Running 2 Rocket-X cards on the same DIT system

[Steven Decker]

I have a 5 week feature coming up shooting with two Dragons in a couple weeks. I will be running a nMacPro 12 core, 64gb w/dual 700's in the new Sonnet xMac Server TB2 chassis with my Rocket-X card. The production will be renting a Rocket-X with the camera package in an standard Sonnet TB2 enclosure. My primary storage drive is the Maxx Digital 24TB ThunderRaid 2 setup to Raid 5. The production drives will be 4TB GRaids with USB3. I will also be writing to LTO 6. The production will be providing a nMacPro with the same spec's as mine.

I have the option of running 2 separate 12 core systems or I could attempt to run both Rocket-X off my nMacPro in separate TB2 enclosures on different bus's . Has anyone attempted on running 2 Rocket-X cards on one system yet and if so how was the performance. I will be transcoding for editorial and also creating H.264 Dailies to be streamed with Light Iron server to IPads and passing around thumb drives the same day.

Any input on this setup or performance would be appreciated.

Thanks
Steven

 

[Blair S. Paulsen]

Assuming you will be managing everything with reasonable care, I think you'll be much happier with two independent systems. It will require you to intelligently parcel out tasks, but the payoff should be getting more done per day. In addition, by keeping the systems independent (other than a GigE network connection) you have a lot more options for dealing with breakdowns should they occur. FWIW, my strategy is to make copies from the original RedMags onto each system using two different readers as a fail safe. Once the LTO tapes have been QC'd and archived off site, then I toss the files to make space for the next import. YMMV.

Cheers - #19

 

[David Kudell]

According to Red, 2 Rocket-X cards on one system is not supported (and doesn't work). In fact, I think there are warnings in the manual not to do so.