PT 11 Windows pre sales questions, please

[NipL]

Hi, initial post here.

Looking at PT11 and current RME ASIO interface that I have.

#1. Pre sales contact with Avid - is there such a thing?
Anyway, if not bear with me.

#2. Really confused about specs - they have links that go in circles to third party audio interfaces.

You are kind of used to that daws specify:
ASIO compatible soundcard interface

At the very bottom they mention ASIO and EUCON, like in the passing.

And there are PT HD, PT HD Native and I don't know what.
I understand HD is some kind of hardware - but not more than that.

What is the deal here?
Normal i7 computer, W7 Pro x64, and RME ASIO device - is that good enough?
And is it PT 11 only - or a special version of some kind to support ASIO?

#3. What does Avid support say about a problem with crash or freeze or something if not using officially supported audio devices or computers?
- Sorry mate, can't help you

That is basically what Waves do if you forget to list a supported daw.

#4. Anybody running PT11 with Windows and RME HDSP series?

Thanks.

[Darryl Ramm]

Yes, if you can't find/follow the stuff online, Avid has a pretty good pre-sales service, through their dealers. An Avid dealer should be your best friend. Call em up and talk to them. If you don't have a local dealer then start with Sweetwater.

EUCON is a control surface standard, nothing to do with the Audio interface. If you are not trying to interface to an existing or new control surface don't worry about it. if you have one, you'd know already what this means, and I suspect it does not affect you.

A "normal" computer, is *not* enough for Pro Tools anything. You need to go though all the systems requirements, including need for a dedicated audio/session drive etc. Start at the product compatibility link on the top of this page. And what computer CPU power etc. you need depends on what you plan on are doing (to drive plugins).

Your main compatibility question should center around the exact OS you expect to run and whether that is officially supported by all the parts you want to use (DAW, interface drivers, plugins, utility software, etc.), and if not officially supported, are others users at least using it OK?

If you are a Pro or semi-Pro user you may want/need Pro Tools HD for its more advanced features, track and IO limits etc. All presented on the Web in clear detail in Avid's product comparisons, or any sales rep can help you, but the bottom line usually is if you don't know what HD is you don't need it. And HD product bundles start at around $5k.

What is your budget? What is your experience with DAWs/Audio enginering, and what are you tryign to do/achieve artistically... those are the question any good sales rep should start with.

Darryl

[albee1952]

In addition to all that Darryl offered, you might consider posting a Sandra report on your computer. Just saying its an i7 is unfortunately not a guarantee of success. Info on that is found in this link:
Help us Help You - READ THIS Before Posting!

Regarding Pro Tools HD and non-HD, there are 2 aspects to this. #1-HD software works with anything(interface) that non-HD works with, but includes more features and higher track counts. HD hardware(which ONLY works with the HD software) handles IO(with compatible interfaces on Digilink connection) and provides DSP for plugins. Most plugins are available in Native, and DSP versions, while some are only offered in one or the other(but a full HD system can also run Native plugins). Confused yet. Just try to let it all sink in and it will get clearer

Regarding HD software use, WITHOUT HD hardware, its not possible to purchase HD software new without buying some hardware package. Some folks buy a package to get the software, and then sell the hardware to recover some of the cost. HD software can also sometimes be found on the second hand market, including the Buy&Sell section of the DUC and eBay.

[guitardom]

Originally Posted by NipL

Hi, initial post here.

Looking at PT11 and current RME ASIO interface that I have.

#1. Pre sales contact with Avid - is there such a thing?
Anyway, if not bear with me.

#2. Really confused about specs - they have links that go in circles to third party audio interfaces.

You are kind of used to that daws specify:
ASIO compatible soundcard interface

At the very bottom they mention ASIO and EUCON, like in the passing.

And there are PT HD, PT HD Native and I don't know what.
I understand HD is some kind of hardware - but not more than that.

What is the deal here?
Normal i7 computer, W7 Pro x64, and RME ASIO device - is that good enough?
And is it PT 11 only - or a special version of some kind to support ASIO?

#3. What does Avid support say about a problem with crash or freeze or something if not using officially supported audio devices or computers?
- Sorry mate, can't help you

That is basically what Waves do if you forget to list a supported daw.

#4. Anybody running PT11 with Windows and RME HDSP series?

Thanks.

The only pre sales contact is getting lucky here or through a retailer.

I used a FF800 for years w PT. Rme have solid drivers and are known to work well with PT.

Please post a Sandra report here. We need more detailed info about your computer to give an answer. The i7's have been great machines overall. The biggest problems were with the ivy bridge series and also when using the onboard video instead of a dedicated card.

HD version of the software offers some more advanced features and individual track input monitoring. It is not available unless you buy HD based hardware or get really lucky on eBay or gs.

A crash or freeze, they won't say much anything whether it's supported or not. You get a service period when you purchase the software regardless of your hardware. If it's just a 1 time event, nothing anyone can do. The only concern is if it's chronic. Then at that point, if your still under the service contract they will help you troubleshoot. Otherwise your down to these gutters known as forums!!!

[NipL]

That was quick, thank you.
I will try your suggestion and contact a local dealer that sells PT.

[NipL]

Originally Posted by guitardom

The only pre sales contact is getting lucky here or through a retailer.

