Are PCX-I slots needed on a new mac for FCP?

K

Kelly Olsen

Well-known member
I'm about to buy a new G5 tower and I'm trying to decide between the new 2.0 or the 2.3 tower. One of the major differences for $500 is that the 2.3 G5 has three PCI-X, one 133 mhz 64 bit slot and two 100mhz 64 bit slot. Th 2.0 G5 has three 33 mhz 64 bit slots.

I don't know what there is to put in the PCI-X slots. I'm cutting a documentary with music in it and starting out using imovie then eventually going over to FCP. Are there external devices or cards that will be helpful and will need the PCI-X slots or the faster 64 bit slots that come with the 2.3 G5?

I can spend the extra $500 if it makes my job easier at some point and I don't want to get a machine that dosen't have the options, and I'm inclined to get the 2.3 just because I can, but I'm trying to be finacially responsible and not buy a Ferrarri if I can get by with a Porsche.

Would appreciate advice. Thanks.
 
I would save the 500 and buy ram with it. PCI-X is just the new version of pci. Yes in the futer there are going to be cards that only run on pci-x but FCP has nothing to do with it. It will run if your comps got it or not. I gess what I would look at is what kind of capture card situation are you looking at. Or you just going to go through firewire? That would be the only thing look at what cards you want and see if they take pci or pci-x
 
Fire wire for now. I planned on going from a DVX 100a using fire wire for capture. I'm not schooled enough in FCP to even know about capture cards advantages. I didn't plan on using a deck. Is it better to use capture cards for video and audio as opposed to just going into fire wire from camera?

I appreciate your help.
 
If you work in DV, firewire is all you really need as it will be a 1-1 transfer of data. But I'd still consider the 2.3 because of processor speed reasons.
 
Save the money. Test between the tow on various programs show no difference in speed. YOu will not need the slot either.
 
Kelly-

PCI-X slots are required for both Black Magic & Kona cards for any uncompressed SD/HD. You may not have a need for it now, but it'd be nice to have just in case of potential projects in the future.

With that in mind, you may want to find some of the older versions of the Dual 2.0 G5's that have 3 PCI-X slots. (They're cheaper than the new Dual 2.0 G5's).

http://www.macmall.com/macmall/families/powermac_g5/

Thanks.

-CJ
 
I use Black Magic cards in systems that don't have the newer buss and they work real time perfectly. With the introduction of Intel chips in Macs, in the next two years you will see Macs take a different turn for the better and what you bought today will be old news.
 
Right, my mistake. Older PCI slots are SD only.

"Short PCI-X 133 card, compatible PCI-X 100 MHz and slower 33 MHz and 66 MHz PCI slots support for standard definition only." -Black Magic specs page

-CJ
 
ArkhamFilms said:
Right, my mistake. Older PCI slots are SD only.

"Short PCI-X 133 card, compatible PCI-X 100 MHz and slower 33 MHz and 66 MHz PCI slots support for standard definition only." -Black Magic specs page

-CJ
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info. I'm having trouble discerning what the above means exactly. Does this mean the non PCI-X won't support HD? The info above also reads like the new PCI-X dosen't support HD which can't be right.
 
Kelly Olsen said:
Thanks for the info. I'm having trouble discerning what the above means exactly. Does this mean the non PCI-X won't support HD? The info above also reads like the new PCI-X dosen't support HD which can't be right.
Click to expand...

PCI = SD
PCI-X = SD/HD

-CJ
 
It means that you can edit any DV in real time using a firewire input. If you are looking to do real HD in real time, you need a faster bus and card to plug into it.
 
Thanks again for helping me with this.

I'm feeling like I ought to play it safe and opt for the 2.3 mac with the pci-x slots just in case. Probably better to by the best technology I can afford and have the darn slots there, sitting, doing nothing, costing me money, but ready to go. I need this one to last a few years despite Intel chips or dual core around the corner.
 
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