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macgeek2005 · Jul 22, 2007, 07:38 PM

There have been no rumors or articles about the next Mac Pro upgrades! Nothing! Not a word. It's making me really antsy. I know that the next upgrade will have the X2900XT or the 8800GTX as an option, and that it'll have an option for a Blu-Ray Drive. The Motherboard will be upgraded as well, and the Optical drives might move from IDE to SATA. The computer will ship with leopard on it, and probably be released with new displays as well.

This onslaught of new technology will render my current Mac Pro completely obsolete. My plan is to sell my entire setup (at a loss of $300 or $400), and then buy an entirely new setup when it's released. I wouldn't normally do this, but it's a crucial time. The new displays will support HDCP, the new video cards will support HDCP, and the future of Optical Drives will be SATA.

I CAN'T risk waiting until the new ones are released before selling mind, BUT there are NO rumors or inside information what so ever. I need to have some rough idea when they'll be released! Could they be released in October with Leopard? Could they be released as early as August 7th, along with new iPods?

Help!!

Biest · Jul 22, 2007, 08:02 PM

I am a bit confused as to where your sources for this are... this is all major speculation. Some of the points you are making are valid, but still only speculation. Also why are going to sell everything? What do you do for a living that requires a SATA optical drive and a X2900XT?

macgeek2005 · Jul 22, 2007, 08:30 PM

Originally Posted by Biest

I am a bit confused as to where your sources for this are... this is all major speculation. Some of the points you are making are valid, but still only speculation. Also why are going to sell everything? What do you do for a living that requires a SATA optical drive and a X2900XT?

If Optical drives switch to SATA, then within a short period of time, they won't be selling IDE drives anymore. That makes my computers worth go down by alot.

An X2900XT supports HDCP. I'd like to begin my switch to HD movie viewing.

DVD player in Leopard supports Blu-Ray playback. This is a clear sign that in the next Mac Pro upgrade, EVERYTHING will have support for HD. And they'll also have to release HDCP monitors.

Biest · Jul 22, 2007, 08:42 PM

I don't want to destroy your hopes, but you do realize that the cost for a blue-ray drive are still in the 500+ range, while a superdrive is merely 100 bucks.

Also as far as i know the bottle neck for reading a DVD, etc. is still the drive itself the interface is pretty much not much of a help.

The Blue-Ray support is just to make to make it "future" and support those people that already have a blue-ray drive.

macgeek2005 · Jul 22, 2007, 08:55 PM

Originally Posted by Biest

I don't want to destroy your hopes, but you do realize that the cost for a blue-ray drive are still in the 500+ range, while a superdrive is merely 100 bucks.

Also as far as i know the bottle neck for reading a DVD, etc. is still the drive itself the interface is pretty much not much of a help.

The Blue-Ray support is just to make to make it "future" and support those people that already have a blue-ray drive.

I'm not planning on putting a Blu-Ray drive in my machine yet. Even if apple has an option to put one in, i'm not doing it yet, because they aren't fast enough, nor cheap enough.

I want my computer to support it though, so that when I do want to upgrade, I don't have an ancient machine. In the future, Blu-Ray Drives WILL be SATA, and I will also need an HDCP Display and Video card.

Also, the entire interior design of the Mac Pro will be changed slightly to accommodate the 2007 motherboard, which WILL have vast improvements over the 2006 one.

The main reason I want to do this is because, it's been 10 months since I bought this computer, and it's still the latest model. Why not cash in on the fact that I STILL have the latest revision of the machine that I bought 10 months ago. In the future, updates wont be so infrequent. I want to take advantage of this.

rgkgraphix · Jul 22, 2007, 11:24 PM

If I had to guess you probably won't see a new Mac Pro until Mac World 2008. If Intel's Penryn Xeon launches 4th quarter as scheduled then that gives Apple enough time to update their lineup at what perfect time to announce it is... Mac World.

You can get a SATA optical drive now, however the reviews are not that great.
Newegg.com - Pioneer Black 18X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 10X DVD+R DL 18X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 16X DVD-ROM 40X CD-R 32X CD-RW 40X CD-ROM 2MB Cache SATA DVD Burner - OEM
All it is is an interface change, otherwise the tech on the inside is no different than IDE, and write speeds don't come close to maxing out IDE's bus even with the HD formats.

