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Macbook pro future and digital backs...

archivue

Active member
Rumor says that the next generation of Macbook pro, will be finer... macbook air style... and It's to rely heavily on Thunderbolt ! No more DVD... not handy, when you are in the field... but they call it evolution...

I will have to change my macbook pro this year... i'm using it mainly for C1 with my DM33... firewire 800 connection !

How will it works with the next generation ?
Shall i order a current 15" model with the "not shinny bloody screen" right now, or wait for the next generation ?

thanks
 

dchew

Well-known member
Interesting cuz I am in the same boat, although I don't tether, so thunderbolt is not such a big issue for me. As long as there is still an express slot you could add a firewire card.

Regarding the dvd, I removed mine a year ago to add a second SDD and haven't missed it. I've used an external dvd maybe 6 times since.

Dave
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
I have no idea what Apple's product plans with regard to the MacBook Pro and ports available on future models might be.

... I will have to change my macbook pro this year...
Why? if you're "using it mainly for C1 with my DM33... firewire 800 connection", why do you feel you have to change it this year? Is it not working correctly? Does it not do the job "for C1 with my DM33"?

If I had a system that was working fine for the main purpose that I used it, I'd leave it alone. If I also wanted/needed a new laptop for some other reason, I'd just buy the new laptop and leave the other one to do the job it was doing nicely already.
 

archivue

Active member
mainly because i need a matte screen... i can't stand the screen i have, but when i bought it, the matte one wasn't available !
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
mainly because i need a matte screen... i can't stand the screen i have, but when i bought it, the matte one wasn't available !
In that case, since I believe the same model is available now with a matte screen, buy a ne one now and sell the on you have.

BTW, there are vendors who provide surface treatments for the glossy screens to produce a matte finish. That might be an easier and less expensive wy to go.
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
Well part of the issue is to tether our Phase IQ backs are either Firewire 800 and USB 3. The question will come are the newest models have the support for our ports. The MacBook Air of today has neither
 

JonMo

New member
I was unaware that Phase had finally activated teathering on the IQ with USB 3.
Thought it was still vaporware.
I use a Lenovo in the field for the remarkable screen, durability and battery life.
I would love to have the USB work.
We still have yet to see in real life a thunderbolt to firewire adapter other than the Mac monitor. Seems that might be a bit bulky for a teathering outside. :)

But on original subject; all indicators lead to apple moving toward thunderbolt as the only interface on thier laptops using the eventual adapters to covert for legacy products.
I agree with Godfrey, pick up what is currently available with the screen and firewire 800.
It appears it will be the only option to assure compatability.
 

dougpeterson

Workshop Member
Few thoughts:

First, USB tethering is not yet available on the IQ. I think it's a bit unfair to say it's vaporware at this point (at least in the context of other medium format announcements vs. availability), but for sure it's fairly long overdue. There is an entire market (aerial, scientific) that would benefit from USB and the hardware is already there, so I think it's safe to say it will happen. However, it should be noted that historically the first generation or two of firewire tethering backs had some issues out of the gate; it took a while to get to where we are now (rock-solid bullet-proof tethering) so I'm sure there is a high bar they want to pass before releasing a USB-enabling firmware.

Second, there are a lot of firewire devices out there and I strongly suspect by the time you can no longer easily get a FW port on any apple laptop you'll see cheap/reliable adapters to use them. AFAIK the straight [thunderbolt-->firewire] adapters which have been announced are not yet available to consumers.

Third, if/when Apple revises the MBP lineup with no FW ports on any model it's not like the previous generation will vanish from the earth. Based on historical releases there will be a period of 6-12 months where Apple offers the previous version as refurbished and third party vendors like macmall.com have the previous version as new-in-box followed by another 6-12 months where it's very easy to find a very lightly used version from a variety of vendors. Apple will continue to offer service, support, and parts until it is end of life'd which (without looking it up) has typically been in the range of 4-7 years.

So in other words, I wouldn't worry about it. If you need a new laptop today buy one. If you don't need a new laptop today don't fret about this; you'll have plenty of time to consider the best course of action if/when the next gen comes sans FW.

Doug Peterson (e-mail Me)
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ptomsu

Workshop Member
They have not activated USB 3 but we have it ready
Having had my experiences with USB3 and cables/connectors for USB3, I would say that this is a no go combination for field and tethering. Cables are so thick and connectors so weak that I wonder how long such a connection would physically last.

