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Logic Pro machine

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Enjoy your build, if you need assistance, then look to see if someone has posted the info you seek. Otherwise create a new thread, you have done plenty of research - much more than some seem to do. :thumbup:
Thanks! I have to pay for it, so it is worth doing the research for it. In the long run, I'll understand it better if something goes wrong. Even though this community is awesome, the answer might not always be readily available and not having OS X is not an option for me.

As soon as I do build something (might be November/December) , I'll definitely make sure to document everything. ;)

Thanks for all the help so far! :thumbup:
 
Thanks! I have to pay for it, so it is worth doing the research for it. In the long run, I'll understand it better if something goes wrong. Even though this community is awesome, the answer might not always be readily available and not having OS X is not an option for me.

As soon as I do build something (might be November/December) , I'll definitely make sure to document everything. ;)

Thanks for all the help so far! :thumbup:

No problems, you are very welcome, I would say that by November/December we will be well into the Haswell builds using Mavericks so a lot of stuff will be clearer than it is at the moment. It could be a better time to get some bargains too.

Adrian B
 
Hello again,

I don't know if I should open a new topic for this or not, since it has been a few days since the last post... Or even if it's in the right forum.

Anyway: I have 2 general hardware questions for my build.

1) I am thinking of getting a triple monitor setup. I have a 1080p TV to hook up and I obviously need a normal monitor. I picked the smallest 1080p monitor I could find, which is the LG Flatron 22E63V-P (21,5"). As an added benefit, it is nearly edge-less, which makes it easier to go for a dual monitor setup + TV.
I already own the TV and will connect it through HDMI. The LG display has 3 ports: HDMI, DVI-D, and VGA.
The GTX-770 however has one of each of the following: DP, DVI-D (1st LG), DVI-I (2nd LG), and HDMI (TV). The question is whether it will be possible to use the GTX-770 DVI-I to VGA adapter to connect that second display or even to just hook up the DVI-I to the second LG's DVI-D (which probably sounds stupid, but I have no experience in this).

Links to hardware:
http://www.lg.com/hk_en/monitors/lg-22EA63V
http://www.evga.com/Products/Product.aspx?pn=02G-P4-2770-KR

2) I was confronted with the choice of hard drives (not SSD - that has been taken care of).
I could get the WD blue, WD green, or Seagate Barracuda for the same price (~€65,-). All are 1TB and are going to be used as storage and/or audio recording. I also have several external drives I used to record, so I'm not sure I should pay ~€20,- extra for a WD black series.
I have had some bad experiences with Seagate drives, mostly just annoying (electrical) noise when it is idle, but one has even failed on me (granted: it was fairly old). This hasn't been the case with the WD drives (apart from the oldest one which is loud when it spins up or down), so I'd like to stick with the brand.

Question here is: which is best: WD Blue or Green?
From their specs, I noticed the drive speed of 7200rpm for the Blue version and the strange "variable" for the green. Not sure what that means for performance. Also, the blue is 440g vs 730g for the green. Judging by the nearly 2x difference, I take it the blue has 1x 1TB platter and the green 2x 500GB (some overhead in casing wheight). Any reason for this? Energy consumption: green uses about half that of blue. And finally green is quiter than blue. The actual dataspeeds weren't listed in my online store for the green (150MB/s for blue), so I can't compare.
Which one would be best, judging by same price point and respective specs?

Thanks!

Charlotte
 
Hello again,

I don't know if I should open a new topic for this or not, since it has been a few days since the last post... Or even if it's in the right forum.

Anyway: I have 2 general hardware questions for my build.

1) I am thinking of getting a triple monitor setup. I have a 1080p TV to hook up and I obviously need a normal monitor. I picked the smallest 1080p monitor I could find, which is the LG Flatron 22E63V-P (21,5"). As an added benefit, it is nearly edge-less, which makes it easier to go for a dual monitor setup + TV.
I already own the TV and will connect it through HDMI. The LG display has 3 ports: HDMI, DVI-D, and VGA.
The GTX-770 however has one of each of the following: DP, DVI-D (1st LG), DVI-I (2nd LG), and HDMI (TV). The question is whether it will be possible to use the GTX-770 DVI-I to VGA adapter to connect that second display or even to just hook up the DVI-I to the second LG's DVI-D (which probably sounds stupid, but I have no experience in this).

There is two DVI connections on the back - the one one the left hand side is DVI-I and should work with an adaptor. The one on the right will certainly not

Links to hardware:
http://www.lg.com/hk_en/monitors/lg-22EA63V
http://www.evga.com/Products/Product.aspx?pn=02G-P4-2770-KR

2) I was confronted with the choice of hard drives (not SSD - that has been taken care of).
I could get the WD blue, WD green, or Seagate Barracuda for the same price (~€65,-). All are 1TB and are going to be used as storage and/or audio recording. I also have several external drives I used to record, so I'm not sure I should pay ~€20,- extra for a WD black series.
I have had some bad experiences with Seagate drives, mostly just annoying (electrical) noise when it is idle, but one has even failed on me (granted: it was fairly old). This hasn't been the case with the WD drives (apart from the oldest one which is loud when it spins up or down), so I'd like to stick with the brand.

