very nice brake down. GF
On Jun 16, 2010, at 3:17 PM, Bryan Smart wrote: > Hi. > > I anticipate that many people will have this thought, wanting to use the > Mini, since it seems like the most inexpensive Mac. It isn't a good idea, in > most cases. Mostly, the cases where it is a good idea involve you already > owning one. I wouldn't buy one new for the purpose of running Pro Tools. > > The Mini can be an inexpensive computer. You can get one for about $700. Just > add your own keyboard, monitor, and, optionally, speakers, and you're ready > to go with an inexpensive Mac. That's particularly a great deal if you > already have an extra monitor, keyboard, and set of speakers. However, as has > been pointed out, this is only the base model. It has limitations, such as > only 2GB of memory, and a single laptop-type hard drive running at 5400 RPM. > > As has also been pointed out, you can upgrade the Mini. Apple has a second > model, intended for use as a small server, that includes 2 7200 RPM hard > drives. That would help a lot for our purposes. However, that model starts at > $1,000. You'll need to buy your own copy of OS X, s adds about $30. In order > to provide the second hard drive in this model, the optical drive has been > removed. So, you'll need to purchase an external optical drive $50 to $100, > depending on what you get. This Mini comes with 4GB of memory, which will be > fine for tracking/mixing. If you plan to sequence a lot with softsynths, > though, you'll want 8GB, which adds another $400 to the price. You still need > a monitor, keyboard, and speakers. So, a Mini, with dual 7200 RPM drives, > your own copy of OS X, external optical drive, a basic LCD monitor, full > Apple keyboard (you won't want to use a PC keyboard with Pro Tools), and > basic multimedia speakers will cost about $1,300. If you upgraded the memory > to 8GB, that increases the price to about $1,700. What happened to that $700 > computer? Upgrades. > > So, if you'd need to spend $1,700, to pimp your Mini, what else could you get > for that price? > > For $1,700, you can get a 21 inch iMac. It still will use a Core Duo > processor, but will run at 3Ghz, compared to 2.6Ghz in the Mini. It has 8GB > of memory. It only has a single internal drive, but it is a full desktop hd > running at 7200 RPM, and is 1TB, twice the size of the Mini's largest laptop > drives. The monitor is built-in to every iMac, and you're getting an > extremely high quality 21 inch LED display, not a cheesy $100 craptastic LCD > from the local computer store. An Apple keyboard comes standard with the > iMac, as does the built-in optical drive that you'd be purchasing separately > for your Mini. If you want a semi-portable solution, an iMac is fairly good > for that: computer guts and screen are built in to a single frame, so that > cuts down on the components and cables to transport. > > If you want more from the Mini, you're out of luck. That $1,700 package is as > far as you can upgrade your Mini. The iMac still has room, though. You can > upgrade the 3Ghz processor to 3.3Ghz for another $200. You can upgrade the > 1TB hard drive to 2TB for $250. > > So, the $700 Mini is a good deal, but only if you're planning to use the > basic Mini as-is. The upgrades cost too much. If you plan to need an > extremely high-end Mini, you'll get a better deal getting a lower end iMac. > Since the basic Mini is not enough for any serious Pro Tools work, I'd > suggest that people get iMacs, instead, and don't waste time upgrading the > Mini. > > Bryan > > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf > Of RvR > Sent: Wednesday, June 16, 2010 12:36 PM > To: [email protected] > Subject: RE: Another stupid question...new Mac Mini capable > > Is the Mini Server usable as normal Mini? What are besides the missing dvd > drive the other differences between the server and normal one? > The two 500gb 7200rpm sound good. Need to get an external usb or firewire > dvd-drive though. > > > -----Oorspronkelijk bericht----- > Van: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] Namens > Frank Carmickle > Verzonden: woensdag 16 juni 2010 17:14 > Aan: [email protected] > Onderwerp: Re: Another stupid question...new Mac Mini capable > > > On Jun 16, 2010, at 9:26 AM, Scott Chesworth wrote: > >> Hi Ronald, >> >> I've mixed 32 track sessions with a minimum of one plugin per track on >> a Mac mini with worse specs than those, so yeah, it should serve you >> well enough unless your needs are intensive. You'll want to work with >> an HDD faster than 5400rpm though for multitracking, so either go for >> a smaller capacity internal disk that runs at 7200rpm if Apple offer >> such a package, or pick up an external drive to use during sessions. > > The mini server has two 7200 rpm disks and no dvd drive. I was disappointed > that they didn't go to the i5 like the did in the MBP. I think having two > 500 gb 7200 rpm disks would work out well for audio productions. > >> It's also worth keeping in mind that lately, there have been a lot of >> reports of Mac minis not running well without a physical monitor >> connected at all times, so if you're aiming for the mini as a >> screenless ultra portable system that could be a snag in the plan. >> > Yeah. That was quite a hassle for me. I ended up getting a free monitor > from a friend because it had a busted back light. > > Take care > --FC > >> Hth >> Scott >> >> On 6/16/10, RvR <[email protected]> wrote: >>> Hello again, >>> There is a new Mac Mini released, but doesn't seem to be much more >>> powerful than last batch. The fastest model has an Intel Core 2 Duo >>> at 2.66ghz, 4 or >>> 8 gb of ram and a harddisk of max 500gb at 5400rpm. Firewire 800 is >>> present though. Do you think such machine is capable of running PT > properly? >>> Thanks! >>> Ronald >>> > >
