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  #1  
Old 08-10-2005, 07:07 PM
mfleming mfleming is offline
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Default The Future of ProTools LE?

We're running LE on a fast computer loaded with memory. As we move forward with more complex tasks it's tempting to find the money to move up to a TDM system. But, I've been thinking...

Since the LE and TDM software does essentially the same tasks (I pretty sure), the difference is really in the hardware. The TDM hardware offloads much of the computing tasks from the computer to the TDM hardware, as I understand it. But, I'm looking at the advancement of the PC, with multi-processors, cheap memory, faster drives, etc, and I'm wondering if LE on the most advanced PCs could keep up with my needs.

The PC's or today are nothing compared with the PC we'll see in 2-3 years. Heck, the new PS2 has something like 8 processors in it. Xbox will have something like two or four I think. (I could be wrong on the exact numbers as I'm not up on gaming). In any event, future PCs will be able to handle much more work, faster. Imagine LE on a quad-processor, 10 Gb of memory, faster, perhaps even solid state drives. Am I wrong in thinking at the future of LE systems is bright with the computing power to come?
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  #2  
Old 08-10-2005, 08:01 PM
Joe Evans Joe Evans is offline
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Default Re: The Future of ProTools LE?

I think you are right about the processing power being a great step toward making native audio processing better. However, there are some differences in the actual PT / PTLE software that might not be changed. Some TDM-only plugs might never be made native, limited Beat Detective in PTLE, no plugin latency compensation, track count, etc..... In my opinion Digidesign is going to keep the PTLE and PT systems disparate because they want to sell the HD systems. Native audio will certainly benefit from the increased computing power, but I don't think PTLE users will beyond a certain point. Some of the AMD 64 systems being used right now are close to outrunning PTLE's abilities already. Just my opinion though.....

Joe
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  #3  
Old 08-11-2005, 02:39 AM
gerax gerax is offline
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Default Re: The Future of ProTools LE?

It depends a lot on what actually are your needs. I think PTLE 7.0 will give us a better picture of where Digidesign is headed with the future of their native version. It's clear that in 2 or 3 years the power of native systems will be much more higher than it's now. For the moment if you take a look at the specs and the results achieved with a well configured, single processor AMD machine you may notice that it's far outran the power of current PTLE versions. I'm in the middle of an upgrade myself; HD isn't justified yet, and used MIX system is obsolete, and I guess that for the money It's not more powerful than an say, AMD64 @ 3800. So I very much think that the next release (BTW when it's supposed to be out??) will be a turning point.
I do musc and A/V post, a dual CPU (or dual core) system would make my work run smooth when I need the machine to flex its muscles. With these new systems I see the power it's available and at a fraction of the cost of a TDM system. Clearly Digidesign knows this and keeps the LE version limited in its features, otherwise in a couple of years you'd see people selling HD rigs and getting an AMD system with 4 UAD-1 cards and have cash left for lots of other studio gear. This is the mov I'm planning, getting a dual CPU system and load it with UAD cards: I have worked on such a system in a friend's studio, and I say that the amount of power available is really huge, equal to that of an HD1 (which I have worked on too), and all of this for a fraction of the price.
The difference as I said before it's in the software, so the next version will make us understand what to do.

L.G.
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  #4  
Old 08-11-2005, 05:04 AM
mfleming mfleming is offline
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Default Re: The Future of ProTools LE?

I wasn't sure what a UAD-1 was so I looked it up. So far, I see that it's a PCI card that plugs in to the PC and offloads some of the computing from the PC CPU to it. I see that they come bundled with plugins. I'm a little confused about this part. Do the other plugins we've bought for LE run through the UAD-1 now? Or do just the ones that come with the UAD-1?

Could someone explain the whole UAD-1 thing to me and how it interacts with PTLE?

Thanks.
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  #5  
Old 08-11-2005, 05:55 AM
dramsenik dramsenik is offline
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Default Re: The Future of ProTools LE?

