Which Mac Pro for print and which for web

My department is going to be purchasing new computers in the next month. I want to make an informed decision on which ones to buy.
We have both print and web designers. All will be getting new computers. However, I think that print and web probably have different technical needs.
So, of the three available: Quad-Core, 8-Core and 12-Core...which is best for which medium?

You could get along fine with an iMac.
You could wait and be forced to use Lion compliant apps
Do you need heavy grapic cabability you probably want 24GB RAM, not 8-12 cores but fastest single cpu available. Or even stock 4-core 2.8 (you don't want more and slower though like 2.4 or 2.6 or even 2.93GHz models).
Mac Performance Guide Reviews

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Which MAC Pro graphics card and how much RAM for FCE HD usage?

I plan on purchasing a MAC Pro afer MacWorld Expo next month. Any recommendations for a specific graphics card that would complement my usage of Final Cut Express HD 3.5?
Also, should I increase my RAM? I currently use 2 gb of RAM on my G4. Will I see greater productivity if I bump it up to 4gb of RAM on the MAC Pro or will 2gb suffice which I had planned to increase it to from the standard 1gb supplied?
PowerMAC G4 dual 1.42ghz Mac OS X (10.4.7) 2gb RAM, 3-LaCie FW800 external drives
PowerMAC G4 dual 1.42ghz Mac OS X (10.4.7) 2gb RAM, 3-LaCie FW800 external drives

Any of the graphics cards that Apple sells for the Mac Pro will be fine. Personally, I'd suggest choosing one with at least 128MB video RAM, 256MB would be better.
2GB RAM in your Mac Pro will be more than enough for general purpose video editing. Going to 4GB will give you more oomph for RealTime effects and somewhat for rendering but you won't see a big difference in regard to capturing or general editing in the timeline.

The new Mac Pro (6,1) and TRIM

With its economical internal design and limited internal expansion options, the new Mac Pro depends heavily on the speed and flexibility of Thunderbolt 2 for expansion. In the old days, we could add four HDs in the internal bays and one more under the optical drive. This also allowed us, if we used SSDs instead of HDs, to enable TRIM for other than Apple drives.
We know that TRIM doesn't work with a USB 3.0 connection. The question is, can TRIM be enabled on an SSD connected in some fashion through Thunderbolt? I know that graphics cards can be plugged into an external PCIe expansion chassis and that eSATA SSDs, such as the OWC Mercury Accelsior_E2, can plug in too. But does having to pass through the Thunderbolt interface interfer with or prevent TRIM support? For that matter, what kind of external connection to an SSD at the other end of the Thunderbolt cable would be able to support TRIM? I'm currently using a CalDigit PCIe card which provides two eSATA external connections, and when a NewerTech Voyager Q is connected and an SSD plugged into it (like putting bread in a toaster), the drive is seen as "Rotational" in System Information, and TRIM cannot be enabled.
Since TRIM support is important for continued performance and longer life of SSDs, is this an issue with the new Mac Pro's design philosophy?

Hopeful but not comforting.
With Mavericks, not all SSDs will report TRIM support, but doing a benchmark both before and after the change should confirm that TRIM is functional.
I should see TRIM = YES and not from some benchmark.
Thunderbolt support for TRIM is good. But Intel has as yet? never supported TRIM on an array, so not sure how that is accomplished.
"Is" or "may" and "could" - I just wouldn't make a "TRIM is supported by 10.8.5 and later" as it may vary by Macs that had native SATA III with PCIe support, the new Samsung controller Apple has been using. Certainly not in 5,1 Mac Pro except if and only for an Apple SSD BTO upgrade.

Which Mac Pro? More cores=slower speeds? And most of us know the speed matters or FPU for music and I don't understand the faster is for the least amount of procs. And while I get the whole rendering thing and why it makes sense.