Just my 2 cents, but If I catch word of something good coming down, I may hock mine off just the same.

macgeek2005 · Jul 22, 2007, 11:29 PM

Originally Posted by rgkgraphix

If I had to guess you probably won't see a new Mac Pro until Mac World 2008. If Intel's Penryn Xeon launches 4th quarter as scheduled then that gives Apple enough time to update their lineup at what perfect time to announce it is... Mac World.

You can get a SATA optical drive now, however the reviews are not that great.
Newegg.com - Pioneer Black 18X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 10X DVD+R DL 18X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 16X DVD-ROM 40X CD-R 32X CD-RW 40X CD-ROM 2MB Cache SATA DVD Burner - OEM
All it is is an interface change, otherwise the tech on the inside is no different than IDE, and write speeds don't come close to maxing out IDE's bus even with the HD formats.

Just my 2 cents, but If I catch word of something good coming down, I may hock mine off just the same.

If they are indeed waiting until MacWorld 2008, then that's perfect. It gives me time to keep my machine for the duration i'll need to finish editing my film, and by the time December comes, i'll be able to sell it for the same price I could sell it for now, and then buy a new one in January.

Anyone else have any info? It seems like the Mac Pro's have just sort of entered a grey zone in terms of upgrades....

macgeek2005 · Jul 23, 2007, 01:04 AM

If the new Mac Pro's are released after Leopard comes out, will they be able to run Tiger?

My plan is to take my current hard drives out of my machine when I sell it. Then i'll stick them in my new machine, and i'll need to be able to boot up on them (In Tiger), to install leopard on them.

Does that sound possible?

Biest · Jul 23, 2007, 01:15 AM

Yes... why shouldn't it. People are going to upgrade their mac pros leopard without buying a whole new machine

Big Mac · Jul 23, 2007, 01:35 AM

Perhaps Apple got disappointed with Intel and is preparing to come back home to the PPC. G6 here we come!

Aegis · Jul 23, 2007, 01:54 AM

I wouldn't be so worried, your machine won't be obsolete, it just won't be top of the line.

The MP is indeed starving for an update and I think the recent Intel price cuts will help end the drought. So I would guess they'll get around to in September.

macgeek2005 · Jul 23, 2007, 02:20 AM

Originally Posted by Biest

Yes... why shouldn't it. People are going to upgrade their mac pros leopard without buying a whole new machine

But the NEW Mac Pro's might not support Tiger....

Biest · Jul 23, 2007, 11:38 AM

Originally Posted by macgeek2005

But the NEW Mac Pro's might not support Tiger....

Why do you need tiger when you have leopard? Sry if i am ignorant on this part

macgeek2005 · Jul 23, 2007, 01:11 PM

Originally Posted by Biest

Why do you need tiger when you have leopard? Sry if i am ignorant on this part

Argh! I just explained it further up in the thread.

I don't want to go through the trouble of "setting up" a new computer. When I sell my machine, I take my startup disk out, I get my new machine, I pop my startup disk in.

I need to be able to boot up on that startup disk in TIGER, and then stick the new Mac Pro software CD's in and upgrade to Leopard.

I suppose I could try and install Leopard on my old drives, FROM the new drive that came in the computer, but i'm not sure if that would work.

OreoCookie · Jul 23, 2007, 01:16 PM

Originally Posted by macgeek2005

Argh! I just explained it further up in the thread.

I don't want to go through the trouble of "setting up" a new computer. When I sell my machine, I take my startup disk out, I get my new machine, I pop my startup disk in.

Use Migration Assistant instead.
Updating the harddrives of older machines on newer hardware may cause problems (some machines come with a custom built of the OS).

rgkgraphix · Jul 23, 2007, 01:52 PM

Originally Posted by macgeek2005

But the NEW Mac Pro's might not support Tiger....

