MP 7,1 That Pegasus J2i Cage - Internal HDD Mounting

[bwinter88]

The cage to mount hard drives internally should have come standard with this new Mac Pro. $400 for a metal cage, an overpriced 8 TB surveillance spinner I don't need, and a "custom" power connector, just to use internal drives I already own? I could buy an iWatch with cellular for that!

I already have 4 SSDs and a PCI Hardware RAID card with internal ports. That cage area would be perfect to mount them in. Third-party options'll probably become available in the coming year, but I'm lousy at waiting and not interested in paying the Apple premium for something as simple as this. Forcing the cage to be bundled with a hard drive is a pretty tacky cash grab!

So, I've taken a close look at the "custom" power port on the logic board and it's pretty clearly a standard 10-pin molex connector. Anyone with a multimeter and some time can easily make their own cable, which is what I plan on doing. Identify GND, 5+, 12+, wire appropriately, save $400.

Add a 3D-printed cage, some thumbscrews from McMaster for mounting tabs as demonstrated in the J2i manual, call it a day. Total price: Maybe $20!

Who's with me? Attica!

10-pin Molex connector, $8

Molex Micro-Fit 3.0 Dual Row (10 Circuits) Male & Female Receptacle Plug, w/Terminal sockets, (Pack of 1 Complete Set)

Molex Micro-Fit 3.0 Dual Row (10 Circuits) Male & Female Receptacle Plug, w/Terminal sockets, (Pack of 1 Complete Set)

www.amazon.com

4x SATA power splitter cable, $8

StarTech.com 15.7 in (400 mm) SATA Power Splitter Adapter Cable - M/F - 4x Serial ATA Power Cable Splitter (PYO4SATA)

StarTech.com 15.7 in (400 mm) SATA Power Splitter Adapter Cable - M/F - 4x Serial ATA Power Cable Splitter (PYO4SATA)

www.amazon.com

I plan on buying a J2i just to model my own cage after it, then returning it. I also plan on posting the .STL of any designs I make if anyone's interested.

 

[bxs]

I understand you position about this issue and certainly can see why some people can get upset about it from a cost perspective.

Apple has designed the MP7,1 basic configuration so that people with varied needs can customize it. The basic configuration is the starting point, and starting price. People can then add and build up the MP7,1 to suit their requirements.

Not everyone will want the J2i. They aren't interested in having internal storage, so why burden the MP7,1's basic configuration with it. Just let people add if needed. The choice of including a 8TB HDD with the J2i could simply be to ensure the customers who buy it have a tested/workable solution on hand immediately. Maybe in future it will be offered as a diskless unit.

I think the best way to look at the MP7,1 design is to think of it as a basic Lego kit. You buy the basic kit and if you need more you add to it and customize it to your liking. This puts everybody on the same level at the starting line.

 

[jasonmvp]

The choice of including a 8TB HDD with the 2Ji could simply be to ensure the customers who buy it have a tested/workable solution on hand immediately. Maybe in future it will be offered as a diskless unit.

There's no reason for Promise to force us to buy the useless 8TB drive other than: they can charge us more. The cage and cables included aren't expensive at all to model and make. Not even remotely. But Promise can (and does) charge WAY too much for the unit because they've marked the drive up enormously.

I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for them to release a diskless unit. Not until someone else comes along and designs a similar solution that doesn't include any storage, for a much lower cost. If I had to bet money: it'll be OWC that does it.

 

[bwinter88]

I understand you position about this issue and certainly can see why some people can get upset about it from a cost perspective.

Apple has designed the MP7,1 basic configuration so that people with varied needs can customize it. The basic configuration is the starting point, and starting price. People can then add and build up the MP7,1 to suit their requirements.

Not everyone will want the 2Ji. They aren't interested in having internal storage, so why burden the MP7,1's basic configuration with it. Just let people add if needed. The choice of including a 8TB HDD with the 2Ji could simply be to ensure the customers who buy it have a tested/workable solution on hand immediately. Maybe in future it will be offered as a diskless unit.

I think the best way to look at the MP7,1 design is to think of it as a basic Lego kit. You buy the basic kit and if you need more you add to it and customize it to your liking. This puts everybody on the same level at the starting line.

Internal drives are a standard thing. Heck, how long have spinners been around, and Apple is selling a $2k accessory for this thing that has FOUR of them. There’s no point to not including the cage to mount drives inside. It installs in a position where nothing else goes. It’s not like people would remove the cage to put something else in. It’s maybe $5-$10 in labor and materials in a base $6k machine. Sure, I’d pay fifty bucks for the luxury. Don’t charge me $400+tax for a metal cage and a hard drive I don’t need. It’s just a silly cash grab.

