Help with a Mac Pro

[Bill, 70's military B&W]

Just setting up an office, LFPF has helped me choose 2 NEC monitors NEC PA241W with SpectraviewII kit.
After a few false starts with purchases on ebay, I finally ended up ordering a 12 core Mac Pro, 32 GB RAM, it has 2 video cards:
nvidia-quadro-4000-for-mac and the standard 5770. My main use will be for photography and personal use.

I have no experience with Mac Pro's, so I have been reading and I have a couple of questions.
The Nvidia 4000 has 2 outputs, one Display Port and one DVI Port. The 5770 has 2 of each.
From from what I am reading the NEC monitors do best when connected via Display Ports.

What I am unsure of is how to connect the monitors.

Do the 2 cards act together or separately? Some have written that the 2 cards interact nicely in Windows (Bootcamp) but not when in MAC mode. What can I expect?

What is best,
1. connection monitors using both 5770 Display Ports
2. connect one to Nvidia and one to 5770 using Display Ports
3. use Nvidia only, one Display Port and one DVI
4. Sell both cards and get a 5870

Another topic, I am putting in a Samsung SSHD and I will need to purchase 3 HD's, any suggestions? Should I set up a RAID? IF so then which one?

Any suggestions would really be appreciated.
Thanks, Bill

[Bob Salomon]

I have found the Genius Bar at the Apple stores very helpful with questions like this and it is free. You just call and make an appointment at your nearest Apple Store or make an appointment on line or at the store.

[Henry Ambrose]

I'm not completely clear on your questions, but I'll have a go at it.
Each card is usually intended to run one monitor. The connector you choose -might- have something to do with some functionality built into the monitor. Generally, the plug that fits is the correct way to connect. It could be that one or both of the cards are intended to run 2 monitors from one card. You really should search up the specs from the makers and see what they have to say.

Here is the nvidia:
http://www.nvidia.com/object/product...00-mac-us.html
looks like its made to run one monitor

and the 5770:
http://store.apple.com/us/product/MC...%28mid-2010%29
"ATI Radeon HD 5770 includes three video ports: two Mini DisplayPorts and one dual-link DVI port. This allows you to connect the 24-inch Apple LED Cinema Display plus another Mini DisplayPort-based display, and a DVI-based display such as the 30-inch Apple Cinema HD Display. Display adapters are available to connect VGA displays."

As to your storage question, it depends on what you want to accomplish. I doubt you'd need RAID for more speed, I'd be looking for security and redundancy.

Can't help with Boot Camp, seems a waste of a great piece of hardware. But if you need it to do your work then that trumps.


This will be quite a machine.

[paulr]

That Quadro 4000 is a high end, specialized card for video and 3D rendering. If you don't anticipate needing those features, I'd recommend selling it. You can get around $800 for those. It offers absolutely no performance benefits to 2D. There are only a handful of features in Photoshop that even make use of the GPU, and those features are for screen rendering, not final resolution processing. The 5770 is a good video card for 2D and will support both your monitors by itself.

Of course try it out to make sure!

The quadro will also draw a lot of power, pump out a lot of heat, and make noise with its fan ... you don't need the thing freeloading in your box.

[photobymike]

We have several "MACs" in our house, and my daughter refers to the my power MAC as the "Big Mac" LOL its only funny cuz my daughter is a "Monetary Exchange Coordinator" for the hamburg place .....

go to the "Genius Bar" at an apple store or call them...they love to show off what they know... they have spent years working with MAC and are certified.

[Preston]

I agree regarding off-loading the QuadroPro and using the 5770. You'll consume less power, the machine will be quieter, and there will be less heat to deal with.

Another topic, I am putting in a Samsung SSHD and I will need to purchase 3 HD's, any suggestions? Should I set up a RAID? IF so then which one?

For normal HD's, I'd go with Western Digital Caviar-Black in whatever size you need for storage. Personally, I think RAID is more of a pain than a help for a use such as yours. You could use one of the drives to back up the system image and programs on the SSD and use the other two for archive storage. You might even consider a USB, or SATA external drive if you have the ports for it.

--P

[Bill, 70's military B&W]

Thanks everyone,
I called The Genius Bar and was shifted around form one to another. They did not know the answer.
I finally realized that the main thing I was trying to achieve was a great image on the NEC PA 241W. So I called NEC and they told me to while it is true that the best performance would be via the Display port, that I could connect using the Dual Link DVI to the second monitor and the monitor/Spectraview-II would be just fine. NEC said I would not be able to tell the difference. Whew!!! a load off my mind. That Nvidia Quatro 4000 is a professional card built for the MAC PRO, and was designed optimize CS6 Premiere. I know that is video editing, and animation, but I am inclined to think that it should do a great job with Photoshop. I'll try it and see how it performs. I am not a big fan of fan noise and additional heat either. So I'll see how it turns out.
Picked up 3 2TB hard drives and I'm still trying to figure out whether a RAID is a good idea or not. I will be using a External for backup... but we all know how that goes. But still a RAID would give me a 6-TB 'D Drive', that coupled with a SSHD, this should be a fine machine. Can't wait for it to arrive... "It's in the mail...." Wish me luck.
I learned that the 4000 is not a stand alone card, for some reason I have to run the 5770 with it.

Thanks for all the help, again I really appreciate it.
Bill

[Jac@stafford.net]

From Adobe - of concern if you use Photoshop: "Multiple video adapters can cause problems with GPU-accelerated or enabled features in Photoshop. It's best to connect two (or more) monitors into one video adapter. If you have to use more than one video adapter, make sure that they are the same make and model. Otherwise, crashes and other problems can occur in Photoshop.

Note: Using more than one video adapter does not enhance Photoshop's performance."

[Preston]

Bill,

As posted above, dual video cards will cause problems if they are not the same make and model. I suggest you pull the 4000 out and use the 5770.

As far as RAID goes, that's certainly up to you. However, you should consider a hardware RAID controller card if the box doesn't have it on the mother board chip set. Software RAID is notorious for causing issues--not something you want on a storage system!

Good luck!

--P

[Bill, 70's military B&W]

Thanks, but again my ignorance is stopping me from seeing the forest...

I am unsure what EXACTLY is meant by 'Multiple Video Adapters'.

From what I've read the 4000 can not be used alone it must have a 5770 in the case with it. That is the way it was designed, at least that is what I have read.
Otherwise how could a 4000 ever be used?
I could see problems if I was trying to hook up one monitor from each card, but I do not see any other way that a 4000 could be used.
What I hope to do is use just one card, the 4000, the DP for one monitor, and the Dual Link DVI for the other monitor. Both monitors off of one card.

I am not trying to argue, I really do appreciate all the help, but if someone puts out all the $$$ to purchase a 4000 they have to put a card like a 5770 in the MAC to operate it. I do not see how they could sell 4000 cards if there was a problem with 2 cards. 2 cards are required. Am I wrong on this point? I've read it at more than one place... do not ask me where, been reading everything.

FedEX tracking says the computer will be here tomorrow. I have to go out of town for a wedding... it'll be next week before I can start setting it up.

Thanks again, I really appreciate it.
Bill