There's no reason why the new Pro's won't support Tiger, the new Intel processors are just an update and not a technology change, and the Tiger already supports 8 cores, I don't see any reason why you couldn't drop in the new Xeons into the current Mac Pro's. (Thats just speculation though)

macgeek2005 · Jul 23, 2007, 01:53 PM

Originally Posted by OreoCookie

Use Migration Assistant instead.
Updating the harddrives of older machines on newer hardware may cause problems (some machines come with a custom built of the OS).

But that's what I did when my Mac Pro died and they sent me a new one. I pulled my hard drive out (it wasn't the one that came in the computer), sent it back, and when the new computer came with a NEWER build of 10.4 on it, it would still boot up on my old drive, and I updated the system on it with the software CD's.

I just don't know if it'll be the same when going from 10.4 to 10.5, as opposed to 10.4.6 to 10.4.7.

utw-Mephisto · Jul 23, 2007, 05:15 PM

To be honest, it doesn't matter how people assure you things here, nothing is true unless Apple releases the information themselves. You can certainly sell your rig in December when you assume (or believe) Apple will release more updates, But you might as well end up with a Apple less household ... Unless of course Apple will release those information officially but the same minute the price of your rig drops as well. And even with confirmed rumors (from a so called insider), people who are looking for a Mac will hear / read them too ...

So all I can say : Its a gamble either way ...

OreoCookie · Jul 23, 2007, 05:41 PM

Originally Posted by macgeek2005

But that's what I did when my Mac Pro died and they sent me a new one. I pulled my hard drive out (it wasn't the one that came in the computer), sent it back, and when the new computer came with a NEWER build of 10.4 on it, it would still boot up on my old drive, and I updated the system on it with the software CD's.

That's because you got a Mac from the same model family and is no longer true if the line-up is updated (e. g. new chipsets). So it's very likely this won't work anyway when you get a newer Mac! Just use Migration Assistant, it's painless and secure.

macgeek2005 · Jul 23, 2007, 06:27 PM

Originally Posted by OreoCookie

That's because you got a Mac from the same model family and is no longer true if the line-up is updated (e. g. new chipsets). So it's very likely this won't work anyway when you get a newer Mac! Just use Migration Assistant, it's painless and secure.

It's complex. The drive that comes in the computer will be a 250GB or something. I don't want that disk to remain my startup disk, but it'll be the only one that has Leopard installed.

I need my 500GB Maxtor to end up the main startup disk, with all the stuff on it, just as I have it now, plus Leopard. Do you think I could just stick it in, and from the drive that came in the computer, install leopard on it?

If I use Migration assistant to transfer my stuff from that drive to a new one, it won't work because there won't be enough space on the new one.

If Leopard is released, and the Mac Pro's aren't updated yet, then this isn't a problem, because i'll buy Leopard, and then it'll already be installed on my hard drive, and i'll be able to stick it in a new Mac Pro and boot up with no problems.

But do you have a solution to my problem if the Mac Pro's are updated on or before the time that Leopard is released?

OreoCookie · Jul 23, 2007, 06:30 PM

You can also update an existing installation, that's the other possibility.

macgeek2005 · Jul 23, 2007, 06:37 PM

Originally Posted by OreoCookie

You can also update an existing installation, that's the other possibility.

But will the computer be able to handle a drive that has 10.4.10 installed on it, without spazzing out? It should show up on my desktop, with the computers stock drive as the startup disk (running leopard). Then I should be able to stick in the software discs, and install Leopard on the 10.4.10 drive.

Right?

OreoCookie · Jul 23, 2007, 06:55 PM

Originally Posted by macgeek2005

But will the computer be able to handle a drive that has 10.4.10 installed on it, without spazzing out? It should show up on my desktop, with the computers stock drive as the startup disk (running leopard). Then I should be able to stick in the software discs, and install Leopard on the 10.4.10 drive.

Right?

Why should there be any problems?
I have personally updated from 10.0 to 10.1, 10.1 to 10.2, 10.2 to 10.4, 10.3 to 10.4 and never ever ever run into any trouble. The only problems you might encounter is when you have custom drivers installed which are incompatible with the new version of OS X. Those things are rectified easily. All plug-and-play hardware works just fine.

macgeek2005 · Jul 23, 2007, 09:16 PM

Originally Posted by OreoCookie

Why should there be any problems?
I have personally updated from 10.0 to 10.1, 10.1 to 10.2, 10.2 to 10.4, 10.3 to 10.4 and never ever ever run into any trouble. The only problems you might encounter is when you have custom drivers installed which are incompatible with the new version of OS X. Those things are rectified easily. All plug-and-play hardware works just fine.

