Head spinning- MacPro for Vid/photo editing.

[2contagious]

gaahh.. just when I thought I had found the perfect set up... I really don't like noisy computers.. does anyone have a hexacore mac pro yet and can comment on this, too?

 

[reel2reel]

gaahh.. just when I thought I had found the perfect set up... I really don't like noisy computers.. does anyone have a hexacore mac pro yet and can comment on this, too?

Get an iMac?

I'd recommend waiting before basing your entire purchase on one report. It's vague info to say the least, anyway.

Or just get an iMac.

 

[wonderspark]

Maybe using Fan Control can help the noise? It made my '09 even quieter than stock.

 

[deconstruct60]

Most *definitely* go for the 5870. I'm not sure if it's an OS or FCP bug, but some of the editors in our shop need to unhook one monitor (in a dual monitor setup) when rendering certain Plugins (Keylight, for example, and fxplugs) because there's not enough VRAM to support them with two monitors plugged in. So more VRAM the better.

That "defect" and two monitors means that you should not go for the 5870.

Both the 5770 and 5870 shipped with Mac Pro come with exactly the same amount of VRAM. So one isn't really going to buy you leverage over the other. Maybe a third party will come along with other options (e.g., a 2GB 55870 ) , but what is on the table now you are better served with leaving more headroom to put a second video card in more so than putting in one that leaves less power headroom and doesn't boost VRAM.

What really need to be added to mix are updates to the role that the old GT120s played. Minimal power, limited ability cards that are good a just driving secondary monitors with low high end 3D graphics workload.
Something that was based on a AMD/ATI 5500 or 5570 would work. Much faster than a GT120s but in similar lower power requirement space. Restricted to the lower than 50W TDP range... Nvidia doesn't have anything competitive to offer.

Haven't checked, but I suspect the reference card designs for those models try to control costs so much don't really leave extra room for EFI/Mac data. Otherwise seems like Apple might have gone with them so could have a 3 video card line up. But I guess driving 6 with just 2 cards looked like was going to cover large segment of the targeted market.

I use a 30" Dell because I'm not a fan of dual monitors and I love all the screen real estate. It's great for big timelines.

No reason why can't go dual 30" monitors... other than lack of desk real estate. (and perhaps the aforemention need to consume another PCI-e slot). Don't have to match in size either (again if going to use VRAM for computations in addition graphics this reduces load). But do see point of keeping main set of FCP screens on one single monitor in front of you.

Multiple monitors are better and trying to track what is going on in multiple different programs at the same time. Mostly looking at one of them but some visual updates may be happening on secondary can track in peripheral vision from time to time.