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New Mac Pro External Devices
- Thread starter BradCat
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Those external depend on your computational needs, or do you just want a list of compatible devices you could connect to a Mac Pro?
I had same Concerns re External Devices
I think your question and concern is a very legitimate one. Im surprised no one has offered feedback of any significance. I, myself, started asking your question back in December when I decided to get a new Mac Pro. Currently have a Mac Pro 3,1 fully loaded with 4 HDs , a graphics board, and several external HDs. I did a mess of searching around for information as to how best to have external devices attached to the nMP but little if any existed. Finally, I decided to ask myself some basic questions about computers to arrive at issues which were important to me. Some examples of these issues were: 1. I want quality in whatever I attach to the nMP (I mean Im spending a wad of money for a quality machine, but lets be realistic, its minus any internal expansion). 2. I want speed since in 2 words the nMP is about power and speed. Consequently USB 2 connections will not cut it; its thunderbolt preferably or secondly USB 3. 3. I want silence on my desktop. 4. I want a minimum of clutter. 5. I want style and parsimony to match the nMP.
I decided to go with Other World Computings Elite Pro Dual Thunderbolt. I bought the bare enclosure, but you can buy them with installed HDs. The HDs can easily be set to RAID-0, RAID-1, RAID Span, or as Independent Drives. Im going to put 2 of the current HDs I have in the Mac Pro 3,1 in the Thunderbolt enclosure and use them as Independent Drives. The connections can be Thunderbolt or USB 3. This setup solves a major concern of mine of moving HDs from the inside to the outside of the computer. The other HDs which are inside the Mac Pro 3,1 I use as backups, so speed is not that important, but it is still important. Consequently, what I will be doing is connecting them to two devices by Newer Technology (also sold by OWC; I currently have these devices): 1. Newer Tech Voyager Q which is a hot swappable drive docking station: the basic version is c. $72, is USB 2 & 3, and can be used with 2.5 & 3.5 SATA drives. 2. USB 3 Universal Drive Adapter which can be connected to 2.5, 3.5, or 5.25 drives (c. $30-40).
Currently, I have a RAID 1 setup for my important external backups (NewerTech Guardian Maximus). It has served me well and I will simply be transferring it over to the nMP connection. Youve probably figured out Im partial to OWC, but why not; they have not let me down.
If you want to connect PCIe cards, then go with OWC Mercury Helios Expansion Chassis (a little more expensive at $350).
The one device I have not settled on is a Thunderbolt dock to connect various other types of connections ( e.g., HDMI, Ethernet, firewire, dvi, etc.) to the Thunderbolt nMP. From what Ive read, reliability is still an issue but several vendors do offer them (e.g.,Matrox, Belkin, Caldigit). Hopefully in the near future a reliable, quality Thunderbolt dock will be built.
Thats my two cents. Wish you success in your quest and adventure with the nMP!
I think your question and concern is a very legitimate one. Im surprised no one has offered feedback of any significance. I, myself, started asking your question back in December when I decided to get a new Mac Pro. Currently have a Mac Pro 3,1 fully loaded with 4 HDs , a graphics board, and several external HDs. I did a mess of searching around for information as to how best to have external devices attached to the nMP but little if any existed. Finally, I decided to ask myself some basic questions about computers to arrive at issues which were important to me. Some examples of these issues were: 1. I want quality in whatever I attach to the nMP (I mean Im spending a wad of money for a quality machine, but lets be realistic, its minus any internal expansion). 2. I want speed since in 2 words the nMP is about power and speed. Consequently USB 2 connections will not cut it; its thunderbolt preferably or secondly USB 3. 3. I want silence on my desktop. 4. I want a minimum of clutter. 5. I want style and parsimony to match the nMP.
