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I got $5k to spend!

Flyinace2000

Flyinace2000

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Sep 28, 2004
666
0
So my boss tells me i have a budget of $5000 to spend on a media creation center. It will be used for light video editing, InDesign layouts, Flash presentation and other media creation things. I was thinking of a HD camcorder and a cheap DSLR with a macpro and a dell 20 or 24" monitor.

My question is really about ram.

If i order the stock ram config of 2 x 512 can i add the OWC 2gb kit. So the final config would be 2 x 512 and 2 x 1gb (total of 3 gig)
http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Other World Computing/53FB1MPK02GB/

So here is my shopping kit so far

Specifications
Mac Pro $2,838.00
* Two 2.66GHz Dual-Core Intel Xeon
* 1GB (2 x 512MB)
* 500GB 7200-rpm Serial ATA 3Gb/s
* ATI Radeon X1900 XT 512MB (2 x dual-link DVI)
* One 16x SuperDrive
* Apple Keyboard and Mighty Mouse - U.S. English
* Mac OS X - U.S. English
* AppleCare Protection Plan for Mac Pro/Power Mac (w/o Display) - Auto Enroll

2GB (1GBx2) PC5300 DDR2 ECC 667MHz 240 Pin FB-DIMMs $175

Panasonic HDC-SD1 Digital Hi-Def Camcorder $999
or
Canon HV20 High Definition Camcorder $999

Canon PowerShot SD800 339.95

UltraSharp 2407WFP-HC 24-inch $608

TOTAL: $4959.95
 
I'd stick w/the stock 250gig HDD and buy another eSATA drive (not from Apple) to use as a media drive. I'd also say get the HV20 as it seems to give you very good image quality for the money. Although I've heard you should keep your RAM DIMMS all the same size for optimal performance you should be fine w/mixing a pair of 512meg sticks and a pair 1gig sticks.


Lethal
 
LethalWolfe said:
I'd stick w/the stock 250gig HDD and buy another eSATA drive (not from Apple) to use as a media drive. I'd also say get the HV20 as it seems to give you very good image quality for the money. Although I've heard you should keep your RAM DIMMS all the same size for optimal performance you should be fine w/mixing a pair of 512meg sticks and a pair 1gig sticks.


Lethal
Click to expand...

smart idea, you will be able to get more space for the money if you get a 3rd party drive.
 
The Dell Ultrasharp is $569.00 today in the Home/Home Office section. :D

I'm actually thinking of buying that myself, but I'm kinda hoping for another price drop. The non-HC's went as low as 479 if I remember correctly.
 
LethalWolfe said:
I'd stick w/the stock 250gig HDD and buy another eSATA drive (not from Apple) to use as a media drive. I'd also say get the HV20 as it seems to give you very good image quality for the money. Although I've heard you should keep your RAM DIMMS all the same size for optimal performance you should be fine w/mixing a pair of 512meg sticks and a pair 1gig sticks.


Lethal
Click to expand...

Nice catch.

Thanks. If i can find a way to save enoiugh maybe we can get a Rebel XTi
 
So what should i spend our money on. the HD Camcorder or a DSLR? So torn.

The real question is which do i want to take home and borrow more often :-D
 
I like Canon imagers more than Nikon...there's a constant "moire" in their CCD's...also with Canon you don't need to buy any software to import RAW data into Photoshop.
 
SDAVE said:
with Canon you don't need to buy any software to import RAW data into Photoshop.
Click to expand...

1) there is a Photoshop plugin for NEF (Nikon's proprietary RAW) I believe
2) you can import it into photoshop. there's just an argument of whether or not you prefer Nikon's "interpretation" or photoshop's

This is an area I'm far from expert in--and therefore am up to considerable correction.
 
I'd take the $5,000 and drive to Bridgeport and enjoy a week long vacation at the Osaki Massage Parlor... with the $500 left.. stop at the Walk in Clinic and get a shot of Amoxcicillin.

PS- If they ask if you are Policia.. just laugh and say no are you?:D
 
Here is the final quote

Two 2.66GHz Dual-Core Intel Xeon
1GB (2 x 512MB)
ATI Radeon X1900 XT 512MB (2 x dual-link DVI)
250GB 7200-rpm Serial ATA 3Gb/s
Two 16x SuperDrives
Apple Keyboard and Mighty Mouse - U.S. English
Mac OS X - U.S. English
Accessory kit
$2481.40

Apple Care
$189.05

Canon HV20
$949.99

Dell 24" LCD
$559.21

OWC 4gb ram (2x2)
$327.99

2x Maxtor 500gb SATA
$199.98

Giving to our secretary right now to put i for approval. hope for the best!
 
isnt that what the (2x2) is for? I maybe wrong, but i thought the mac pro had 16 slots so only 6 would be used yielding a total of 5 gb?
 
I think they are only buying one computer, the "Two 2.66GHz Dual-Core Intel Xeon" is a little misleading.

From Apple's description:

Specifications

Two 2.66GHz Dual-Core Intel Xeon
1GB (2 x 512MB)
250GB 7200-rpm Serial ATA 3Gb/s
NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GT 256MB (single-link DVI/dual-link DVI)
One 16x SuperDrive
Apple Keyboard and Mighty Mouse - U.S. English
Mac OS X - U.S. English

termina3 said:
Of course–but does he only intend to upgrade one computer?

i.e. He has 2 pair of 512s–1 per computer, but only 1 pair of 2gb sticks?
Click to expand...
 
How about RAID?

I don't know much about RAID but if you're doing commercial work it might pay to buy two SATA drives and set them up as a RAID. (How many drive slots do the pro machines have these days?)
It would be a major disaster if you had all that nice kit, did some great work and then lost hours of it due to HD failure.
ibjoshua
 
ibjoshua said:
I don't know much about RAID but if you're doing commercial work it might pay to buy two SATA drives and set them up as a RAID. (How many drive slots do the pro machines have these days?)
It would be a major disaster if you had all that nice kit, did some great work and then lost hours of it due to HD failure.
ibjoshua
Click to expand...

Mac Pro has a 4 drive slots, and some kits will allow up to 6.
 
We are buying 2 extrra 500gb drives from OWC. Not sure if i am going to RAID1 them or just use one of the free backup solutions to do daily/weekly backups.

As for the ram. the final config will be 1gb(2x512)+4gb (2x2gb) totallying 5gb :-D Should run swimmingly.

-Will
 
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