Question about new Mac Pro

Today I am buying a new Mac Pro "Model Identifier MacPro5,1" Model
#MC560LL/A. I know that is the just replaced model. I am replacing my
old Mac Pro "Model Identifier MacPro1,1" I have three questions.

Is there any reason my old ATI Radeon 3870 HD Mac Edition video PCI Card
will not work in my new Mac Pro? I like the 1080p HDMI output it
delivers to my TV.

I want to add a USB 3.0 PCI card and have read good reviews on the
CalDigit SuperSpeed PCI Express Card.

http://eshop.macsales.com/item/CalDigit/U3HOSTADPTR/

All the other cards I have read reviews on seem to have a problem like
some will not support card readers and some will not support hubs but
from what I have read the CalDigit does it all.
Any suggestions on selecting a good USB 3.0 PCI card that will support
card readers, hubs, storage ETC.?

I have 10 GB of RAM Memory installed in my old Mac Pro is this
compatible with the newer Model Identifier MacPro5,1?

Thanks very much for any help!

John Young wrote:

> Is there any reason my old ATI Radeon 3870 HD Mac Edition video PCI Card
> will not work in my new Mac Pro? I like the 1080p HDMI output it
> delivers to my TV.


I am not sure what Macpro 1,1 is. My 2009 MacPro is Macpro 4,1

Remenber that current macpro are PCExpress which is incompatible with
old PCI stuff.

However, if your old Mac was already PCI Express, chances are that your
old video card will work on it.


> I want to add a USB 3.0 PCI card and have read good reviews on the
> CalDigit SuperSpeed PCI Express Card.

I am unsure about that. Does the card require any drivers or does it
present itself as a generic USB card ?


> I have 10 GB of RAM Memory installed in my old Mac Pro is this
> compatible with the newer Model Identifier MacPro5,1?

My MacPro 4,1 uses 1066mhz memory.
The current Macpro has different memory:
dual processor: 1333mhz memory
single processor: 3.2ghz CPU= 1066mhz memory
3.33Ghz CPU= 1333 mhz memory

http://www.apple.com/macpro/specs.html

If Your MacPro is from 2006 MA356LL/A http://support.apple.com/kb/SP30 ,
then your memory is not compatible (667Mhz DDR2 memory instad of 1333 DDR3)

It does have PCI express.

In article <jy->,
John Young <> wrote:

>
> I have 10 GB of RAM Memory installed in my old Mac Pro is this
> compatible with the newer Model Identifier MacPro5,1?

The mac pro 1.1, which is what I have, uses 667 mh DDR2 memory. The
new mac pro uses 1333 mh DDR3 memory. So, I suspect that it wont work
and can almost guarantee that if it does, it wont work well.

You can find third party mac pro 1333 DDR3 memory for less than 200
dollars for 4x4gb.

dick

In message <jy->
John Young <> wrote:
> Today I am buying a new Mac Pro "Model Identifier MacPro5,1" Model
> #MC560LL/A. I know that is the just replaced model. I am replacing my
> old Mac Pro "Model Identifier MacPro1,1" I have three questions.

> Is there any reason my old ATI Radeon 3870 HD Mac Edition video PCI Card
> will not work in my new Mac Pro? I like the 1080p HDMI output it
> delivers to my TV.

It should work, but the new card (5770) is better. Much better.

> I want to add a USB 3.0 PCI card and have read good reviews on the
> CalDigit SuperSpeed PCI Express Card.

> http://eshop.macsales.com/item/CalDigit/U3HOSTADPTR/

I haven't seen a USB3 card work reliably in a MacPro yet, but I haven't
used that one. I have a Sonnet card that works about 50% of the time
(that is to say, not enough to even try to use it).

> All the other cards I have read reviews on seem to have a problem like
> some will not support card readers and some will not support hubs but
> from what I have read the CalDigit does it all.

That would be great. Let us know if it really does work.

> I have 10 GB of RAM Memory installed in my old Mac Pro is this
> compatible with the newer Model Identifier MacPro5,1?

No.

