New Mac Pros Are Here!

[Mark Dann]

PCIe cards, as of tomorrow, 44.1.

[studiom]

Originally Posted by Peterjk

Hi all,

...But I already own a HD3 Accel (but not the PCIe version) - so I figured a 6-slot PCIe to PCI was the best way to go. May I'm wrong? Anybody?

On top of that I think that TDM plugs sounds better than RTAS.


Peter
www.clearproduction.dk

Why not get the 4 slot.. you'll have a slot free for another card or some other option.

[Peterjk]

Originally Posted by studiom

Why not get the 4 slot.. you'll have a slot free for another card or some other option.

Well, to begin with the price difference is very small, and I'm not sure if the 4-slot is DIGI approoved?

[Tom Pfaeffle]

I just went thru all this myself- new mac 8 core, HD4 system- thought about crossgrade etc- came up with this logic-

bought the magma PE6R4I, installed my four cards in the chasis
(lost the ability to play movie out firewire, compatibility reasons)

have the ability to install possible accessory cards (UA?) in my open two slots in the mac pro

have the ability to install more used process/accel cards if needed in the chasis

some RTAS plugs spike the usage meter very hard (eleven LE)

when Digi comes out with HD accel+ I won't have new cards to offload
I can just offload the chasis with my cards installed

I bought the chasis for 2080 from my helpful dealer

[sempletura]

If anyone is interested in Harpertown 3.2 macs there is a store in Los Angeles with a bunch of them. I recently bought one and I have never been so happy as I am now with my PT set up. Black Lion Audio 002r. Upgrade from dual g5.
This computer is an enormous upgrade. I do music for picture. Lots of video in sessions. This computer handles it beautifully. I bought it at "Melrose Mac" in Burbank. I have no incentive to advertise for them other than the fact that they are pretty cool when I go in there.

Anyhow, good luck.

[PeterB]

Originally Posted by Tom Pfaeffle

lost the ability to play movie out firewire, compatibility reasons

Can you elaborate?
I'm contemplating the Magma PE6R4 for my HD3 system, but playing video via firewire is essential to me. It would be a deal breaker if I can't get that to work.
Are you using all your FW buses for drives? is that the issue?


Peter

[rbeggs]

I'm on the edge of making a similar upgrade decision. I called Magma and spoke with a tech. He seemed unaware of any firewire picture issue, saying simply that it was a completely separate system and he couldn't see why there would be a problem. That makes sense to me so I'm curious as to why the question has been raised.

[Jamshied]

Originally Posted by Mark Dann

PCIe cards, as of tomorrow, 44.1.

Marc,

Sorry if I'm being dense, but if you have PCIe cards and a Nehalem Mac, why would you need or want a chassis? Couldn't you put the cards in the computer? And can't it hold three of them (four slots w/one taken by video)?

Thanks,

Jamshied

[Mark Dann]

I had PCIx cards. They ran fine in the Magma. But I ended up opting for the crossgrade over the Magma, for the following reasons:

- Even the 2-slot fan is annoying. And that's the QUIETEST one! It's still noticeably louder than either my Mac Pro or my 192's.
- Inability to use my Mac unless the chassis in on. Ugh...
- It's another thing that can break, or cease to function in the future due to some software upgrade or another.
- It's another thing to lose most of it's resale value over time.
- Acquiring some Lexicon 300 IRs, which when loaded onto my Waves IR1, allowed me to sell my 3 Lexicon 300 reverbs, which more than paid for the crossgrade
- The new Mac Pro so totally blows HD3 out of the water as far as RTAS power, that I was able to "downgrade" from HD3 to HD2. The sale of the cards further funded the swap. In fact, selling the cards (I have TWO pthd systems), the G5's, and the Lex verbs, paid for most of the two new systems, thereby allowing me to get out of the G5 hell that PT8 put me into.

So It was largely out of convenience for me. The Magma solution ran fine, and is a great way to go for people with slightly different criteria than mine.

[WernerF]

Just as an aside, the new PE6R4's that are shipping now ship with the totally silent power supply fan. If you disconnect the front fans the chassis is dead silent and there is absolutely no heat issue. That's what I did with mine and you can't even tell that it's on.