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Hardware for Mac Computers

MAC HARDWARE

  There are several means of adding storage to a Mac Computer depending on which one you have. The G4 and some G5s have a PCI slot (4 RAM slots). Some single and dual processor G5s have a PCI-X slot (8 RAM slots). The Dual Core and MacPro models all have PCIe (PCI Express slots). If you are not sure which you have, check out our "Host Card Guide" first. PCI-X cards are backward compatible with PCI buses but the PCIe bus is not compatible with any other bus type.

  Firewire Enclosures are a great device for on location data retrieval from your digital camera, be it video or photo. Most Macs have at least one Firewire port, either 400 or the faster 800. Firewire hardware can, in most cases, be chained together allowing several pieces of hardware to be attached to your computer by a single Firewire port. The most important attributes to look for in Firewire Hard Drive Enclosures is a built in power supply and good cooling for the hard drive. These are the two points of failure. Check out our One, Two, Four and Eight Bay Firewire Enclosures available with Hot Swap or Direct Mounted drives. These enclosures all support Firewire 400, Firewire 800 and USB 2.0. We searched months for the best available Firewire Enclosures and here they are. These enclosures all have built in power supplies and the best available cooling. The Hot Swap Trays will interchange with our other enclosures for excellent drive portability.

  SATA Enclosures are the way to go for Photo Storage, Audio Libraries and any kind of Video Storage. To attach a SATA Enclosure to your Mac, you will need a Host Card. Please visit our SATA Host Card Guide if you need help deciding which one will fit inside your computer or which card is best for you. There are two means of connection, direct connect (One data cable for each drive) or via a Port Multiplier that will connect up to 5 drives on each cable. The direct connect method is an older technology and the industry is moving quickly toward Port Multiplication because of its scale-ability. Never before could you so easily find a system that allows you to grow as needed. You can start off with a single four or five bay PM Enclosure and add another enclosure as your storage needs expand. Some of these Host Cards can mount as many as 20 drives. If you have questions about Port Multiplication please read our Guide to Port Multiplication.

  If your data is of the utmost importance to you, consider a Hardware System. These systems have a processor and RAM built right on the Host Card so your computer's CPU doesn't get taxed managing your storage. These Controllers offer RAID 5, a system of verifying your data is stored safely by using a rotating parity. This is the safest possible storage. The Hardware RAID 5 systems can be striped together to form a RAID 50 for the speeds needed for video. There are always ways that data can be corrupted including human error, for this reason you must always have at least one backup of your data. RAID 5 is no exception.

  We also stock Lifetime Guaranteed RAM for most Macs, including the MacPro. We'll even help you find the correct RAM for your computer. Increasing your systems RAM is an easy way to boost system performance especially with photographers and graphic artists. And it's so easy to install, in most cases without tools. We can save you a bundle on MacPro RAM and even give you a better warranty than Apple.