Redrocket PCIe Expansion question and New Macbook old MacPro connections...?

[Michael Jarvis]

I have a new MacBook Pro. Its maxed out as much as possible. 4K plays fine but the fans do get going and I can really feel it heating up. I have a rocket in my MacPro tower. I have been playing with the idea of taking it out and getting a Sonnet PCIe expansion enclosure. A few questions...

Main concern...I would like to use this rocket with my tower when I render out so I can have on computer rendering while I continue to work on the MacBook Renta. I have a Lacie Hub and was wondering if there would be any issues running thunderbolt out of the PCIe chassis into the hub and into the back of my MacPro (with Sonnet PCIe eSata card).

So the chain....MacPro with Sonnet eSata to Lacie Hub to Rocket in Sonnet Rocket enclosure. Would that work?

Also...is Sonnet the best rocket enclosure? I have heard a ver mixed things. One being that the rocket requires 150w and that is all the Sonnet can handle so you can only use one card in it. Is that correct?

 

[Nick Eason]

The lacie hub does not work in the reverse direction like that. There is currently no way to use thunderbolt on a Mac Pro, so you'll have to take the card out of the chassis to use it in the Mac Pro.

As a far as the power is concerned, others can chime in. But acording to wikipedia a PCIe 1.1 cards can not draw more than 75W from the slot without an supplamentary power connector (which I don't believe the rocket has) so I don't think it will be a problem.

 

[Michael Jarvis]

Nick, thanks man. I appreciate your info. Thats what I thought. Thank you for confirming. Now it seems as I am at a crossroads with my MacPro and the MBPR. The new MacBook PR is just a better computer. Hmmmm...I don't really want to purchase another redrocket either. I will ponder. Thanks man.

 

[Tom Gleeson]

Michael,

What transcodes speed do you get with the new MacBook Pro Retina? Say 5k at full debayer to pro res?