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What do you use your Mac Pro for?!

I don't have a Mac Pro yet, but I am seriously considering to get one soon (FSVO soon, not earlier than Leopard for sure).

What do I do? Basically, I'm a programmer, so more power is never bad. Switching from my old 4-year-old machine to a MacBook Pro almost a year ago made a real change in this regard, but I'm getting tired of the laptop form factor for home use and, specially, its noise whenever it gets "to the job". Plus it is not that fast for what I do (blame the hard disk on most situations).

A 4-core Mac Pro would certainly boost many tasks I do frequently, plus I'd have a much prettier and tidy desktop :)

Of course, I'd also use that machine for internet browsing, "light" gaming and watching movies/TV series, so a 20-23 widescreen must accompany it.
 
First Gen G5

I guys, I'm really looking for to get the new Mac Pro as soon as the update comes out. I'm still running on the first generation G5 1.8 ... I'm screaming at encoding time that sometimes would run for days.... espacially the H.264... and it can sometimes be for a 5 min. movie that I am encoding to be smaller... I don't know if this is normal but it's a real pain.

My main goal is to get more speed since time is money in movie making, well, I'd like to know what kind of speed gain I would get from buying a new systeme and if the 8 core is the real deal. I know you might tell me to look at charts... but the ones I have seen are putting my computer, the G5 1.8, with compressor 1 and the latest with compressor 3. So, if someone was in my situation and could let me know if switching changed their lives... I'd like to hear it.

Last thing... If I get a Macpro... can I still use my G5 as one more processor in a cluster or should I just sell that bag of douch to an idiot?:D

Thanks guys and this is my first post here... really like the forums!

Cheers!
 
LeKiD: I think it'll change your life. The Intel Core processors are screamingly fast at tasks such as encoding video. But I can't give you numbers.

Also, you may want to consider Elgato Turbo.264, which will be applicable both to your current computer and your future Mac Pro. ScreenCastsOnline has a nice review of this product, including numbers.
 
I produce instructional music DVDs using Final Cut Studio 2. I'm also a print and web designer. Most of my current print work is for Trade Shows, Exhibits and Truck Wraps. This means I'm often creating Photoshop files that are 42ft x 9 ft.

I have an 8core with 5 gigs, 2 TB etc. It's funny, I've never had a computer that was "fast enough" for the work I'm currently doing while I own that computer. As the computers get faster the demands of my clients or the direction of my work shifts and I'm once again reduced to watching spinning wheels.

Don't get me wrong my 8-core is definitely faster than the dual 2.0 G5 it replaced, it's just that although render times have improved they're still often 12min or more. Hardly the kind of time that I'd describe as "blazing".

Toronto Wayne
 
drmacjazz said:
Don't get me wrong my 8-core is definitely faster than the dual 2.0 G5 it replaced, it's just that although render times have improved they're still often 12min or more. Hardly the kind of time that I'd describe as "blazing".

Toronto Wayne
Click to expand...

You could use some more ram.

I read somewhere that the 8-core Mac Pro should have 1 gig of ram per processor, equalling 8 gigs of ram.
 
Photoshop only uses upto 3GB...don't quote me on this. I don't do print work. Mostly video at upto 1080 resolutions
 
I mainly use my 8-core for HD video work.

With some filters in Final Cut Pro, I actually max out all 8 cores during a single render.

The 8-core is excellent for distributed sub-spawning in Compressor as well, especially for encoded to codecs that aren't completely multi-processor aware.
 
I use my Mac Pro for computing, usually with Maple and C++.

I don't know what I did before I had my Mac Pro. It is wonderful!
 
I use my Mac Pro for some video editing, games, music, to store my enormous podcast collection, and email.
 
i use mine as a maid that makes me toast with jam. also it vacums and tucks me in at night. actually i dont have one, but if i did thats what it would do.
 
I use my quad 3 Ghz for tons of video encoding and games. I love it, although I wish it had a bit more horsepower and a better GPU.
 
FF_productions said:
Depending on what you are doing, I'm sure Photoshop uses more than 3 gigs.
Click to expand...

Photoshop can allocate 3gigs, but it can use the "next" 3gigs as a virtual scratch. Photoshop apparently doesn´t benefit of more than 6gb´s of memory. But obviously it is good to have for the OS, the mail/ftp applications and other programs.


Here the useage is ad/feature photography. PS CS3 and Lightroom. The obvious ftp/mail/safari useage too.

I dont think I have opened any other applications that I have on the computer, iPhoto,iDVD,garageband... :eek:
 
Fortran stuff running that used to run on a Cray C90 ported to the Mac Pro using the intel fortran compiler.
 
mward333 said:
Sorry, I'm not a coffee drinker. Hmmm.... I probably just sat around and twiddled my thumbs.
Click to expand...
oh i see.. must have been twiddling then hahaha. i hate when you go to an older computer (such as my imac dv downstairs) and have to wait 10seconds for safari to open lol.

hugodrax said:
Fortran stuff running that used to run on a Cray C90 ported to the Mac Pro using the intel fortran compiler.
Click to expand...

uuhhh can u put that in england please??
 
As soon as I get my Mac Pro (the moment Steve announces the new Penryn S/S boxes), I will...

* My girlfriend is an actress, so she has loads of films that have to be digitized and brought into the 21st century.

* Reworking her show-reel.

* Bringing my fav DVDs into the 21st century as well. I hate optical discs.

* I am starting a documentary on health.

* Managing my photo collection and finally editing the choice pictures.

* Making music (tambora, sitar and guitar player).

* Taking full advantage of my ACD 30" without overtaxing my portable.

* Working out people's cases with homeopathic software, writing, emailing, surfing and the like.​

That's about it.
 
Multimedia said:
Checking Email, Weather Forecasts On Safari & To Find Out What Time It Is. ;) It does those things really fast.
Click to expand...

So true Multi. I was at The Apple Store on Regent Street checking out an Octo, and I can honestly say that Safari seemed snappier. :D
 
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