Adding accel card to Pro Tools 8 HD Mac

[roderickelms]

Just looking for a little reassurance here, as it's a long time since I set up my Pro Tools 8 HD system.

I just have the standard core card with a 96 i/o interface. If I add an extra PCIe accel card, what will I gain? I currently seem to be limited to 48 tracks, and on larger sessions, I frequently get a message warning about the number of active audio/RTAS-enabled tracks.

Would someone be able to say what the benefits would be of an extra card – I don't seem able to find this information anywhere. Would this help the above issue?

Thanks for any advice.

[JFreak]

You get more voices and more than double processing power (mixer stays on core card, second one is all available for plugins.

Bear in mind that with the card you also need that ribbon cable, which is many times missing when someone sells 2nd hand. It is hard to find.

And the ribbon card must go from core card B connector to accel card A connector. Counter-intuitive, right? They should have lapeled them IN (A) and OUT (B), but no.

[roderickelms]

Thank you so much for this - much appreciated. I assume that there was only ever one incarnation of this card and that a card advertised as a 'Digi accel PCI card for Pro Tools HD' would fit the bill for my Mac Pro Tools 8 HD system?

[JFreak]

There were two, one for PCI (or PCI-X) systems and another for PCI-express systems. Check your computer which you need.

There were also two different extra cards for PCI (or PCI-X) systems -- original and accel. The PCI-express cards however are all accel.

[roderickelms]

Thank you, Janne. It's a 2007 MacPro, so PCIe. I appreciate your support with this.

[JFreak]

No problem. I have had both of those (PCI maxes out at 8 and PCI-express maxes out at PT10) and still know them inside and out. Also had MIX but have begun to forget many things about it.

[roderickelms]

Ha – I had the Mix, too. Still have the interface, I think!

[JFreak]

I donated my MIX3 turnkey system to Malawi. Maybe one of these days I start asking who needs a free HD3. Need to be non-profit charity organization who takes care of the shipping.

[roderickelms]

Great thinking – I'll have a think about the old system although I don't think I'll be updating my HD system anytime soon as I simply can't afford all the inherent upgrades, and I'm very reluctant to enter a subscription model.

[roderickelms]

Might I ask one further question –

I've located a PCIe accel card. Is there a preference for the order in which they go inside the computer? For some reason, I seem to remember seeing something about this being important, but I can't find it. I currently just have the video card and the HD core card.

Thanks.