Posts from — March 2009

[click photo above for larger view] The original Mac Pro required AJA Kona Cards to be inserted into slot 3. You could then go into the expansion slot utility to configure the slots properly. Then, the early ‘08 Mac Pro’s were released and AJA announced their cards should now go in slot 2. Well, we’ve come full circle now with the release of the Nehalem based Mac Pro’s – I spoke with AJA yesterday and they told me that after running some tests on the new machines, they again recommend slot 3 for their Kona line. No need to worry about the expansion slot utility but on a side note there is now a memory slot utility that lets you know if your memory is configured for optimum performance. I think it’s pretty cool and have to admit it’s saved me a few times. I haven’t yet figured out Apple’s method for RAM setup. . . .

I really like the new guts of the Mac Pro. The drive sleds are larger (finally, thank you Apple – no more finger pinching when removing drives!), the lower tray containing the processors and DIMM Slots slides all the way out, pretty cool! AND coolest of all, the removed those annoying tabs that held in PCIe cards (and usually ended up getting broken off since most people didn’t even know they were there) and replaced it with a locking bar. The bar is controlled by a button on the fan to the left of the slots. Simply press the button and slide the fan to the left, revealing the PCIe slot numbers and disengaging the locking bar. Pretty slick.

The only downside I see so far is it appears they have done away with the two additional SATA ports on the board we used for our Raptor boot drives. They were hidden under a fan assembly so not many people knew they were there. Those two combined with the 4 main drives enabled a total of 6 SATA drives to be installed. Maybe they’re still there but I didn’t see them at first glance.

TB

Jim Jannard posted this shot on REDUser last night. I just thought it was cool and wanted to post it. Creative group out there in the desert!  Click on the image for a full size shot.

TB

Ok, where do I begin . . .

I have found myself becoming more and more cynical of Apple and their anticlimactic, non-event product releases. Don’t get me wrong, the new Mac Pro is the most important thing, not how it’s brought to market but the fact that Apple hasn’t featured the Mac Pro in a media event since the Mac Pro was first introduced back at WWDC in 2006, almost 3 years ago, is a clue to me of how important they see the Mac Pro being in their product line. It would seem to reason that the products they think are the most significant would get the most air time. Case in point . . . how much have we heard about the iPhone at Macworld (R.I.P.) or WWDC? Now what about the Mac Pro . . . exactly. Crickets.

I know the rest of the world could probably care less but for us Pro Video guys it’s a big deal. So, as is becoming the custom, Apple released new Mac Pro’s, iMac’s and Mac Mini’s in their new may-as-well-be-an-rss-feed style. I woke up, remembered it was Tuesday, checked the Apple site and (as healthy Steve Jobs would say) Boom! New Mac . . . Mini???? Wha?? It was only after going to the store page that I saw the little “new” banner over the Mac Pro icon and realized they had indeed revised the Mac Pro’s. Ok, now for the good stuff . . .

The new Mac Pro’s are Nehalem based – awesome! We saw amazing results on our single proc Nehalem based SCRATCH boxes so I suspect the dual proc Xeon’s to be even better. Combine that with the DDR3 1066MHz RAM and this thing should really scream. The outside is the same and so is the inside with the exception of the new tray that slides out to reveal the Memory Risers and the processors (although I’m not sure why you would want to access those . . . Some people have complained about the lack of FireWire 800 – get yourself a FW 800 to FW 400 cable for 10 bucks and get over it!

What I don’t like is this whole Mini DisplayPort mess. The new graphics cards come with both a DVI port and a Mini DisplayPort. New Mac Pro users can now use Apple’s 24″ LED if they choose. Here’s the deal with other configs . . . To connect:

• One DVI and one Mini DisplayPort monitor, any of the cards from Apple will do.

• Two DVI monitors then you need the Mini DisplayPort to DVI adapter from Apple for $29.00.

• Two Apple 30″ Cinema Displays you need the Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI adapter from Apple for $99.00.

• For any reason one or two VGA monitors then you need one or two Mini DisplayPort to VGA adapters from Apple for $29.00.

• Two Mini DisplayPort monitors then you need two graphics cards. There is no DVI to MDP adapter at this time. Bummer.

I’m a little surprised that the iMac and Mac Mini releases didn’t also include the jump to Nehalem – seems like a bit of a waste to release new products with simple graphics updates and a small jump in speed. In any case, the New Mac Pro’s are here some give me a call if you have any questions or would like to add one to your studio. They are available, for the most part, in 4-6 business days.

TB

Our friends at Panasonic would like you to attend their booth at NAB–and they’ll spring for the pass:

http://www.nabshow.com/2009/attendee/packagesFees.asp
Exhibitor ID: 524
Pass Code:LV2174

TB