MacPro1,1: 240-pin PC2-5300 (667MHz) DDR2 ECC fully-buffered DIMM
(FB-DIMM) (matched pairs)

MacPro5,1: 240-pin PC3-10600E (1333 MHz) DDR3 ECC SDRAM (memory speed
for certain configurations is 1066 MHz)

--
A balanced diet is a cookie in each hand.
I gotta straighten my face This mellow-thighed chick just put my spine
out of place

In article <>,
Lewis <> wrote:

> In message <jy->
> John Young <> wrote:
> > Today I am buying a new Mac Pro "Model Identifier MacPro5,1" Model
> > #MC560LL/A. I know that is the just replaced model. I am replacing my
> > old Mac Pro "Model Identifier MacPro1,1" I have three questions.
>
> > Is there any reason my old ATI Radeon 3870 HD Mac Edition video PCI Card
> > will not work in my new Mac Pro? I like the 1080p HDMI output it
> > delivers to my TV.
>
> It should work, but the new card (5770) is better. Much better.

I think I have discovered that fact. I had no idea the Mini Display out
would support 1080p and audio out on Mac Pros with Model Identifiers of
"MacPro5,1" or higher. It does seem to be a better card.

> > I want to add a USB 3.0 PCI card and have read good reviews on the
> > CalDigit SuperSpeed PCI Express Card.
>
> > http://eshop.macsales.com/item/CalDigit/U3HOSTADPTR/
>
> I haven't seen a USB3 card work reliably in a MacPro yet, but I haven't
> used that one. I have a Sonnet card that works about 50% of the time
> (that is to say, not enough to even try to use it).
>
> > All the other cards I have read reviews on seem to have a problem like
> > some will not support card readers and some will not support hubs but
> > from what I have read the CalDigit does it all.
>
> That would be great. Let us know if it really does work.

I will as I am going to order one from "OWC" Other World Computing.

> > I have 10 GB of RAM Memory installed in my old Mac Pro is this
> > compatible with the newer Model Identifier MacPro5,1?
>
> No.
>
> MacPro1,1: 240-pin PC2-5300 (667MHz) DDR2 ECC fully-buffered DIMM
> (FB-DIMM) (matched pairs)
>
> MacPro5,1: 240-pin PC3-10600E (1333 MHz) DDR3 ECC SDRAM (memory speed
> for certain configurations is 1066 MHz)

I did not realize how cheap 16 GB of memory is. I ordered 16 GB
of kingston memory from amazon for 140 dollars.

I will report back on the CalDigit USB 3.0 card.
I like my new Mac Pro!
Thank you and the other forum members for all the answers.

John Young wrote:

> I think I have discovered that fact. I had no idea the Mini Display out
> would support 1080p and audio out on Mac Pros with Model Identifiers of
> "MacPro5,1" or higher. It does seem to be a better card.

Howver, Apple does not make Mini-Display to HDMI, you get that adaptor
from 3rd party such as Belkin and others. And those do not support Audio
within HDMI. I use TOSlink cable for audio.

(This may have changed since laast year when I pligged my new TV onto my
Mac and I have a MacPro 4,1)

In article <4fdcb8c8$0$32199$c3e8da3$ om>,
JF Mezei <> wrote:

> John Young wrote:
>
> > I think I have discovered that fact. I had no idea the Mini Display out
> > would support 1080p and audio out on Mac Pros with Model Identifiers of
> > "MacPro5,1" or higher. It does seem to be a better card.
>
> Howver, Apple does not make Mini-Display to HDMI, you get that adaptor
> from 3rd party such as Belkin and others. And those do not support Audio
> within HDMI. I use TOSlink cable for audio.
>
> (This may have changed since laast year when I pligged my new TV onto my
> Mac and I have a MacPro 4,1)

JF check out this cable and reviews.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ls_o00_s00_i00

I was also using a TOSlink cable for audio but that made me use two
cables. I this is going to work out better for me.

Thank you.

