I want to get a Mac Pro desktop and use FCP Studio 2, but all of my previous
experience is on the PC side of computing. I normally build my own computers
and have a fair amount of experience doing so, but I read that Macs are
generally bought as is and should not be tampered with. I would appreciate
some advice on what I can and can't do with a new Mac Pro.

On a new Mac Pro that has two 2.66 dual core Intel zeons, 2 x 512 ram
modules, and one 250 gig hard drive is it possible to add two 1 gig ram
modules for a total of three gigs ram without any negative performance
issues?

Can I add extra sata hard drives that I used to have in a Pentium PC? I have
a few 7200 rpm sata hard drives and also a keyboard with marked keys for
video editing that I would like to add to the Mac Pro. Is it Ok to use other
keyboards and hard drives without problems?

Can I install Windows XP as a second operating system and some Windows
software in addition to having the Mac operating system and FCP studio 2
software? If so, could I read or use files created in Windows when in the
Apple OS and vice versa?

If it's OK to have a Windows OS on the machine, would it be better to
install it to a separate hard drive or the same one that the Mac OS is on?

Can I use my flat panel Samsung display monitor on the Mac Pro or would I
have to get an Apple monitor?

The Mac Pro doesn't seem to come with a lan card for connecting to my Virgin
broadband service, and I don't want to use a wireless setup for various
reasons. Does the Mac Pro actually have built in lan like on my current Asus
motherboard or can I add a basic lan card on a PCI slot?

Does the Mac Pro have a sound card or integrated sound that I could connect
my current speakers to?

Please excuse my ignorance if some of this seems dumb but as I said, I have
no Mac experience and I have heard that Apple generally is a proprietary
system and people don't build them and add whatever internal components that
they want.

Thanks a lot for any advice.

On 17-04-07 19:54, in article , "Luis
Ortega" wrote:

I want to get a Mac Pro desktop and use FCP Studio 2, but all of my previous
experience is on the PC side of computing. I normally build my own computers
and have a fair amount of experience doing so, but I read that Macs are
generally bought as is and should not be tampered with. I would appreciate
some advice on what I can and can't do with a new Mac Pro.

My answers will be rather short, but I've provided external links with some
information at the end of my reply.

On a new Mac Pro that has two 2.66 dual core Intel zeons, 2 x 512 ram
modules, and one 250 gig hard drive is it possible to add two 1 gig ram
modules for a total of three gigs ram without any negative performance
issues?

IMHO yes. There are specific memory configurations that could 'accelerate'
hardware a bit (or - to be exact - better utilize its resources).

Can I add extra sata hard drives that I used to have in a Pentium PC? I have
a few 7200 rpm sata hard drives and also a keyboard with marked keys for
video editing that I would like to add to the Mac Pro. Is it Ok to use other
keyboards and hard drives without problems?

In both cases the answer is positive. Of course it's a keyboard equipped
with USB cable?

Can I install Windows XP as a second operating system and some Windows
software in addition to having the Mac operating system and FCP studio 2
software? If so, could I read or use files created in Windows when in the
Apple OS and vice versa?

Yes. That can be easily done either using Boot Camp or Parallels Desktop,
CrossOver Mac or any other virtualization software.

If it's OK to have a Windows OS on the machine, would it be better to
install it to a separate hard drive or the same one that the Mac OS is on?

AFAIK you're supposed to have it on a system drive. But I'm not 100% sure.

Can I use my flat panel Samsung display monitor on the Mac Pro or would I
have to get an Apple monitor?

You can use whatever display (DVI's the best) you want.

The Mac Pro doesn't seem to come with a lan card for connecting to my Virgin
broadband service, and I don't want to use a wireless setup for various
reasons. Does the Mac Pro actually have built in lan like on my current Asus
motherboard or can I add a basic lan card on a PCI slot?

Yes, it does.

Does the Mac Pro have a sound card or integrated sound that I could connect
my current speakers to?

Yes.