The Black drives are more than worth the extra over their lifetime.

Question here is: which is best: WD Blue or Green?
From their specs, I noticed the drive speed of 7200rpm for the Blue version and the strange "variable" for the green. Not sure what that means for performance. Also, the blue is 440g vs 730g for the green. Judging by the nearly 2x difference, I take it the blue has 1x 1TB platter and the green 2x 500GB (some overhead in casing wheight). Any reason for this? Energy consumption: green uses about half that of blue. And finally green is quiter than blue. The actual dataspeeds weren't listed in my online store for the green (150MB/s for blue), so I can't compare.
Which one would be best, judging by same price point and respective specs?

They are both fine for general purpose home use. Green is more energy efficient. Only use for data :thumbup: The WD Blacks are the better buy - they are designed and built better.



Adrian B
 
Thanks! I have to pay for it, so it is worth doing the research for it. In the long run, I'll understand it better if something goes wrong. Even though this community is awesome, the answer might not always be readily available and not having OS X is not an option for me.

That's a good attitude to have. Other new builders would do well to adopt the same outlook. You'll need to learn how and why the EFI/BIOS works and where software like the boot loader and components like kexts and DSDTs fit into the puzzle. What Unibeast does is unify a group of tools into an installer to make installation more streamlined. You do lose some flexibility but in terms of a new builder getting up to speed it's the quickest tool out there. Multibeast then installs the components for your particular system. It's the same sort of tool as Unibeast but for the backend of the install. As Adrian says you should be able to get a build up and going pretty easily with any of the boards in the guide. The Gigabyte boards are used (and I own one as well as others) because that is what the installer is optimized for and there is a considerable amount of support and success stories on the forum. A good choice for a first build but with knowledge and work other boards will work fine and for some applications where different hardware configs are needed may be a better choice.

Haswell will work well in a Hackintosh but right now the safe money for using audio production apps is Mountain Lion. As an audio pro you're likely familiar that Avid take their time in getting new OS upgrades on the list to be compatable with ProTools. In fact many room or people with which I have worked specifically avoid upgrading their rigs once they get a good working config. if you are using it as a general purpose machine you likely aren't going to have that flexibility as those of us that build machines that are used strictly for production but if you are even a light ProTools user going to Mavericks is something that may be a year or so away depending on how fast Avid moves. They're better than they were when it was under the Digidesign umbrella but it still takes them some time to validate the releases and Apple will need a rev or two to work out some of the kinks.
 
Hey guys,

Thanks for the quick answers!

There is two DVI connections on the back - the one one the left hand side is DVI-I and should work with an adaptor. The one on the right will certainly not.
I know that DVI-D is digital only and won't work with a VGA adaptor. I just asked because I read here that the VGA on motherboards was "definitely not supported" and that on discrete graphics through an adaptor it was a "maybe". I just remembered that my brother has an old VGA monitor, so I'll just ask to borrow it so I can test whether it actually works before I buy a second LG monitor.


The Black drives are more than worth the extra over their lifetime.


They are both fine for general purpose home use. Green is more energy efficient. Only use for data :thumbup: The WD Blacks are the better buy - they are designed and built better.
Thanks again, Adrian. I already owned the black series and also one blue. The blacks just make more noise so I just don't know if I want to pay 1/3 more just to get a better drive that makes more noise :confused: I'll ask around in the studio (aka: at work) what the computer geniuses prefer. :cool:


That's a good attitude to have. Other new builders would do well to adopt the same outlook. You'll need to learn how and why the EFI/BIOS works and where software like the boot loader and components like kexts and DSDTs fit into the puzzle. What Unibeast does is unify a group of tools into an installer to make installation more streamlined. You do lose some flexibility but in terms of a new builder getting up to speed it's the quickest tool out there. Multibeast then installs the components for your particular system. It's the same sort of tool as Unibeast but for the backend of the install. As Adrian says you should be able to get a build up and going pretty easily with any of the boards in the guide. The Gigabyte boards are used (and I own one as well as others) because that is what the installer is optimized for and there is a considerable amount of support and success stories on the forum. A good choice for a first build but with knowledge and work other boards will work fine and for some applications where different hardware configs are needed may be a better choice.
Thanks for the comment. It is much appreciated. Unfortunately though, my software skills aren't nearly enough to start editing DSDTs etc. :(
Truth be told, I'll probably be able to select the right settings in multibeast, but beyond that it's all just too much for me. I really don't understand how a few simple lines of mostly hex characters can somehow make things like HDMI work.
For this reason, the buyers guide will be my source for a motherboard when Mavericks arrives. :rolleyes:
If you could point me in the right direction for some slightly-above-basic threads that explain these things in more detail, that would be very kind. I know what most things are for, but I don't understand how it works and what it takes to make certain things work. I have read all the introductions to these things, but apart from that I just can't seem to find an article that explains these things better among all the super advanced stuff here that is above my understanding... It's like you're either a beginner or a pro, but nothing in between that gets you up to speed on how things work. :confused:


