Avid, Take My Money - Omni mod.

[malibuproducer]

So I've been a user of Digi/Avid products going all the way back to the original sound tools platform. What currently frustrates the hell out of me is the lack of a true "mid level" solution. Native at 5k in is not an appropriate "next step" from the mbox mess, nor is it something that allows a graduated approach. Avid is killing themselves by not fully addressing this growing market tier.

BUT....

With a very minor modification to the Omni, I believe Avid could

a.) greatly improve it's bottom line for negligible investment
b.) offer a middle tier solution that sustains semi pro attention as well as offering that "grow with us" model to increase HDN and HDX base.

Very simple; Put a damn USB3.0 port on the Omni and create a driver for it!

It's a heck of an AD/DA for the money, is far superior to an MBOX Pro, and I'd sure as hell would love to put my money there and know that as I expand that system I could add a native card when additional funds allow (for even better latency)... or utilize it for another HDX system. The limitations of it's I/O keep it partitioned off from that higher end canabilization.... and it gives a nice alternative to the Apollo/Symphony options for those that are willing to make small accommodations to stay in the Pro Tools realm.

As it stands now, going full bore to a native rig with Omni, Thunderbolt, and a new mac is 7K plus. Competitively it's hard to fight with my other options of getting a Hilo, or keep my old Rosetta and add a Burl for the front end for my rig and stay with the damn hardware dongles.

Am I crazy for seeing this as an easy, quick solution for a middle ground option with growth???

[Neil Pickles]

It's so patently obvious it's a wonder they haven't done it.

Or just add thunderbolt to it and chuck it in with a HD license= winner!

Whilst we're at it there is a big gap where the 003 used to sit.

[Bill Denton]

Back when the Omni first came out, which was before Thunderbolt and USB3 were really being discussed, I suggested that Avid put the Omni's computer interface on a separate card fitting into a slot on the rear of the box.

At that time I suggested making a Firewire option available, but the idea was that, whatever came down the pike, the user could simply buy a new card and update to the latest and greatest interface option.

But since Avid now offers a dedicated Thunderbolt interface, I don't see my idea gaining much traction...

[ronwasserman]

The issue is that USB 3 is fairly new as is TB and we all know PT is always 2-4 years behind the curve.

Remember, in a world of 64 bit apps, that have been that way (some) for years, we are still 32 bit.

[malibuproducer]

usb, tb,... heck id take firewire too (especially since the tb to firewire adaptors are working for most). just seems unbelievably silly to not have a competetive alternative to the apollo or symphony pricepoints.... omni w a minor engineering mod just seems like an easy way in (admitting in advance that im not an electronics designer...)

[sound_music]

nice idea, i fully agree, i'd love to be able to wander around with the omni on occasion!

but it won't (didn't) happen for obvious reasons unfortunately. there's no free space on the back panel (that i can see) to even add a card of this type.

what would be cool is if some enterprising company reverse engineered a mini digilink to USB3/TB/FW800 type adaptor box thing. (not a card chassis like magma--just a thing that allowed PT to connect to the omni without the card as the OP suggests). they'd sell a lot of them i bet!