Please refer to the following internet sites, there's a lot of information
you need and it's really worth reading it:

Apple's official website - http://www.apple.com/macpro/

Mac Pro specifications - http://www.apple.com/macpro/specs.html

Mac Pro review - http://arstechnica.com/reviews/hardware/macpro.ars

Apple's Mac Pro - A True PowerMac Successor -
http://www.anandtech.com/mac/showdoc.aspx?i=2816&p=1


--

Pozdrawiam / Best regards

Tadeusz Krzemiñski

I agree with all of the answers, having done quite a bit of upgrading to my
MacPro. I would suggest checking out the cost of extra memory for the
MacPro. The memory is very specific to the MacPro and expensive. Also,
installing a Windows XP drive under Parallels allows you to install it on
any drive since it is a virtual hard disk image rather than a physical
drive.

Smarty


"Tadeusz Krzeminski" wrote in message
...
On 17-04-07 19:54, in article ,
"Luis
Ortega" wrote:

I want to get a Mac Pro desktop and use FCP Studio 2, but all of my
previous
experience is on the PC side of computing. I normally build my own
computers
and have a fair amount of experience doing so, but I read that Macs are
generally bought as is and should not be tampered with. I would
appreciate
some advice on what I can and can't do with a new Mac Pro.

My answers will be rather short, but I've provided external links with
some
information at the end of my reply.

On a new Mac Pro that has two 2.66 dual core Intel zeons, 2 x 512 ram
modules, and one 250 gig hard drive is it possible to add two 1 gig ram
modules for a total of three gigs ram without any negative performance
issues?

IMHO yes. There are specific memory configurations that could 'accelerate'
hardware a bit (or - to be exact - better utilize its resources).

Can I add extra sata hard drives that I used to have in a Pentium PC? I
have
a few 7200 rpm sata hard drives and also a keyboard with marked keys for
video editing that I would like to add to the Mac Pro. Is it Ok to use
other
keyboards and hard drives without problems?

In both cases the answer is positive. Of course it's a keyboard equipped
with USB cable?

Can I install Windows XP as a second operating system and some Windows
software in addition to having the Mac operating system and FCP studio 2
software? If so, could I read or use files created in Windows when in the
Apple OS and vice versa?

Yes. That can be easily done either using Boot Camp or Parallels Desktop,
CrossOver Mac or any other virtualization software.

If it's OK to have a Windows OS on the machine, would it be better to
install it to a separate hard drive or the same one that the Mac OS is
on?

AFAIK you're supposed to have it on a system drive. But I'm not 100% sure.

Can I use my flat panel Samsung display monitor on the Mac Pro or would I
have to get an Apple monitor?

You can use whatever display (DVI's the best) you want.

The Mac Pro doesn't seem to come with a lan card for connecting to my
Virgin
broadband service, and I don't want to use a wireless setup for various
reasons. Does the Mac Pro actually have built in lan like on my current
Asus
motherboard or can I add a basic lan card on a PCI slot?

Yes, it does.

Does the Mac Pro have a sound card or integrated sound that I could
connect
my current speakers to?

Yes.

Please refer to the following internet sites, there's a lot of information
you need and it's really worth reading it:

Apple's official website - http://www.apple.com/macpro/

Mac Pro specifications - http://www.apple.com/macpro/specs.html

Mac Pro review - http://arstechnica.com/reviews/hardware/macpro.ars

Apple's Mac Pro - A True PowerMac Successor -
http://www.anandtech.com/mac/showdoc.aspx?i=2816&p=1


--

Pozdrawiam / Best regards

Tadeusz Krzemiñski

Thanks, guys. The memory specific to the Mac Pro on Crucial's website is not
nearly as expensive as buying it up front at the Apple store when ordering a
Mac Pro. And 7200 rpm sata hard drives are much cheaper to buy on my own
than adding them to the initial purchase at the Apple store.
I would assume that these sort of components will be compatible and not any
harder to install than for a PC. or am I wrong to assume this?

"Smarty" wrote in message
...
I agree with all of the answers, having done quite a bit of upgrading to my
MacPro. I would suggest checking out the cost of extra memory for the
MacPro. The memory is very specific to the MacPro and expensive. Also,
installing a Windows XP drive under Parallels allows you to install it on
any drive since it is a virtual hard disk image rather than a physical
drive.

Smarty


"Tadeusz Krzeminski" wrote in message
...
On 17-04-07 19:54, in article ,
"Luis
Ortega" wrote:

I want to get a Mac Pro desktop and use FCP Studio 2, but all of my
previous
experience is on the PC side of computing. I normally build my own
computers
and have a fair amount of experience doing so, but I read that Macs are
generally bought as is and should not be tampered with. I would
appreciate
some advice on what I can and can't do with a new Mac Pro.