But have you taken a hard drive with an older operating system already installing on it, and stuck it in a computer that was made AFTER a newer operating system has already been released?

OreoCookie · Jul 23, 2007, 10:43 PM

That doesn't make a difference. It'll work.

macgeek2005 · Jul 23, 2007, 11:22 PM

Originally Posted by OreoCookie

That doesn't make a difference. It'll work.

Alright, thanks.

Now for the major question: When will the upgrade be, and will I want it?

I just saw a 2.66Ghz Mac Pro with 3GB of ram and 1400GB of hard drive space sell on Ebay for $2750.

If you buy in the Apple Education store, and buy all upgrades from third party sources, you can get what he had, brand new, for about $3200. So, if I sell my computer on ebay, and then when I buy my new one, buy all upgrades from third party vendors, I should be able to get by with a loss of only $500 or so.

OreoCookie · Jul 23, 2007, 11:48 PM

First of all, do you need a new Mac now or can you wait until the next revision? I would assume new Mac Pros are a few weeks away at most.

Just buy what you need from Apple and that is
(i) the cpus you want,
(ii) the graphics card you want,
(iii) Bluetooth/WLAN: yes/no,
(iv) AppleCare (just get it!) and
(v) (Wireless) Mouse and Keyboard: yes/no

If you need to buy new monitors, Apple's are very good, but not cheap. I'd recommend Samsung, the new line-up has a very nice black lacquer surface.

Buy harddrives and RAM from third-party vendors. Do a search in this forum to find out where you can buy them cheaply. We can help you on the specifics.

macgeek2005 · 12:04 AM

Originally Posted by OreoCookie

First of all, do you need a new Mac now or can you wait until the next revision? I would assume new Mac Pros are a few weeks away at most.

Just buy what you need from Apple and that is
(i) the cpus you want,
(ii) the graphics card you want,
(iii) Bluetooth/WLAN: yes/no,
(iv) AppleCare (just get it!) and
(v) (Wireless) Mouse and Keyboard: yes/no

If you need to buy new monitors, Apple's are very good, but not cheap. I'd recommend Samsung, the new line-up has a very nice black lacquer surface.

Buy harddrives and RAM from third-party vendors. Do a search in this forum to find out where you can buy them cheaply. We can help you on the specifics.

I buy RAM and Hard Drives from OWC. Always. Great Prices, extremely reliable.

If new Mac Pro's are just a few weeks away at most, then these won't have Penryn in them, will they? What kind of CPU's will they have? If the next upgrade is just a slight speed bump and graphics card upgrade, then i'm not interested. I'll Sell/Buy when they have a system i'm interested in.

I don't need a new Mac right now. My Mac Pro works for me just fine. I'd just like to stay on top of things, if I can get by with just a few hundred dollars loss.

But where do you get the idea that they're a few weeks away? What can they do to the Mac Pro in a few weeks? None of the Major parts have been upgraded yet.

Another possibility that I hadn't thought of until now, is selling my system AFTER the new one is released. That way I have a minimal transition period, but I will lose some more money. How much less do you think my machine will sell for, after a new one is released?

Biest · Jul 24, 2007, 12:30 AM

CPU options have been discussed here

http://forums.macnn.com/65/mac-pro-a...waiting-blues/

Why few weeks?

iMac and iPod are supposed to get updates, why update the whole desktop line. Apple sometimes got processors before they were officially released

After the update, i would say would loose around 1k

macgeek2005 · Jul 24, 2007, 12:45 AM

Originally Posted by Biest

CPU options have been discussed here

http://forums.macnn.com/65/mac-pro-a...waiting-blues/

Why few weeks?

iMac and iPod are supposed to get updates, why update the whole desktop line. Apple sometimes got processors before they were officially released

After the update, i would say would loose around 1k

I'm confused. Are you saying that you DON'T think they'll be updated in a few weeks?