Which Mac Pro? More cores=slower speeds? And most of us know the speed matters or FPU for music and I don't understand the faster is for the least amount of procs. And while I get the whole rendering thing and why it makes sense.
The above is what the bar says. It's been a while and wondered, maybe Apple changed the format for forums. Then got this nice big blank canvas to air my concerns. Went to school for Computer Science, BSEE, even worked at Analog Devices in Newton Massachusetts, where they make something for apple.
The bottom line is fast CPU = more FPU = more headroom and still can't figure out why the more cores= the slower it gets unless it's to get us in to a 6 core then come out with faster cores down the road or a newer Mac that uses the GPU. Also. Few. I'm the guy who said a few years ago Mac has an FCP that looks like iMovie on Steroids. Having said that I called the campus one day to ask them something and while I used to work for Apple, I think she thought I still did as she asked me, "HOW ARE THE 32 CORES/1DYE COMING ALONG? Not wanting to embarrass her I said fine, fine and then hung up. Makes the most sense as I never quite got the 2,6,12 cores when for years everything from memory to CPU's have been, in sets of 2 to the 2nd power. 2,4,8,16,32,64,120,256,512, 1024, 2048,4196,8192, 72,768. Wow. W-O-W and will be using whatever I get with Apollo Quad.
Peace to all and hope someone can point us in THE RIGHT DIRECTION. THANK YOU

Thanks for your reply via email/msg. He wrote:
If you are interested in the actual design data for the Xeon processor, go to the Intel site and the actual CPU part numbers are:
Xeon 4 core - E5.1620v2
Xeon 6 core - E5.1650v2
Xeon 8 core - E5.1680v2
Xeon 12 core - E5.2697v2
I read that the CPU is easy to swap out but am sure something goes wrong at a certain point - even if solderedon they make material to absorb the solder, making your work area VERY clean.
My Question now is this, get an 8 core, then replace with 2 3.7 QUAD CHIPS, what would happen?
I also noticed that the 8 core Mac Pro is 3.0 when in fact they do have a 3.4 8 core chip, so 2 =16? Or if correct, wouldn't you be able to replace a QUAD CHIP WITH THAT? I;M SURE THEY ARE UO TO SOMETHING AS 1) WE HAVE SEEN NO AUDIO FPU OR PERHAPS I SHOULD CHECK OUT PC MAKERS WINDOWS machines for Sisoft Sandra "B-E-N-C-H-M-A-R-K-S" -
SOMETHINGS UP AND AM SURE WE'LL ALL BE PLEASED, AS the mac pro was announced Last year, barely made the December mark, then pushed to January, then February and now April.
Would rather wait and have it done correct than released to early only to have it benchmarked in audio and found to be slower in a few areas- - - the logical part of my brain is wondering what else I would have to swap out as I am sure it would run, and fine for a while, then, poof....
PEACE===AM SURE APPLE WILL BLOW US AWAY - they have to figure out how to increase the power for 150 watts or make the GPU work which in regard to FPU, I thought was NVIDIA?

I have a Mac Pro 1.1 and want to put one or two large screens HD displays on it. What might I need to up grade and which HD TV or displays or the best for the money?

I have a Mac Pro 1.1 and want to add one or two HD displays or HDTVs to my computer. I do a lot of work with Photoshop and need a larger work area.
What do I need to up grade my computer? Which displays and or HDTV's might be the most cost effective to get?

Disk drive using native SATA bus interface will allow the drive to copy and always present and ready.
But once you have backup any hourly changes should be smaller and as long as the NAS and your switch should allow enough.
You should always have off line backups and don't rely on just one backup set or just TimeMachine.
WD RED models are designed for RAID and NAS and 7.2k instead of your more standard slower green 5400 rpm green models while still costing less than WD Blacks.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008JJLW4M/
How to clone your system:
http://macperformanceguide.com/Mac-HowToClone-backup.html
http://macperformanceguide.com/Mac-HowToClone.html
http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/7032/carbon-copy-cloner
Using Cloning as a Backup Strategy
http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/7032/carbon-copy-cloner
http://www.bombich.com/software/updates/ccc-3.5.html
Clone to internal, TimeMachine to NAS is one way to go at it.

