How can we get more plugins to be current on the Compatibility grid?

[smpkeys]

For instance - IK Multimedia's T-Racks 3 has been out for several years now, but only the old version (1.3) is qualified on the Grid. Other software from them, such as amplitube and Sampletank is current on the grid.

Same with Overloud's Breverb, and others I'm sure.

Maybe DTS can suggest what we as users can do to help that process (and maybe explain what that process is) - i.e. should users contact the software companies and ask, etc.. Or, are there problems with those plugs that prevent Avid from qualifying them?

[daeron80]

For things that are off the grid, install one, use it for a few days, if you have no problems, no worries. Just make sure you only test one at a time or you won't know which is the issue when you run into problems.

T-RackS 3 seems to work fine. I haven't noticed any compatibility complaints, anyway. I have the compressor from that set, and the only problem I've had with it is that when you bypass it, its actual latency drops to zero but it continues to report the 64 samples or whatever it is. So you have to disable it rather than bypassing it to hear the difference in phase. No huge deal.

[JFreak]

As for plugin compatibility testing, generally, it is okay if:

- you are able to start protools after installing one new plugin
- you are able to open an old session perfectly okay
- you are able to instantiate the newly installed plugin
- you are able to playback the old session as it were

Usually a bad plugin does not even let PT start, and if it does, it dies as soon as you try to instantiate it on an old session.

[DigiTechSupt]

Typically speaking, if you're using the LATEST version of a plug-in, it'll be fine.

Some plug-ins still require you to reduce the number of processors dedicated to RTAS in the Playback Engine - if you get CPU errors when CPU usage isn't actually maxing out, try reducing the number of processors and it should help.

The reason that there aren't more plug-ins on the compatibility grid is that, to qualify for the grid, they actually have to be tested - which is a very time-consuming process.

It's also a good idea to read the plug-in manufacturers specific information about configuration with Pro Tools as some plug-ins need certain settings to work properly (disabling multi-processor support in NI plug-in, for instance).

[smpkeys]

Thanks DTS for the good info. I notice shortly after this post that T-Racks 3 is now listed on the grid. Cool !