make it easier for other people to find solutions by marking a Reply 'Accept as Solution' if it solves your problem.

How to choose the right Mac Pro Specs?

Hello all,
Below is a question I posted in May along with someone's response. I'm wondering if I should still go with the response I received considering the new release of the mac pro 12 core. Did anything change that I need to note in my purchase or is the below response suitable? THANKS!!!!!
my question:
I need some help in choosing the right specs for my mac pro. I am looking for a computer that will help me in running my small business and keep my art portfolio organized. I'll probably be running several programs at a time (ex. mozilla, itunes, adobe bridge, dreamweaver, illustrator, and photoshop). More specifics below
What i'll be using it for:
building a few websites
managing my small business
large photo file editing
keeping business files, artist receipts, etc
cataloging my art portfolio (large photo files)
storing photos, music, and short videos
graphic design
infrequent film editing
infrequent sound editing
what programs i'll be using:
CS5 (mostly photoshop, illustrator, bridge, dreamweaver)
iphoto
itunes
maybe minimal finalcut/soundtrack pro
maybe minimal aftereffects
Advice?
My concerns are that it needs to run pretty smoothly with multiple programs open, no overheating, plenty of space for file storage and application support.
Hello washleyill,
My advice would be to buy the standard configuration 2.66GHz Quad Core (i.e. 3 x 1GB RAM, 640GB hard drive) from the Apple store, with the exception of the graphics card which you can buy as a CTO option for $200.00. It is well worth the upgrade from the GT120 - I know, because I upgraded myself last November after using a GT120 for 4 months.
With regard to the memory, if you can afford it now, buy 4 x 4GB from OWC now. If not, I would suggest that you buy 2 x 4GB now, and then add another 2 x 4GB in the future. 16GB of RAM is a much better option than 8GB for your requirements. You can sell the 3 x 1GB RAM to OWC in "part exchange", and there would be little difference in price for 2 x 4GB to the CTO option of 4 x 2GB.
http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/memory/Mac-Pro-Memory#1066-memory
Instead of buying 2 x 1TB hard drives as a CTO option, you could purchase 2 x 1.5TB or 2 x 2TB HDDs for less money, and you would still have the 640GB. Spare drives are always useful. I use my original 640GB as a spare emergency system boot drive (OS and applications) in an external enclosure.
Another alternative is to wait a few more weeks, in case the rumours of the introduction of a new Mac Pro range in June have any foundation.
Regards,
Bill

Hello again washleyill,
The defining factor, which you haven't mentioned in either this or your original question, is what your overall budget is.
With the introduction of the new models, it's a new ball game now since I replied to your original question.
Now, if it is within your budget, I would recommend the 2010 Mac Pro 3.33GHz 6-Core "Westmere", with the standard 1TB hard drive, the basic 3 x 1GB RAM, but with the CTO Radeon HD5870 1GB Graphics Card.
This is the same configuration that Lloyd Chambers (of Mac Performance Guide fame) has recently ordered:
http://macperformanceguide.com/index.html
Then buy as much memory as you can afford now from OWC (trade-in the 3 x 1GB of Apple RAM against this):
http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/memory/Mac-Pro-Memory#1066-memory
(The 1333MHz is now listed on this page as well as the 1066MHZ)
If your budget is large enough, then certainly it is worth considering the 2.93Ghz 12-Core, but the 3.33GHz 6-Core, with maxed out memory and fast hard drives, should be more than adequate for your requirements. The more memory the better for Photoshop CS5!
I have just ordered Photoshop CS5 myself. It is a big step-up from Elements 8, and I was going to wait until next year, by which time, hopefully, any initial problems and bugs should have been resolved.
However, Adobe UK made me an offer I couldn't refuse! The full boxed Photoshop CS5 edition for half price!
Also, the offer included an option to buy Lightroom3 at the same time with a 30% discount off its normal price, and so I have taken the plunge and ordered that as well, because I have never been completely happy with Aperture (II or III). Normally, I would not have purchased both Photoshop CS5 and Lightroom 3, but at these prices the offer was too tempting.
Best of luck with your purchase,
Regards,
Bill

What kind of bluetooth dongle(usb) should I get to use my Magic Mouse properly?

My Mac Pro doesn't have bluetooth. What kind of bluetooth dongle(usb) should I get to use my Magic Mouse properly? I already have one, but it makes the mouse seriously lacking.

I keep the dongle plugged into the back of my apple 27" monitor so that means it is only 1 to 2 feet away from the mouse. Don't plug it into the mac pro itself if that is at any distance from the mouse. The closer you can keep the dongle to the mouse the better.
Do a smc and pram reset.
If all is lost, and you have xcode installed then you can do a bluetooth factory reset.
Note that if you should sleep your machine, power is off the usb's, so the dongle is off. This means you cannot wake the machine with any BT devices like the mouse (I use a wired keyboard). Also sometimes upon waking the machine the mouse does not immediately re-pair (maybe 20% of the time). So you have to flip its switch to get the system's attention.
While I do have internal BT, using the dongle disables the internal (at least for 2010 mac pro's).
And of course BT would go inactive if you pulled the dongle out!

Replacing my HDD in my Early 2011 Macbook Pro...Trying to decide between Samsung 840 EVO 250 gb and Crucial M500 240 gb. Samsung is faster but less "mac-friendly". Should I opt for the Crucial due to the "mac-friendliness"?

I have a S.M.A.R.T error on my current Hitachi drive that came with me Early 2011 Macbook pro. Want to upgrade to SSD.
Trying to decide between Samsung 840 EVO 250gb and Crucial M500 240gb, at this gb range, the Samsung is faster and uses less wattage....ONE PROBLEM...I have read many user experiences that note it is much less mac-friendly...
The software samsung offers is not IOS compatible and some report lower than expected speeds after installation...Also apparently the RAPID MODE of the drive, the fastest drive mode is nonexistant when installed on a Macbook pro?
Should I opt for the slower and more power cosuming Crucial M500 240gb SSD because it is more Mac-friendly? Does anyone have a Samsung 840 EVO 250 gb SSD installed in their macbook pro? What has been your experience?
Thanks ahead of time!
Resoure: http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/crucial-m500-1tb-ssd,3551.html

I decided against the Evo as there are too many Mac users that have had issues with slow speed on them. Even without these, the main speed that Samsung states for the Evo comes form turbo Write which is a PC only feature as is software dependent.
I'm sorry but Crucials M500 is simply too slow compared to modern drives to be recomended. Read speed is ok, but the write is far too slow for the price.
I've used and installed both a Samsung 840 basic and a Samsung 840 Pro in 2 separate Mac books! and currently have the 840 Pro in my own MacBook Pro and it comes very highly recomended. It's all but the fastest Sata III drive you can buy - A few OCZ drives just edge it but the difference is negligible. Samsung by far have the best reliability though when it comes to SSD's. I've been getting 520Mb/s easily on mine consistently, and without getting a MacBook with a PCIe drive you won't get a faster more reliable drive.
I really would recommend nothing else.

What kind of mac pro specs should I have for video editing?

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