Haswell will work well in a Hackintosh but right now the safe money for using audio production apps is Mountain Lion. As an audio pro you're likely familiar that Avid take their time in getting new OS upgrades on the list to be compatable with ProTools. In fact many room or people with which I have worked specifically avoid upgrading their rigs once they get a good working config. if you are using it as a general purpose machine you likely aren't going to have that flexibility as those of us that build machines that are used strictly for production but if you are even a light ProTools user going to Mavericks is something that may be a year or so away depending on how fast Avid moves. They're better than they were when it was under the Digidesign umbrella but it still takes them some time to validate the releases and Apple will need a rev or two to work out some of the kinks.
To be honest, I prefer Logic for home recording. I haven't used Pro Tools at home in few months, mainly because the iLok is the one thing that always manages to be a huge pain in the ass (sorry for the expression). At home I don't even use any plugins that require it anymore and I'm pretty sure the upgrade to the next Pro Tools version won't even happen for me. :thumbdown:

The reason I still listed it at first is because it is being used in the studio where I work. When we get artists that have a preference for either one of the options we offer, we'll use that. I always recommend Logic though, as it usually presents the least problems. Some plugins also require iLok though and I'm totally fed up with the problems that such a little thing can produce. :banghead:

Of course, these are just my personal experiences and they're not really a Hackintosh-related issue. And Pro Tools has its benefits too, the program itself is really good, it's just the iLok that gets in the way of it being perfect. Logic is simpler and better suited for home recording. pro Tools is overkill there.
Since I've started using Mainstage as my live effects rig, Logic is also the logical choice (no pun intended) when it comes to home recording. Apart from that almost all my instrument effects are analogue (even made some myself). :cool:

I guess what I'm trying to say is that, as long as my interface hardware and Logic/Mainstage will work, I'll try to get Mavericks working. If not, it will most likely be a Haswell compatible version of Mountain Lion if/when it arrives.

Thanks for the info so far! ;)

Charlotte.
 
Hey guys,

Thanks for the quick answers!


I know that DVI-D is digital only and won't work with a VGA adaptor. I just asked because I read here that the VGA on motherboards was "definitely not supported" and that on discrete graphics through an adaptor it was a "maybe". I just remembered that my brother has an old VGA monitor, so I'll just ask to borrow it so I can test whether it actually works before I buy a second LG monitor.

DVI-D can also be made to work- but it needs an active signal convertor that changes a digital signal to analogue, something like this : http://uk.startech.com/AV/Converter...ve-Adapter-Converter-Cable-1920x1200~DVI2VGAE

Thanks again, Adrian. I already owned the black series and also one blue. The blacks just make more noise so I just don't know if I want to pay 1/3 more just to get a better drive that makes more noise :confused: I'll ask around in the studio (aka: at work) what the computer geniuses prefer. :cool:

In UK I think its WD Green 2 Year Warranty, WD Blue 3 year Warranty, WD Black 5 year Warranty.
I have an 5 year old WD Green that is the loudest drive that I have ever owned - I think part of it may also just be down to luck too.

Thanks for the comment. It is much appreciated. Unfortunately though, my software skills aren't nearly enough to start editing DSDTs etc. :(
Truth be told, I'll probably be able to select the right settings in multibeast, but beyond that it's all just too much for me. I really don't understand how a few simple lines of mostly hex characters can somehow make things like HDMI work.
For this reason, the buyers guide will be my source for a motherboard when Mavericks arrives. :rolleyes:
If you could point me in the right direction for some slightly-above-basic threads that explain these things in more detail, that would be very kind. I know what most things are for, but I don't understand how it works and what it takes to make certain things work. I have read all the introductions to these things, but apart from that I just can't seem to find an article that explains these things better among all the super advanced stuff here that is above my understanding... It's like you're either a beginner or a pro, but nothing in between that gets you up to speed on how things work. :confused:

I know what you are saying - its either really rather simple or written in Egyptian hieroglyphics. There is some new stuff due out with Mavericks that is being written / compiled at present - actually there is rather a lot going on - stay tuned, is the phrase I imagine TMX would use.

