First Time Hackintosh Builder for Music/Video Editing

[Xave57]

Hi all,

I've never built my own computer but have read up fairly extensively. Just looking for some last-minute advice before I pull the trigger.

Going to be recording and editing music, and editing music videos - mostly real video, as opposed to graphical stuff. Some photo editing as well. Media stuff in general, I guess. None of it will be too intensive - I'm a solo musician, so recording one part at a time, probably not more than 10 or 15 tracks in Logic for any given track, no crazy special effects on the videos.

Anyway, it seems to me that the processor and RAM will be the most important components for my purposes. I think I'm basically going to go with the CustoMac Budget ATX, with the higher-end processor and 16 GB RAM.

Questions:
1. Does this all sound reasonable or am I way off-base???
2. I think I can afford to upgrade either the processor (maybe to the i7 listed in CustoMac Pro) or the RAM (to 32) but not both. Any votes?

Thanks in advance. Looking forward to my first build!

 

[JonnyC]

I only found out through real world usage that 32GB was a bit overkill. I used to run out of memory all of the time on my old system (16GB) and now I find I'm averaging about 12GB of memory used out of 32GB. 16GB may suffice. I would consider multiple fast storage solutions for what you're doing. I do graphics editing and I have multiple SSDs to handle multiple facets of data (OS, programs, content, cache). I have samsung 850 pro drives and I'm quite pleased with those.

 

[brado32]

I do some pretty heavy duty Pro Tools work and went with i7-4790 and 32G of ram. Pro Tools loves ram !!

I also went with SSD's only.. two 250g drives, one for system stuff and one for audio. I also went with a fanless cpu cooler and you cant even hear the machine when its on which lets me keep it in the control room without a problem..

Big possible difference for me is that I am running on the internal HD4600 graphics and didnt need a GPU.

good luck

-Brad

 

[o0Ampy0o]

....I would consider multiple fast storage solutions for what you're doing. I do graphics editing and I have multiple SSDs to handle multiple facets of data (OS, programs, content, cache)....

Xave57,

If you choose this route keep in mind that multiple SSD's generate a considerable amount of heat.

I do some pretty heavy duty Pro Tools work and went with i7-4790 and 32G of ram. Pro Tools loves ram !!

I also went with SSD's only.. two 250g drives, one for system stuff and one for audio. I also went with a fanless cpu cooler and you cant even hear the machine when its on which lets me keep it in the control room without a problem..

Big possible difference for me is that I am running on the internal HD4600 graphics and didnt need a GPU.

good luck

-Brad

brado32,

Which fanless CPU cooler did you choose?

Which PSU?

Thank you

 

[Xave57]

Thanks everyone for the feedback. I'm interested in the idea of multiple hard drives, but wouldn't know where to begin in terms of setting them up to handle different tasks. Anyone have a link to some sort of guide?

 

[o0Ampy0o]

Thanks everyone for the feedback. I'm interested in the idea of multiple hard drives, but wouldn't know where to begin in terms of setting them up to handle different tasks. Anyone have a link to some sort of guide?

Some people run both Windows and OS X. I have not set up a dual boot system and am currently building my first hackintosh so I will leave this aspect of drive organization to others.

Generally speaking with music systems, the same concept suits design systems as well, you have your operating system and software on a SSD and your supporting files on at least one separate drive. The software runs snappy on a SSD while the supporting files work fine utilizing RAM and other forms of cache space. The OS and software run more efficiently on their own drive. The additional drives can either be SSD or HDD.

You could use all SSD's. SSD's are fast and quiet. However people use decent 7200rpm HDD's successfully.

To illustrate how you might organize a system this is what I have done:

-I have the software and OS on a SSD.

-I have multiple 7200rpm HDD's categorized into 3 types of project references (the native files and anything that is part of a project (i.e. jpegs, sound & video files, etc): 1. Animation 2. Music 3. 2D Design.

-Then I have digital instrument libraries, plug-ins/VST/AU content, archiving, backup and a growing collection of knowledge references split into the three categories.

Note: when I work a live copy of the project is moved to the main drive. The only thing that is split up and pulled in from a separate drive are the instrument libraries and plug-ins if the project is music related. Animation and 2D design project material is all copied to the main drive while I am working with it.

This is how my old system is arranged. My old system is a Mac Mini with several external drives. Depending on what I am doing I might only have one external drive running, if that. My hackintosh, in theory, will have one SSD for the OS and software, another SSD for the instrument libraries and plugins then some 7200rpm drive space for everything else. Once I have it up and running I will determine whether it is quiet enough. I may use all SSD's in the hackintosh and only use HDD's for backup and archives if I need to reduce noise.

 

[brado32]

I went with a Nofan: http://www.amazon.com/NoFan-CR-95C-Black-Pearl-Fanless/dp/B009OXATT6

and the Corsair RM Series PSU. Cant hear a thing
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139053

-Brad

Xave57,

If you choose this route keep in mind that multiple SSD's generate a considerable amount of heat.




brado32,

Which fanless CPU cooler did you choose?

Which PSU?

Thank you