What to expect from iMac 2012 - Discussion

[Melbourne Park]

say what? SSDs have notorious reliability issues compared to mechanical drives...

No, not the data parts. The issues you speak of relate to software and cheap units.

And those issues happen early on. mechanical reliability issues with HDs, happen when they get worn. Hence a 65 year warranty will be a better long term proposition, than a one year warranty. Video drives cost more than normal hard drives, because video works harder, has more data throughput and would then need better components I prusume - and needs better engineering.

How many iPhones have had their drives loose all their data? Note that when buying an SSD, there are big price variations between well known brands and others. And the issues with others do not relate to the actual core memory ... a bit like RAM. Good RAM is very reliable, and cheap stuff can also often be OK, as the interfaces are mature. There is more going on with an SSD, data path and other issues, and that is where the faults occur, and also compatibility ones too.

Solid state is always going to be more reliable than a rotating platter. The rest is up to how its other gear is put together.

----------

That's the way my hybrid HDD works and it's been troublesome to say the least when it comes to retaining priority for popular/cached software. It's still been a great HDD overall, but that feature of it has been pointless IMO as my load / runtimes varied far more than they ever did on a 5400 HDD I ran previous.

Here's hoping that technology has advanced to a more useable level or that like some hybrid systems, you can actually manage what the SSD retains rather than let it throw a crabline out and fish out an old boot.

It has advanced, because Intel built it into their last motherboards, and IvyBridge is another generation forwards.

There is a difference too between your drives SSD component, and what Intel offered - namely your SSD is I think 4GB? While even a small SSD would be at least 32, and more likely 64 or 128. Really 64 is more than enough but who knows what the marketing boys will want? And I presume too, that Intel's motherboard had a lot more processing power to manage an SSD and HD, than your hard drive's processors.

 

[SpecAU]

If it does come with both SSD and HDD, I sure hope they dont make them RAID or hybrid style, I dont want that **** lol.

Im happy to run 2 drives, but we have to think of the end consumer that has no idea about doing this. Apple will need to make it easy for them.

 

[voyagerd]

I’m actually really enjoying the hybrid drive that I put into my 4 year old MacBook Pro.

 

[Melbourne Park]

If it does come with both SSD and HDD, I sure hope they dont make them RAID or hybrid style, I dont want that **** lol.

Im happy to run 2 drives, but we have to think of the end consumer that has no idea about doing this. Apple will need to make it easy for them.

With two drives, RAID has been available for years. But this is not raid ... I don't know why they should have the drives separate, but that is up to apple ... if its seamless and reliable, I hope they do do it ... I tried with an AsRock extreme, and it did not work ... and it was supposed to. Probably AsRocks fault ... (motherboard maker). On a games machine ...

 

[iamdavekennedy]

It has advanced, because Intel built it into their last motherboards, and IvyBridge is another generation forwards.

There is a difference too between your drives SSD component, and what Intel offered - namely your SSD is I think 4GB? While even a small SSD would be at least 32, and more likely 64 or 128. Really 64 is more than enough but who knows what the marketing boys will want? And I presume too, that Intel's motherboard had a lot more processing power to manage an SSD and HD, than your hard drive's processors.

I'm happy with that answer, fingers crossed this is the case if they take this route.

 

[HurryKayne]

I read above and while i was reading a question was coming out..
which is the more durable way to save your files,i mean..for decades..
such as very important videos,images,text?
It must be something which doesn't fail as an hard drive..
so..maybe if i copy all my datas on Dvd double layer (makin several copy of every one and takin them away from sunlight,moisture..etc) or on blueray ones...is the only way?
Or does exist something solid like a rock for years and years?
I mean once its written you can't delete it isn't it?
I know you were speaking about boot times,apps that loads faster..but,,the outcomes of this appz are our files..and once they're lost...that's it!.
Thanks.

 

[theSeb]

I read above and while i was reading a question was coming out..
which is the more durable way to save your files,i mean..for decades..
such as very important videos,images,text?
It must be something which doesn't fail as an hard drive..
so..maybe if i copy all my datas on Dvd double layer (makin several copy of every one and takin them away from sunlight,moisture..etc) or on blueray ones...is the only way?
Or does exist something solid like a rock for years and years?
I mean once its written you can't delete it isn't it?
I know you were speaking about boot times,apps that loads faster..but,,the outcomes of this appz are our files..and once they're lost...that's it!.
Thanks.

Rocks erode over years due to weathering.

 

[HurryKayne]

Rocks.
Please its very important to me,if you wanna just joke,joke,
but really are only my worries,can you share a little knowledge with me?
Thanks.

 

[Nandifix]

No storage device will last forever however DVDs have a long life, also make sure you keep two copies of your files.

 

[7709876]

Video drives cost more than normal hard drives, because video works harder, has more data throughput and would then need better components I prusume - and needs better engineering.

What, is a "video drive"?

 

[HurryKayne]

Ok,thanks,thats what i meant.
So if i reguralry make copies..i will have
more durability than with spinning magnetic drives ,
what about solid drive?How log can they keep data safe?
And if Apple puts out Dvd drive ? which technology will offer
us the same durability?

 

[Vandefilm]

What, is a "video drive"?

It's a mixture of a hard drive and a virtual drive. You can actually see the video drive float on your screen but it's not touchable. You can just drag en drop things on your video drive and a as you drag you'll see a video of the drag en drop.

 

[7709876]

It's a mixture of a hard drive and a virtual drive. You can actually see the video drive float on your screen but it's not touchable. You can just drag en drop things on your video drive and a as you drag you'll see a video of the drag en drop.

