Dual Monitors PLUS Thunderbolt RAID? Possible on 2012 Mac mini?

[NocturnalEdit]

I just got the new mac mini i7 quad core 2012 model. So far very happy.. I'm buying a 2nd monitor though and plan to buy a Thunderbolt RAID in the future.

I would like to edit video using a dual monitor setup and use the Thunderbolt RAID to store media.

Will this be a problem with the Intel 4000 HD integrated graphics? It has handled 1080p great so far...but will powering a monitor slow things down? I can live with editing off my firewire 800 drives and using the HDMI and thunderbolt as mini display port for now. But eventually i'd like the option to daisy chain a monitor and an external thunderbolt RAID.

Anyone running a similar setup now? If it won't work I'll need to return this mac mini with the next 7 day window and get a Macbook Pro which i know can do this.

Thanks so much..

[iPhil]

TB port can n will support 6 devices thru Daisy chain process.. Just put the RAID box @ the end of the chain...

[NocturnalEdit]

Originally Posted by iPhil

TB port can n will support 6 devices thru Daisy chain process.. Just put the RAID box @ the end of the chain...

What if i don't want to spend $1000 on a Apple Thunderbolt display.. How would i daisy chain a regular LED monitor or RAID? Would i need to buy a RAID with a thunderbolt out and end the chain on the LED monitor?

Plan would be connect thunderbolt RAID directly to mac mini via thunderbolt port. Then connect a LED monitor with DVI to mini-display port adapter to the RAID?

Would this work?

[elliotn]

Originally Posted by NocturnalEdit

What if i don't want to spend $1000 on a Apple Thunderbolt display.. How would i daisy chain a regular LED monitor or RAID? Would i need to buy a RAID with a thunderbolt out and end the chain on the LED monitor?

Plan would be connect thunderbolt RAID directly to mac mini via thunderbolt port. Then connect a LED monitor with DVI to mini-display port adapter to the RAID?

Would this work?

Yes, that would work. You would then connect your second display via the mini's HDMI.

[Lance-AR]

Keep in mind you're only going to get 1920 x 1080 on the HDMI monitor.

[NewbieCanada]

Getting back to part of your original question, my new mini has no problem handling two external Thunderbolt monitors, so two 1080p monitors is a piece of cake.

[NocturnalEdit]

Originally Posted by NewbieCanada

Getting back to part of your original question, my new mini has no problem handling two external Thunderbolt monitors, so two 1080p monitors is a piece of cake.

Good to know! I'm just a little paranoid since everyone has been ragging on the Intel 4000 integrated gfx so much. I haven't experienced any problems.. So far this is the fastest computer I've ever owned. I edit on Avid all day, everyday at work, and this thing handles HD video just as well or better than my 2009 Mac Pro at work.

I'm getting the 2nd monitor Wednesday, so i can try it out for myself. Not planning on buying a thunderbolt drive until i really start doing some high end projects at home. Until then my FIREWIRE 800 RAID is working fine as my HD media drive. (It's pretty noisy though, I think it might be time to upgrade to a newer USB 3.0 / FIREWIRE 800 combo RAID. I'm curious how editing HD on a USB 3.0 drive would feel. I know the MAX data rate for USB 3.0 crushes Firewire.. 500 GB/s vs. 800 mb/s.. But I'm curious how much it will choke on video when i'm scrubbing my timeline... since USB ports send data in bursts.. instead of a sustained stream like firewire 800.

Really happy Apple so far has left FIREWIRE 800 intact on these puppies... It's still great for editing everything, but totally uncompressed 1080p video. Which is pretty much a waste of space in today's YOUTUBE generation... As long as it's not too pixelated it's good to broadcast world.

[pql]

I have been trying to hook up two displays and a thunderbolt raid with no success. One display is a projector and the other is an 2005 cinema display with a maximum resolution of 1680 X 1050. The raid drive will not support the cinema display so I have tried splitting the signal from the HDMI port With no luck. the projector has no issues but I can't get a picture on the cinema. I have tried changing resolutions, mirroring, and an additional scaler along with the splitter. Any Thoughts?