"Bootcamped" Windows audio to PT on the OSX partition????

[Bentley Ferrari]

Hi all,

Can't find the info I need in the manual, the DUC or Apple Support, etc. Maybe someone here can help me. I hope its not a dumb question. HERE GOES:

I know that with Bootcamp on an Intel Mac I can run OSX on one boot drive partition and Windows XP on another partition of the same drive. But can I get audio from an XP application on the Bootcamp partition into Pro Tools on the OSX partition? In real time, I mean? ( I read another post in the DUC that confirmed Samplitude works on a Bootcamp/Windows partition, but was silent as to whether Samplitude could send audio to Pro Tools in real time.)

Apple Support says:

"Mac OS X can read and write FAT volumes, but only read NTFS volumes. Windows installed, Windows may not recognize the Leopard disc. See this MediaFour site for instructions.

Q.: My Microsoft Windows volume appears on the desktop when I'm started up in Mac OS X, but I can't rename it or copy files to it.
A: If the Windows volume was formatted using NTFS, Mac OS X can read it but not write files to it or rename it."
"

I think this means that it shouldn't be any more complicated than piping audio from a Windows computer to a Mac computer. I do that now via 192 I/O. But I also know that there is a lot I don't know, so if anyone has any experience with Windows and OSX on the same machine, please allow me the benefit of your experience!

I'm asking this because I want to continue running PTHD on a Mac, and also continue using certain Windows-only audio software and plug-ins in my sessions the way I do now. I would think running Windows on a new Mac Pro would be a big jump in performance from the PC I'm using ( a Dual Opteron 240). I'm running Pro Tools on a dual 1.8Ghz G5, and I also use a Dual 2.0Ghz G5 as well as my PC to run VSTs and AUs and send the audio to the Pro Tools rig. The 1.8Ghz G5 is straining to keep up with software that, with every update, seems to need more CPU power and more bandwidth. I use a fair deal of RTAS instruments and some effects that are not available in TDM format.

Having put other improvements to use, e.g., multiple audio drives, freezing tracks, bussing efficiencies, etc., I thought this Bootcamp solution on a new Mac Pro (if it can work) might be better than building a new PC. Even if I have to plunk down a few grand for PCIe cards.

All answers and suggestions will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance, and much thanks for taking the time to read this post!

[Rail Jon Rogut]

You can't run OS X and XP from Boot Camp on th same computer at the same time - you'd reboot into whichever OS you want to run. I use MacDrive under Boot Camp and record to HFS+ drives -- my XP partition is NTFS but all my data and audio is kept on HFS+ drives.

Your alternative is using Parallels - but don't try running Pro Tools under that. With Parallels you can run most other XP audio apps in a window under OS X.

Rail

[Bentley Ferrari]

Thank you, Rail. Much obliged. (I've learned a lot about pro Tools and recording in general from your many contributions here and elsewhere--so thanks once again!)

-BF