Biest · Jul 24, 2007, 01:07 AM

Originally Posted by macgeek2005

I'm confused. Are you saying that you DON'T think they'll be updated in a few weeks?

I am giving a reason for it. it is all SPECULATION. everybody here knows about as much as the next best rumors site about when apple is going to release what. the intel roadmap are only pointers

macgeek2005 · Jul 24, 2007, 01:15 AM

Originally Posted by Biest

I am giving a reason for it. it is all SPECULATION. everybody here knows about as much as the next best rumors site about when apple is going to release what. the intel roadmap are only pointers

Alright, well, if the next update is something big, I can't afford to lose 1k of worth on my machine. So i'm in a pickle.....

Big Mac · Jul 24, 2007, 01:26 AM

macgeek needs a new Mac Pro to make mash ups of LOTR and The Secret Garden.

macgeek2005 · Jul 24, 2007, 01:36 AM

Originally Posted by Big Mac

macgeek needs a new Mac Pro to make mash ups of LOTR and The Secret Garden.

There are a number of technological advancements coming in the next update that aren't simply a "next update" kind of thing. Buying a Mac Pro right now is like buying a Quad G5 during the summer of 2006. I need/want:

A DX10/HDCP video card.

A 2007 Motherboard + Better interior design/more air flow.

Blu-Ray/HD-DVD support.

Possibly SATA Optical Drives.

And of course, HDCP monitors, which will probably be released along with new Mac Pro's.

After I get all of that, they'll keep coming out with upgrades, but they won't be as crucial as the upcoming one.

Unblowupable5 · Jul 24, 2007, 05:36 AM

A few things to consider...

First, HDCP isn't being enforced by anyone at this point, and likely won't be something you need to worry about for a few years, if at all. Likely by the time it becomes an issue, you'll want to upgrade again anyway.

Are there really that many issues with the interior design/airflow of the current model?

If, as you said above, you're not going to add a Blu-Ray drive, what's the point? If you're only going to add one on your own down the line, then there's going to be SATA and IDE options for some time.

I really don't see the value of your current setup dropping all that much with the release of the new models. But hey, it's your money.

Richard Richard · Jul 24, 2007, 06:37 AM

I hardly think we'll see a 2-3 x faster improvement over current mac pro's , especially considering the current models aren't exactly what i'd call slouches

As for the new improved videocards - for what purpose exactly ? - mac gaming is SO poor , you'd have to be insane to buy a mac pro for playing games

I think most of the people ranting on about the new mac pro's are people who don't really need one and are seduced by over hyped tech specs rather than real world useage

CatOne · Jul 24, 2007, 08:25 AM

Originally Posted by Unblowupable5

A few things to consider...

First, HDCP isn't being enforced by anyone at this point, and likely won't be something you need to worry about for a few years, if at all. Likely by the time it becomes an issue, you'll want to upgrade again anyway.

...

Isn't being enforced? What does that mean? Can I go down to Best Buy, purchase a Blu-Ray disc, put it in the Blu-Ray drive in my Mac Pro, and watch the movie?

Something tells me the answer is 'no,' which means it IS being enforced

jamil5454 · Jul 24, 2007, 10:16 AM

macgeek, everything you "need/want" is almost certainly going to be available as an upgrade for your current Mac Pro. Just pop a new vid card in, a new optical drive when you want it, and upgrade to the HDCP displays when they come out. That's the beauty of owning a tower. I've been stuck with the "sell before it loses value... the new ones sport much needed new technology!" excuse before, and then I realized the real magic is in the software.

Besides, wouldn't you rather watch an HD movie from the comfort of your couch?

macgeek2005 · Jul 24, 2007, 12:48 PM

Originally Posted by jamil5454

macgeek, everything you "need/want" is almost certainly going to be available as an upgrade for your current Mac Pro. Just pop a new vid card in, a new optical drive when you want it, and upgrade to the HDCP displays when they come out. That's the beauty of owning a tower. I've been stuck with the "sell before it loses value... the new ones sport much needed new technology!" excuse before, and then I realized the real magic is in the software.

Besides, wouldn't you rather watch an HD movie from the comfort of your couch?

