Mac Pro fast storage...

[dex22]

Hi everyone...

I'm in the envious position that I'll be buying a new Mac Pro for work in the next few weeks. I'm hoping the funding will materialize just after the new machines are announced at NAB. I've already selected an HD-SDI card with help from posters here...

I also need to purchase a large, fast storage solution for storing 10 bit uncompressed 4:2:2 HD from a Varicam - that's 110MB/sec, according to the spec sheet (MB, not Mb)...

I've looked at the XServe RAID storage and don't like the price. I'm looking for 3-4TB of usable storage that can manage a sustained 120+MB/sec and is resilient.

What non-Apple options are out there that work well and seamlessly with the Mac?

 

[slughead]

NAB? Apple? New Machines? What?

 

[iW00t]

You can try getting a hardware RAID controller and a Linux box set up as a Samba server.

It won't be "seamless", but it will be pretty damned good.

(Considering an XServe costs like 3 Mac Pros, it is more than pretty damned good)

 

[bankshot]

You can try getting a hardware RAID controller and a Linux box set up as a Samba server.

There's no way that can keep up with the requirement of 120 MB/s. Even with gigabit ethernet, that's right at the theoretical limit without considering a whole host of bottlenecks that'll slow it down way below that.

To the OP, are you absolutely sure that's 110 megabytes per second? I don't know enough about high end video stuff, but the little I found from Google (search various combinations of HD, Varicam, mbps, etc) only came up with as much as 100 Mbps (bits). If it's bits and not bytes, then there are a whole bunch more possibilities. Even so, I'd hesitate to go with anything networked, as sustained throughput won't be guaranteed.

 

[trainguy77]

Could you show us a link of what you already have so we can confirm the speed requirements?

 

[dex22]

I'll be importing uncompressed HD streams using HD-SDI. The specs for that say "1.485Gbits/sec"

10 bit uncompressed 720P60 4:2:2 video is 140MBytes/sec.
10 bit uncompressed 1080P25 4:2:2 video is 132MBytes/sec.

http://www.blackmagic-design.com/support/detail.asp?techID=30

Note: this is for 60fps, and I'll be doing 24P capture, but the varicam records everything as 60fps and leaves it to the NLE to do the pulldown.

 

[pengu]

try this http://www.enhance-tech.com/products/desktop/E8_Specify.html
with one of these http://highpoint-tech.com/USA/rr2322.htm

or one of these http://www.kanotechnologies.com/products/xspand.cfm
or http://www.kanotechnologies.com/products/xspand_rack.cfm

or http://g-raid.com/Products/G-SPEED.cfm

or http://www.sonnettech.com/product/tempo_sata_e4p.html
with any number of eSata enclosures you like.

 

[mustard]

I would recommend a secure solution (raid 5) the Lacie S2S might suite your needs

Link

I actually own the S1S but me needs are slightly less

 

[dex22]

Thanks, Pengu and Mustard

I'm looking closely at some of the higher end systems you listed.

I dread to think how long it will take to convert this content for DVD! I'm also hoping for good Blu-ray or HD-DVD burner support by late fall.

Is anyone out these using an uncompressed HD workflow who might point out some catches and snags I might face?