PTFree-OSX : now it's really time

[[email protected]]

We were using Pro Tools Free for years to teach entry-level audio production, but wanted to move to OSX for many reasons. Digidesign has made it impossible for us to teach a class of students, using their products, so we're looking elsewhere. I'm talking about a reasonably priced...i.e. no more than $120/copy...audio capture and editing program that is suitable for college level. SoundTrack looks promising. We also looked at Deck LE at $250/5pack, but I think our faculty is leaning towards SoundTrack right now. We're not looking for a free ride, but won't pay $450/student for a big dongle.

I downloaded Logic Fun, but it wants to install under OS9, and claims not to run in Classic.

Is there an OSX version available?

Thanks,
Frank Fulchiero
Connecticut College

[Simon666]

Not sure Frank , haven't got OSX set up here at home.
Have you got a link for SoundTrack?

btw for basic audio editing, with multiple tracks and VST FX plug-in capability check out AUDACITY at http://audacity.sourceforge.net/about.php?lang=en. It's open source, free, and improving rapidly .
Thanks,
Simon

[[email protected]]

It's sold by Apple. It's bundled with FinalCut Pro 4, but also sold separately for $299, or a 10-pack $120/seat educational price, without manuals.

At http://www.apple.com/soundtrack/

Frank Fulchiero
Connecticut College

[tassell]

Hello everyone,

I've been using Pro Tools Free on OS9 for a couple of years now with the firm intention of buying a real one just as soon as finances would allow. I love Pro Tools. Now I'm on OSX and am extremely frustrated. Looks to me, however, like Digi have dragged their feet too long - take a look at this: http://www.intuem.com/main.html

I haven't tried it but it looks damn good and damn cheap. As we speak I'm downloading a trial copy; could this be bye-bye to Pro Tools?

Tassell

[seiun]

Two thoughts:

1). Is Logic Fun available for OS X? I seem to remember hearing that it was.

2). This sounds like absolute nonsense to me, but I was recently told by an Apple-authorized repair technician that ALL Macs are bootable to OS 9. I protested loudly, of course, but he swore up and down that the rumor about a firmware chip on the logic board controlling the boot options was only a rumor. He told me that if you format the drive and write zeros to the whole thing, you can install OS 9 and boot to it on ANY current Mac. I still haven't tried it (and I don't believe a word of it) but it's probably worth a couple of hours some Saturday afternoon to see if it's really true. It would be amazing if it were...

[Brian Porick]

This thread really resonates with the issues we're struggling with at the college where I teach music technology. We've also taken advantage of ProTools Free on all of our OS9 Macs, but the other pieces of software we need to train students on are really happier in OSX.

In my mind, though, switching to another piece of audio editing software isn't a real good option. How can you expect to train a group of students to be fluent musicians (and technicians) and NOT teach them ProTools?

I guess in our case, we wait patiently for Digi to release the OSX version of ProTools Free.

Brian Porick

[Simon666]

Once again, I wonder if Digi have really sat down and worked out just how many people we educators (particularly those of us in universities) represent, and how many potential Protools users they're bypassing this year? It's a total business no-brainer ....

[M.Brane]

I would bet that the Digi software engineering dept has been pretty busy getting the full version of PT ready for Panther. That is their bread 'n butter after all, and there's not as many people on that team as you might think. The fact that X has been a constantly moving target doesn't help any I'm sure. Even the full versions of X audio software have their issues. Of course they could always just throw an app out there, and let you do the beta testing for 'em like some other companies do.

Then again, I could be wrong. Maybe they're at the bar buying drinks for everyone with all the money they made off those HD systems.

[John Link]

It would be nice to read something from digi on this issue. Digi, are you there?

John Link

[ninobravo]

I too, am worried by this issue, as I'm an OS 9 user upgrading to X (finally). The only possible solution is to use a dual-boot approach, where you partition your hard drive into two volumes, one for OS X and Classic, and the other for 9 exclusively. When you're going to use PT Free, you restart and boot into OS 9. It would work for me since I'm about to upgrade to X, but for users who've already made the move, not such a good idea. The problem with that is that many users already have their drives partitioned (usually separate volumes for System and Data) and partitioning yet again is too much of a hassle. Even if that's not the case, inevitably PT Free for OS X will be released, and you'll have an unnecessary OS 9 partition on your drive. Not to mention the ordeal of erasing and reformatting the disk in the first place. Surely, once the commercial versions of Pro Tools are optimized for Panther, they'll strip it down to a free version, but the question remains: when?
Digi should at least throw us a bone and announce an ETA on Free for X, before more people jump ship and go to other apps...