Mac Mini, Intel Core Duo w/ FCP?

Cliff Etzel · January 31st, 2007, 11:19 AM

Dave - how should the HD's be configured for editing with a MAC mini?

If Raid isn't needed for miniDV, how should I break up the HD's? Would you advise a separate scratch disk for editing and rendering while footage is acquired to a third hard drive???

Coming from a Windows NLE environment, my set up is for all programs installed on one drive, My raid 0 is used for capture and editing of video, and a third drive is used for all audio editing.

Would this solution work as well for the mini or is there another setup that is more efficient?

TIA,

Dave Perry · January 31st, 2007, 12:00 PM

Cliff,

A RAID would be nice but not necessary for DV. Also, if you build a RAID try to get an enclosure that is FW400, FW800, and eSATA. Minis only have FW400. But if you move up to a MacPro some day, you'll be able to utilize all 3 interfaces (with the addition of a SATA card).

Mac OS X has a great RAID utility in thhe Disc Utility program. Use that to format your RAID and format as "MAC OS Extended-Not Journaled". DO NOT USE MS-DOS! (Yes, I'm SHOUTING).

When you have done that and the RAID is mounted on the desktop, control click or right click on it and select "Get Info". At the bottom of the window, make sure that "Ignore ownership on this volume" IS checked. This allows for ease of switching between Macs.

Andy Tejral · January 31st, 2007, 12:16 PM

Sorry, started posting in the wrong place. Can't I just delete this?

Dave Perry · January 31st, 2007, 12:22 PM

Sorry, I hit the post button twice then came back to edit this double post so it wouldn't be a double post :)

Bryan Roberts · January 31st, 2007, 02:55 PM

David:

There used to a be a sticky at the top of this forum with an extensive review I did of the mac mini back when it was first released in Jan 05'. Here are the three links, they range from most recent to the first impressions when I purchased it.

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthrea...mac+mini+bryan

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthrea...threadid=39938

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthrea...mac+mini+bryan

Anyways, I found configured correctly the mac mini could serve as a capable edit station when it was first released with the G4 1.42 chip (I edited a feature documentary, a feature film shot on super 16mm, promos and short films on my old mac mini). Even though I have no experience with the new ones, I can only assume that they are even better, as their processors are much faster - so read the articles if you would like to hear how to set one up for editing and about any other tid bits I could think of at the time...

note: I sold my mini 6 months ago to a director I was working with at the time as he needed a new computer and I had bought a G5 to edit HD features...

Cliff Etzel · February 13th, 2007, 12:04 PM

Dave - Since I have a pair of 7200RPM Seagate Barracuda 160GB drives, would the capacity be sufficient for editing on the drives without RAID 0 configuration??? I just purchased these drives so they are brand new (IDE interface BTW) Firewire enclosures seem quite reasonable in price - how do the stack up for editing DV Footage by themselves? Is 160GB sufficient for editing a short form project done in DV format with FCE?

January 31st, 2007, 11:19 AM	#16
Cliff Etzel Major Player Join Date: May 2006 Location: Eugene, Oregon Posts: 325	Dave - how should the HD's be configured for editing with a MAC mini? If Raid isn't needed for miniDV, how should I break up the HD's? Would you advise a separate scratch disk for editing and rendering while footage is acquired to a third hard drive??? Coming from a Windows NLE environment, my set up is for all programs installed on one drive, My raid 0 is used for capture and editing of video, and a third drive is used for all audio editing. Would this solution work as well for the mini or is there another setup that is more efficient? TIA, __________________ Cliff Etzel - Photographer Website \| Blog

January 31st, 2007, 12:00 PM	#17
Dave Perry Major Player Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Roanoke, VA Posts: 796	Cliff, A RAID would be nice but not necessary for DV. Also, if you build a RAID try to get an enclosure that is FW400, FW800, and eSATA. Minis only have FW400. But if you move up to a MacPro some day, you'll be able to utilize all 3 interfaces (with the addition of a SATA card). Mac OS X has a great RAID utility in thhe Disc Utility program. Use that to format your RAID and format as "MAC OS Extended-Not Journaled". DO NOT USE MS-DOS! (Yes, I'm SHOUTING). When you have done that and the RAID is mounted on the desktop, control click or right click on it and select "Get Info". At the bottom of the window, make sure that "Ignore ownership on this volume" IS checked. This allows for ease of switching between Macs. __________________ Dave Perry Cinematographer LLC Director of Photography • Editor • Digital Film Production • 540.915.2752 • daveperry.net

January 31st, 2007, 12:16 PM	#18
Andy Tejral Major Player Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: New York City Posts: 523	How spiffy is this (or not)? Sorry, started posting in the wrong place. Can't I just delete this?

January 31st, 2007, 12:22 PM	#19
Dave Perry Major Player Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Roanoke, VA Posts: 796	Sorry, I hit the post button twice then came back to edit this double post so it wouldn't be a double post :) __________________ Dave Perry Cinematographer LLC Director of Photography • Editor • Digital Film Production • 540.915.2752 • daveperry.net

February 13th, 2007, 12:04 PM	#21
Cliff Etzel Major Player Join Date: May 2006 Location: Eugene, Oregon Posts: 325	Followup on HD's for the mac Mini Dave - Since I have a pair of 7200RPM Seagate Barracuda 160GB drives, would the capacity be sufficient for editing on the drives without RAID 0 configuration??? I just purchased these drives so they are brand new (IDE interface BTW) Firewire enclosures seem quite reasonable in price - how do the stack up for editing DV Footage by themselves? Is 160GB sufficient for editing a short form project done in DV format with FCE? __________________ Cliff Etzel - Photographer Website \| Blog

January 31st, 2007, 02:55 PM	#20
Bryan Roberts Major Player Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 436	David: There used to a be a sticky at the top of this forum with an extensive review I did of the mac mini back when it was first released in Jan 05'. Here are the three links, they range from most recent to the first impressions when I purchased it. http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthrea...mac+mini+bryan http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthrea...threadid=39938 http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthrea...mac+mini+bryan Anyways, I found configured correctly the mac mini could serve as a capable edit station when it was first released with the G4 1.42 chip (I edited a feature documentary, a feature film shot on super 16mm, promos and short films on my old mac mini). Even though I have no experience with the new ones, I can only assume that they are even better, as their processors are much faster - so read the articles if you would like to hear how to set one up for editing and about any other tid bits I could think of at the time... note: I sold my mini 6 months ago to a director I was working with at the time as he needed a new computer and I had bought a G5 to edit HD features...