I decided to go with Other World Computings Elite Pro Dual Thunderbolt. I bought the bare enclosure, but you can buy them with installed HDs. The HDs can easily be set to RAID-0, RAID-1, RAID Span, or as Independent Drives. Im going to put 2 of the current HDs I have in the Mac Pro 3,1 in the Thunderbolt enclosure and use them as Independent Drives. The connections can be Thunderbolt or USB 3. This setup solves a major concern of mine of moving HDs from the inside to the outside of the computer. The other HDs which are inside the Mac Pro 3,1 I use as backups, so speed is not that important, but it is still important. Consequently, what I will be doing is connecting them to two devices by Newer Technology (also sold by OWC; I currently have these devices): 1. Newer Tech Voyager Q which is a hot swappable drive docking station: the basic version is c. $72, is USB 2 & 3, and can be used with 2.5 & 3.5 SATA drives. 2. USB 3 Universal Drive Adapter which can be connected to 2.5, 3.5, or 5.25 drives (c. $30-40).
Currently, I have a RAID 1 setup for my important external backups (NewerTech Guardian Maximus). It has served me well and I will simply be transferring it over to the nMP connection. Youve probably figured out Im partial to OWC, but why not; they have not let me down.
If you want to connect PCIe cards, then go with OWC Mercury Helios Expansion Chassis (a little more expensive at $350).
The one device I have not settled on is a Thunderbolt dock to connect various other types of connections ( e.g., HDMI, Ethernet, firewire, dvi, etc.) to the Thunderbolt nMP. From what Ive read, reliability is still an issue but several vendors do offer them (e.g.,Matrox, Belkin, Caldigit). Hopefully in the near future a reliable, quality Thunderbolt dock will be built.
Thats my two cents. Wish you success in your quest and adventure with the nMP!
For disks, I went with a DAT Optic Thunderbolt enclosure . It's really quiet, although a little louder than the Mac Pro, at least when the disks are being hit.
For monitors, I'm using a ViewSonic VP2772, and an old Apple Cinema Display.
USB is handled through this USB hub.
I picked up a Compact Flash reader and a DVD drive, but haven't needed to use either, yet.
For monitors, I'm using a ViewSonic VP2772, and an old Apple Cinema Display.
USB is handled through this USB hub.
I picked up a Compact Flash reader and a DVD drive, but haven't needed to use either, yet.
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Date nMP Ordered/Other devices
The nMP was ordered January 12, 2014. I've gotten two Apple notifications in the last two weeks stating the nMP will be ready to ship in February, but nothing specific, i.e., no dates.
I purchased a NEC PA242W for the nMP and it is quite a monitor. This was purchased because it has a billion color gamut, and other Apple monitors have millions of colors. Since I do a lot of photo processing this is critical; its resolution is 1920 x 1200. I'm currently hooked up to the Mac Pro 3,1 via the DVI-D output, since for some reason I cannot connect with the DisplayPort and get to used the Startup Manager (viz., I have several other startup drives & this is very useful)(BTW, I'm still using OS 10.7, and this probably has something to do with it). When I get the nMP I do not anticipate this problem. NEC support is quite good and they helped me problem solve this issue.
Other than that I simply purchased an Apple DVD SuperDrive, to use any DVDs I have. I have various video and audio editing devices that I can easily use with the nMP once I decide on a Thunderbolt dock.
The nMP was ordered January 12, 2014. I've gotten two Apple notifications in the last two weeks stating the nMP will be ready to ship in February, but nothing specific, i.e., no dates.
I purchased a NEC PA242W for the nMP and it is quite a monitor. This was purchased because it has a billion color gamut, and other Apple monitors have millions of colors. Since I do a lot of photo processing this is critical; its resolution is 1920 x 1200. I'm currently hooked up to the Mac Pro 3,1 via the DVI-D output, since for some reason I cannot connect with the DisplayPort and get to used the Startup Manager (viz., I have several other startup drives & this is very useful)(BTW, I'm still using OS 10.7, and this probably has something to do with it). When I get the nMP I do not anticipate this problem. NEC support is quite good and they helped me problem solve this issue.
Other than that I simply purchased an Apple DVD SuperDrive, to use any DVDs I have. I have various video and audio editing devices that I can easily use with the nMP once I decide on a Thunderbolt dock.
For an external enclosure I went with Promise technology's Pegasus2. comes in 4/6/8 disk models and the 4 is available w/out disks so you can transfer your current HDs from a cMP over. Now if my nMP would just arrive so I can use it. These are available at the apple store at a discount with a free business account.