I assume this is a joke?

 

[HurryKayne]

...is he speaking about Cloud services?as Dropcopy,Airdrop,dropbox..?
ps.
So the most similar "rocky-Crystal storage" we have are the Dvd?Isn'it?
(No magnetic erasing..cellular radio freq{?}against the Sun Flare^^EMP[in this case data will be safe ..but not me..] or the bad sectors..no rewritings on old data..)..while we wai for this..
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technolo...crystals-may-become-reality-in-computers.html

 

[Vandefilm]

I assume this is a joke?

No, im dead serious

 

[iamdavekennedy]

I assume this is a joke?

It sounds like a really poor & misunderstood description of Holographic Storage to be honest, not that we're *quite* there yet!

Unless of course he's joking

 

[necromorph]

The top end iMac specs better be pretty high as i've just been looking into a custom build pc and for near enough the same price i can get a 32gb, 8 core monster! It's a shame i need xcode for my work

 

[Razorhog]

The top end iMac specs better be pretty high as i've just been looking into a custom build pc and for near enough the same price i can get a 32gb, 8 core monster! It's a shame i need xcode for my work

This post bewilders me. You complain about the cost of an iMac, yet use xCode for work?

 

[necromorph]

This post bewilders me. You complain about the cost of an iMac, yet use xCode for work?

I wasn't complaining about anything, I was simply saying that I hope we get a mega monster of a machine from apple for the premium price we pay

However it's also true to say that if xcode was available on the pc I would never purchase a mac. Hate me for saying it if you wish I'm just being honest.

 

[theSeb]

I wasn't complaining about anything, I was simply saying that I hope we get a mega monster of a machine from apple for the premium price we pay

However it's also true to say that if xcode was available on the pc I would never purchase a mac. Hate me for saying it if you wish I'm just being honest.

Hate++

 

[necromorph]

Hate++

Love++

 

[Razorhog]

I wasn't complaining about anything, I was simply saying that I hope we get a mega monster of a machine from apple for the premium price we pay

However it's also true to say that if xcode was available on the pc I would never purchase a mac. Hate me for saying it if you wish I'm just being honest.

No hate here, honesty is rare these days. However, I still don't understand. Why would you develop software for OS X but not actually run OS X? (if xCode was available on windows) Do you not like X? I'd say few are the people who switch from Windows to OS X that still like Windows better.

 

[necromorph]

No hate here, honesty is rare these days. However, I still don't understand. Why would you develop software for OS X but not actually run OS X? (if xCode was available on windows) Do you not like X? I'd say few are the people who switch from Windows to OS X that still like Windows better.

I have never used it so I don't know what it's like. I am being forced to buy an iMac for the first time so I can use xcode. I wont elaborate any further but I have no choice in the matter.

Anyhow it's not long now before they are released ...

 

[CrispEditor]

What is a video drive?

What, is a "video drive"?

In the earlier days of hard drives, you could buy a hard drive (normal) or a video hard drive. The difference has to do with recalibration of the heads. All drives need to recalibrate periodically. In the early 80s/90s, most drives were for data and it didnt matter (capacity was too low for video and cpus were too weak to handle video).

As drive sizes increased, which means the intertrack spacing decreased and various quantum effects would come into play, the heads would need to periodically recalibrate - otherwise they would lose positioning and read/writing one track may overlap another.
Early drives would simple take a "time out" to do this - effectively home the disk head and reseek for precise control. (I suspect its a bit like a drive going into autopilot without this - over time (ie seconds) the heads move out of alignment). Early drives would do this, and this could cause a blip of (??) hundreds of milliseconds. Not good when recording video.

Video drives would basically break up the recalibrate and do more of them, for shorter periods, such that the "gap" in handling throughput wasnt a big gap but lots of little ones.

I think modern drives are effectively video drives - they can take sustained I/O. Combine this with lots of RAM on the CPU and caches on the controller, you no longer tend to see blips in throughput.

This is all fine for home use. This might not be fine if you are recording 24x7, e.g. for big database backends - so they may still exist. But caching tends to iron this out so its not a big deal for most people.

 

[7709876]

In the earlier days of hard drives, you could buy a hard drive (normal) or a video hard drive. The difference has to do with recalibration of the heads. All drives need to recalibrate periodically. In the early 80s/90s, most drives were for data and it didnt matter (capacity was too low for video and cpus were too weak to handle video).

As drive sizes increased, which means the intertrack spacing decreased and various quantum effects would come into play, the heads would need to periodically recalibrate - otherwise they would lose positioning and read/writing one track may overlap another.
Early drives would simple take a "time out" to do this - effectively home the disk head and reseek for precise control. (I suspect its a bit like a drive going into autopilot without this - over time (ie seconds) the heads move out of alignment). Early drives would do this, and this could cause a blip of (??) hundreds of milliseconds. Not good when recording video.

Video drives would basically break up the recalibrate and do more of them, for shorter periods, such that the "gap" in handling throughput wasnt a big gap but lots of little ones.

I think modern drives are effectively video drives - they can take sustained I/O. Combine this with lots of RAM on the CPU and caches on the controller, you no longer tend to see blips in throughput.

This is all fine for home use. This might not be fine if you are recording 24x7, e.g. for big database backends - so they may still exist. But caching tends to iron this out so its not a big deal for most people.

I remember hard drives back in the 80s and I have never heard of such a thing.

This sounds like similar sort of snake oil as that used to sell high end HDMI cables.