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Macbook (NOT Pro)

Michael3111
Dear Phase One Support:

I am interested in buying a Macbook for capturing with my H25. I am aware of the FW issue relating to insufficient power from the FW400 port on the Macbook PROs, and I am wondering if this issue extends to the Macbook line as well?

I am also aware of support case# 1858 which states that "(P / H) series backs require a minimum of 8 volts current for proper operation. Mac laptops will, however, only guarantee 6 volts."

However, a screen shot of Apple's tech specs for the Macbook (see attached image) clearly states that the FW400 port is 8 watts. Excuse my ignorance but if indeed a watt = a volt, then does this mean the Macbook will sufficiently power the backs?

Anyone using a Macbook to shoot with an H series back successfully?

Thanks.

http://s92863716.onlinehome.us/Macbook_Specs.jpg
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Comments

14 comments

Date Votes
  • Ron Steinberg
    Migs,

    Give me a call at Vistek, I've got lots of experience with these.

    Cheers,
    Ron Steinberg
    416-644-8081 direct line
    Digial Capture Group, Vistek
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  • Olivier111
    Hi there,

    I think that the main issues you might face with this laptop would be :

    1 - The graphic adaptor shares the computer RAM (system RAM - Graphic assigned RAM = applications available RAM)

    2 - The HDD is limited to 5400 RPM. Unless you change it, that's a big perf. hit.

    3 - The FW ports are rated for 8 volts (but most likelly will fail to deliver(my grunge about apple))

    they use slow HDD and underpower the ports so that they can claim that the battery will work for 6 hours

    beside that it should be fine.
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  • Michael3111
    Hi Olivier:

    Thanks for your comments - if Apple claims 8 volts but discreetly underpowers the ports, then shouldn't that be enough to make a solid warranty claim if/when the problem arises? Besides, the underpowered FW issue seems to affect BOTH Macbooks and Macbook Pros.

    I spoke with Ron @ Vistek yesterday - he says that he hasn't experienced any failures (yet) with capturing with the Macbook, and actually recommends it as a solid capturing device for H series backs; it's another story if photoshop or other production apps are thrown into the equation.
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  • Olivier111
    the FW issue affect the MacBook, PowerBook G4, iMac...

    I shoot with a P45 and had issue with those models and the issue disapeared when I connect a Powered FW hub...

    I got all my gear from Vistek also... Maybe the DB (H25) is not as power sensitive as the P45...

    All computer are just machines... once you know their flaws, and you have a work around... it's not as bad
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  • Ron3
    The FW issue is completely computer dependant. As I explained to migs yesterday, I shot on a Macbook last week with an H25 AND a P45, both worked fine. My personal machine is a Macbook Pro, and I've never had a problem. But we have heard of some machines having issues.

    Regards,
    Ron
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  • Olivier111
    Hi Ron,

    Perhaps you know John Paul, at Vistek, he's quite aware of the FW issue.

    Maybe on my next Mac purchase (would be the 5th at Vistek in less than a year) you should select it since you seems to have magic fingers to pick machines that are perfectly builted.

    The powered FW hub idea came from John Paul... because of a know issue with MACs

    Anyway, the FW Hub allows me to shoot.

    Cheers
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  • Ron3
    Hi Olivier,

    Yes, I know John Paul, he's our Quebec rep. And yes there is a known firewire issue. However it seems to be a hit and miss thing, some people are affected by it and others are not. With the two machines that I've used in the past week, we were not affected with either a P45 or an H25. Your experience is obviously different, and a powered firewire hub is a valid solution. The other thing you can try is a firewire repeater, they do not necessarily need to be powered, we have had success with those. Of course Phase One makes a portable solution for just such a situation, and included both battery power and power conditioning.

    It's really unfortunate that this is not a consistent issue, if it were it would make it much easier to select a machine. And no I do not have magic fingers 😉

    Cheers,
    Ron
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  • gary smith
    i have used my macbook (2.0) shooting tethered with a p25 and a collegue uses a p45 with macbookpro (1.8) without any problems

    i can now leave the focus utility on all the time without slowing down the capture rate/preview speed and summoning the spinning beacball, not something i could do with a powerbook g4

    the shared graphics isn't an issue for me, i can (and have) run another monitor without any issues and i'm not interested in gaming frame rates

    if you google for info on upgrading the drive to 7000rpm it seems there are not any significant performance gains to make it worthwhile.

    i brought the macbook primarily as a location/portable capture device for canon/phase1 tethered shooting and i would reccomend it for this purpose, it's a lot faster than any powerbook.
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  • Olivier111
    I'm very happy that this setup fills your photographic needs!

    way to go!!
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  • Michael3111
    Ron, Olivier, and Gary - thank you for your comments. I went ahead and bought a McBook PRO (15in, 2.0) and shot a job yesterday. Night and day difference vs. my old Powerbook G4 867 in terms of, well, just about everything. Capture to screen was about 4 secs compared to over 10 secs in the 867. A 100% development of a H25 file took only 34 secs. Performed well indeed.

    BUT.....


    I will be returning it for a MacBook tomorrow. I think the MacBook is a better value for capturing as it seems to perform (almost) equally as well as the MacBook Pro but at a significantly less cost (as a capturing device). Of course, for any MacIntel, Photoshop is out of the question right now since Universal Binary is not released yet. Once it is, I think the MacBook will do fine for simple Photoshop work, such as showing clients quickie changes during a shoot, but leaving final post-production work on a proper desktop machine - I think many shooters already have a simialr setup anyway. I will not expect a MacBook to act as THE main computer in my workflow, but it should do fine for location capturing and simple PS work.

    Also, I don't like the WIFI reception on the MacBook Pro - it downright stinks! Apparently it is a common problem among aluminium laptops, including Powerbooks where the aluminium interferes with reception somehow. With the MacBook Pros, the antenna was lowered from the screen area to the hinge area, further weakening its receptive powers. Basically, I have to be within 3 feet of my wireless router to get full signal; over 15 feet and it drops connection. I can't live with that.
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  • Olivier111
    Happy for you... update us with MacBook perf. / issues

    Cheers
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  • Ron3
    migs,

    I seem to get better reception on my macbook pro at home, I can be on a different floor and still get acceptable reception, or even in the backyard (minimal there) but if I'm in the front of the house (the router is in the basement at the back of the house) I don't get any reception.

    So where are you going to get your macbook from 😉

    Cheers,
    Ron
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  • Olivier111
    Ron...

    So where are you going to get your macbook from


    Do you mean that an e-mail to Sunshine R... would do the trick???

    😉
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  • Michael3111
    Update: Got the MacBook (Black). First impressions: loved it. No Firewire issues, no wifi issues, screen's glossiness was acceptable and even seemed brighter than the Macbook Pro screen. Capture rates and developing times were on par with MacBook Pro, so I was very impressed with its value over the Pro.

    BUT.....

    I brought it back for repair. Damn Random Shutdown Syndrome plagued the unit right after a location shoot 3 days from brand new - couldn't even get the raw files out of it in time. Tried multiple start ups but to no success. Then researched online and found many others facing similar problems. Seems the logic board needs replacement from an over-heating issue. I am no techie but that sounds pretty major to me. Worse is that the logic board replacement MAY not solve the problem as other s have experience a reoccurance!

    This sucks - there is no 3rd choice for Mac laptops, and both of mine are flawed. Just a bad case of luck or has Apple QC gone down the drain for their portables with the new Intels? I'm even tempted to buy a used powerbook, but wait ... I just sold mine, which means just running in circles?!? Damn!!! ☚ī¸
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