1,1 MP Owners: What's YOUR plan?

[haveknot]

The more you know, the more you don't know. Does this ring a bell?

Seriously, I would stick on whatever the market could offer. I am a functional person. I don't let the immaculate specs of the recent MBPs -- the yet to come and what not -- to distract me.

 

[c23roo]

Mac 1,1 with 5 GB RAM, a WD raptor (10k RPM) as boot drive; the rest are 1 TBs for iPhoto, iTunes, and video, respectively. Externals for backups, etc...

Have been hemming and hawing about whether to upgrade to SSD, add RAM, or both, but my main issues recently have been beach balls in iPhoto (>150,000 pix) and what seems like some overall slowness when working with multiple apps.

What's going to get me the most bang for my buck here? RAM or SSD?

 

[nightfly13]

Mac 1,1 with 5 GB RAM, a WD raptor (10k RPM) as boot drive; the rest are 1 TBs for iPhoto, iTunes, and video, respectively. Externals for backups, etc...

Have been hemming and hawing about whether to upgrade to SSD, add RAM, or both, but my main issues recently have been beach balls in iPhoto (>150,000 pix) and what seems like some overall slowness when working with multiple apps.

What's going to get me the most bang for my buck here? RAM or SSD?

Based on my experience with an ssd as system/app drive and still having the same problem (beach balls with large iPhoto library) I think the only option is ssd for iPhoto library which would be expensive. More ram should be cheap and never hurt, I have 9gb and always have 2-3 free or inactive.

 

[badlydrawn]

MacPro 1,1 owner here - upgraded to SSDs (1 for OSX and another for Win7) and separate Data drives, also upgraded Ram and GRFX ->8800GT->5770. I am waiting another 1 or 2 (most probably a year and half ; ) till I upgrade. Although I use it for 2D and 3D work, make my money off it too - I am still happy with it and can wait the above time period for an upgrade.

However, the fear of disappointment is there, as my full upgrade was suppose to be planned for this year, the 2010 MacPro and after seeing the specs for those, I decided to increase the life of my 1,1. Am on a wait and see pattern here. My only other upgrade option for the 1,1 is a cpu upgrade, and another GRFX upgrade.

 

[hms84]

I'll keep mine until it dies. Planning to upgrade to SSDs and more rams. Nothing more!!
My plan is to keep it for 10 years.

 

[neckarb]

Mines got upgraded processors, graphics cards, RAM, SSD's and Storage, I'll keep it until it dies, when I find that it's not enough to do what I want to do with it. I'll buy something else and turn it into a server. Until then it's perfect.

 

[dusanv]

I'm not sure what to do with mine. I think Apple is going to drop it for Lion and I need Lion for my line of work. That's the only reason I'd get rid of it. It's perfect otherwise. The current claims that it works with lion could turn out the same way as G5 PowerMacs with Snow Leopard. They worked with beta versions but not with the final release.

 

[Syonidism]

i have the one that is on my sig; planning on keeping it for another 4-5 years and then I have 2 major mods on this;

Since it was my first mac i have a sentimental place for it and it was the best computer that ive ever used. it fills my needs to a satisfactory end.

When my baby dies i will then get a new mobo (sandybridge pref. or whatevers in stock in 2016) and turn it into a pc with MP casemod (hackintosh maybe).

Heck even if nothing works out i will use the case's main door/hatch as a shield for my LARPers convention

All jokes aside it IS A beautiful case. Still in love with it and will try to keep it as long as possible. still a beast. my only concern is a slight cpu upgrade(dont know if any, and if possible another 4890 for dual graphics card galore(dont know if it helps performance-wise but im thinking of getting 2 more monitors.

 

[SWAN808]

dont kill me - but I think Im gonna do the dirty and sell my 1.1 - throw in a couple of hundred and get a Sandy Bridge W7 OSX dual boot...with 8Gb Ram SSD and 3TB...run it at 4.5 Ghz...for me on lower budgets using CPU intensive Audio Apps - it sad but it makes so much sense...Im gonna get a Pro to build it with warranty...

 

[VanneDC]

you need Lion for your line of work? WTF?

 

[dusanv]

you need Lion for your line of work? WTF?

Software.

 

[spidey3]

What exactly makes people think that MacPro1,1 support will be dropped in Lion? Has Apple actually indicated they will do this?

 

[dusanv]

What exactly makes people think that MacPro1,1 support will be dropped in Lion? Has Apple actually indicated they will do this?

Apparently, it's got an older version of EFI which is labeled 32 bit and is booting a 32 bit kernel despite the fact that the machine itself is 64 bit capable.

But in reality, nobody's saying anything, as usual.

 

[nightfly13]

Hardly a month has gone by since I said I'd hold on to mine. Two things have happened:

1) I have a friend who'll pay good money to buy my 1,1

2) The new 27" iMac has dual Thunderbolt ports (itself no biggie for me) that support 2 external monitors.

The 1,1 (with 9GB, 1.25TB (in 3 drives), 2 GPUs (including 8800) and screens are selling for basically the MRP of the lower 27" iMac.

I'm selling the 1,1 with my 2x22" monitors and keeping my 30" along with the 27" iMac - which will actually quite superior to any of my existing screens (other than my uMBP, which is also LED backlit IPS but 15.4"). The third 'monitor' will be my projector.

I'm undecided how to get an SSD into the iMac. Possibly externally via Thunderbolt.... does FW800 negate the advantages of SSD? I already have a good one (first gen Intel 80gb). I'm not willing to pay $600 for a 256SSD (market rate is $480) not so much because it's radically over priced, it's just much more than I need, SSD-wise.

 

[zorinlynx]

MacPro1,1 will run Lion just fine. The only machines being "officially" dropped are the older Core Duo (no bloody 2) 32 bit systems. And hell, someone managed to hack Lion to boot on them so it's an artificial limitation.

