Mac Pro for Architectural/Interior visualization?

[mesht]

Recently, Apple has introduced it's fastest machines ever and can run Windows XP OS too, so this could be a new era where Architectural visualizations would take a leap from the traditional desktop PC. I was wondering and trying to understand if this new technology from Apple could mean programs such as 3D Studio Max can finally run on a Mac?

 

With it's Quad-Core Xeon 64-Bit, it surpassed even the fastest PC based Quad 64-bit systems?! If Mac can really run Windows XP as an OS, (with this feature called 'Bootcamp') beside it's Mac OS, then Mac Pro is the next 'thing' in workstation technology, with dual-compatibility, and i don't mind investing in proven technology

 

so has anyone tried the new Mac Pro with XP as OS? with Max installed and running? Read on it's website that the Mac Pro is the fastest Mac workstation up-to-date.

[AJLynn]

Here's the deal-

 

Apple switched from the PowerPC platform to the Intel platform, and now makes Macs with chips like Core2 Duo and Xeon. These come with MacOSX installed, and if you choose to run Windows you have two options:

-Bootcamp, which allows you to select Windows when you boot the computer. If you choose this, it will behave exactly like a Windows PC, and can run any Windows software, because it is a PC running Windows. To get back to MacOS, you need to reboot. You can not run Windows software under MacOS.

-Parallels, which is like a more advanced version of VirtualPC. While running MacOS, you run Parallels, and it pops up a window, in which you see a Windows boot. Both are running at the same time. Windows has some limitations under this system - not all harware is supported, and 3D acceleration is not supported. Your RAM is split between the two operating systems (e.g., if you have 2GB and you assign 1GB to Windows, Windows believes it is running on a 1GB machine and that 1GB is not available to MACOS.)

 

I'm running Bootcamp on my Macbook Pro, and it works well. However, it is not faster than a PC with the same specs. The advantages are that it runs MacOS when I'm not using an Autodesk product, and that it's built by Apple, one of the few computer companies that is competent in industrial design.

[mesht]

yeah ic

 

which means Bootcamp is a better option to run Windows then, so the RAM is not split right in this case? and so is the hardware and 3D acceleration?

 

well...more or less that's convinced me to switch to Mac Pro,like what u mentioned, Apple is forefront in it's design.

[colinsmith]

Does anybody know the level of hardware support under windows?

I'd heard some mention of the Mac raid controller not being supported, and I wonder how far those kind of issues go.

 

If the support is there then the Mac Pro seems like a nice hardware choice for XP too.

[mesht]

well, as for hardware support, i guess it's still in the early stages. For me personally, software support would be my first priority. If some or most of Windows programs can run in Mac just like in a desktop, i figure hardware would not be an issue. This is so far to my understanding about this new developments.

 

but i doubt not all hardware is YET compatible or supported with Mac, just need to find out more from the vendors.

[AJLynn]

Hardware compatibilty is pretty good. I've used a lot of USB devices under Bootcamp with no problems, and I hear good things about cards as well - e.g., buying a cheaper QuadroFX PCI card than Apple offers and using it under Windows. You can even softmod a Radeon card for Mac using Windows FireGL drivers, and on the Macbook Pro everything in the notebook is supported except the glowing keyboard and maybe the hard drive drop sensor.

 

Parallels is a totally different story. It's a VM, so there's a lot that's not being supported.

[mr. a]

I have a 17" Mac Book Pro and love it!

BUT RECOGNIZE THESE LIMITATIONS:

 

1) As mentioned earlier- parrallels runs slower since it is running 2 operating systems simultaneously- so I opted for Boot Camp instead. Figured I would boot up in whatever mode I want based on what I am doing.

 

2) Beware, There is absolutely no support given by apple if you are running Boot Camp since it is still in beta mode. I expect that to change once it is officially released as part of the new operating system in the Spring. they currently have big disclaimers on this.

 

3) Updates in Bootcamp have improved compatibility in Windows mode. I can now right-click and the built-in camera works too- but no backlit keys.

 

4) You have to partition your drive so one part os for the Mac OS and one for Windows. When running either one- YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO READ OR WRITE TO THE OTHER DRIVE! Use an external drive if you want access to the same files form both operating systems. (I have been able to look at files in the windows partition from the Mac OS- but can't do anything to them).

 

5) I would not buy the Mac Book until all the bugs are worked out in the next release. If you are like me and can't wait and don't mind being a guinea pig, get it and upgrade in the Spring for about 129 bucks I think. like I said, they are making progress and their product design and some of the included software is 'off the chain'. 2 computers in one!

[AJLynn]

Your 4th point isn't exactly correct.

 

-If your Windows drive is 32GB or less, you can format it with FAT32, and MacOS can read and write to that drive.

-If your Windows drive is over 32GB, it must be NTFS (a smaller driver can also be NTFS, which may get you higher performance), and MacOS can use the drive as read-only.

-There is a program you can download (it's something like $50 and there's a free demo) called Macdrive that allows Windows to use the Mac drive as read/write.

 

So I've got mine set up with a 30GB Windows partition and 90GB MacOS, and I keep most of my large files on the MacOS side. In Windows, I can use the files on the Mac side seamlessly, and I can do the reverse in MacOS, though I usually don't need to.

[FOG Lite]

And for the Mac Pro all that hard drive stuff isn't much of an issue since you can drop in extra drives and put the different OS's on their own drives. you still will have trouble reading and writing back and forth between the 2 but I've found since I'm usually taking stuff created on the XP side to the OSX side its not an issue. The main difficulty is getting your iTunes library to work on both sides.

[AJLynn]

If you have Macdrive, set up iTunes in MacOS as usual and set it up in Windows so that it uses the MacOS music directory. But only set one of them to auto-sync your iPod. (Macdrive is also needed if you want the iPod to be Mac formatted and work as a USB disk in Windows.)