stupid HD12 or non-HD12 upgrade question

[adam_w1]

I've been a long time HD user, and stopped using HD hardware a few years ago, currently using HD11 with non-avid hardware totally native and have been totally happy. Since Avid came out with this captain insano upgrade pricing structure I don't know what to do - $599 a year for support you'll never use seems crazy to me.

Even though I run native I stayed with HD for features like beat detective being multitrack, disk caching, etc, but my understanding is these are in the regular version as well now...

What's the difference between HD and non-HD now anyway? I'm not interested in video orientated features, or surround. I mix in stereo for 99% of my work.

And does it make sense to just use regular PT 12 now if i am never going to use the HD hardware or DSP ever again? I spend thousands on my whole HD, and pre HD rigs and am never going that DSP route again!

[Stig Eliassen]

Pro Tools Software comparison table.

All new features coming with 12.3 are included in both HD and standard version.

[adam_w1]

Hi Stig,

I've been using protools since v4 or something and I already read the table. I also read things like then compatibility docs as I come from an age that when you didn't - things didn't work.

I posted the question to get feedback from the use community as sometimes data in a table doesn't have the same in-use relevance that feedback from users has. From the table, I see no practical difference in the two versions if not using DSP or Avid HW. This is not how it used to be - so I seek clarification and advice from active users. Thanks.

[Stig Eliassen]

Gotcha. I believe I started using PT when version 4.3 came out. Had to use Logic as front-end to get MIDI capabilities.

Well, those are the differences. I use HDX and ICON, and need to stick with HD. The expanded audio editing and automation features are important to me, and are nicely integrated with the console.

Tom said that they are working on new features, but that's not a selling point for HD right now.

Originally Posted by Tom Graham

Hi,
All the 12.3 features and enhancements described are new to HD users. That being said, we are and will be working hard on new HD specific features and generally they take a longer to development and implement.
Thanks,
Tom

[Josh Voyles]

The biggest difference for me right now is the 32 I/O limit of PT Native.

While not a big deal in the studio, it's a pain tracking live sound sometimes if you want to use PT. If you set up a HD rig for that, it becomes very expensive and cumbersome.

[mdvirtual]

Surround capability is another difference, that's the thing keeping me on HD at this point.

[jacko]

Preview / Capture, Manual Write, Write On Stop, Trim and other advanced automation features are still only in HD.
But there have not been even one new HD-only feature that appeared over the last year or longer.

[nigelpry]

Originally Posted by Josh Voyles

The biggest difference for me right now is the 32 I/O limit of PT Native.

While not a big deal in the studio, it's a pain tracking live sound sometimes if you want to use PT. If you set up a HD rig for that, it becomes very expensive and cumbersome.

The 32 i/o limit also applies to HD if not using Avid HDX/HDN hardware, which the OP says he is not.

[propower]

I started with V4 as well...

All Vanilla since this past Summer. There are some automation mode differences with HD but nothing you can't work around. I had the same choice and sold my whole HD Native system off (the only way I could ever sell the Software). Moving forward (IMO) PTHD is just for HDX and HD Native folks.

[nigelpry]

I've taken the leap and completed some sessions exclusively in 12.2.1 vanilla now. Been caught out by the following that I use regularly but don't have access to in vanilla ...

1) Scrub trim edit mode,
2) Various automation modes/processes ...
a) Volume trim automation on Audio, Aux, Instrument and Master tracks,
b) Touch/Latch automation mode,
c) Latch prime,
d) Write automation to start or end of track, or to selection, or to all of track,
e) Write automation to punch point or next breakpoint,
f) Automation preview.

Will be a bit of a PITA to unlearn those things, but then again Avid may well cascade them down into vanilla too in time (fingers crossed, but probably not until after I've adapted to life without them).

I can't justify the HD level fees just to retain those bits of functionality.