EFI 4.5 Rip running on a Mac

[M&M Displays]

Will be buying a QS3200 to replace our QS2000 very soon. Its nice to see the 4.5 will run on a Mac. My sales guy sent me the spec sheet for the computer and I'm a bit confused. Does the program really need to run on a Mac Pro Server? Does it really need a RAID card and (4) 1TB drives. Our current 3.1 is running on a Dell Server (no raid card) and (3) 136GB drives Will have 3 clients using it.

Thanks

 

[Cliff]

Will be buying a QS3200 to replace our QS2000 very soon. Its nice to see the 4.5 will run on a Mac. My sales guy sent me the spec sheet for the computer and I'm a bit confused. Does the program really need to run on a Mac Pro Server? Does it really need a RAID card and (4) 1TB drives. Our current 3.1 is running on a Dell Server (no raid card) and (3) 136GB drives Will have 3 clients using it.

Thanks

Where does it say mac pro server, except for the dual core.

Mac pro have 2 ( 6core processors ) total 12 and Servers have 2 X 2 total four cores

At any rate is says mac OS X 10.5 etc not xserver.


OK now a server will give you unlimited Clients available. So that may be an issues.

The raid is for two striped ( two drive working as one ) for the os and main program, another drive for temp files and and fourth for files.
os x
Now we did try it on an I7 for the GS3200 and it dragged badly so the Xeon processors will shine.

We will eventually stay PC for the rip since we use it as a stand alone and we can build a two processor ( 6 cores each ) machine with real hardware raid 0 and the other drive for a hell of a lot less , but thats your preference to your work flow.
Files are massive and complex for 1000 dpi especially with white layers and processing power and drive speed is everything, Ram did little difference.

 

[M&M Displays]

Cliff
Your right.......it does not say Server, but the only way to get 3.33 GHz 6 core is to go with the Mac Pro Server. I think will just bit the bullet and get the server with the max speed

Thanks

 

[Joe Hamilton]

Just remember it doesn't run under the Mac Server OS.

 

[M&M Displays]

Just remember it doesn't run under the Mac Server OS.

I'm confused............what does it run under???

 

[Joe Hamilton]

On the Mac side it only runs under the standard OS i.e. Snow Leopard 10.6.x. It will not install on an OS if the box is labeled OS X Server version 10.6 Snow Leopard.

 

[M&M Displays]

On the Mac side it only runs under the standard OS i.e. Snow Leopard 10.6.x. It will not install on an OS if the box is labeled OS X Server version 10.6 Snow Leopard.

I don't get it.

Per page 2.........Recommended Operating System Mac OS 10.6 (EFI XF v4.5 will run in 32-bit mode.
So do I want / need a server or not?

What are you running Joe?


.

 

[Cliff]

I don't get it.

Per page 2.........Recommended Operating System Mac OS 10.6 (EFI XF v4.5 will run in 32-bit mode.
So do I want / need a server or not?

What are you running Joe?


.

First off, why would you use 323bit mode in any current system, PC or Mac especially, what a was of hardware. Next off , I cannot find a xerver versions anywhere,.. A Mac Pro has 2X 6cores so processing power is there, I can only think that the unlimited clients would be a reason for xserv but then again I do not see the install for that OS. Call Vutek and ask directly.

 

[M&M Displays]

Joe
The reason I brought up the Server was this. When I tried to configure a Mac Pro on the Apple site you can only get the "Recommend" 3.33ghz with the Quad Core and the Server. Its not offered on the 8 or 12 core machines. I did talk to Vutek (2 different people) and got two different anwsers. One side get the server the other side get the 8 or 12 core with the fastest processor you can afford

 

[Joe Hamilton]

It's all relative. In most cases, once the printer starts printing, even a Mac Mini would keep up. I have an installation on a Mac Pro laptop and have no issues. If you're sending large (44" wide or large), complicated files to multiple printers or Nest everything, then sure, a fast Xeon processor Mac with at least 4GBs of RAM is the way to go. Otherwise, a good affordable Mac will do you just fine making sure you get 4GBs or RAM. Again, once the printer starts printing, the printer becomes the slowest point.

 

[M&M Displays]

Our files are BIG, currently we can print 80 inches wide by sometimes 20 feet. With the new QS3200....that will print up to 120 wide or (2) 58 inch rolls.

