Okay, I knew this was a bad idea. Until we have anything more to discuss on the Mac Pro, let's move this parallel universe discussion to StringRumors:Forums.
Was that intentional: a parallel thread for parallel strings?
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The 2009 (Gainestown) Mac Pro: Everything We Know
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Was that intentional: a parallel thread for parallel strings?
I haven't had time to go through it thoroughly either.
I agree it's certainly doable.
Even if they were strange enough to not want to share pins where possible. 
Just what are you guys going to do with such powerful machines?
Research parallel universes?
3D animation and video editing....
I've not chimed in here yet, but I am really anxiously waiting to update my quad g5 and its long overdue as far as I'm concerned.
I think when I can render a full HD, million polygon scene with more than single look radiostity in real time I might be happy. That won't happen for a very long time, though, so until then I'll always be looking for the next best thing.
And I'll keep adding my old machines to a personal render farm and use them for some nice distributed rendering....
D
Gainestown motherboards out
It might interest some of you that Gainestown motherboards are out retail:
http://www.provantage.com/asus-z8nr-d12~7ASUS1T1.htm
http://www.beachaudio.com/Asus/Z8pe-D12x-p-252850.html
Might help to clarify some details about the mac pro MB..
/T
It might interest some of you that Gainestown motherboards are out retail:
http://www.provantage.com/asus-z8nr-d12~7ASUS1T1.htm
http://www.beachaudio.com/Asus/Z8pe-D12x-p-252850.html
Might help to clarify some details about the mac pro MB..
/T
I posted a SuperMicro DP Xeon 5500 board previously as well (link on provantage). Like the above poster, the photo may not actually be it though.
So far, checking a few board makers' sites (Asus, SuperMicro, Gigabyte, Intel), nothing has been posted yet.
The Z8PE-D12X needs more PCIe slots!
Apple's current MP uses a slightly modified Intel board. (I'd have to check for the P/N it's based on, but it's posted in the forum somewhere).
I sort of doubt we'll find an early pic, but it would be nice.
wouldn't this be a perfect opportunity to *change* the form factor?
Why does the new Mac Pro have to look like the old ones...
D
wouldn't this be a perfect opportunity to *change* the form factor?
Why does the new Mac Pro have to look like the old ones...
D
It doesn't have to keep it, but for ease of changing parts it sure is hard to argue for change.
In what sense?It doesn't have to keep it, but for ease of changing parts it sure is hard to argue for change.
Components or tooling?
Components. Mac Pros are far easier to change parts (memory, hard disks, pice cards) than other PCs.
I figure tooling a custom board isn't easier and probably costs more (especially if you don't reuse it in other systems).
I thought you were referring to manufacturing, not user upgrades.
The actual components are changing (new sockets, and chipset at an absolute minimum, but likely the power regs + others too), which require a new board. Some changes are design necessities, others would be for economics.
Apple tends to go custom anyway, even if it's just the firmware that differentiates it. Risers as well on the '06 -'08 models (Intel). To keep the board smaller (SSI CEB 10.5"X 12"), they'd need to use a riser setup again, otherwise it will end up on an SSI EEB/E-ATX (12" X 13") board if they actually want it to have space for memory.
Personally, I've found the internal case design to have the biggest impact on ease of changing out parts for the end user. (I consider sleds, ... and other removable items case, not board. Risers are part of the board to my way of thinking).
In the end, I don't think anyone is really going to care too much (well most people) what the thing looks like. It could be a big beige box at this point and I'd get it.
D
D
If it came in a big beige box then I'd reckon a new case modding business for the mac pro?
Here's a pic...
That's a crapload of SATA connectors.
I posted a SuperMicro DP Xeon 5500 board previously as well (link on provantage). Like the above poster, the photo may not actually be it though.
So far, checking a few board makers' sites (Asus, SuperMicro, Gigabyte, Intel), nothing has been posted yet.
The Z8PE-D12X needs more PCIe slots!
It looks like it. You don't see too many boards with 12 DIMM sockets.
As for the PCI-E slots, it has five of them plus what looks like a mini-PCI connector on the bottom for wifi.
I thought you were referring to manufacturing, not user upgrades.
The actual components are changing (new sockets, and chipset at an absolute minimum, but likely the power regs + others too), which require a new board. Some changes are design necessities, others would be for economics.
Apple tends to go custom anyway, even if it's just the firmware that differentiates it. Risers as well on the '06 -'08 models (Intel). To keep the board smaller (SSI CEB 10.5"X 12"), they'd need to use a riser setup again, otherwise it will end up on an SSI EEB/E-ATX (12" X 13") board if they actually want it to have space for memory.
Personally, I've found the internal case design to have the biggest impact on ease of changing out parts for the end user. (I consider sleds, ... and other removable items case, not board. Risers are part of the board to my way of thinking).
Modified E-ATX Mac Pro Octo and modified ATX Mac Pro quad is what I'm hoping for. Same general shape, but the octo is a couple inches deeper.
The one thing I would really like to see case wise is the return of the motherboard being mounted on a hinged side panel. I know it takes away from the aesthetics, but when I open the case, it isn't to marvel at the design, its to get something done and I really hate having to scrape my knuckles on case partitions. It was quite possibly the most useful innovation they ever thought up, why did they stray away from it.