To be honest, I prefer Logic for home recording. I haven't used Pro Tools at home in few months, mainly because the iLok is the one thing that always manages to be a huge pain in the ass (sorry for the expression). At home I don't even use any plugins that require it anymore and I'm pretty sure the upgrade to the next Pro Tools version won't even happen for me. :thumbdown:

Everyone has reasons why they use the stuff that they do

The reason I still listed it at first is because it is being used in the studio where I work. When we get artists that have a preference for either one of the options we offer, we'll use that. I always recommend Logic though, as it usually presents the least problems. Some plugins also require iLok though and I'm totally fed up with the problems that such a little thing can produce. :banghead:

Its about making music at the end of the day - if you can give good reasons to why you do it they way you do, then people should have some faith in that.

Of course, these are just my personal experiences and they're not really a Hackintosh-related issue.

Since I've started using Mainstage as my live effects rig, Logic is also the logical choice (no pun intended) when it comes to home recording. Apart from that almost all my instrument effects are analogue (even made some myself). :cool:

Old school....

guess what I'm trying to say is that, as long as my interface hardware and Logic/Mainstage will work, I'll try to get Mavericks working. If not, it will most likely be a Haswell compatible version of Mountain Lion if/when it arrives.

I thought that we would have 10.8.5 by the end of the month. Apple has a big event on the 10th September, so it should be here before then.



Adrian B
 
DVI-D can also be made to work- but it needs an active signal convertor that changes a digital signal to analogue, something like this : http://uk.startech.com/AV/Converter...ve-Adapter-Converter-Cable-1920x1200~DVI2VGAE
I meant that I would use the DVI-D for primary and was going to check if the DVI-I to VGA would work as secondary. The display has both (and hdmi, but I need that for the TV).

Everyone has reasons why they use the stuff that they do

Its about making music at the end of the day - if you can give good reasons to why you do it they way you do, then people should have some faith in that.
Well... I edited this piece in the previous post. Pro Tools is actually rather great, but the recent problems we've faced with iLok and not being able to use our software properly has put us behind to the point that I've been working 12h a day for the last 2 weeks. And I'm only just catching up.

So when iLok doesn't screw things up, Pro Tools performs brilliantly. Although Logic usually sounds just as good as Pro Tools and is simpler for home projects, so I prefer the software without iLok.
So apart from Logic, Mainstage and Sibelius, there's really no more software I need at home.

Old school....
I like it that way. Usually sounds better, too. I had the joy of working on a Rupert Neve Designs mixing console a few times and nothing really comes close to it. However, the SSL Duality has full analogue signal paths, plus DAW control. I've only been able to test it once, but it sounds absolutely marvelous.

Apart from that, I made a 5 watt tube guitar amp once just for the fun of it, but my new Night Train sounds waaaay better. :lol:

Charlotte
 
I meant that I would use the DVI-D for primary and was going to check if the DVI-I to VGA would work as secondary. The display has both (and hdmi, but I need that for the TV).

The link was more for information as to what would be required in those circumstances. I realised why you were trying to do 1 monitor DVI-D, 1 Monitor VGA & TV with HDMI.

Well... I edited this piece in the previous post. Pro Tools is actually rather great, but the recent problems we've faced with iLok and not being able to use our software properly has put us behind to the point that I've been working 12h a day for the last 2 weeks. And I'm only just catching up.

Part timers I dunno....;)

So when iLok doesn't screw things up, Pro Tools performs brilliantly. Although Logic usually sounds just as good as Pro Tools and is simpler for home projects, so I prefer the software without iLok.
So apart from Logic, Mainstage and Sibelius, there's really no more software I need at home.

I couldn't play two spoons.

I like it that way. Usually sounds better, too. I had the joy of working on a Rupert Neve Designs mixing console a few times and nothing really comes close to it. However, the SSL Duality has full analogue signal paths, plus DAW control. I've only been able to test it once, but it sounds absolutely marvelous.

Apart from that, I made a 5 watt tube guitar amp once just for the fun of it, but my new Night Train sounds waaaay better. :lol:

There is something about analogue that is just right. Although digital can be really good to at times, its different - its good to have both.


Adrian B
 
The link was more for information as to what would be required in those circumstances. I realised why you were trying to do 1 monitor DVI-D, 1 Monitor VGA & TV with HDMI.
Right, sorry, I thought I failed to explain myself properly :rolleyes:

Part timers I dunno....;)
Would be very welcome :thumbup:, but they'd still have to familiarize themselves with the projects and our setup. Even each room is differently set-up for its own use. Actually, we kinda have the manpower, but we would need more rooms to do the mixing. And since the building gets locked down after 8PM for security, I think I'll just have to suck it up and work late the rest of the week.

I couldn't play two spoons.
I probably shouldn't list all the things I play then, should I? ;)

There is something about analogue that is just right. Although digital can be really good to at times, its different - its good to have both.
Couldn't be more true. :cool:

Charlotte.
 
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