Thanks for the info

 

[Cliff]

Well thats sort of true.

a good Xeon driven ( dual with multiple cores ) will be the ticket Mac or PC , basically the same difference, More power ( cpu speed is kinda useless except that multiple cores will do the trick. we have used this software with an I7 Mac and pc and for the GS3200 which is a faster printer with dual res of 600 and 1000. The problem is files sizes. The GS can produce 1000 dpi 4ft X 8 board in about 2.3 min. Thats pretty fast so a 4ft x8 ft or better said 8ftwidth x 4ft long at 1000 dpi ( full color with white is a pig on resources. Mini Mac I beg to differ on these puppies but lets not get into that ok. My experience with this rip and I7's just was unusable. Printer will outrun the rip PERIOD. Dual core Xeons with multiple cores ( 6 each ) is purely the way to go. Go back to the beginning now,....will a OSX let you run multiple clients ? Will Xserver run the rip in 64 bit mode ? ASk Vutek about expected rip times based on your workflow. What config do they use?
We ftp all files to the rip so client access is not an issue.

 

[M&M Displays]

Cliff
Vutek runs the rip on everything from laptops to towers. 4 Clients is not an issue with the non -server Mac Pro. It only runs in 32 bit but what I'm told from then it only causes a slight slow down. Attached is what I think we will purchase.

Mac Pro
Two. 2.66 6 core intel xeon westmere 12- cores
12GB of ram
Raid card
(4) 1 TB drive

$6,599.00 Ouch

 

[Cliff]

Ouch is pretty much it, although when I started a really crappy Mac ( high end at the time ) was 68K and was a boat anchor a few years later ( same goes for my first 16mb of ram being 980 dollars.) You should not be waiting around for the rip.

12 cores are great , the ram will barely get used , maybe 20-30 percent but its there in case. The raid is costing but by following Vuteks guidelines they really have noting to point at if you rn problems. these 3m machines very quickly get giant files. If you ordered the white then you have extra work for the rip. At least you can nest up jobs and sizes at the printer. The GS has so many drives in the array its a bit un nerving. I service Vuteks, Gandi/agfa/ Oce/fuji etc so make sure they are really tight on alingements and that carriage height is equal across the bed which becomes extra important when running board along the full width.

On a side note I want to experiment with a SSD ( solid state drive ) for the os but I have not tried yet,

when does the printer arrive. ?

 

[M&M Displays]

Thanks Cliff

We know ALL about alignments on Vutek. We are on our 5th year on our QS2000 (#7) out of the factory. Printer should be arriving July - August. Might push it back until September.........a bunch of us are out for vacation during the summer. Were also waiting to hear on the price to upgrade the machine to LED curing. I have SSD in my Mac Book Pro. LOVE it........no moving parts and it screams. Its still very $$$$.

I still remember our 1st Mac system, Quadra 700, 60 meg hard drive, 4? megs of ram, B/W laser printer and a scanner. It was dam near 30K.........LOL

 

[Cliff]

Thanks Cliff

We know ALL about alignments on Vutek. We are on our 5th year on our QS2000 (#7) out of the factory. Printer should be arriving July - August. Might push it back until September.........a bunch of us are out for vacation during the summer. Were also waiting to hear on the price to upgrade the machine to LED curing. I have SSD in my Mac Book Pro. LOVE it........no moving parts and it screams. Its still very $$$$.

I still remember our 1st Mac system, Quadra 700, 60 meg hard drive, 4? megs of ram, B/W laser printer and a scanner. It was dam near 30K.........LOL

Same delays happened here with the GS3200, we have a gen 2 2360 ( 2001 ) a gen 3 3360 2 pressvus ( one is a beta but its a tank ) a few Oce/fuji epsons etc and some Gandi. Keep me on my toes because I do the service ( with parts under agreement ) . We have work but its kinda iffy out there and to chew on another 600k is spooky.

Listen LED is the future but its a hell of a trick, Led last forever but the driver etc don't. Friend does recearch for Future Electronics and it can be a bugger. I have only seen for myself one machine do it and its Russian by sun-nsk.ru . From what I hear its still off in the future with many headaches to come.

Any time

 

[M&M Displays]

Were are you guys located?

 

[Cliff]

Way the hell up in Montreal, Canada , Your in Philly right ?

 

[M&M Displays]

Ugh.....its cold up there lol. Correct, were about a mile from the airport

 

[Cliff]

Actually really nice and hot in the spring /summer but its raining for the last four days . so wet , and depressing. Last time I was your way ( freelance repair ) , got myself introduced to a cheese steak at some little place, it was great. Going to bring the family down that way ( also Washington DC ) one of these days. This year its Ukraine again ( wife's Russian Family )
We are downtown ( just outside core ) 12min from airport.