Pro Tools 2020.5 Won't Recognize Omni

[aftermid]

Hi,


Just upgraded to Pro Tools 2020.5 on High Sierra. I was on Pro Tools 11.3 HDX. With this new install, the software doesn't even have the Avid HDX on the Playback Engine drop down window.


I've installed the drivers. If use Logic Pro X, it recognizes and can route sound through the Omni, but not Pro Tools.


What am I missing?


Thanks All

[Darryl Ramm]

You failed to install the Digilink license needed for recent versions of Pro Tools Ultimate to work with Digilink peripherals. Discussed on DUC like a thousand times... you can find with a search.

Now you think Pro Tools knows it's "ultimate" and can tell there is a Digilink peripheral on the computer... so you would think if Avid cared about making stuff easy for users then Pro Tools would pop up a warning about this... nope, like many things they just don't seem to care.

[jeffro]

Originally Posted by aftermid

...upgraded to Pro Tools 2020.5 on High Sierra. I was on Pro Tools 11.3 HDX. With this new install, the software doesn't even have the Avid HDX on the Playback Engine drop down window...

Pro Tools Ultimate software is needed to run with HD hardware (comparison table). Based on your reference to Pro Tools 2020.5 (and confirmed by a quick check of your iLok account) you only have a Pro Tools license. A Pro Tools DigiLink I/O license is also required (as Darryl pointed out) but that's not the problem here.

[Darryl Ramm]

Well Jeffro cares.

[aftermid]

Wow.


Ok my version of Pro tools is not Ultmate. My iLok has it listed as Pro Tools 2020.5. I assume that means it is the essential. Is that correct?


Even so, is this digilink license new? When I upgraded from PT 11.3, I didn't need a license to use my already bought and very expensive hardware.


I hope this isn't the case. Why would I need a license for hardware I already bought? It wasn't that way before. Is this a new PT policy?


If so, like you noted, to make life easier, they might have stated that at the time of purchase? Kinda an important little detail to have.


So, if this is not an Ultimate system, do I still need the digilink license?


The only reason, I didn't upgrade to Ultimate is because I didn't feel I would use some of the extra features it offered.


If I do need the license, would have been nice to have been told about the change in policy. I can tell you I don't see any DigiLink license on my iLok.
I would assume, I needed it, it would be there to be activated.


Did I miss the memo?


Thanks for your answers in advance. This is the first I hear of having to need an extra license for your hardware. Really?

[aftermid]

Thanks in advance for the answers. I know it might seem like a dumb question.

[Darryl Ramm]

On the Ultimate side, nothing really changed, it's just a marketing rename of HD.

"Essential"? no, non-HD or non-Ultimate mainstream Pro Tools has been pretty much called Pro Tools standard or just "Pro Tools" since version 9 did away with Pro Tools LE.

On the Digilink licenses side yes it was a confusing thing a few years ago. Not very well handled and lots of folks here have been confused by that... but as jeffro pointed out that is not your main problem. Again you can search on DUC and find out all about it. If you upgrade to Pro Tools Ultimate as you should have you might (see Jeffro comment later) get a Digilink License included with your upgrade. As with all this stuff... if you are not sure ask a dealer like Sweetwater or VintageKing, they know this stuff backwards.

If it's not an Ultimate license then anything else is irrelevant. You can't use Digilink at all, just the same as you could never use a TDM/DSP card, HD native or HDX based system with Pro Tools LE or Pro Tools standard.

Hopefully you can see if you can return your wrong purchase and buy the real upgrade you needed.

[jeffro]

HD Hardware needed Pro Tools HD (later rebranded as Pro Tools Ultimate) software to run. The DigiLink license was implemented with v12.6 about 4 years ago (see the KB article I linked to). It was provided to all users with active update plans at that time and included with new interface purchases starting then as well.

[JFreak]

It is not new policy. Pro Tools HD hardware has always required Pro Tools HD license. Today, that is called Ultimate, but the rule is still the same. HDX and HDN hardware will not work with standard software, need to be Ultimate license.

[Darryl Ramm]

And if you are stuck *right now* get the Pro Tools Ultimate 30 day trial and that will tide you over while you sort out this mess. ... but you hopefully are not stuck and can just boot and run your old system.