Mac Mini Suggestions

Hello everyone, festival season is upon us and I need to make my Catalyst system more portable. I will be hitting several festivals this year and the band will be using video, even though they are not headlining. So, I need to get portable.

Do you feel the new Mac Mini would be a good option for this? Each of my content pieces are standard def but they are big, around 250 megs for each song. The content people just made one big clip for each song, so I use the inframe function to scrub forward. While one is playing, a second clip is in the background ready to come in at the next verse. I do this so if the band gets out of time or anything like that, everything ill get back on track at the next cue.

Sorry for the long post, just wanted to make sure everyone knew what I was doing. So, can a Mac Mini handle that? If I were to go buy a new one today is there any type of upgrade I should do to it? Thanks in advance for any help, Matt

Matt,

The 2010 Mac Mini will function as a Catalyst Server. However, it is only with significant limitations.

My Tests were conducted with single & dual monitors 1920x1200 and with single & dual monitors 1920x1080, single & dual ImagePros, single & dual TVOne 3250s, and DVI detectives. I tested outputs from 640x480 to 2560x1600 at 75&60 Hz 25&30 fps.

The Mac Minis were the server version with thew faster processor and 8GB of Memory. I tested five hard drive configurations. I have listed the order in which I received the best performance.

• Single OCZ on SATA
• Dual OCZ on SATA in RAID1 and RAID0
• Single OCZ on Firewire
• Single OCZ on SATA & Single OCZ on Firewire in RAID1 and RAID0
• Dual OCZ on Firewire RAID1 & RAID0

The results coincide with the specifications on the system. We all know raid 0 is stripe and that stripe has faster read and write speeds because you are using the buffers of two or more disks simultaneously. What many people don't know though is that RAID1 (mirror) is actually faster for playback because you are reading from two drives that have synchronized data. Still though the system overhead of performing RAID on a mac mini actually caused performance to slump.

Furthermore, the 2011 Mac Mini actually has a slower single channel SATA (yes 2 port but only single channel) and its IO performance actually clocks at slightly slower than the Firewire which feeds directly to the processor whereas the SATA goes through a controller before reaching the processor.

In short, the Single OCZ on SATA as content with a second system drive showed the best overall performance.
I have extensively tested and my results summary is as follows:

1. Do not attempt to run two outputs. If you use both outputs simultaneously then you will see a significant lag and frame dropping on the HDMI.
2. Do Not Use the HDMI output. It only supports the default standard TV Output formats and does not allow for traditional computer resolutions very easily.
3. Use the MiniDisplay Port to VGA Adaptor for as many applications as you can. You wouldn't think it but VGA actually has better overall performance with less overhead.
4. If you need DVI use the Dual Link DVI adaptor. I have tried the single link and dual link DVI adaptors and have had better overall EDID recognition using the Dual Link DVI. Specifically the Single Link DVI adaptor does not play nice with Image pros at 1080
5. At 60Hz 30fps the absolute max number of layers you can run are 2 1920x1080 and 1 720x480. If you attempt to run a second SD layer you will drop frames.
6. At 75Hz 25fpt the absolute max number of layers are 2 1920x1080 and 2 720x480. Running 3 1920x1080 showed frame drops every 6 seconds.

I have also been testing the Epiphan DVI and VGA frame grabbers as well. The work marginally well with presentation and computer feed through but do not always respond best with Camera sources.

I currently have ten of these machines configured into a single self contained 1U rack chassis. They have built in USB audio output, SMPTE IN and OUT as well as DVI for output and configuration. They are available for hire and are relatively inexpensive for overnight shipping. Contact me off list if you want more details or questions.

Wow, thanks for the info. Im actually looking to build one, even though it would be for a short run I find myself needing a smaller system for certain gigs.

Todd,

As a matter of interest are you running your Mac Minis with Mac OS 10.6.x Server or bog standard Mac OS 10.6.x?

I have a couple of newish Mac Minis which I run as a single SATA with an OCZ Vertex 2 SSD drive. I must say the performance is not as good as I hoped.

Hugh

We have been using the old (white) and new (unibody) Mac-Mini Server version with standard MacOS installed (10.6.7) and an OCZ Vertex 2 SSD installed in place of the 2nd drive (server version)

Test results are pretty much the same as Todd...
One output, 2 layers of 1920x1080 25fps

Two outputs are not recommended - but we have run 2x 1024x768 with no problems and 2 layers of SD content

However - you must understand the limitations of Mac-Minis - One cannot expect the same performance as a MacPro system.

S

Fortunately, the resolution that the video department has me set at is 1024 768. So Im thinking ill be able to make this happen. I have 10 shows coming up in about 2 months that I really need to be portable. This should work out, ive been reading up on installing the new SSD. Should be a fun adventure.

Its a bit tricky installing an new unibody Mac Minis... very tight fit and fiddly to do.

... but you only have to remove 4 screws - not as many as mentioned on many u-tube videos...


Also watch out for your cable management when touring - as nothing locks in - and easliy falls out...

We sometimes use a rack tray to mount the mac-mini and can then cable tie the adaptors to the same tray making it a bit more robust.

S

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Spam Butterfly

As a matter of interest are you running your Mac Minis with Mac OS 10.6.x Server or bog standard Mac OS 10.6.x?

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I have tested both SLS and SL and have actually seen slightly better results using the Server. However, because of how the directory system works on the Server is it quite difficult for a user to setup and make changes to. Therefore I wouldn't use it in application with the current Catalyst Software.

However, the middleware application I've been working on will definitely leverage the Server OS in ways beyond what the other can do. But that's not available yet.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Spam Butterfly

I have a couple of newish Mac Minis which I run as a single SATA with an OCZ Vertex 2 SSD drive. I must say the performance is not as good as I hoped.

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The performance is not as good on the SATA port of the New Unibody Mac Minis as it was on the Older White Ones. Because the processor is faster though, the new Mac Minis have very similar capabilities.

The Graphics device on the New Mac Minis uses the System Processor and System Memory as opposed to a standalone graphics card. This is seeming to be the biggest reason they are not as hot as expected.

However, it makes sense when you consider that the new Mac Mini is designed to be a headless server running web and network services.

Hi everyone, we need a compact touring server. Originally the show was programmed on a 2007 macpro server: 2 layers, 1 mix, SD movies, audioplay mode.

I've just been reading lots on the mini's but we also need a motu 828mk2 or similar connected to the server, 4 outputs. Will this tax the system that much more? Has anyone have any experience with such a setup?

Thanks,

Peter

Take a MacMini with SSD, also 2011/12/13 version will work great, lot of used ones around.
Attach a Motu via Firewire800...
Nice and easy setup.