OT: Utilizing a 2nd computer

xjerx wrote on 9/27/2006, 7:24 PM

Okay...I have my main computer dual 3.2 xeons ..on which i edit...was wondering...if possible..and how..could I use my old computer (much slower) as 1) a render aid and 2) fill that sucker with hard drives and use it as kind of a raid set up...

now..i don't know much about computer stuff...so i need simple answers and kind ones :o)

should i just connect both computers like a network and use them that way...or use this new SATA stuff...or am i totally on the wrong page?

thanks
jeremiah

Comments

fldave wrote on 9/27/2006, 7:40 PM

Actually, I've been thinking the same thing. I have all these old PCs sitting around my house could be considered a hazardous waste site. I've thought of network render farm, storage servers, etc. Set my 6-year old son up with one of them.

I think I will start out fairly simple, as a semi-temporary storage server. I plan on upgrading my lan to 1GB/sec instead of 100MB/sec, use RAID on the machine where the throughput is outweighed by the redudancy (duh, forget my raid numbers, 1 or striped or something). Something that would support more uncompressed video without the disk transfer delay.

For a longer term storage, I would simply add another box on the lan in RAID 5 config, with the redudancy to minimize data loss. I just lost 160GB yesterday (#SKKDF Maxtor, 3rd one the past 2 years that's gone bad). Not very important stuff, except for Stonefield's sample videos from his site that I haven't watched yet and some work/temp files. That hurt (lost Stonefield's vids)!

Then if I had a couple of more boxes, I could load Vegas on them and use network render to speed some avi renders up. Note that Vegas network render does not include encoding to mpg, you must render to avi prior to mpeg.

DrLumen wrote on 9/27/2006, 10:22 PM

Unless your second system is used for capturing you shouldn't need a raid. A gigabit lan is only about 600mbps (at best over cat6) and then you have the networking overhead (packeting) so the lan transfer is not as fast as Ultra 100 drives. Not that it wouldn't help some to have a raid (SCSI) system but it is just not really needed for simple storage except for redundancy.

I use a second system for archival storage, to burn disks, keep graphics (like lower thirds or buttons), network rendering for avi's and 3d studio max etc. For editing, IMHO, it is too slow to keep project files on the server then edit on the workstation. There is too much time wasted xferring of files back and forth - even over 1gb lan and cat6.

Now an gigabit lan over fiber is much faster but you'll need to check with your bank about a second mortgage. ;-)

fldave wrote on 9/28/2006, 4:30 AM

Thanks for the reply, Dr.

Don't they have multiple-drive enclosures now that I can set up as RAID and hook up to my PC using a single SATA connection? That would be much simpler, and I hear, much faster than LAN.

Serena wrote on 9/28/2006, 5:36 AM

I hand off to the older machine those tasks which would otherwise clutter up the editing machine. Jobs such as running DeShaker, DVFilmMaker, capturing tapes, PhotoShop, Word, Excel. All machines are networked and all data is accessible from any machine.

xjerx wrote on 9/28/2006, 9:02 AM

sounds easy enough...

...how would the SATA connection work...how would i set that up?

vicmilt wrote on 9/28/2006, 1:51 PM

Hang in there - someone will answer your SATA question...

meanwhile - one machine should be dedicated to email - and NEVER PICKUP email from any other - use that machine for general internet cruising, as well.

and you seemed to be joking about that 6 year old??
I started my so on video games at 3 years of age. He's twenty-two now and the fastest computer operator I've ever seen.

v

fldave wrote on 9/28/2006, 3:10 PM

"and you seemed to be joking about that 6 year old??"
No, not joking, he's had it for a couple of years now.

Running XP, hooking him up with Sony's Super Duper Music Looper soon as I get some more RAM (on order). I need more royalty-free music! (could that be considered an under-aged sweat shop setup?) Then I'll let him learn my Acid 6.0, since I can't ever seem to find the time!