The adventure began two weeks ago when I bought an OWC Thunderblade. I wanted this NVMe SSD RAID for its speed and 8 TB storage capacity. But, once it arrived, I wondered just how fast is "really fast?"
And that began a two week exercise in testing storage speeds (performance), examining storage capacity, looking at different RAID configurations, and an in-depth test of just how much speed is "enough" for video editing. This week, I have seven different reports - from high-level overviews to in-depth product reviews of SSD storage.
During this time, I performed more than 250 speed tests; talked with the support folks at OWC, Blackmagic Design and AJA Video Systems; created multiple tables and charts; ran real-world editing tests to see how these different pieces fit together; and had a very informative interview with Tim Standing, VP of Software Development for OWC and lead programer for SoftRAID.
To get started, here are three overview reports that you need to read. The first looks at real-world editing to see what speeds we actually need to edit video successfully, including multicam.
I first asked this next question two weeks ago. I now have an update that explains how ridiculously difficult it is to accurately measure the speed of our storage. It isn't a problem with our storage, but with the software tools themselves.
To wrap-up these overviews, this interview with Tim Standing, VP of Software Development for OWC, explains the limits of Thunderbolt, and what you can do to maximize the speed and capacity of your storage.
In the news:
BorisFX released Silhouette 2022.5 as a standalone application and/or plugin for Adobe After Effects and Adobe Premiere Pro, Foundry Nuke, Blackmagic Resolve and Fusion, and Autodesk Flame. New features include improved cryptomatte support, Color Estimation node, Power Matte update, and InPaint enhancements.
Syndicate of Sounds, a new audio venture by Frank Foti, founder of Omnia Audio and executive chairman of Telos Alliance, announced its new Déjà Vu Upmixer, created to transform two-channel audio mixes into enveloping and exciting surround sound experiences.
Future Media Concepts reminds editors in the Los Angeles area that the last stop on the Final Cut Pro Summit is coming to Los Angeles on December 13th. This is a full day of Final Cut Pro learning with sessions, presentations, and panels, all teaching you the ins and outs of FCP!
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Webinars are back! Yup, this Wednesday I'll host another "Ask Larry Anything!" event. At this point, my goal is to touch on color correction and storage performance, along with answering the questions you send in. (Here's the link to email me with your questions.) I'll host two events - 9 AM and 12 PM - and, as always, registration is free!
During the last two weeks, I put an OWC Thunderblade SSD RAID through some of the most extensive testing I've ever done: more than 250 tests looking at different RAID configurations and how to maximize the speed of an SSD RAID. This unit is fast, but not as fast as it could be. Here are the results.
YouTube is still causing major problems by reporting copyright violations that are outright wrong. Tony reports his personal experience and what it took to fix.
I've written for years about different RAID levels (RAID 0, 1, 4, 5, 6, & 1+0). But, what I haven't had the chance to do until now is test these different configurations on the same RAID to see what speeds it can deliver in the real-world. The results are fascinating. Here are the speed differences between different RAID levels.
One of the options in creating a RAID is to use Apple Disk Utility. But, the process is not obvious. Here's what you need to know to create or delete a RAID.
Finally, I want to recommend this interview. The speed our storage transfers data, is surprisingly variable and complex, especially regarding SSDs, RAIDs and Thunderbolt. In this conversation with Tim Standing, from OWC, learn what limits the speed of Thunderbolt storage and what you can do to maximize it.
All this testing expanded my thinking about storage. Importantly, it reminded me that judging storage on speed alone is not the best way to find the best storage for you. Instead, focus on the type of editing you are doing. As you do, you'll discover that it's a balance between speed, capacity and how the storage is configured.
Snow is softly falling as I write this. Another eventful year is drawing to a close. The scent of baking is rising from the kitchen. Work, as always, continues. But this time of year reminds us we also need to break away and spend time with friends and family. Not this week, perhaps. But soon. It's something to look forward to.
Until next Monday, stay healthy, stay safe and edit well.
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» For Video Editing Storage - How Fast is "Fast Enough"? (Tutorial)
» We know the specs of the hardware, but how much speed do we really need?
» Review: OWC Thunderblade. Really fast, But Not Perfect (Review)
» This SSD RAID is really fast, but doesn't live up to its full potential.
» Real-World Speeds for Different RAID Levels (Review)
» There's RAID 0, 1, 4, 5, 6 & 1+0. What's the difference in performance?
» Measuring Storage Speed is Really, REALLY Difficult (Tutorial)
» Measuring speed is hard because the measurement tools wildly disagree.
» How to Create/Delete a RAID using Apple Disk Utility (Tutorial)
» A step-by-step guide to creating or deleting a RAID 0 or RAID 1.
» Tips to Maximize Storage - Tim Standing Interview (Tutorial)
» Tim Standing invented SoftRAID 20 years ago. Here's his take on storage.
» For YouTube, Ads Matter More than Video Quality (Commentary)
» Tony was flagged for violating copyright. But YouTube was wrong.
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This session answers your questions - please email them to Larry - as well as looks at the basics of color correction/color grading and RAID performance. |
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* Improve the performance of your system.
» How hard do FCP, Premiere or Resolve push your system?
» Measure the speed of a RAID
» Thunderbolt isn't as fast as you think.
» Measuring network and server speeds
» How to share projects between different FCP versions
Everything you need - all in one place.
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