Upgrading Studio Questions

[Airstream]

Hello Everybody,

We are looking to update our studio, and I wanted to make sure I had all my DUCs in a row before we begin the process, or at least before we start seriously considering buying the things we need.

Currently, we are running ProTools HD v 7.4 on a Dual 2.3 Ghz PowerPC G5. The computer has occasionally given us some lip, so we we want to replace it with a new one, using our current in our other control room.

If we were to buy a new Mac Pro "Nehalem" (after waiting for the new hexacore ones to drive the price down) we would also need to:

- update to 8.0.3 as the minimum allowed OS on the new ones is 10.5.6 and 7.4 is approved to 10.5.4 (would the 64 bit structure pose a problem?)

- buy a new Magma expansion chassis that goes from PCI to PCIe.

Is there anything else we are overlooking, not counting updating plugins and the like? Has anyone had any problems with the PCI to PCIe conversion? Any recommendations on the Mac Pro? To me, it seems that the quad core will be plenty powerful, but the dual quad may be in the running as soon as the hexacores come out

Thanks!

[HearInc]

Sounds like you're on the right track. I did the same upgrade about a year ago, and it's worked great. (I came from a Dual 2.0 G5) I'm on a Dual 2.8 Quad Xeon, and I rarely have processor bottlenecks until I'm hitting memory limits with VIs. The Magma chassis is invisible.

And FWIW, PT8 is a really nice upgrade, I think.

[Airstream]

Glad to hear that the upgrade works great! Did you have to downgrade your Mac Pro from Snow Leopard to Leopard?

[HearInc]

No, I got it before Snow was out, but I moved to it pretty soon. It works just fine. I'm on 10.6.3 at the moment.

[Airstream]

Right on. Thanks!

[Hanswurstlsepp]

Originally Posted by Airstream

Hello Everybody,

We are looking...

- buy a new Magma expansion chassis that goes from PCI to PCIe.

Is there anything else we are overlooking, not counting updating plugins and the like? Has anyone had any problems with the PCI to PCIe conversion? Any recommendations on the Mac Pro? To me, it seems that the quad core will be plenty powerful, but the dual quad may be in the running as soon as the hexacores come out

Thanks!

Hi,
I'm using PE6R4 since November last year. Works great.
My entire system is running pretty stable in the meantime.
Sometimes - when using too much VIs, PT crashes ... and
once a while I'm getting wired "AccesViolation" errors. But I guess that's more an overall issue in PT8.0.3cs2.

[Hanswurstlsepp]

Originally Posted by Airstream

Hello Everybody,

We are looking...

Is there anything else we are overlooking, ...

Thanks!

...and make sure that it is NOT 10.6.3 on the Mac (at the moment)