That's what kills towers though. Overupgrading them. I like to have a machine that was made for the parts i'm putting in it. I had a 1.25GHz MDD G4 before I bought my Mac Pro. It had 800GB of hard drive space in it, 1.75GB of ram, a Radeon 9800 Pro AND a Radeon 9000 Pro, a Superdrive, and a 40x CD Rom drive. It would randomly freeze up, and do crazy ****, just because it was too upgraded. The Bus speed and CPU speed weren't fast enough for the other hardware in the computer. It's just a simple matter of realizing that the hard drives I put in it (even though they should be perfectly compatible), were manufactured 3 years after my computer came out.

Anyways. Maybe my math is wrong, but this is my problem.

The upgrade that i'd really like to wait for is Rev C.

Rev B. will begin implementing new technology, but Rev C. will be the real great one I think. However, the value of my computer keeps dropping and dropping in the meantime. Can I save up cash on my own, to compensate for the loss of value in the machine? I can probably make a max of about $150 a week. The value of my computer will drop faster than I earn money. Then, when I want to sell my machine and get a new one, my machine will sell for like, $2500, and a new setup will cost $4500. I won't be able to afford it. But if I sell my setup now, for $3500, then I can pay the difference, when I get a new setup. I'm assuming that it won't be until october or november, because I can save up $700 or $800 by then.

However, if I make the switch at the next upgrade, then, when the upgrade I really want rolls around, I can sell my setup, and it'll be worth more than my current setup is. At each switch, i'll lose about $500, but i'll be able to do it each time, because saving up $500 isn't that hard.

Argh.

Richard Richard · Jul 24, 2007, 03:47 PM

"That's what kills towers though. Overupgrading them."

well , that IS a new one

rgkgraphix · Jul 24, 2007, 04:00 PM

The problem is you will never win, or you will spend an enormous amount of time and effort selling and rebuying. Especially with Intel going on a terror with their processors. The next Xeon upgrade after Penryn is second half of 2008, this is where the real tech change will be. Gone will be the current front side bus for their QuickPath technology, as well as a multi-level shared cache. So we'll be having this same conversation this time next year as well.

macgeek2005 · Jul 24, 2007, 04:03 PM

Originally Posted by rgkgraphix

The problem is you will never win, or you will spend an enormous amount of time and effort selling and rebuying. Especially with Intel going on a terror with their processors. The next Xeon upgrade after Penryn is second half of 2008, this is where the real tech change will be. Gone will be the current front side bus for their QuickPath technology, as well as a multi-level shared cache. So we'll be having this same conversation this time next year as well.

Alright, **** it. I'll keep my Mac Pro until there's something substantially better. Something that will make it worthwhile to go through the hassle of selling and buying. In the meantime, i'll save every penny I get.

rgkgraphix · Jul 24, 2007, 04:08 PM

If it makes you feel any better I sold my G4 Quicksilver for $600 in 2005. Pretty good for a 5 year old computer. I think when the time comes you'll be able to get a pretty penny for it . There will always be design students needing a puter.

macgeek2005 · Jul 24, 2007, 06:49 PM

Originally Posted by rgkgraphix

If it makes you feel any better I sold my G4 Quicksilver for $600 in 2005. Pretty good for a 5 year old computer. I think when the time comes you'll be able to get a pretty penny for it . There will always be design students needing a puter.

Oh hell no. There's no way i'm waiting until my computer is worth $600. I'm hoping to get at least $2000 for my whole setup. (Current worth approximitely $3700).

I guess what I need to focus on is not when the computer will come out, but with making money, so I can afford it when it does!

But if rumors of a pending update emerge, and they speak of glorious upgrades, I probably will sell my current setup.

OreoCookie · Jul 24, 2007, 07:02 PM

Well, you could also upgrade your cpus, for instance. But just let the Golden Rule of Buying Computers guide you: buy it when you need it (unless you want to show off). Personally, I have an upgrade cycle of about two-and-a-half to three years. If you edit lots of videos or are in real need of the latest and greatest, it might make (financial) sense for you to upgrade more often than that.

macgeek2005 · Jul 24, 2007, 07:04 PM

Originally Posted by OreoCookie

Well, you could also upgrade your cpus, for instance. But just let the Golden Rule of Buying Computers guide you: buy it when you need it (unless you want to show off). Personally, I have an upgrade cycle of about two-and-a-half to three years. If you edit lots of videos or are in real need of the latest and greatest, it might make (financial) sense for you to upgrade more often than that.

