Mac Pro 3,1 questions

[juanm]

Hi

I got a great deal on an eight-core 2,8Ghz Mac Pro, and it should arrive tomorrow.

I already had Mac Pro 1,1, but I stumbled on a Buy it Now listing on eBay that was too good to miss.

I've got a few questions, though...

RAM:
My Mac Pro 1,1 has now two sticks of 4GB of 667Mhz RAM I bought from Macsales. Are they compatible with the newer 800Mhz Mac Pro 3,1?
(I know at best they will work slower, but it'd just be until the RAM for the 3,1 arrives)

Graphics:
Also, I have a X1900XT and the new one carries an 8800GT. What areas can expect the best performance gain? Will Aperture work better with the new card or is it better only for gaming? I've read on some forums that Final Cut Studio applications weren't working very well with it, but they were quite old threads. Have those problems been solved?
Any issue with this card? Overheating? Is it silent? Should I replace the heatsink for an aftermarket one or anything else?


FW:
I want to put a cf card reader in the second optical bay. What I'd like to do is add a PCI-e card with an internal FW800 port to connect this card reader. Does anybody know if there's such a thing? If it doesn't exist, I'll just run the cable outside through an open PCI slot cover and then loop it back into the existent FW port.

Thanks for reading! Any help is welcome

 

[Hellhammer]

They both use DDR2 so yes, it will work but at 667MHz.

Aperture can't really take advantage of GPU so it won't really affect it. For gaming it's better than X1900XT, that's sure. Haven't heard that there were any problems but if you want more speed, consider buying the ATI 4870.

 

[Cindori]

for the card reader, get one with a SATA connection. then you can just connect it internally to one of the two available SATA ports on the motherboard.

 

[68topls]

If you find a good internal card reader with sata connections please post it. I'm looking for one for my 2.8 8 core mac pro as well.

 

[juanm]

for the card reader, get one with a SATA connection. then you can just connect it internally to one of the two available SATA ports on the motherboard.

If you find a good internal card reader with sata connections please post it. I'm looking for one for my 2.8 8 core mac pro as well.

Mmmh... Good idea... I didn't know that existed...

I found this one: http://www.addonics.com/products/flash_memory_reader/adsacf.asp

There are three potential problems, however

They say it's not necessarily hot swappable. I know my eSata adapter on my Mac Pro 1,1 isn't, so I guess this wouldn't be either. It'd be a pita to have to reboot my system everytime I want to import a CF card into Aperture!

Is it as fast as Sandisk's FW800 reader?

Would it work with a Mac?

 

[nanofrog]

for the card reader, get one with a SATA connection. then you can just connect it internally to one of the two available SATA ports on the motherboard.

Why?

CF is really too slow to waste a SATA connector over (would be put to better use with a drive), and in the instance of a MP, the slot may not align with the ODD slot (without case mods).

It's best to stick with an external and use either USB or FW to connect it. There's plenty out there, and some would match the case well enough that it wouldn't be hideous looking IMO.

I found this one: http://www.addonics.com/products/flash_memory_reader/adsacf.asp

There are three potential problems, however

They say it's not necessarily hot swappable. I know my eSata adapter on my Mac Pro 1,1 isn't, so I guess this wouldn't be either. It'd be a pita to have to reboot my system everytime I want to import a CF card into Aperture!

Is it as fast as Sandisk's FW800 reader?

Would it work with a Mac?

Please take note of what I posted above.

As per the speed question, it would depend on the chip used (i.e. USB to SATA or FW to SATA bridge chip; if I had to guess, it's a USB to SATA bridge, so it would be slower as far as max throughput). But CF is usually only good for ~50MB/s anyway (why it's a waste to use a SATA port IMO).

Hot Swap isn't supported, as OS X Client edition doesn't have the driver support necessary (Server ed. does).

In the case of SATA drives, the MP's don't support the Hot Plug feature needed either, as there's no Inrush Current Limiter on either the logic board or PSU (so you would damage the PSU that way).

Hope this helps.

 

[juanm]

Thanks for the clarifications!

I guess for now I'll just try to put my CF reader in the optical bay. I'll post pics when I'm done with what I've in mind.

There's a reason for this: I've got a six months old kitten, and she finds very amusing to take everything around (pen drives, card readers, cables, headphones...) and hide it...
She's winning the war, at the moment, so I want to pack as much as possible in the Mac Pro.

 

[nanofrog]

Thanks for the clarifications!

I guess for now I'll just try to put my CF reader in the optical bay. I'll post pics when I'm done with what I've in mind.

There's a reason for this: I've got a six months old kitten, and she finds very amusing to take everything around (pen drives, card readers, cables, headphones...) and hide it...
She's winning the war, at the moment, so I want to pack as much as possible in the Mac Pro.

I have a cat too, and a plastic drawer bin (example) does quite nicely to keep the paws off of such tempting things to play with.

 

[Transporteur]

Unfortunately only USB 2.0.

Available here: Nervian

 

[nanofrog]

Unfortunately only USB 2.0.

Available here: Nervian

That's the one I was thinking of, but couldn't recall who made it, let alone a model number. But it seems to be the best fit IMO.

Just put small items such as SD cards, CF cards, USB sticks,... in a small plastic container that the cat can't get into. Makes them easier to find anyway, as I have had issues where they've fallen off of the desk and been hidden under furniture (or even rolling over it with my chair... crunch... ).

 

[alphaod]

The Mac Pro optical bay door is a slider, so I don't see how it can work; as with CF, well unless you use the high-end 50MB/s CF cards, I don't see the benefit in wasting a SATA port; if anything you can always get a FW800 card reader.

Unfortunately only USB 2.0.

Available here: Nervian

Also site hasn't been updated in 2 years

 

[nanofrog]

Also site hasn't been updated in 2 years

Nice catch. Oh well. There's plenty of other units available that can be lived with (silver is offered with some models).

And when not in use, it can be unplugged and tucked away in a drawer or whatnot (keeps the clutter down). I have a USB floppy I do that way (too much crap on the desk at any given time as is).

 

[juanm]

Well, everything's changed now...

I got the Mac Pro about an hour ago. The lower front "handle" is completely smashed and the thing won't turn on for more than five seconds... I've contacted the seller to let him know that DHL screwed it...

Damn!

 

[calderone]

Sucks juanm, hopefully you get that worked out.

If you do get another Mac Pro, I have been using this card reader:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...&cm_re=AFT_card_reader-_-20-176-020-_-Product

Works great, is pretty fast (USB) and matches pretty well! I keep mine under my display, fits pretty well. See the attached photo!

 

[vohdoun]

Aint that a cute little thing!

 

[nanofrog]

Well, everything's changed now...

I got the Mac Pro about an hour ago. The lower front "handle" is completely smashed and the thing won't turn on for more than five seconds... I've contacted the seller to let him know that DHL screwed it...

Damn!

OUCH!