Hmm... I'm seeing two for ODDs (two black; it's just easier to cordon them like that) and TWELVE for hard drives.
Ooh, hoo, hoo...
Yes, I know that they'll cut it down to around six of them total, but it's fun to dream... if you shoot your own ideas down in the next sentence.
It looks to me that, since we can't decide whether DDR3 can be put on risers, that Apple will have to make the case longer to accommodate 12 DIMM slots.
Either that, or they'll...
I don't even want to say it...
CUT BACK on DIMM slots to six.
Hmm... I'm seeing two for ODDs (two black; it's just easier to cordon them like that) and TWELVE for hard drives.
Ooh, hoo, hoo...
Yes, I know that they'll cut it down to around six of them total, but it's fun to dream... if you shoot your own ideas down in the next sentence.
It looks to me that, since we can't decide whether DDR3 can be put on risers, that Apple will have to make the case longer to accommodate 12 DIMM slots.
Either that, or they'll...
I don't even want to say it...
CUT BACK on DIMM slots to six.
I hope not. Saying that the pros would be less than pleased would be an understatement.
Perhaps a few are SAS.
That would be nice. For a DP server board, I'd expect 12. Any less, and it's worthless!
5?!? A measly 5? Dump the PCI-X. More.
Seriously, I'd really like to see the specs on this one. I'm presuming the blue is a dedicated x16 PCIe 2.0, but I'm not sure of the white (x16 full length; at least electrically). For some strange reason, I'm thinking they're x8.
One could do some serious damage with (I/O) with this one.
Hmm...PCIe potential... Audio card (RME HDSPe AIO). Check. Decent x16 graphics card. Check. 3 RAID cards. HELL YEAH!
I would love to see the board size increased. (Nice excuse for a larger case with more drive bays).
I also am willing to sacrifice aesthetics for functionality. To me, the ability to access and upgrade components quickly and easily is a requirement, not a luxury.
I honestly think a balance of the two can be achieved. Now to get this concept through to Jonathon Ive...
The blue drive ports could be for SAS, red for SATA, and black for SATA ODD. I would love that.Hmm... I'm seeing two for ODDs (two black; it's just easier to cordon them like that) and TWELVE for hard drives.
Ooh, hoo, hoo...
Yes, I know that they'll cut it down to around six of them total, but it's fun to dream... if you shoot your own ideas down in the next sentence.
It looks to me that, since we can't decide whether DDR3 can be put on risers, that Apple will have to make the case longer to accommodate 12 DIMM slots.
Either that, or they'll...
I don't even want to say it...
CUT BACK on DIMM slots to six.
A longer case could result in additional HDD bays.
Far preferable to a reduction in DIMM slots.
How much memory does a good rendering box require?
When you think about it, DDR3 DIMMS are now readily available in 2GB sticks.
If they offered a board with 12 DIMM slots (2 per channel x 3 channels x 2 processors) fully populated, it would have 24GB. That seems insane to me. What desktop system needs that much RAM?
To put this in context, I just parted out a high-end Vista gaming rig that was hard-pressed to use the full 4GB of RAM I had in that machine.
If I were to buy a MP today, I would probably only configure it with 6GB (1GB sticks x 3 channels x 2 processors).
I guess the bottom line is, would MP users find it limiting to have only 6 DIMM slots with a capacity of 12GB of RAM?
When you think about it, DDR3 DIMMS are now readily available in 2GB sticks.
If they offered a board with 12 DIMM slots (2 per channel x 3 channels x 2 processors) fully populated, it would have 24GB. That seems insane to me. What desktop system needs that much RAM?
To put this in context, I just parted out a high-end Vista gaming rig that was hard-pressed to use the full 4GB of RAM I had in that machine.
If I were to buy a MP today, I would probably only configure it with 6GB (1GB sticks x 3 channels x 2 processors).
I guess the bottom line is, would MP users find it limiting to have only 6 DIMM slots with a capacity of 12GB of RAM?
Apple's current MP uses a slightly modified Intel board. (I'd have to check for the P/N it's based on, but it's posted in the forum somewhere).
I sort of doubt we'll find an early pic, but it would be nice.
While I know nothing about the design and manufacture of Apple's board, I can guarantee that it is *NOT* based on an existing Intel board. (Because I know all about the Intel boards.)
The Mac Pro uses the 5400X chipset. Intel has two boards that use the 5400-series chipset.
The S5400SF server board, which has 16(!) DIMM slots flat on the board, and a single PCI-e x16 slot, since it's meant to be used in a 1U rack-mount chassis. (Indeed, it is sold exclusively as the "SR1560SF" server system, not as a lone board.)
The D5400XS is the ultra-high-end dual-socket desktop board, which has only four memory slots, flat on the board; but a raft of expansion slots, including four PCI-e x16 slots.
Neither one looks *ANYTHING* like the Mac Pro's motherboard. And neither one uses a memory riser.
Oh, and 4 GB sticks of DDR-3 are available. So six sticks would be 24 GB. Eighteen sticks (three per channel, per processor,) would be 72 GB. I commented that it would be funny to have that much RAM in a system with three of the new 32 GB ultra-extreme Intel SSDs in a RAID-5. You wouldn't even have enough space to suspend-to-disk, much less hold an OS or data.
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