My answers will be rather short, but I've provided external links with
some
information at the end of my reply.

On a new Mac Pro that has two 2.66 dual core Intel zeons, 2 x 512 ram
modules, and one 250 gig hard drive is it possible to add two 1 gig ram
modules for a total of three gigs ram without any negative performance
issues?

IMHO yes. There are specific memory configurations that could
'accelerate'
hardware a bit (or - to be exact - better utilize its resources).

Can I add extra sata hard drives that I used to have in a Pentium PC? I
have
a few 7200 rpm sata hard drives and also a keyboard with marked keys for
video editing that I would like to add to the Mac Pro. Is it Ok to use
other
keyboards and hard drives without problems?

In both cases the answer is positive. Of course it's a keyboard equipped
with USB cable?

Can I install Windows XP as a second operating system and some Windows
software in addition to having the Mac operating system and FCP studio 2
software? If so, could I read or use files created in Windows when in
the
Apple OS and vice versa?

Yes. That can be easily done either using Boot Camp or Parallels Desktop,
CrossOver Mac or any other virtualization software.

If it's OK to have a Windows OS on the machine, would it be better to
install it to a separate hard drive or the same one that the Mac OS is
on?

AFAIK you're supposed to have it on a system drive. But I'm not 100%
sure.

Can I use my flat panel Samsung display monitor on the Mac Pro or would
I
have to get an Apple monitor?

You can use whatever display (DVI's the best) you want.

The Mac Pro doesn't seem to come with a lan card for connecting to my
Virgin
broadband service, and I don't want to use a wireless setup for various
reasons. Does the Mac Pro actually have built in lan like on my current
Asus
motherboard or can I add a basic lan card on a PCI slot?

Yes, it does.

Does the Mac Pro have a sound card or integrated sound that I could
connect
my current speakers to?

Yes.

Please refer to the following internet sites, there's a lot of
information
you need and it's really worth reading it:

Apple's official website - http://www.apple.com/macpro/

Mac Pro specifications - http://www.apple.com/macpro/specs.html

Mac Pro review - http://arstechnica.com/reviews/hardware/macpro.ars

Apple's Mac Pro - A True PowerMac Successor -
http://www.anandtech.com/mac/showdoc.aspx?i=2816&p=1


--

Pozdrawiam / Best regards

Tadeusz Krzemiñski

Absolutely right. Crucial's price of about $150 per gigabyte is indeed lower
than Apple's, and has thankfully been reduced quite a bit since the MacPro
was introduced last year (when I paid three times that price!).

The SATA drives are extremely easy to install. The MacPro case (unlike the
prior PowerMac Dual G5 case) is exceptionally well designed for
accessibility. There are 4 drive trays which slide out, automatically
aligning and mating the SATA connectors. You merely attach the drive to the
drawer with the 4 (Allen head) screws provided with each drawer. The MacPro
came with Western Digital in the boot drive, and I added two Seagate
Barracudas and another WD Caviar with no problems whatsoever.

Smarty


"Luis Ortega" wrote in message
...
Thanks, guys. The memory specific to the Mac Pro on Crucial's website is
not nearly as expensive as buying it up front at the Apple store when
ordering a Mac Pro. And 7200 rpm sata hard drives are much cheaper to buy
on my own than adding them to the initial purchase at the Apple store.
I would assume that these sort of components will be compatible and not
any harder to install than for a PC. or am I wrong to assume this?

"Smarty" wrote in message
...
I agree with all of the answers, having done quite a bit of upgrading to
my MacPro. I would suggest checking out the cost of extra memory for the
MacPro. The memory is very specific to the MacPro and expensive. Also,
installing a Windows XP drive under Parallels allows you to install it on
any drive since it is a virtual hard disk image rather than a physical
drive.

Smarty


"Tadeusz Krzeminski" wrote in message
...
On 17-04-07 19:54, in article ,
"Luis
Ortega" wrote:

I want to get a Mac Pro desktop and use FCP Studio 2, but all of my
previous
experience is on the PC side of computing. I normally build my own
computers
and have a fair amount of experience doing so, but I read that Macs are
generally bought as is and should not be tampered with. I would
appreciate
some advice on what I can and can't do with a new Mac Pro.

