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RayLuczak · Jul 20, 2003, 04:41 PM

Hello:

I have a dual-1.25 GHz G4 that has drives #1 and #2 installed. Of course, I need more space.

I remember reading somewhere that while I can install drives #3 and #4 into my G4, I'd be limited by the ATA-66 limitation for these two new drives. I hope I'm not mistaken, but I believe the cable for drive #4 is ATA-33. Can anyone clarify all of this not only for me but for all others in the same boat as I am?

If so, do I need to get a PCI card or something so that drives #3 and #4 can run off a faster bandwidth? If so, which PCI card would be good and reliable? What else do you suggest that I do?

I edit digital video, so speed is *very* critical. (Of course, all my hard drives are at least 7200 rpm or above.)

On a tangential note, I've noticed that the new G5 computer do not seem to allow for the installation of drives #3 and #4 in the case. If so, then a maximum of 500 GB (via serial-ATA drives) seems rather severe for a digital video editing machine. (Because of this limitation, I haven't gotten agog over the G5 as I don't want to amass too large a collection of FireWire drives as a result; I am in constant need of real estate on my desk.) Any thoughts on this matter?

Thanks ever so much.

Axo1ot1 · Jul 20, 2003, 05:40 PM

Get a wiebetech duoGB or something. Most projects in compressed DV don't exceed 250 GB, especially if you capture audio and video to separate disks, then just have a single firewire enclosure for backup of older projects. That or invest in a scsi array which is not such a bad idea if you edit video professionally.

awcopus · Jul 20, 2003, 07:44 PM

Yo! Yeah, this is like my FAVORITE topic.

BWWAAAAHAHAAHAAA he he hehehe hahaha
http://forums.macnn.com/showthread.p...hreadid=165766

Your best move is to buy the Sonnet Tempo ATA/133 card and hook up drives 2 and 3 to it. If you want to go nuts, you can visit Radioshack and buy power extension cord for the inside of this machine to power a 4th drive from the cables that would otherwise be used to power a second optical drive.

http://www.sonnettech.com

P.S. I'm about to buy a 1.42 duallie for about $600 (effective price after sale of single processor system). Figure this machine will serve my needs most cost-effectively (as a dv editor who likes his HD space big, fast, cheap, and internal) for the next 18 months (approximately) while prices on the dual G5s plummet and performance blows this first "high-end" machine out of the water.

The G5 system is so new. Let third party developers get to work making PCI-X cards for it and external SATA enclosures, and drivers that work flawlessly with FCP4, et cetera. Let them iron out all the kinks before I jump on board with it. Have work to do. Don't want to risk becoming a beta-tester on these systems when I have money to make...yadda yadda yadda.

Good luck to you, comrade.

DaedalusDX · Jul 20, 2003, 07:48 PM

Originally posted by RayLuczak:
Hello:

I have a dual-1.25 GHz G4 that has drives #1 and #2 installed. Of course, I need more space.

I remember reading somewhere that while I can install drives #3 and #4 into my G4, I'd be limited by the ATA-66 limitation for these two new drives. I hope I'm not mistaken, but I believe the cable for drive #4 is ATA-33. Can anyone clarify all of this not only for me but for all others in the same boat as I am?

If so, do I need to get a PCI card or something so that drives #3 and #4 can run off a faster bandwidth? If so, which PCI card would be good and reliable? What else do you suggest that I do?

I have the a PowerMac G4 1.25 ghz that has has been set up to do video. Drives 1 and 2 are set up to be on the built in ATA/100 controller on the motherboard, and you are correct, the cable for the drive 3 and 4 slots are tied into the ATA/66 controller on the motherboard. The limitation is not just speed but also capacity. Hard drives in the 3 and 4 slots cannot be addressed greater than 137 GB. That means your larger capacity drives are going to waste in those slots.

Solutions? Pick up an ATA/133 card. Go to otherworldcomputing.com and check out some of their options. Personally, i have a Sonnet ATA/133 card in my computer, and it works well.

