Can I add a Windows only editing card in Mac Pro??

[Cmd-the-World]

Hi all

I am planing to buy the 8 Core Mac Pro to replace my editing PC however I would like to use my Windows only editing card.

I would like to know am I able to run this card under Windows or does it need to have a special firmware so as to work with the Mac Pro?? (I will try to contact the company but they are slow to reply)

Another thing if the card works under Windows would I be able to boot on to Mac OS X and run normally or I would end up having problems??

Thanks in advance

 

[Sweetmate]

my Windows only editing card.

You need to be more specific for us to be able to help.

 

[Cmd-the-World]

I have the Matrox Axio LE PCI-E card.

Currently my system is running under Windows XP on Adobe Premier Pro CS3

 

[Sweetmate]

So are you talking about buying a mac pro to then boot camp into Windows 7? And use your Axio with CS5?

Seems like a weird way to go. If you want to use CS5 as your editing tool then you might aswell stay on the PC platform and then you can keep your Axio, possibly update your CS3 license to CS5 (no idea if that is possible/cheaper than buying CS5) and just buy a new windows workstation. Probably cheaper than a Mac Pro and seeing as you arent going to use Mac OSX I dont see any reason to use a Mac Pro.

If you have other reasons to use Mac OSX (interested in FCS or other reasons) then you probably might have to look at selling your Axio and looking at a similar or better mac/crossplatform solution. http://www.matrox.com/video/en/products/pc/axio/cs5/ mentions that CS5 will be the last version that the Axio will support, and that Matrox GPU effects and accelerated exports will not work in CS5.

 

[goMac]

It does not require a special firmware, should just work under Windows.

I will, however, note that there are better solutions that also work under OS X.

 

[Cmd-the-World]

So are you talking about buying a mac pro to then boot camp into Windows 7? And use your Axio with CS5?

Seems like a weird way to go. If you want to use CS5 as your editing tool then you might aswell stay on the PC platform and then you can keep your Axio, possibly update your CS3 license to CS5 (no idea if that is possible/cheaper than buying CS5) and just buy a new windows workstation. ...

I need to buy another Mac for the family as the iMac was "hijacked" and I need the computer for my studies. I can not use the editing computer for my studies as I fear I might get a virus and ruin the system. (Can not run anti virus for obvious reason).

I needed to upgrade my current editing system as well as 4GB of Ram is not enough and CS3 is very buggy. ASAIK you can not upgrade from CS3 to CS5 upgrades are only eligible if I went from CS3 -> CS4 -> CS5.

The Mac Pro suits my needs perfectly as I can hit 2 birds with one stone as I can run Windows to edit and Mac OS X for my Studies.

...look at selling your Axio and looking at a similar or better mac/crossplatform solution.

I searched and the only thing close enough to serve my needs is the MXO2 from Matrox however I would sacrifice a lot of time if I go this route and ASAIK the Mac OS X drives for CS5 has just been released or else in the end of Beta testing and still lacks in features as compared to its Windows counterpart.

 

[Cmd-the-World]

It does not require a special firmware, should just work under Windows.

Thanks however do you know if it would give me trouble if I boot under Mac OS X to use iWork and the like?

 

[goMac]

Thanks however do you know if it would give me trouble if I boot under Mac OS X to use iWork and the like?

I highly doubt it. OS X would likely just ignore it.

 

[Cmd-the-World]

Thanks