Intensity Minimum System Requirements for Mac OS X™
Contents of this support note:
- Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger, Mac Pro Configuration
- Included Software
- Third Party Software Support
- Peripheral hardware
- Incompatible Configurations
MAC OS X 10.4 TIGER, MAC PRO CONFIGURATION
• We recommend the following software versions be used together: Mac OS X 10.4.8, Mac OS X 10.4.8, Final Cut Pro HD v5.1.2, QuickTime 7.1.3 and the latest Intensity 1.0 drivers. Software versions can be found by following these steps.
Recommended memory
Currently we recommend 2 GB of RAM for standard definition and at least 4 GB of RAM for high definition video. This specification may be updated at any time to recommend more RAM if we find that driver, application or Mac OS X updates require more RAM.
Memory modules must be installed in pairs
Memory modules must be installed in pairs in the Mac Pro. If you want to install 2 GB of RAM, you cannot just install a single 2 GB module. You must install either:
• 2 x 1 GB modules (= 2 GB), or
• 4 x 512 MB modules (= 2 GB).
Maximizing memory speed
Memory speed is particularly important for demanding video work such as RT effects. Sets of four memory modules provide increased memory speed compared with using only a single pair of memory modules. While you must install memory modules in pairs, it is even better to install in sets of four memory modules. The Mac Pro RAM configurations which will achieve ideal performance when when running Final Cut Pro are detailed by Apple in the article Final Cut Pro: For best performance on Mac Pro, install memory in risers symmetrically.
Disk arrays - internal or external?
The Mac Pro has 4 disk bays with plug-in disk carriers. You can bolt a SATA II disk to the carrier and push it into place without needing to fiddle with any power or data cables. It's a very clever design and makes it easy to add a single disk for your compressed video captures using formats such as DV, DV50, JPEG or DVCPRO HD. The DV and JPEG codecs are installed by QuickTime, and professional DV50 and DVCPRO HD codecs are installed by Final Cut Pro.
We ran some tests on this in our lab and mounted 3 x 500 GB SATA II disks into the three empty bays, and striped them with RAID 0 for a 1.5 Terabyte internal disk array. We only used three disks because the fourth disk is used as the Mac OS X system disk. Testing was conducted using the following model of hard disk: Seagate 500Gb 7200rpm 16Mb 3.5" SATA II [ST3500641AS].
Blackmagic Disk Speed Test reported about 170 MB/sec which was easily fast enough for HD uncompressed 8 bit. However this three-disk internal solution is more suited to people needing simple capture and playback of HD, such as designers and effects artists. They just want simple clip capture and playback and the built-in three-disk array is a great solution for them. There are also newer 750 GB disks, which are faster, and so performance could increase further.
For editors who have hundreds of cuts and/or effects in their uncompressed projects, we would strongly recommend an external disk array with multiple disks. CalDigit HDPro disk arrays are highly recommended because they connect directly to the PCI Express bus of Mac Pro computers, just like Blackmagic Design Multibridge products. This means you can take advantage of the full speed of the PCI Express bus without the cost and latency associated with traditional HBA cards such as SCSI, Fibre Channel and FireWire cards.
The following storage systems have been verified by Blackmagic Design for use with uncompressed standard definition video.
• Almost any internal 7200 rpm SATA drive is adequate for capture and playback in a PowerMac G5 or Mac Pro. Stripe 2 or more drives together for use with real time effects and greater reliability.
• Apple Xserve RAID with 512 MB of RAM cache on the RAID controller(s).
• CalDigit HDPro
• G-Tech G-SPEED XL16 partnered with an ATTO Celerity FC-42ES card
• LaCie Biggest S2S with PCI-Express Card
• Promise VTrak M200f partnered with an Apple Dual Channel Fibre Channel card
The following storage systems have been verified with Blackmagic Design for use with uncompressed high definition video up to 1080i60 4:2:2.
• Apple Xserve RAID with 512 MB of RAM cache on the RAID controller(s).
• CalDigit HDPro, with direct PCI Express connection
• G-Tech G-SPEED XL16 partnered with an ATTO Celerity FC-42ES card
• LaCie Biggest S2S with PCI-Express Card
• Promise VTrak M200f partnered with an Apple Dual Channel Fibre Channel card
PCI Express slots - which ones to use
The Mac Pro has configurable PCI Express slots meaning that you can assign more PCI Express lanes to cards that need additional performance. After installing your Intensity card and starting up the Mac Pro, an Expansion Slot Utility will usually appear showing that you have a choice of four PCI Express Profiles:
• x16 Lane Graphics Slot + One x8 Lane and Two x1 Lane Slots
• x16 Lane Graphics Slot + Two x4 Lane and One x1 Lane Slots
• Three x8 Lane + One x1 Lane Slots
• Two x8 Lane + Two x4 Lane Slots
We recommend the Intensity card be placed in a x1 lane slot so that the faster PCI Express slots are made available to other cards which might require faster slots.
Intensity only requires a x1 lane slot for maximum performance regardless of whether you are working in standard definition or high definition.
Intensity users can select any PCI Express Profile from the Expansion Slot Utility and then use a x1 lane slot for the Intensity card. The faster slots can be used with a SCSI, Fibre Channel or SATA disk array card (aka Host Bus Adapter or HBA). Most HBA cards require a x4 lane slot. Some 4 GB Fibre Channel cards prefer a x8 lane slot when using all four channels.
Standard definition and high definition resolutions are supported by any model of Mac Pro when partnered with Intensity.
Related technical notes:
• Disk Arrays for Uncompressed SD Video
• Disk Arrays for Uncompressed HD Video
• Storage and Data Rates for Uncompressed Video
Intensity includes driver software to enable you to use your favorite supported third party video software to capture and play back video.
Intensity installs the On-Air application which enables Mac Pro users to mix between two camera inputs, and capture the resulting video to disk, using two Intensity cards. On-Air can record to disk using Apple's uncompressed or compressed codecs. The On-Air interface requires a computer monitor with a resolution of 1600 x 1000 pixels.
Intensity also installs the Media Express application which makes it easy to capture video from an HDMI source, such as a camera or set top box, and you can use the HDMI output of Intensity to monitor the video while you are capturing, even from HDV cameras. Media Express can capture to disk using Apple's uncompressed or compressed codecs. Media Express also enables you to play back your video to a large HDMI monitor or TV so you can watch the video you've captured with Media Express, mixed with On-Air or rendered out of applications including Final Cut Pro, After Effects and Combustion.
Intensity works with popular third party video software which support open standards. These include:
• Final Cut Pro 5.1.4 (installing this software provides the DV50, HDV and DVCPRO HD codecs)
• After Effects 7.0.1
• Combustion 4.0.4
• Adobe Photoshop CS and CS2
• Please see our detailed support notes regarding disk arrays for uncompressed SD and HD video.
Incompatible Configurations
The following configurations should not be used with Intensity systems.
• PowerMac G5's cannot be used with Intensity. PowerMac G5 PCIe users who require an HDMI capture solution should consider the DeckLink HD Extreme. DeckLink HD Extreme supports both Mac Pro and PowerMac G5's (with PCI Express) and includes HDMI input/output, RS-422 device control, HD/SD-SDI input/output, component analog video input/output and analog XLR audio input/output as well as S/PDIF audio monitoring.
• Processor upgrade cards cannot be used. It is necessary to use a Mac Pro which meets the minimum system requirements in an unmodified state. Do not use processor upgrade cards with a Mac Pro which already meets the minimum system requirements.
• Final Cut Express cannot be used with Intensity as Final Cut Express is exclusively designed to work via Firewire.