Good luck.

RayLuczak · Jul 20, 2003, 08:06 PM

DaedalusDX,

With an ATA-133 card, I can attach drives #3 and #4 to that one card, AND go beyond the 137-GB limit for both drives #3 and #4?

And that I can use ATA-133 hard drives with an ATA-133 card?

Forgive me if I sound a little unsure, but I much prefer to be CRYSTAL-CLEAR on this before I spend any money.

Thanks again.

awcopus · Jul 20, 2003, 10:11 PM

I'll answer for him. The Sonnet card is firmware upgradable to enable you to connect any size HD to your machine. For example, in my Quicksilver, my Sonnet supports three 200 GB drives (the WD Caviars ROCK). Current Sonnet cards are probably shipping with the latest firmware, but if they aren't, it's a one-time install from booting in OS 9. You won't be sorry.

Spend the money, live the dream.

RayLuczak · Jul 20, 2003, 11:07 PM

Thanks so much for taking the time to answer my questions. Much appreciated!

tooki · Jul 21, 2003, 12:14 AM

Originally posted by DaedalusDX:
I have the a PowerMac G4 1.25 ghz that has has been set up to do video. Drives 1 and 2 are set up to be on the built in ATA/100 controller on the motherboard, and you are correct, the cable for the drive 3 and 4 slots are tied into the ATA/66 controller on the motherboard. The limitation is not just speed but also capacity. Hard drives in the 3 and 4 slots cannot be addressed greater than 137 GB. That means your larger capacity drives are going to waste in those slots.

Did you test this, or are you simply assuming that ATA/66 is incapable of addressing >137GB drives? Cuz some Macs (like Quicksilver G4s) use ATA/66 buses with 48-bit LBA, allowing the use of >137GB drives.

tooki

action · Jul 21, 2003, 12:33 AM

hi,

i'm selling the card you're looking for. i have details in the marketplace forum.

chung lee

Kenneth · Jul 21, 2003, 01:43 AM

My DP 1.25Ghz G4 comes with a stock Seagate 80GB (2mb cache) drive on the ATA/100 bus. It works fine..until..

I put my WesternDigital 120GB (8mb cache) on the same ATA/100 bus.. and given that as my boot OS hard drive... everything seems faster (especially coping large files and bootup time).

Recently, I bought another 120GB HD (same make and speed) to replace the Seagate.

Now, my setup is the following
ATA/100 bus
2 WesternDigital 120GB (8mb cache)

ATA/66 bus
1 stock Seagate 80GB (2mb cache)

Frankly speaking, I don't like the above setup. It somehow slows down my system since most of the time the Seagate drive goes to sleep and wake up very slow.

Right now.. I rather go for a FW 800 (w/Oxford 922 chipset) enclosure instead of an ATA/133 PCI card inside the G4 [messy cabling]

I always wondering, why Apple didn't make it 4 ATA/100 bus.

RayLuczak · Jul 21, 2003, 10:56 AM

Kenneth:

I agree with you about the messy cabling, but apparently the NEW Sonnet ATA-133 card (two kinds, actually, for either Quicksilver or Mirrored Doors model) does make it easier for you to "cable inside" without pulling your hair out.

I haven't gotten it yet, but the diagram on the Sonnet web site makes it quite clear that you aren't the only one bitching about how Apple seems to put in limitations even in their high-end machines.

I *still* cannot believe that Apple wouldn't leave room for drives #3 and #4 in their G5; having a TERABYTE of hard disk space in a G5 would be so awesome (and sorely needed). I would be furious if they expected us to buy an Xserve and have us use it as a RAID array. Too expensive for me. :-(

My G4 doesn't have a FW 800 port and besides, I don't want to clutter my desk any more than I already have! I do plan to install drives #3 and #4 sometime soon.

Anyway, I do share your pain about clunky design for internal hard drives inside Apple's enclosures.