 

[thisisnotmyname]

Internal drives are a standard thing. Heck, how long have spinners been around, and Apple is selling a $2k accessory for this thing that has FOUR of them. There’s no point to not including the cage to mount drives inside. It installs in a position where nothing else goes. It’s not like people would remove the cage to put something else in. It’s maybe $5-$10 in labor and materials in a base $6k machine. Sure, I’d pay fifty bucks for the luxury. Don’t charge me $400+tax for a metal cage and a hard drive I don’t need. It’s just a silly cash grab.

floppy drives have been around even longer. It only would have cost like $5 worth of materials to add one. Tim Cook is just a bean counter and Steve Jobs never would have removed the floppy drive from a pro system ... wait, what?

 

[jasonmvp]

floppy drives have been around even longer. It only would have cost like $5 worth of materials to add one. Tim Cook is just a bean counter and Steve Jobs never would have removed the floppy drive from a pro system ... wait, what?

Your tangent appears to indicate you didn't quite catch his initial point.

 

[StuAff]

Not until someone else comes along and designs a similar solution that doesn't include any storage, for a much lower cost. If I had to bet money: it'll be OWC that does it.

Pretty much certain, I reckon.

 

[bxs]

Let's face it without too much more discussion, that we all have different requirements and expectation as to what the MP7,1's configuration should be.

Start with the basic MP7,1 and build it up the way you want to.

You don't want the Promise storage units, then fine, don't buy it and add some other home-brew solution.

Will other vendors make more options at a higher or lessor price point; sure they will over time. Will they work? - maybe and maybe not.

Many Pro Mac users quite likely have a ton of existing external storage units they can attach to the MP7,1 and they will use them instead of internal storage.

We all have different requirements, and we have options for this.

 

[bwinter88]

Yada yada. There's no "different configuration" for this area of the logic board. It would harm you not one whit to have this thing come pre-installed in your machine and sit empty. The three screws that COME INSTALLED with the machine are for a singular purpose: to hang this cage. The 2 SATA ports and molex power connector are there for a singular purpose: to connect the drives that go inside the cage. So the $400 question, why not include the cage?!

Fine, don't include it, I'm almost OK with it. But then, to only offer it for $400 bundled with the largest, most expensive drive possible? OK, now we're clearly into the territory of unbridled greed.

Voila. Took me an hour to whip up from the dimensions in this picture. Only for SSDs but once I get home and print it I can fine-tune it more, maybe make some full-size 3.5" removable sleds with locking clips. I'll post the pin-out of the 10-pin cable once I have my Mac Pro in my grubby hands. Merry Xmas.

 

[bxs]

Hey we all have choices, Apple made theirs and now you can make yours, regardless of you differ ingwith Apple's basic design. If you don't like Apple's design, then move on to something else and be happier.

Personally, I'm very happy with the 2Ji as it fits my requirements exactly for holding as much as 32 TB of internal storage. I'm please the 2Ji comes with a customer cable attachment to the SATA dat/power ports.... great IMO. I'm glad it fits into the casing without much ado and presumably well tested.

You moan about the included 8TB drive, fine as that is your choice to do so. For me, it's just dandy even though I could go out and buy a less expensive one. There are other ways to save money for me.

I commend you on your initiative to make a 3D molding, and wish you good luck.... and you can take pride in doing that. I don't have a 3D milling machine and the cost for one to do this for myself makes absolutely no sense to me.

BTW... I bought a 16TB HDD for $416 to go alongside the included 8TB, and this meets my requirements.

Good luck.

 

[bwinter88]

Hey we all have choices, Apple made theirs and now you can make yours, regardless of you differ ingwith Apple's basic design. If you don't like Apple's design, then move on to something else and be happier.

Personally, I'm very happy with the 2Ji as it fits my requirements exactly for holding as much as 32 TB of internal storage. I'm please the 2Ji comes with a customer cable attachment to the SATA dat/power ports.... great IMO. I'm glad it fits into the casing without much ado and presumably well tested.

You moan about the included 8TB drive, fine as that is your choice to do so. For me, it's just dandy even though I could go out and buy a less expensive one. There are other ways to save money for me.

I commend you on your initiative to make a 3D molding, and wish you good luck.... and you can take pride in doing that. I don't have a 3D milling machine and the cost for one to do this for myself makes absolutely no sense to me.

