What about this setup

[audiobob]

I posted this up in the PT10 forum in a thread that didn't get many views...so I thought I'd post it here to the post-folk.

Looking to the future and my Mac Pro 1,1 is getting a bit tired. Next year it will be 7 years old. So with the release of the new Mac Mini's and the OWC Thunderbolt to PCIe chassis...my mind is going in a different direction. My work consists of audio post for TV commercials, sound design for animations and video, and radio. No movies or gigantic track needs. With the Mac Pro and an HD2..I've never run out of power. So what is your opinion of the comparison of these systems.


Current:
Mac Pro 1,1 2 x 2.66 dual core
12 gigs 667 MHz DDR2 ram
PT HD 2
System video card for dual monitors
Blackmagic Intensity Pro PCIe card for video playback
Internal drives for system, audio playback, video playback and sound effects storage.
Firewire 800 for drives for backup and other storage


New system:
Mac Mini 2.6 quad core i7 with Fusion drive
16 gigs 1600MHz DDR3 ram
PT Native through Thunderbolt PCIe Expansion Chassis
PCIe dual monitor video card through Thunderbolt expansion Chassis
Blackmagic Intensity Shuttle Thunderbolt for video playback
Thunderbolt drives for audio playback and video playback
External USB3 drives for sound effects and other various storage
Firewire 800 for drives for backup and other storage

Maxed out Mac Mini, a dual monitor vid card, Intensity Shuttle and 2 OWC expansion chassis' all priced at around $2700.00. This would be for an audio post set up where an HD 2 system is giving me plenty of power. Granted...a New Mac Pro would be about the same price.....and I know (possible) new MP's out next year. Will PT Native give me enough power?

Just mulling this stuff around in my head. Thoughts appreciated.

[tom_lowe]

a graphics card over TB won't work under OS X as no drivers are available, only Windows, but the Mac mini does have HDMI as well.

And why not get the new HD Native Thunderbolt interface instead of the PCIe one?

Now all you need is a way to split the TB signal - apparently coming soon.

[audiobob]

Thanks Tom...didn't realize no graphics card over TB yet.

And man, the HD Navtive TB box just passed me by for some reason. Even better then.

I'm thinking this is a go for next year.

[audiobob]

Yeah...looking at things more, splitting the TB signal is a problem with the TB box from Avid...seeing it has only one TB port. The OWC box has two so, at this time, the OWC box with a native PCIe card makes more sense.

[cubivore]

hey bob!

i'm kinda looking at the same upgrade. i just plopped some more ram into my 3,1 macpro and it got rid of one PT problem i was having. however, looking at the mac options like you are i never found anything comparable. it seems like having a pci graphics option for multi-screen use is imperative and doesn't sound possible using minis, and i know imac is not an option at your place. i'm looking at getting the HDN + symphony8x8 and i think it will definitely provide enough power. i have used pt10HDN at two places (one of which you know well ) and it seemed to handle super long timeline, dense broadcast sessions, isdn, etc pretty well. on the PT part of the upgrade i think you'll be fine.

many dealers and colleagues i've talked to keep saying the same thing - if your system is stable and don't need more power or IO hold out until next year. new macpros probably won't be out till beginning Q2 2013 and that could be around the same time as PT64. however, you could always go PC and get it over with.

[audiobob]

Hey Afshar!

Yeah...I'm good for now but can't help mulling this stuff around in my head.

Though seeing this article makes me want to wait to see what transpires in the future.

[cubivore]

ouch! that article certainly sends mixed signals about the future. that's part of the reason i'm thinking of going the apogee route for the IO to at least ensure i'm not stuck with forced obsoleted avid hardware again!

[Craig F]

Avid is ripe for a take over but it won't be Apple unless Apple want to kill them off.
Black-magic has been on a buying spree of late, they do understan the market

and for the OG poster: I don't know that feels like a lot for 1 port off the computer to me