Re: Multiclip troubles - continually dropping frames

Hi David -

I have no problem with "bluntness". I grow weary of those who dance around the issue without just saying what's on their mind. So no offense taken... I know you're just trying to help. That's what the cow is for. Just don't take any offense to my response!

[David Roth Weiss] "... you are looking at the hard drive throughput equation totally "bassakwards," from the standpoint of, "what can I squeak by with" and still get my work done. That approach is a recipe for insanity, because you're always living on the edge, wondering exactly when your system is gonna let you down. "

Actually, no. I don't believe I'm looking at it that way. And like you, I don't believe in working "on the edge wondering when the system is going to let me down". However, I AM trying to make myself educated on this issue. I'm not asking the question "what's the least I can get by with", but rather, what do I need to accomplish this without going overboard? Why buy a car with a V8 engine, when all you're pulling is a bike rack? (I'm no good at coming up with analogies, so I hope you at least understand what I"m trying to say...) :)

I've never worked with a RAID setup in a computer before, and no one else in the office has either. And, since my setup has been working without issue (until now) I didn't have any reason to question my existing setup. (Which also begs the question... Why did it work until now? From what I've learned in this thread so far, I'm assuming the answer is fragmentation. Yes?)

That said, I'm certainly willing to change, and give the RAID a shot. So let me ask this... If I use Disk Utility to create the RAID, what configuration would you recommend? Remember I have 4 drives. Currently I'm set up like this: 1) System 2) Projects 3) Projects Backup (SuperDuper copies new information to this drive nightly) 4) Media. I also have a USB hard drive that SuperDuper also copies the system drive to each night, in case I would have a failure on drive 1. Would you recommend I RAID the Projects Backup and Media drives as one, then buy another USB hard drive to back up my projects to?

Also, is there a way I can tell what kind of throughput I'm getting on my drives? I'd like to compare the way it's currently set up, and how it changes when I put the drives in the RAID. Any other web links I can look at to learn more about what's happening in the RAID setup?

As always... Thanks for the help. Feel free to be blunt any time.