BTW... I bought a 16TB HDD for $416 to go alongside the included 8TB, and this meets my requirements.

Good luck.

Ouch. You could literally buy a 3D printer for all the money you’d save by making your own cage (or waiting for an alternative). 32TB is great! But you’d have to buy another drive for that, and then what do you do with that third spinner you paid almost double for?

Please don’t think I’m lambasting your personal choice, my gripe is completely with Apple/Promise’s decision to force people into this purchase.

 

[Slash-2CPU]

I understand you position about this issue and certainly can see why some people can get upset about it from a cost perspective.

Apple has designed the MP7,1 basic configuration so that people with varied needs can customize it. The basic configuration is the starting point, and starting price. People can then add and build up the MP7,1 to suit their requirements.

Not everyone will want the 2Ji. They aren't interested in having internal storage, so why burden the MP7,1's basic configuration with it. Just let people add if needed. The choice of including a 8TB HDD with the 2Ji could simply be to ensure the customers who buy it have a tested/workable solution on hand immediately. Maybe in future it will be offered as a diskless unit.

I think the best way to look at the MP7,1 design is to think of it as a basic Lego kit. You buy the basic kit and if you need more you add to it and customize it to your liking. This puts everybody on the same level at the starting line.

Burden? With a $5 part? Don’t put a drive in it by default, sure. It’s the same as if buying a 4,1/5,1 if you only got as many sleds as drives you ordered the Mac with.

That Apple made a handshake deal with Promise to make a cage that fits only inside their machine and has no circuitry or logic in it then made it so you can only get it for $400 with a drive that’s NOT rated to go in a workstation is a real head scratcher.

I’m sure though there are people here who’d defend Apple if they sold the system with only as many DIMM slots as modules purchased.

 

[jinnyman]

Why people keep defending stupid choice made by Apple?
With the premium we are paying for MP 7,1, inclusion of the cage is what we should expect. But people are defending Apple's stupid looking decision to maximize its profit on tiny piece of metal.

Guys. We are paying heft price already. Such trivial option we should expect to be included.

 

[Average Pro]

I'm trying to decide between the Promise Pegasus R4i or J2i. I didn't plan on purchasing either until I became aware of their existence for the Mac Pro. Yes, the price for the R4i is a bit high and there are other options, but I like the fact that I can drop it in and it's ready to go.

One thing to note is that Apple does not make this assembly/enclosure (yet?). Furthermore, they are not the first to sell enclosure with drives (G-Technology). I'd be interested in identifying which 8TB drives they come with. I have never gone the economical route on HD. Always use WD Black drives.

 

[thisisnotmyname]

Why people keep defending stupid choice made by Apple?
With the premium we are paying for MP 7,1, inclusion of the cage is what we should expect. But people are defending Apple's stupid looking decision to maximize its profit on tiny piece of metal.

Guys. We are paying heft price already. Such trivial option we should expect to be included.

Nope, I was happy when they left behind the floppy drive, optical drive, headphone jack, card reader, etc... too. Technology progresses, any spinners should be in large arrays rack mounted in some remote location.

 

[bwinter88]

Nope, I was happy when they left behind the floppy drive, optical drive, headphone jack, card reader, etc... too. Technology progresses, any spinners should be in large arrays rack mounted in some remote location.

Your comparison would only be accurate if they left a hole in the case of your iPhone for a headphone jack, with all the necessary I/O lines, power connection and solder points, but not the jack itself, and the only way to add it was with a $350 pair of headphones. You would defend that practice too?

 

[jinnyman]

Nope, I was happy when they left behind the floppy drive, optical drive, headphone jack, card reader, etc... too. Technology progresses, any spinners should be in large arrays rack mounted in some remote location.

You know Apple's offering 256 gig in 6,000 USD machine, and you suggest that the internal spinner is goner? LOL

If you were to blindly follow whatever Apple marketing is throwing at you, why bother buy 7,1? the future of computing were external module as Apple's suggestion by 6,1. Why not criticizing Apple's backtrack?

 

[bwinter88]

You know Apple's offering 256 gig in 6,000 USD machine, and you suggest that the internal spinner is goner? LOL

If you were to blindly follow whatever Apple marketing is throwing at you, why bother buy 7,1? the future of computing were external module as Apple's suggestion by 6,1. Why not criticizing Apple's backtrack?

Not to mention, if Apple were trying to move us away from internal spinners, why do they offer a $2k RAID with FOUR of them that goes in the MPX slot...