In article <jy->,
John Young <> wrote:

> In article <4fdcb8c8$0$32199$c3e8da3$ om>,
> JF Mezei <> wrote:
>
> > John Young wrote:
> >
> > > I think I have discovered that fact. I had no idea the Mini Display out
> > > would support 1080p and audio out on Mac Pros with Model Identifiers of
> > > "MacPro5,1" or higher. It does seem to be a better card.
> >
> > Howver, Apple does not make Mini-Display to HDMI, you get that adaptor
> > from 3rd party such as Belkin and others. And those do not support Audio
> > within HDMI. I use TOSlink cable for audio.
> >
> > (This may have changed since laast year when I pligged my new TV onto my
> > Mac and I have a MacPro 4,1)
>
> JF check out this cable and reviews.
>
> http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ls_o00_s00_i00
>
> I was also using a TOSlink cable for audio but that made me use two
> cables. I this is going to work out better for me.
>
> Thank you.

Answered to quick the Mac Pro has to be "Model Identifier 5,1" as I
understand it. I will let you know for sure on Tuesday when the cable
arrives form Amazon if it in fact works with the Mac Pro with Identifier
5,1.

In article <4fdcb8c8$0$32199$c3e8da3$ om>,
JF Mezei <> wrote:

> John Young wrote:
>
> > I think I have discovered that fact. I had no idea the Mini Display out
> > would support 1080p and audio out on Mac Pros with Model Identifiers of
> > "MacPro5,1" or higher. It does seem to be a better card.
>
> Howver, Apple does not make Mini-Display to HDMI, you get that adaptor
> from 3rd party such as Belkin and others. And those do not support Audio
> within HDMI. I use TOSlink cable for audio.


Many Mini-DP to HDMI adapters *do* support HDMI audio, including Belkin,
Griffin, Moshi, and Kanex -- but only on Macs which support it.

Mac models introduced before 2010 (except the late 2009 iMac) do not support
audio over Mini DisplayPort. Newer Macs do support it.

See <http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4241>.


> (This may have changed since laast year when I pligged my new TV onto my
> Mac and I have a MacPro 4,1)

That's an early 2009 Mac Pro, which does not support audio through the Mini
DisplayPort.

In article <jy->,
John Young <> wrote:

> In article <jy->,
> John Young <> wrote:
>
> > In article <4fdcb8c8$0$32199$c3e8da3$ om>,
> > JF Mezei <> wrote:
> >
> > > John Young wrote:
> > >
> > > > I think I have discovered that fact. I had no idea the Mini Display out
> > > > would support 1080p and audio out on Mac Pros with Model Identifiers of
> > > > "MacPro5,1" or higher. It does seem to be a better card.
> > >
> > > Howver, Apple does not make Mini-Display to HDMI, you get that adaptor
> > > from 3rd party such as Belkin and others. And those do not support Audio
> > > within HDMI. I use TOSlink cable for audio.
> > >
> > > (This may have changed since laast year when I pligged my new TV onto my
> > > Mac and I have a MacPro 4,1)
> >
> > JF check out this cable and reviews.
> >
> > http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ls_o00_s00_i00
> >
> > I was also using a TOSlink cable for audio but that made me use two
> > cables. I this is going to work out better for me.
> >
> > Thank you.
>
> Answered to quick the Mac Pro has to be "Model Identifier 5,1" as I
> understand it. I will let you know for sure on Tuesday when the cable
> arrives form Amazon if it in fact works with the Mac Pro with Identifier
> 5,1.

The Mini Display out on the Mac Pro "Model Identifier 5,1" works great
with this cable. The cable was cheaper then the adaptors I could find.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ls_o00_s00_i00

Video support is 1080p, 1080I and ten other resolutions along with a
"Best for Display" check box. Audio out support works good as I have the
speaker icon in the menu bar displayed and when it is selected with the
option key held down my TV show up as "SAMSUNG". I like the way audio
and video work independently so I can send either or both to my TV.
The one cable I bought is thiner then just the TOSlink cable I was using
so its a much neater set up then having both the TOSlink and the DVI to
HMDI cable I was using.
The 16GB of ram has been installed and works fine.
As for the USB 3.0 card...I backed out of the order as my new Mac Pro
was running so nicely and I have not heard many good luck stories about
USB 3.0 cards. I may give a USB 3.0 card a try at a later date.
So I am ready for ML...with no work arounds installing it on an older
Mac Pro.
Thanks again for all the answers to my questions.