My answers will be rather short, but I've provided external links with
some
information at the end of my reply.

On a new Mac Pro that has two 2.66 dual core Intel zeons, 2 x 512 ram
modules, and one 250 gig hard drive is it possible to add two 1 gig ram
modules for a total of three gigs ram without any negative performance
issues?

IMHO yes. There are specific memory configurations that could
'accelerate'
hardware a bit (or - to be exact - better utilize its resources).

Can I add extra sata hard drives that I used to have in a Pentium PC? I
have
a few 7200 rpm sata hard drives and also a keyboard with marked keys
for
video editing that I would like to add to the Mac Pro. Is it Ok to use
other
keyboards and hard drives without problems?

In both cases the answer is positive. Of course it's a keyboard equipped
with USB cable?

Can I install Windows XP as a second operating system and some Windows
software in addition to having the Mac operating system and FCP studio
2
software? If so, could I read or use files created in Windows when in
the
Apple OS and vice versa?

Yes. That can be easily done either using Boot Camp or Parallels
Desktop,
CrossOver Mac or any other virtualization software.

If it's OK to have a Windows OS on the machine, would it be better to
install it to a separate hard drive or the same one that the Mac OS is
on?

AFAIK you're supposed to have it on a system drive. But I'm not 100%
sure.

Can I use my flat panel Samsung display monitor on the Mac Pro or would
I
have to get an Apple monitor?

You can use whatever display (DVI's the best) you want.

The Mac Pro doesn't seem to come with a lan card for connecting to my
Virgin
broadband service, and I don't want to use a wireless setup for various
reasons. Does the Mac Pro actually have built in lan like on my current
Asus
motherboard or can I add a basic lan card on a PCI slot?

Yes, it does.

Does the Mac Pro have a sound card or integrated sound that I could
connect
my current speakers to?

Yes.

Please refer to the following internet sites, there's a lot of
information
you need and it's really worth reading it:

Apple's official website - http://www.apple.com/macpro/

Mac Pro specifications - http://www.apple.com/macpro/specs.html

Mac Pro review - http://arstechnica.com/reviews/hardware/macpro.ars

Apple's Mac Pro - A True PowerMac Successor -
http://www.anandtech.com/mac/showdoc.aspx?i=2816&p=1


--

Pozdrawiam / Best regards

Tadeusz Krzemiñski

On Tue, 17 Apr 2007 21:56:16 GMT, "Luis Ortega"
wrote:

Thanks, guys. The memory specific to the Mac Pro on Crucial's website is not
nearly as expensive as buying it up front at the Apple store when ordering a
Mac Pro. And 7200 rpm sata hard drives are much cheaper to buy on my own
than adding them to the initial purchase at the Apple store.
I would assume that these sort of components will be compatible and not any
harder to install than for a PC. or am I wrong to assume this?

Yeah. And it's not just a Mac thing. Check Dell's prices for
upgrades and extras against the street price. It can be quite
frightening.

Drives slot into a Mac Pro very easily. I seem to recall they show
off by providing non-standard screws :-)

The heads of the screws are decorative but take a standard Phillips head
screw driver. I mistakenly said Allan head previously and now correct
myself. The threads of the screws are the same size used to bolt into the
disk drives in any other mounting method, and therefore you can easily swap
the Apple screws with conventional screws and it will make no difference. In
fact, the decorative screws are hidden inside the tray / case when the
drives are installed.....

Smarty

"Laurence Payne" lpayne1NOSPAM@dslDOTpipexDOTcom wrote in message
...
On Tue, 17 Apr 2007 21:56:16 GMT, "Luis Ortega"
wrote:

Thanks, guys. The memory specific to the Mac Pro on Crucial's website is
not
nearly as expensive as buying it up front at the Apple store when ordering
a
Mac Pro. And 7200 rpm sata hard drives are much cheaper to buy on my own
than adding them to the initial purchase at the Apple store.
I would assume that these sort of components will be compatible and not
any
harder to install than for a PC. or am I wrong to assume this?

Yeah. And it's not just a Mac thing. Check Dell's prices for
upgrades and extras against the street price. It can be quite
frightening.

Drives slot into a Mac Pro very easily. I seem to recall they show
off by providing non-standard screws :-)