Just my 5c ....
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
Personally, I doubt very very much that Apple will ever put USB3 into a device as a native port. Thunderbolt is four times the throughput and could support a USB 3 protocol translator easily, just like it can support FW800 and USB 2 protocol translation with no loss in performance.
 

ptomsu

Workshop Member
Personally, I doubt very very much that Apple will ever put USB3 into a device as a native port. Thunderbolt is four times the throughput and could support a USB 3 protocol translator easily, just like it can support FW800 and USB 2 protocol translation with no loss in performance.
Unfortunately you might be right, but issue is, almost none else supports Thunderbolt :mad:
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
Unfortunately you might be right, but issue is, almost none else supports Thunderbolt
They will, eventually. Apple has a long history of breaking the ice on new peripheral interfaces. USB and FireWire both premiered on Apple systems. It takes time for the peripheral manufacturers to see the profit in it and ramp up their products. Since Apple laptop and desktop system sales are growing at about double the rate of most anything else, it will happen soon enough.
 

kit laughlin

Subscriber Member
I think Godrey's and Joe's advice is very sound (if I may say!). The shiny screen are simply hell in airports and anywhere outside; my present quad-core 15" MBP with SSD, max Ram ext., is nearly three times faster than the quad-core tower it replaced. The graphics card is not as good, though, for 30" screens.

And the current quad-core MBPs have FW 800, which (whether Apple publicly acknowledges or not!) is industry standard, both for audio and photographic/video work, so I will not be upgrading myself—even if a quad core 15" MBA with matte screen appears.

The 15" computer is 2lbs heavier than the 13" MBP I have (with the shiny screen!), but travelling with the 13" recently was simply irritating, and even though the current model, about two hours less battery life than the 15.

Godfrey, can you advise the matte screen treatments you refer to above—if I could get a matte screen for the 13", I may keep it. I used to be able to get these via the store I go to, but they discontinued these once the matte screen option became available.

One more point on Apple matte screens: because these are higher res. than the glass screens, fonts are significantly smaller on screen. my partner is back-trading her MBP (same specs as mine) because much of her work is text based and she is tired of having to increase font sizes manually. Worth keeping in mind if you do a lot of text work.
 

Vincent Goetz

Subscriber Member
I went the SSD and upgraded memory route and am quite pleased with the results. The SSD is the coolest and fastest thing....
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
... Godfrey, can you advise the matte screen treatments you refer to above—if I could get a matte screen for the 13", I may keep it. I used to be able to get these via the store I go to, but they discontinued these once the matte screen option became available.
I did a quick Google search and came up with a few instantly ... I'm sure there are more. Note: I have no direct experience with any of these solutions. (I'm actually quite comfortable with the glossy screen, only rarely have I found it to be difficult to work with due to reflections and glare.)

replacement screen glass:

MacBook Pro Unibody Repair | Mac Repair

laminate/protector type:

Official Site of ViewGuard® Products including Privacy Filters & Screen Protectors for Laptop, Notebook & Desktop Computers; LCD Screens; Mobile Phones; PDAs and More

from the Apple Store: Moshi 13" iVisor Pro Matte Screen Protector for MacBook Pro

Anti-Glare Film - MacBook Pro 13

Regards travel ... I rarely need a full laptop on travel anymore, I've taken to carrying just the iPad 2 and stuffing a keyboard into my checked luggage. It does everything I usually need on the road. (I'm not shooting tethered, of course, as I said above. :)
 

JonMo

New member
My co-worker had his glass changed in his MacPro unibody to Techrestore's matte screen and the conversion was excellent.
He highly recomended it.

And my previous "vaporware" comment might be a little harsh but part of my decision to get the Lenovo laptop for field work was the compromise of no Firewire 800 for the absolutly incomparible screen ( compared to laptops of course :) ) that can take a very good calibration. The USB 3.0 port on the laptop and back were going to be my "elegant solution" to teathering.

Oh well, some day.

Archivue; any macpro can have an excellent matte screen installed aftermarket.
If you want to wait for the next gen, I wouldn't let the glossy screen scare you off.
 

anGy

Member
Calling USB3 on Phase back vaporware is maybe not correct - but misleading marketing saying that the back has USB3 and that it is backwards compatible with USB2 really is unfair.
Testing USB3 must be performed during product conception - if not possible then the least a company has to do is to inform customers about the 'coming soon' status.
Misleading marketing that is.

Bob from this forum did post a workaround using firewire - pc express card and adapter and thunderbolt cable with a Macbook Air.
I would really appreciate to have a feedback on that solution. Is it possible to work with in a studio ?
Which firewire cable did you use (no FW800 cable in the Phase One catalogue) ?
Bob if you're reading ;-)
 
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