Quote:
I think you are right about the processing power being a great step toward making native audio processing better. However, there are some differences in the actual PT / PTLE software that might not be changed. Some TDM-only plugs might never be made native, limited Beat Detective in PTLE, no plugin latency compensation, track count, etc..... In my opinion Digidesign is going to keep the PTLE and PT systems disparate because they want to sell the HD systems. Native audio will certainly benefit from the increased computing power, but I don't think PTLE users will beyond a certain point. Some of the AMD 64 systems being used right now are close to outrunning PTLE's abilities already. Just my opinion though.....

Joe
One thing digi knows also it's that they have too be competitive with other "native" hosts. If not PTLE will not exist anymore in a near distant future. (I guess that Digi prove us that they take the native road seriously with the last mpowered and the last LE features up to 6.9)

So features wise they can't limit PTLE too much and i wouldn't be surprise if in 5 years (?? to say a number...) PTLE and PT HD will have the same software features. The difference between HD and LE will always be the hardware (input-output and the mixing control desk)
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  #6  
Old 08-11-2005, 06:10 AM
mfleming mfleming is offline
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Default Re: The Future of ProTools LE?

This is probalby going to sound like a very dumb question, but when you guys say "native" what eactly are you referring to?
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  #7  
Old 08-11-2005, 06:27 AM
yavuzj yavuzj is offline
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Default Re: The Future of ProTools LE?

PT HD processes all the plugins on its own PCI cards.
This loads off a lot of CPU power from the computer.
Actually, audio transfer is also done by the PT D cards.
It may not mean much for 32 tracks but it means a lot when it is 128 tracks.
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  #8  
Old 08-11-2005, 06:45 AM
Chris Cavell Chris Cavell is offline
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Default Re: The Future of ProTools LE?

The term "native" in DAW speak refers to processes that are handled by the system's CPU as opposed to additional specialized processors (like the dedicated DSP chips in an HD system). In this regard, LE is native, TDM or HD is not native.

Honestly, the original question needs to be looked at a little differently. Any advances in computing technology that benefit LE will also (as they have in the past) benefit HD/TDM. Because TDM came first, there are some disparate advantages from a computing and DAW workflow standpoint that LE has over TDM...but I'm sure digi is working to close this gap (as is evidenced by the changes in RTAS functionality in TDM systems over the past few releases). Eventually, TDM systems will basically be LE with more features. I don't think that will change for quite some time once the few remaining advantages LE has are finally afforded TDM systems.

Perhaps a more intuitive way of looking at it: LE will be nothing more than a "limited" version of HD...always will be. Any advantages in computing technology advances will be afforded to both systems, but LE's functionality will remain "limited" in comparison to TDM no matter how advanced the computers get.
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  #9  
Old 08-11-2005, 06:51 AM
mfleming mfleming is offline
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Default Re: The Future of ProTools LE?

In which areas do you think those limitations will be?
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  #10  
Old 08-11-2005, 07:09 AM
Chris Cavell Chris Cavell is offline
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Default Re: The Future of ProTools LE?

The same ones we have right now:

Track limitations.
Buss limitations.
beat detective limitations
different automation modes (trim mode)
some video post limitations (rulers and sync modes)
surround limitations
delay compensation limitations
"copy to send" functionality
write current automation values to beginning/end of selections
continuous scroll of the edit window during record/playback (that one seems really silly to me, but its there)
and on and on...

the things we have in LE that I'm sure that digidesign is trying to get incorporated into TDM (because they'd be idiots not to):
RTAS functionality across the board...that's pretty much it. That really hinders workflow on a TDM system right now with regards to virtual instruments (most are RTAS only), auto-bypassing of RTAS plugins when recording, rewire functionality, no RTAS plugs on master faders, specific order b/w RTAS and TDM plugs if you want to use both types on a track. If they fix this RTAS functionality in HD|TDM, there will never be an advantage to LE over TDM save portability and cost, because TDM will then have all the capabilities of an LE system and then some.

Cheers,
Chris
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