Moving Between HD and nonHD in a Post facility: dropped tracks, lost work

[keaps]

Hey there,

I'm having a problem strategizing how to purchase/add workstations after all the changes Avid had done in PT11 (which I love for the most part).

I'll try to be concise:

I have a few satellite workstations and 1 main surround mix room. It is very common and helpful to have sessions that have been worked on in the surround mix room opened by other workstations and worked on. I'm trying to avoid a discussion on workflow particulars: this kind of flexibility is a must.

Obviously, the surround mix room needs to be an HD system, but the others don't. The way I used to maintain flexibility is by getting the Complete Production Toolkit for all the Satellite workstations so we'd all have the same features in our software. Now, since there is no such thing and it is not possible to just buy a PT11HD license how are facilities maintaining flexibility with out buying a ton of unnecessary hardware?

I have all the hardware I need, and I just want to add more HD users to help during bottlenecks.

This really wouldn't be a problem if the unsupported features weren't just dropped from the session. Ideally, they would just become inactive; but, it is not the case. If a non-HD user opens my HD session all my surround tracks are deleted (along with VCAs, etc). I know VCAs can be coalesced, but that's besides the point.

How have you guys dealt with this issue? I called an Avid rep and he really didn't know what the best way to handle this situation apart from looking for old CPTK licenses on ebay and just upgrading them to HD, which is obviously unsustainable... I can easily see myself needing a handful of satellite workstations in the near future.

All the best

[Darryl Ramm]

A sales rep could not go through the options for you? Then find a better sales rep. Seriously. The options open are very straightforward.

If you used to buy CPTK, then you presumably have a bunch of those licenses, so just use the current Avid CPTK to HD special offer to upgrade to Pro Tools 11HD on those systems.

If not then the official/guaranteed safe/cheapest way to get HD on those systems is to buy a HD Native (or HD Native Thubderbolt) bundle for each one. Wether you actually use the HDN card and interface or not. Need a bunch of Omni's? Omni's on those systems might be nice anyhow....or tally up how many HD IO boxes the whole studio might need in future and buy those bundles. And/or sell off some of the interfaces.

Maybe not what you want but those are the obvious options. A sales rep working with you should also have checked if you have any old HD TDM hardware that could qualify for upgrade deals.

[kd_special]

Heres what I did...

Go to Ebay.com

Buy PT HD Licenses with no hardware. Ive gotten them from 1000-1500.

We have HD software everywhere with only one system with HD hardware.

kd

[nst7]

You might have done that before Avid started enforcing the rules about not transferring HD licenses.

[keaps]

You might have done that before Avid started enforcing the rules about not transferring HD licenses.

Exactly- not only is having to go to ebay instead of Avid a problem, but it is not possible to do that anymore.

If not then the official/guaranteed safe/cheapest way to get HD on those systems is to buy a HD Native (or HD Native Thubderbolt) bundle for each one. Wether you actually use the HDN card and interface or not. Need a bunch of Omni's? Omni's on those systems might be nice anyhow....or tally up how many HD IO boxes the whole studio might need in future and buy those bundles. And/or sell off some of the interfaces.

Maybe not what you want but those are the obvious options. A sales rep working with you should also have checked if you have any old HD TDM hardware that could qualify for upgrade deals.

Part of my reason for posting this was to point out that the only option I know of was to buy a ton of unneeded hardware, then turn around and sell it. Such a waste of time and money...
It is strange to me that Avid would not make an HD license easy to purchase- why would you turn away business? I'd gladly drop $1500 for it.
Many people I know including myself run non-Avid hardware but need all the features of HD, especially those in a post house.

At the very least make it so that sessions between HD and non-HD are completely compatible; why can't 5.1 tracks just be inactive like a plugin missing a license? Something worthy of Ideascale.

Are there any other options I'm missing?