I'm still rocking my 2006 Mac Pro and it still feels fast enough for everything. I think Apple made these machines TOO awesome; this is the longest time I've ever kept a computer as my main machine. I'm currently deciding on whether to upgrade my Radeon 3870 to a 5770 to add even more life to this magical beast.

 

[interslicer]

MacPro1,1 will run Lion just fine. The only machines being "officially" dropped are the older Core Duo (no bloody 2) 32 bit systems. And hell, someone managed to hack Lion to boot on them so it's an artificial limitation.

I'm still rocking my 2006 Mac Pro and it still feels fast enough for everything. I think Apple made these machines TOO awesome; this is the longest time I've ever kept a computer as my main machine. I'm currently deciding on whether to upgrade my Radeon 3870 to a 5770 to add even more life to this magical beast.

do it.

 

[silverbillet72]

The Plan

Hello, and I think thus far there have been some great points. I myself will be tucking in my MP 1,1 to sleep until its old and grey (or until the Mboard goes). Must say I've grown attached to the beast and since I have three first generation machines... G5 2003 1.6, G4Powerbook first gen and the 1,1 Mac Pro 2.66 quad I kinda have to keep it as a conversation piece here in the studio. Enough about my toys - My point, keep the old Pro and upgrade, it's not that much, under 450 and you can breathe life into your MP with the SSD and ATI 5770 and it never hurts to reinstall and clean up some old backed up drives. When the new MP comes out benchmarks will be broken and if you wait you'll have the culprit! Think about it ;-)

 

[Muse-Med]

As other have shared, I'm keeping mine and upgrading.

I use my Mac Pro (2.66 Quad; version 1,1) for video editing (with the latest version & update Final Cut Studio) and audio sequencing (with the latest version & update Logic Pro Studio). At present, I have a rock-solid system. (knocks on wood.) After a fair amount of research, I just purchased the 5770 video card. It's still in the mail; I should receive it from FEDEX tomorrow. From a video-card point of view, this should add a little horse-power and a fair amount of extra life to the system. From an audio-sequencing point of view, now that ALL of my instrumental software libraries that I use are 64-bit, I plan on doubling the RAM from 8 GBs to 16 GBs within the next few weeks. (I do mainly orchestral sequencing so the more RAM the better). So far, both software and hardware are working just fine. I'm happy!

But. . . I will be tempted to purchase a new Mac Pro as both Final Cut Studio and Logic Pro Studio software programs are offered in new versions (that might require more computer horse-power). But I'll deal with that decision in a few years.

Edited to add:
Yesterday, I received the ATI Radeon 5770 video card. It works great! From reading the posts on the subject, it's my understanding that this video card is not being used to its fullest potential when "housed" in a MacPro version 1,1. It seems, though, that Motion is responding a bit "quicker" with this card. I played back a couple of older (standard definition) Motion projects and they played at the full 29.97 frame rate rather than a slower one (sometimes 20 or 24 fps) with the older video card. At some point in the near future I plan on doubling my RAM. And maybe in a year or two, if prices drop significantly, I'll start installing SSDs. In the meanwhile, I continue to have a very functional and dependable Version 1,1 Mac Pro which suits my needs.

 

[StructAural]

June 2007 MacPro 2,1 here. I had a bit of money back then but times are hard these days. I plan on using this till it drops, it's still a beast and only Cinema4D and After Effects use all the cores anyway.

So I'm going to upgrade it a bit with: 120GB SSD main boot drive (in 2nd optical bay), Apple AMD 5770 card (as my 8800Gt died recently), extra 8GB ram and am toying with a four drive RAID solution but I'll have to wait to afford that.

Should be good to go for quite a number of years (I use it for retouching photography, 3D animation, Reason and post-production video and some gaming in Windows). It still seems quicker than my 2010 work MacPro 4,1 (admittedly that only has 4 cores but they are hyperthreaded and lack the memory bottle-neck that mine has). I haven't tested this though...

 

[Macinposh]

I to have the MacPro 1,1 And I've often thought about what I should do regarding upgrades V buying the latest and greatest.

Honestly - There is still a lot of life in these machines.

For what I do, software hasn't caught up with the hardware of the 1,1. Not to mention that as of yet, there are no TB peripherals. So there is no rush for a new machine.

Theese +1.

August 2006 MP 1.1 4x3.00,10Gb,+Raid10+4870 = Work getting done.

Use the rig for living, photoshop cs3 & final cut.

Absolutely no point of upgrading as the programs have STILL not caught up and using the machine for full potential.
Even now,it is the user that is the slowest link in the workflow.

1-2 Gig pictures with 10+ layers...no prob.
1080p materiel,editing & colorcorrection & post...no prob.

And when (well,if!) the photoshop & finalcut get their **** sorted , I will get 2-4 time speedup...ON THE EXISTING MACHINE!



So no,not in a hurry to upgrade,except getting a SSD in the future.
When there comes a day that I notice I am sitting and waiting too much,well,then I´ll march to the store and get a new one.
No point on blowing money on something that doesnt get your work done any faster.

 

[Herndon]

Mac Pro 1,1 was purchased back in '07. Added a 4870 graphics card, three drives, and filled the RAM slots at various times. This a personal use machine for writing, Aperture, and the usual internet activities.

Plan on keeping the machine as long as I can. Right now, I'm working on reducing its power consumption and noise/vibration even at the expense of some performance. I'd like to get it as quiet as the Mac mini and without the tangle of cables for the external drives I've hung on the mini. So, please don't laugh, I've put the 7300 GT back in, pulled four 512MB RAM sticks, and am using WD Green 2TB drives. So far so good. Have been thinking about an SSD boot drive and a 5770 for the future.