Which Mac Pro config for PShop (and others)

Which processor config is best for Pshop multitaskers? Looking to choose a (new) Mac Pro. I am primarily a photo retoucher & photographer (in that order) But I also push my system doing 3D renderings, and often streaming Pandora while I work. Another forum offered suggestions to get the Quad core -and choose the 3.33Ghz 6 core "Westmere" (+ $1200) --as opposed to my first choice, which was the 8 Core w/two 2.4 Ghz "Westmere" processors. My goal is to keep the total cost under $4K -including additional RAM + ATI Radeon HD 5870. I chose the 8 core unit for the added RAM capability, and I thought that 8 cores would help when running multiple apps. But other posters had opined that since most apps -including Pshop (CS5) DON'T take advantage of multiprocessing the faster single processor w/6 cores would take the lead. I am a pro retoucher, and am often working multiple VERY large layered files. I do NOT do animation or video. I am also thinking of waiting for the next Mac Pro update -which past history suggests a possible late spring (2011) rollout. ( I wouldn't want a laptop as I work exclusively at my own studio, and want as much horsepower + longevity as I can afford)
Opinions appreciated -esp. real world tests using CURRENT Mac Pros. Thanks!

Yes, for best memory bandwidth performance, use 8 DIMMs, and it doesn't matter much what your mix and match is (other than certified of course for Mac Pro).
http://www.barefeats.com/harper3.html
No need to every discard the Apple memory until you get the urge to go to more than 8GB. Buying a full set of same and same time insures that they are less likely to deviate or have enough difference to cause trouble (even Crucial batches vary a bit).
I prefer TechWorks as a cut above, quality is good as it gets, comparable to Micron.
http://eshop.macsales.com/search/MatchedSets:+800Mhz+MacPro
The older Mac Pro was more trouble to get an ideal setup.

Which Mac Pro to buy for Studio 3

Guys, I'm in the process of upgrading my trusted Power Mac G5 Quad to a Mac Pro.
I will also upgrade to FCS 3.
My question is, which Mac Pro to buy? Quad 2.93 OR Octo 2.26?
Will FCS 3 along with Snow Leopard utilise ALL the Octo's processors? Or am I better off saving the money and sticking with a Quad?

If your income depends on this work, then buy the biggest, baddest, most RAM-filled Mac Pro you can.
At least get the octo 2.66. Put 12GB RAM in it, if you can, but put a minimum of 6GB in there. The concept is that as a professional editor, editing for clients, you must be as time efficient as you can afford to be.
Compressor will use that RAM to compress your stuff a lot faster. Also, Motion can make use of as much RAM as you throw in there. Final Cut Pro itself, not yet.

Which mac pro would be good for a recording studio

Hi, i am trying to gift a friend a mac pro.i am really clueless about which of the mac pro's would be best for a recording studio.

Apple Special Mac Pro
$2100 2.8GHz
The cpu can be upgraded to 6-core W3680
3 x 8GB RAM
SSD system
Mac Pro does not really benefit much from RAID of SSDs - lack of bandwidth
That is a good solid system - and one processor is even more efficient.

I have a new Mac Pro. I want to use my old Mac Pro as a storage drive for photos and old documents, linked to my new Mac Pro. How do I set up the old computer?

I have a new Mac Pro. I want to use my old Mac Pro as a storage drive for photos and old documents, linked to my new Mac Pro. How do I set up the old computer? Both computers have OS X10.9.3. Currently they are connected by a Firewire 800 cable.

You certainly could keep the old Mac Pro in Firewire mode (hold down the T key on its keyboard as you boot) to show its drives on the new MP. This is basically as fast as putting the drives into a Firewire enclosure.
Or you could boot it normally and share its files over the network using the Sharing panel of System Preferences. If you turn on both File and Screen Sharing, you don't even need to have a monitor attached - you can do all administration using screen sharing. However, this method requires that you open all files over the network, which will be slower than the direct-connect method above, and may also not work with all applications.
Matt

What is the optimum core configuration for a new Mac Pro to process and manipulate very large (80 megapixel) images using PhotoShop and Camera Raw?

Hello:
I will be using creative techniques to process and manipulate a large number (hundreds) of very large (80 megapixel) images captured using a medium format digital back (Phase One IQ180).
Final output will be digital fine art imagery printed using an Epson 11880 at large sizes (up to 60 inches x ?), retaining the highest possible quality and resolution. I will be using Adobe CC PhotoShop and Camera RAW as well as Capture One software. PhotoShop filters will be used extensively.
The Mac Pro needs to be optimized for the above purpose and be useful for at least five years. I plan to max out all the other options (RAM, graphics cards, storage). Performance is more important than cost.
The few discussions I have found that mention optimum core configurations seem to lean toward 6 or 8 (but likely are not taking into consideration my need for manipulating a large number of very large files), so I am looking to this foum for opinions.
Thank you,
Kent

See if this helps
http://macperformanceguide.com/index_topics.html#MacPro2013

Best printer and scanner for a MBP?

