Upgrade from protools LE to HD for 7.1 purposes

[Harbs]

Hi,

I am interested in upgrading to Pro tools HD for 2 reasons really.
1. to get high quality 7.1 surround mixes going, and
2. to get a few extra recording tracks to play with.

I am not made of money (as my parents used to say) but I would like to save up for a high quality system this year sometime. I have been doing my research and it looks like there are only Pro tool HD Audio Interface systems that have decent 7.1 surround sound mixing capabilities (I would like to manipulate these tracks, so no LE plug in versions would suit this it seems).

My computer is a MacPro1.1 (dual-core Intel Xeon) 2.66 GHz (G5 tower) and I use Digidesigns 002 rack with a M-Audio Octane for my Audio Interfaces. The current Pro tools LE software I have is 8.0.3.

A. Would a new Pro tools HD system (like Omni, Pre, ect) still allow me to use all my mic pre-amps from my 002 rack and Octane?
Or if I just got a Pro tools HD Pre could i just hook up my Octane? That would give me 8 + 8 mic pre-amps which is plenty for me.

B. How would they hook up?

C. Would my computer support the HD software and hardware?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My Background: I am a songwriter/musician/producer and have been working with Pro tools LE for over 10 years now and I don't really have a problem with the way everything is working (except for the above 2 exceptions).

Thank You,
Tim Harber

[albee1952]

Originally Posted by Harbs

Hi,

I am interested in upgrading to Pro tools HD for 2 reasons really.
1. to get high quality 7.1 surround mixes going, and
2. to get a few extra recording tracks to play with.

I am not made of money (as my parents used to say) but I would like to save up for a high quality system this year sometime. I have been doing my research and it looks like there are only Pro tool HD Audio Interface systems that have decent 7.1 surround sound mixing capabilities (I would like to manipulate these tracks, so no LE plug in versions would suit this it seems).

My computer is a MacPro1.1 (dual-core Intel Xeon) 2.66 GHz (G5 tower) and I use Digidesigns 002 rack with a M-Audio Octane for my Audio Interfaces. The current Pro tools LE software I have is 8.0.3.

A. Would a new Pro tools HD system (like Omni, Pre, ect) still allow me to use all my mic pre-amps from my 002 rack and Octane? 002-no. Octane, SOME...SORT OF. You would be better off with an HD IO 8x8x8 and a modest monitor controller(like the Presonus Central Station). I say this because the OMNI allows for 8 IO ONLY(despite having 14 physical ports). By using an HD IO, you can feed the Octane into the lightpipe input for 8 ins(8 more line inputs await you getting more preamps) and the HD IO has 8 outputs, so 7.1 is covered nicely. If you spend the money to make this move, the 002 is NOT a piece that you could, or would want to keep.
Or if I just got a Pro tools HD Pre could i just hook up my Octane? That would give me 8 + 8 mic pre-amps which is plenty for me. The HD PRE is simply an 8 channel preamp. It only works by being connected to an HD IO box.

B. How would they hook up? Assuming an HD/Native setup, you have a PCIe card that installs in the computer(but you need to move up a few years to a later Mac Pro). Your IO interface(OMNI, HD IO, 192, etc) connects to the card with a digilink cable. Your preamps connect to the IO box(different boxes offer different connection options).

C. Would my computer support the HD software and hardware? HD 8.5-probably. HD10 or 11, I don't think so. matching the OSX version and Pro Tools version is also critical. Yosemite requires 11.3

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My Background: I am a songwriter/musician/producer and have been working with Pro tools LE for over 10 years now and I don't really have a problem with the way everything is working (except for the above 2 exceptions).

Thank You,
Tim Harber

Having explained all that, HD/Native with an 8x8x8 IO is the cheapest way to get in. However, its POSSIBLE to find/purchase HD software(computer and OS version is still a critical point to match) and run the HD software with a 3rd party interface like those from MOTU, RME and Focusrite. Those companies all make products with the required 8 outputs. Some have on-board preamps. Some have lightpipe inputs where your Octane can be connected. More info here:
http://duc.avid.com/forumdisplay.php?f=45

[Harbs]

Thank You so much for this help Dave. I spent 2 days trying to find answers on the internet before you came along.

Just clarifying:

B. How would they hook up? Assuming an HD/Native setup, you have a PCIe card that installs in the computer(but you need to move up a few years to a later Mac Pro).

Does this mean that the HD PCIe card won't work in my MacPro G5 tower (mid 2007?) and that no HD systems will work with this computer?

Thanks so much Dave.

[Craig F]

There are G5 computer with PPC CPUs and one optical bay and there are Mac Pros with Intel CPUs and 2 optical bays
There is no such machine as a Mac Pro G5.
So what do you have?
Most G5s have PCIX slots except the last model that had PCIe slots
All Mac Pros have PCIe slots.
there are HD cards for both but they are not interchangeable

[DetroitT]

Correct on the old Macs.

Either way a 1,1 computer is too old.
A new computer, HD native with Avid I/O. An Omni if you also have need for a surround monitor controller.

[JFreak]

Originally Posted by DetroitT

Either way a 1,1 computer is too old.

True. You will need at least MacPro4,1 (Nehalem 2009) to have any real success... And at least 8GB memory, 16GB or more preferred.

[Barry Johns]

I have a macpro 1,1 upgraded to an 8 core and it handles everything I throw at it.

[Barry Johns]

Originally Posted by Harbs

Hi,

I am interested in upgrading to Pro tools HD for 2 reasons really.
1. to get high quality 7.1 surround mixes going, and
2. to get a few extra recording tracks to play with.

I am not made of money (as my parents used to say) but I would like to save up for a high quality system this year sometime. I have been doing my research and it looks like there are only Pro tool HD Audio Interface systems that have decent 7.1 surround sound mixing capabilities (I would like to manipulate these tracks, so no LE plug in versions would suit this it seems).

My computer is a MacPro1.1 (dual-core Intel Xeon) 2.66 GHz (G5 tower) and I use Digidesigns 002 rack with a M-Audio Octane for my Audio Interfaces. The current Pro tools LE software I have is 8.0.3.

A. Would a new Pro tools HD system (like Omni, Pre, ect) still allow me to use all my mic pre-amps from my 002 rack and Octane?
Or if I just got a Pro tools HD Pre could i just hook up my Octane? That would give me 8 + 8 mic pre-amps which is plenty for me.

B. How would they hook up?

C. Would my computer support the HD software and hardware?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My Background: I am a songwriter/musician/producer and have been working with Pro tools LE for over 10 years now and I don't really have a problem with the way everything is working (except for the above 2 exceptions).

Thank You,
Tim Harber

Tim, like you say you're not made of money. You could be perfectly fine, buying an HD3 TDM system, and a Digidesign 192 IO along with ProTools HD8 software, all for less than $1500 these days.