That's how my cycle is too. My MDD G4 worked great for me for 2 and a half years straight. It just feels to me like suddenly, now is the time that all the technology is taking a major shift, and i'll be left at the "top" of the pile of obsolete ****. Maybe that feeling is just an illusion.

Faust · Jul 24, 2007, 07:08 PM

Originally Posted by macgeek2005

However, if I make the switch at the next upgrade, then, when the upgrade I really want rolls around, I can sell my setup, and it'll be worth more than my current setup is. At each switch, i'll lose about $500, but i'll be able to do it each time, because saving up $500 isn't that hard.

Argh.

I seriously fail to see the logic in this. You say you want feature xy for film making. You do realize that many many people in the film/animation business have created high end products years ago, right? And you also realize they did not use any of the hardware that is available now, correct?

So, what is it? Wanting to stay on top at all times? What exactly do you desperately need to make a high end artistic product? G3s have been used to create some of the greatest animation out there. There are two priorities one can take. Either having film-making/production as the priority number 1 or having the latest of the latest hardware that won't make much difference and is certainly not in any way a creativity crutch.

Of course this is my opinion and you're free to do whatever you please (goes without saying). Creativity and the ability to create masterpieces of any kind has not - does not and will not ever be subject to having the newest of the new. Creativity lives in your head, not in your device.

macgeek2005 · Jul 24, 2007, 07:22 PM

Originally Posted by Faust

I seriously fail to see the logic in this. You say you want feature xy for film making. You do realize that many many people in the film/animation business have created high end products years ago, right? And you also realize they did not use any of the hardware that is available now, correct?

So, what is it? Wanting to stay on top at all times? What exactly do you desperately need to make a high end artistic product? G3s have been used to create some of the greatest animation out there. There are two priorities one can take. Either having film-making/production as the priority number 1 or having the latest of the latest hardware that won't make much difference and is certainly not in any way a creativity crutch.

Of course this is my opinion and you're free to do whatever you please (goes without saying). Creativity and the ability to create masterpieces of any kind has not - does not and will not ever be subject to having the newest of the new. Creativity lives in your head, not in your device.

Amen. You speak not a single false word.

My obsession with Mac's, and my desires as a creative artist, are two seperate things. My current Mac Pro will suit me for everything that I NEED, for at least another 2 years.

However, I'm also interested in adopting Blu-Ray, and other such technological advancements. That's my "techno geek" side. My film maker/composer/conductor/actor/writer/public speaker/scientist/astronomer side is my main focus, but as a Mac Geek, I also like to have the latest and greatest, and I try to upgrade with as little money lost as possible.

If there will be major updates in the near future, and a Rev B mac pro will keep it's worth for much longer than a Rev A one, then i'd like to jump on that wagon. See what i'm saying?

Faust · Jul 24, 2007, 07:31 PM

Originally Posted by macgeek2005

Amen. You speak not a single false word.

My obsession with Mac's, and my desires as a creative artist, are two seperate things. My current Mac Pro will suit me for everything that I NEED, for at least another 2 years.

However, I'm also interested in adopting Blu-Ray, and other such technological advancements. That's my "techno geek" side. My film maker/composer/conductor/actor/writer/public speaker/scientist/astronomer side is my main focus, but as a Mac Geek, I also like to have the latest and greatest, and I try to upgrade with as little money lost as possible.

If there will be major updates in the near future, and a Rev B mac pro will keep it's worth for much longer than a Rev A one, then i'd like to jump on that wagon. See what i'm saying?

Yep, I do. That's more of a material/status kind of thing then. Nothing wrong with it.

gregarios · Jul 24, 2007, 07:56 PM

Originally Posted by macgeek2005

If Optical drives switch to SATA, then within a short period of time, they won't be selling IDE drives anymore. That makes my computers worth go down by alot.

Buying a computer makes its worth go down by alot. (-;