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  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

Mobile Rocket way to go?

Ross Isaacs

Ross Isaacs

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I am about to order Maxx Digital Mobile Rocket to use on a Macbook Pro and MacPro. Is this the correct way to go to support the Epic or is there something else being released soon?
 
In my experience, the Mobile Rocket is about half the processing speed of a Mac Pro tower with the card installed directly. It was taking me 2 minutes to transcode 1 minute of footage with the Mobile Rocket. The Mac Pro with the card installed was twice as fast.
 
Hi Julio
Thanks for the feedback. I entend to use the Mobile rocket in the field and either the Red Rocket reinstalled into Macpro or in Mobile Rocket for that application. Just wanted to be sure that this is the best option to use with Macbook pro when we are trying to conserve weight on an expedition etc.
 
Hi Ross, I have the RedRocket inside a MAXXDIGITAL enclosure that also holds an 8 bay 2.5inch disk array.

http://www.maxxdigital.com/mobile-rocket-raid-red-rocket.html

The speed of the rocket is as fast as the express 34 interface can go. I agree it is usually half of a MacPro. But it is much faster than the Laptop on its own. I would suggest pairing it up with a new MBP with quad processors. BTW, its great to have a RAID within the Mobile Rocket Raid, but it depends on your budget.
 
Let me know if you want me to do some real benchmarks for you. Either EPIC or RED files.
 
Thanks Julian
I am starting out with a G-Tech 2 bay RAID which I will have running with a new MBP and will work my way up as funds become available. The Deep Atom system is stretching me but we have a great response from the market already and hope to be caused up next year once thing blast off.
 
I know MAXX Digital are working on a Thunderbolt version of the Mobile RED Rocket so bear this in mind.

:-)
 
Ross Isaacs said:
Hey Brian
seems like a well made unit. Will do some research there thanks.
Click to expand...

Honestly, I know little about it, but I stumbled across it 2 days ago and thought it sounded like a great lightweight solution. I would love to hear what anyone else has to say about it.
 
Steve Johnson said:
I know MAXX Digital are working on a Thunderbolt version of the Mobile RED Rocket so bear this in mind.

:-)
Click to expand...

Other than having a RED logo on the unit, would there be any differentiation between what MAXX would release as a Thunderbolt "Mobile RED Rocket" VS something like Sonnet's standard Thunderbolt PCIe expansion chassis?
 
Steve Johnson said:
I know MAXX Digital are working on a Thunderbolt version of the Mobile RED Rocket so bear this in mind.

:-)
Click to expand...

Hey Steve I spoke to the guys a Maxx Digital and they said that any thunderbolt version is over 12 months away.
 
Ross Isaacs said:
Hey Steve I spoke to the guys a Maxx Digital and they said that any thunderbolt version is over 12 months away.
Click to expand...

Ross - Thats fair enough. Then I think going for something like a Sonnet Thunderbolt expansion chase is the way when they are released.

I got the impression from MAXX Digital on Twitter that they had one working and they where looking at about 3-6 months but obviously its going to be longer.


My thoughts on the Mobile RED Rocket are this:

- If you only have a few SSD's with you and you need to off load the media and backup then you don't need a Mobile RED Rocket.
- If you want to transcode the media to say ProRes 442 / 4444 whilst out on the road, then it will get the job done. As others have said, its slower than if you had a MacPro with a RED Rocket in it, but will get the job done nicely whilst mobile.
- If you are editing in AVID MC or Adobe Premier, then remember, they can read the R3D files in the timeline, so providing your editing from those files in the backup, (say from a Pegasus Thunderbolt RAID), then you don't need transcode unless you want to view in the highest possible resolution.

Questions I would ask are:

- how much storage can you afford to carry with you?
- do you need to transcode?
- where are you keeping your R3D negative files?
- what are you editing on?
- what is your deliverables?

I always start at the end and work my way forward - deliverable / format, sound, colour, edit, transcode, capture...

From what I think I understand, you are shooting and then editing on FCP? Correct? If so, then you can either use the MRR to transcode to ProRes 422/4444 to edit in FCP, or don't transcode and edit from the R3D in AVID or Adobe Premier.

Brian make a good point, I don't see any reason why something like a Sonnet Expansion Chases wouldn't work, when they ship, but as far as I know, there is no timescale for them at the moment.
 
Steve Johnson said:
Ross - Thats fair enough. Then I think going for something like a Sonnet Thunderbolt expansion chase is the way when they are released.

I got the impression from MAXX Digital on Twitter that they had one working and they where looking at about 3-6 months but obviously its going to be longer.