I used a FF800 for years w PT. Rme have solid drivers and are known to work well with PT.

Please post a Sandra report here. We need more detailed info about your computer to give an answer. The i7's have been great machines overall. The biggest problems were with the ivy bridge series and also when using the onboard video instead of a dedicated card.

HD version of the software offers some more advanced features and individual track input monitoring. It is not available unless you buy HD based hardware or get really lucky on eBay or gs.

A crash or freeze, they won't say much anything whether it's supported or not. You get a service period when you purchase the software regardless of your hardware. If it's just a 1 time event, nothing anyone can do. The only concern is if it's chronic. Then at that point, if your still under the service contract they will help you troubleshoot. Otherwise your down to these gutters known as forums!!!

These "gutters known as forums" seems pretty good to me.
While writing 2 lines of text to Darryl - two more posts.

Maybe the Sandra(a special report software, or?) you talk about is a more complete report, I don't know.

Dell Vostro 430
i7-860 2.8Ghz
8G ram
W7 Pro x64.
RME HDSP 9632

Had it for three years running Sonar 8.5, Studio One 2.x and Reaper etc.
Only trouble really was initially I tried out if firewire was the way to go for some months - but left that idea. Too much wasted cpu and not low enough latency.

Now I run everything with 64 samples ASIO buffer 48k/24. I could probably run 32 samples two.

Before that ran on XP and Sonar 4 for 5 years.
Before that a couple of Fostex HDD portastudios.
Before that real-to-real and casette based recording in the 80's

Biggest projects so far has been around 30 tracks or so. So the 96 in specs for PT without HD is ok.

I look at PT for:
a) a stable daw with flexible routing basically and good reuse of resources as templates.
b) a company with solid support at a annual fee I can take
If things start to be shaky - I want help when I need it
I plan to have an income on my work in some years - so showstoppers not allowed
Now I have a dayjob one day a week, the rest is learning the trade of finishing my embryos of songs and make decent demos.
c) exchangability with other studios

a) many daws fulfill, the rest not so much

[NipL]

Originally Posted by guitardom

The only pre sales contact is getting lucky here or through a retailer.

I used a FF800 for years w PT. Rme have solid drivers and are known to work well with PT.

Please post a Sandra report here. We need more detailed info about your computer to give an answer. The i7's have been great machines overall. The biggest problems were with the ivy bridge series and also when using the onboard video instead of a dedicated card.

HD version of the software offers some more advanced features and individual track input monitoring. It is not available unless you buy HD based hardware or get really lucky on eBay or gs.

A crash or freeze, they won't say much anything whether it's supported or not. You get a service period when you purchase the software regardless of your hardware. If it's just a 1 time event, nothing anyone can do. The only concern is if it's chronic. Then at that point, if your still under the service contract they will help you troubleshoot. Otherwise your down to these gutters known as forums!!!

So there is not monitoring through PT for inputs unless having HD stuff?
That's a downer.

Or is there, but at a penalty like roundtrip latency as with most hosts, or?
And with HD, it's zero latency?

And recorded clips are not automatically adjusted in position to used PDC at recording?
You need to do manual nudging?

Drums are played through midi and SuperiorDrummer - so that needs to be pretty short delay.

But sounds good if there is no stiff upper lip not using Avid everything.

[Darryl Ramm]

Sandra is documented in the "Help us Help You - READ THIS Before Posting!" link above.

If you are already using Sonar 8.5, Studio One 2.x and Reaper etc. then I would *NOT* just go and get Pro Tools without a specific reason, e.g. you need to for compatibility with bandmates or producer/studio (which you state -- if so ask them wht they recomend/are using, that includes Pro Tools versions, HD/non-HD, interfaces, mandatory needed or just recomended plugin etc. if you are really buying for compatibility, you need to really check all this out), need to for school classes, or some specific defect/something missing with the other programs. Changing DAWs for no specific reason is not going to help anybody generally produce better music or do things faster (and will likely guarantee to slow you down if you are already using another DAW).. but seems to happen more than it should, so sorry to harp on that here.

Plan on upgrading standard Pro Tools every year or so at $100-$200 cost, there is no support option that it makes sense to pre-buy. Besides the initial warranty support call you need to buy an "ASC" to call Avid support (and call the USA?). Avid has one of the least "friendly" support stories out there.

Darryl

[Bob Olhsson]

Originally Posted by NipL

So there is not monitoring through PT for inputs unless having HD stuff?.

Just not individual. There is global for all tracks in record ready which is selected in the track menu.

[mesaone]

Originally Posted by NipL

So there is not monitoring through PT for inputs unless having HD stuff?
That's a downer.

Or is there, but at a penalty like roundtrip latency as with most hosts, or?
And with HD, it's zero latency?

Input monitoring can be enabled/disabled for all tracks in Pro Tools. It can be done on a per/track basis in Pro Tools HD. Of course, this is unrelated to the "zero-latency" loopback monitoring that you have on your ASIO interface.

Originally Posted by NipL

And recorded clips are not automatically adjusted in position to used PDC at recording?
You need to do manual nudging?

Drums are played through midi and SuperiorDrummer - so that needs to be pretty short delay.

Automatic Delay Compensation is available in all current versions of Pro Tools.