Seeking recommendations for a printer and scanner for a MB Pro.

Check for ones that say they are Macintosh or OS X compatible, which will be almost all of them.
Cannon and Epson tend to deliver Apple support better than HP. I have had new HP printers and scanners that were supported on Windows but not on Macs. I had to return the scanner. I have also had external HP disk drives that worked on Windows but not Macs.
The rest is personal choice. Less expensive printers tend to print more slowly. I prefer printers with wireless connections. Most have that these days.

Which Mac Pro Will Do It?

Hi,
I'll be looking to purchase a well maintained use or refurbished Mac Pro. My goal is to get one with 6gb of ram and add my 2 1gb stick to make 8gb of ram total.
My concern is running a stable Pro Tools LE system (with several other apps open)... so video and graphics bells and whistles are not priority here.
Any recommendations that would be a cost effective solution for me (which Mac Pro and reliable retailers)?
Thanks!

Just showed up first time today after a very long hiatus, the single cpu 4-core 2.8 from 2008, for $2K.
http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/specialdeals/mac/mac_pro
Not bad for someone that wants a full tower but doesn't need 8-core or want to spend more.

I want to create a document in Illustrator that i can use for Print and Web - using 2 different colourspaces.

Is it possible to do this? I need to create a document so that I can export as a high quality CMYK for print and export the same file as RGB jpeg / pdf for web and email use. Do I have to create the document with 2 different colourspaces, or can I change / convert the colourspace after I have created and finished the document? or is there some simple way to select an RGB / CMYK option when saving/exporting?
look forward to your reply!
Tom

Tom,
In addition to what Monika said, the document can be either CMYK or RGB Colr Mode, but not both.
And you are right in starting with the CMYK because that will ensure (to the degree possible) that the CMYK and RGB versions match in colour (gamut, the CMYK gamut being the more linited and almost entirely included in the RGB gamut); this will prevent more vivid RGB colours which will make the CMYK colours seem duller.

InCopy/Indesign workflow for printed and folio mags?

We have a printed magazine that we also produce as folios for a DPS app. We produce the mag by using InCopy for text within the InDesign workflow. No problems there.
When finished (all edits completed) we produce the folio files but adding in all the links to twitter handles, URL's etc is proving tedious and timeconsuming for the editors and the designer. The editors (who use the print files and InCopy) produce a list in excel of the additions - they reference columns and paragraphs - which we don't use in the folio version. The designer then finds the spot after a lot of searching and then copies and pastes. All very tedious and a backward step in workflow.
Is there a way to include the "links" in an InCopy file that doesn't appear on the print PDF's yet apply correctly in the folios?

Use conditional text.
All interactive elements should be inline objects or simple hyperlinks that are tagged with a condition, then either showing or hidden depending on the article. Hide the interactive content when you create the PDF for print, and show the condition when adding or updating the article.
Anything you want to show/hide has to be part of a story — so text, inline objects, and anchored objects can all be used this way.
InCopy can see and apply conditional text, but cannot edit DPS-centric content such as an anchored MSO.
As always, using matching versions of ID/IC is important.

How to Give an Image for Print and Not Web

So, I have designed a logo for a web site and the site owner wants it for a business card and letterhead. Saving an image for web is easy and I understand all that but how do I prepare a file for a printer? I'm guessing this is just nipping in to the local print shop on the high street.
Sorry for the basic question and I'd be as happy with a link to a tutorial as with the answer!
Thanks
Martin

Saving an image for web is easy...
...Which is why your workflow is backward. Design for print first; repurpose for web. Not the other way 'round.
Proper advice on preparing the artwork for press is dependent upon specifics of the artwork and the printing parameters. You haven't provided any specifics at all. So your question amounts to asking someone to write you a manual on how to prepare artwork for presswork in an online forum post.
Do a Google search for "preparing artwork for offset printing" or some such.
JET

Which Mac Pro for print and which for web

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