 

[MGrayson3]

My recommendation: if anyone complains about the base machine, point out that million dollar homes are often sold Without Furniture!

Then put them on ignore.

 

[thisisnotmyname]

You know Apple's offering 256 gig in 6,000 USD machine, and you suggest that the internal spinner is goner? LOL

If you were to blindly follow whatever Apple marketing is throwing at you, why bother buy 7,1? the future of computing were external module as Apple's suggestion by 6,1. Why not criticizing Apple's backtrack?

Nope, I have loads of super fast external networked storage. People who want to cling to internal spinning rust are probably best served sticking with 5,1s.
[automerge]1577380555[/automerge]

Not to mention, if Apple were trying to move us away from internal spinners, why do they offer a $2k RAID with FOUR of them that goes in the MPX slot...

They don't, Pegasus does.

 

[bwinter88]

Nope, I have loads of super fast external networked storage. People who want to cling to internal spinning rust are probably best served sticking with 5,1s.
[automerge]1577380555[/automerge]


They don't, Pegasus does.

It’s an Apple-recommended accessory sold through their own store, Apple still sells 5400 RPM drives in the latest iMac,
good god, do you have anything to contribute to this thread other than being an obnoxious ignoramous? Networked storage is not the norm. We’ve already established people want to use internal drives in their machines, spinning drives are still widely in use, a $400 metal cage is extortion. Move on already!

 

[thevault]

The cage to mount hard drives internally should have come standard with this new Mac Pro. $400 for a metal cage, an overpriced 8 TB surveillance spinner I don't need, and a "custom" power connector, just to use internal drives I already own? I could buy an iWatch with cellular for that!

I already have 4 SSDs and a PCI Hardware RAID card with internal ports. That cage area would be perfect to mount them in. Third-party options'll probably become available in the coming year, but I'm lousy at waiting and not interested in paying the Apple premium for something as simple as this. Forcing the cage to be bundled with a hard drive is a pretty tacky cash grab!

So, I've taken a close look at the "custom" power port on the logic board and it's pretty clearly a standard 10-pin molex connector. Anyone with a multimeter and some time can easily make their own cable, which is what I plan on doing. Identify GND, 5+, 12+, wire appropriately, save $400.

Add a 3D-printed cage, some thumbscrews from McMaster for mounting tabs as demonstrated in the J2i manual, call it a day. Total price: Maybe $20!

Who's with me? Attica!

10-pin Molex connector, $0.81

https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Molex/43025-1008?qs=sGAEpiMZZMs%252BGHln7q6pm0JmUG8gjfhmIIJpLKVLD9c%3D

Molex crimp pins (buy extra because you'll probably mess it up) $0.19

https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/?qs=iR2ablhfrmH0DHKONOVAeg%3D%3D

4x SATA power splitter cable, $8

StarTech.com 15.7 in (400 mm) SATA Power Splitter Adapter Cable - M/F - 4x Serial ATA Power Cable Splitter (PYO4SATA)

StarTech.com 15.7 in (400 mm) SATA Power Splitter Adapter Cable - M/F - 4x Serial ATA Power Cable Splitter (PYO4SATA)

www.amazon.com

I plan on buying a J2i just to model my own cage after it, then returning it. I also plan on posting the .STL of any designs I make if anyone's interested.

Would you expected anything different from Apple?

It’s an Apple-recommended accessory sold through their own store, Apple still sells 5400 RPM drives in the latest iMac,
good god, do you have anything to contribute to this thread other than being an obnoxious ignoramous? Networked storage is not the norm. We’ve already established people want to use internal drives in their machines, spinning drives are still widely in use, move on already!

I believe he's a troll for anything against Apple.😂

 

[bxs]

Not to mention, if Apple were trying to move us away from internal spinners, why do they offer a $2k RAID with FOUR of them that goes in the MPX slot...

The answer is ----- Well, compare cost for 32TB HDDs with the cost for 32TB SSDs.

 

[bwinter88]

The answer is ----- Well, compare cost for 32TB HDDs with the cost for 32TB SSDs.

Exactly, spinners are still the only cost-effective game in town, by far.

 

[bxs]

Tiered storage provides opportunity for a cost effective solution and performance where needed.

• Tier 1 - internal fast storage (typically very expensive)
• Tier 2 - internal bulk storage that's quickly accessed when needed (less expensive that Tier 1 and slower)
• Tier 3 - external large capacity storage that needs infrequent access (less expensive in general compared to Tier 2.
• Tier 4 - offsite storage for archiving, backups and restoration for covering catastrophic internal data loss.