My thoughts on the Mobile RED Rocket are this:

- If you only have a few SSD's with you and you need to off load the media and backup then you don't need a Mobile RED Rocket.
- If you want to transcode the media to say ProRes 442 / 4444 whilst out on the road, then it will get the job done. As others have said, its slower than if you had a MacPro with a RED Rocket in it, but will get the job done nicely whilst mobile.
- If you are editing in AVID MC or Adobe Premier, then remember, they can read the R3D files in the timeline, so providing your editing from those files in the backup, (say from a Pegasus Thunderbolt RAID), then you don't need transcode unless you want to view in the highest possible resolution.

Questions I would ask are:

- how much storage can you afford to carry with you?
- do you need to transcode?
- where are you keeping your R3D negative files?
- what are you editing on?
- what is your deliverables?

I always start at the end and work my way forward - deliverable / format, sound, colour, edit, transcode, capture...

From what I think I understand, you are shooting and then editing on FCP? Correct? If so, then you can either use the MRR to transcode to ProRes 422/4444 to edit in FCP, or don't transcode and edit from the R3D in AVID or Adobe Premier.

Brian make a good point, I don't see any reason why something like a Sonnet Expansion Chases wouldn't work, when they ship, but as far as I know, there is no timescale for them at the moment.
Click to expand...

Hey Steve thanks so much for taking the time to respond mate. I am basically in a position where I want to have the flexibility to either dump straight to RAID and or view the footage with a client or editor in the field. I will eventually get a Macpro in a travel case for lager jobs but would like to be able to go either lite weight with smaller system or with larger if the budget is there or space in the case of working on charter boats in the field. I take note of your work flow concept and is something I will have to work up as well. I plan to use other programs besides FCP but thats what I am used to at the moment. As I have tests to shoot as soon as I get my Deep Atom I need a solution now or in the near future so I have decided to go with Mobile Rocket and Macbook pro for the time being and work up my post facility once we are at full capacity.
 
Ross Isaacs said:
Hey Steve thanks so much for taking the time to respond mate. I am basically in a position where I want to have the flexibility to either dump straight to RAID and or view the footage with a client or editor in the field. I will eventually get a Macpro in a travel case for lager jobs but would like to be able to go either lite weight with smaller system or with larger if the budget is there or space in the case of working on charter boats in the field. I take note of your work flow concept and is something I will have to work up as well. I plan to use other programs besides FCP but thats what I am used to at the moment. As I have tests to shoot as soon as I get my Deep Atom I need a solution now or in the near future so I have decided to go with Mobile Rocket and Macbook pro for the time being and work up my post facility once we are at full capacity.
Click to expand...

Ross

No problems - hey thats way REDuser is here for - to help others.

My workflow (when my Stage 4 EPIC shoots off the production line!) is to have a Mobile RED Rocket with a MacBook Pro but get it with the HBA kit, which means that I can use it with my MacPro for larger productions. That way, I can offer a log & transfer option with the MBP and a full transcode service with the MacPro and then use the MBP with the Teradek for iPad Dailies.

I'm also going to be running FCP, AVID and PP - best options for the client, together with RCX & Davinci for grading - but with the aim t work with SCRATCH at some point in the future.

I'm personally hoping that Sonnet bring out their TB expansion chases as I prefer to go the route of using TB then backup to TB drives like the Pegasus on set.

I think the best advise, certainly from someone who is on a budget of getting a DIT setup together with a basic EPIC package, is research fully and speak to people who have the products as much as possible to make sure that the $ spent is worth it.

Test, test, test - I have already allocated at least 30 days of continually daily testing of the camera and workflow before taking it out to clients - that way, it gets you comfortable with your process & solution. And remember, the solution will always change with time - which is not a bad thing. Always ask questions - everyone (well most) on here are only to happy to help.

PM if you want to catch up offline.

S
 
All
We are working on Thunder Bolt for expansion with mobile Rocket. Just remember that concepts or one off prototypes will not get you through a project. The word we are getting is that Intel will release the second gen chip sets to the highest bidder so we will see when the dust settles who can actually go to production first. Also remember we do not want to be first ,we want to be the best and we will continue to support RED USERS with the highest regard for customer satisfaction.
 
Ron Amborn said:
All
We are working on Thunder Bolt for expansion with mobile Rocket. Just remember that concepts or one off prototypes will not get you through a project. The word we are getting is that Intel will release the second gen chip sets to the highest bidder so we will see when the dust settles who can actually go to production first. Also remember we do not want to be first ,we want to be the best and we will continue to support RED USERS with the highest regard for customer satisfaction.
Click to expand...

Wonder if there will be any way of getting a current Maxx Digital mobile rocket to work with Thunderbolt in the future? Considering buying one now, but don't want it to be a doorstop in a few months time or even in a year if MacBook Pros stop having Expresscard slots.
 
Aren't there thunderbolt PCIe portable ones coming that could work with RR?
 
So if it takes double the time to transcode how does it handle playback? Not an option on an Epic-M so you have to use a computer. Can it handle FULL or do you have to bump down to 1/2 resolution?
 
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