Pro Tools LE to HD upgrade special: Open discussion

[Keybeeetsss]

Originally Posted by TOM@METRO

We have all known for years now that Native is the future for Pro Tools, if there is going to be a future. AVID is a big ship in a shrinking ocean and does not maneuver easily. I think they will ultimately come around.

THIS is where most of the community is with Avid & the future

[nst7]

Hey Key and the other guys, I'm trying to understand something about LE vs. HD. When you talk about doing a session native that runs fine and then trying to open that session on an HD system and it gets choked up, can you elaborate on this? Is this a situation where you have a bunch of plugins on the LE system, and then the HD system is trying to open the TDM versions of all of those plugins, and it runs out of DSP power?

I'm just trying to understand better what the issues are. I've been thinking about a situation that was presented to me that sounds good, which is this:

Get a HD1 core card (perhaps used), then a less expensive interface (Aurora, Rosetta, etc.) that works with HD. Then, use the native plugins I already have, powered by the computer. The HD card handles tracking, mixing, more flexible I/O, etc., etc., freeing up the computer processor even more to run whatever else. If I need ADC for a native plugin, I just insert any TDM plug on the track (eq set flat, etc.) after the rtas one.

The basic idea being the "best of both worlds" scenario without shelling out too much money.

This also goes on the assumption that I was gonna buy a Mac Pro and that I was gonna buy a better converter, just to use with LE. So the only "extra" would be the HD core card, perhaps bought used, and then buy the $250 HD PT8 software.

It made sense to me, but is there something I might be missing that would be a potential drawback?

[Dism]

Originally Posted by nst7

Hey Key and the other guys, I'm trying to understand something about LE vs. HD. When you talk about doing a session native that runs fine and then trying to open that session on an HD system and it gets choked up, can you elaborate on this? Is this a situation where you have a bunch of plugins on the LE system, and then the HD system is trying to open the TDM versions of all of those plugins, and it runs out of DSP power?

I'm just trying to understand better what the issues are. I've been thinking about a situation that was presented to me that sounds good, which is this:

Get a HD1 core card (perhaps used), then a less expensive interface (Aurora, Rosetta, etc.) that works with HD. Then, use the native plugins I already have, powered by the computer. The HD card handles tracking, mixing, more flexible I/O, etc., etc., freeing up the computer processor even more to run whatever else. If I need ADC for a native plugin, I just insert any TDM plug on the track (eq set flat, etc.) after the rtas one.

The basic idea being the "best of both worlds" scenario without shelling out too much money.

This also goes on the assumption that I was gonna buy a Mac Pro and that I was gonna buy a better converter, just to use with LE. So the only "extra" would be the HD core card, perhaps bought used, and then buy the $250 HD PT8 software.

It made sense to me, but is there something I might be missing that would be a potential drawback?

Mainly... for the extra money you are paying for the core-card and the software, you might as well be buying extra hardware/software for LE. HD1 is hardly worth it anymore, since you can easily get the same track/plugin count in LE, especially with a Mac Pro.

[yamlan]

Originally Posted by roberts

FAIL;
Avid is a hardware company that gives away free software for that hardware to work. The sinking ship has been a prediction that has not came to pass for several years.
I don't know the future but i do know one future event - Protools will never be a native only solution EVER!

While this is true it is also a lame excuse. Pro Tools is a DAW, period. I think the issue that Tom is addressing is demand. With i9's on the horizon who really wants HD other than the small percentage of high-end audio post facilities? This could cause a sinking ship because any company needs new buyers to stay afloat. I know many pro musicians/producers here in Atlanta with LE rigs in their small studios. We have music in the local clubs, local tv and radio ads, with new local artists, all over Georgia. We are the future upcoming award winning producers. None of us are using nor want HD. Those behind us will feel the same when i12's are here.

Also, I studied in music school a few years ago. The only people that had something good to say about HD were the HD instructors, and even they had personal LE rigs and engaged comparison discussions of HD and LE with multi-core systems that are here today (just a few years later). The general consensus was "HD is good in a studio that already has it, but I aint buying it." Apparently Avid has info that says HD is still as sought after today as it was years ago pre DAW advancements and monster multi-core computers.

[nst7]

Thanks Dism.

So then all that would be left would be ADC and a few other things, I guess. Also, more I/O, if I would even need that.

[Keybeeetsss]

HD1 is only 96 voices, not tracks (before they start gettin ate up) @ 44.1-48k...

thatz the same LE 8 but its tracks instead of voices but still doesn't work for me @all...

[nst7]

Okay, maybe it's been explained before, but what's the difference between voices and tracks?

Thanks for your help.

EDIT: Just looked at the reference guide on this. Starting to get an idea, but if someone could explain in plain English that would be great.

[Keybeeetsss]

Originally Posted by nst7

Okay, maybe it's been explained before, but what's the difference between voices and tracks?

Thanks for your help.

OK, let's say u hav a session with 22 stereo tracks; In LE, that'd be 22 tracks because it doesn't go by voice count; In HD, that'd be 44 voices; Now, u'd still have 52 voices left in HD, depending upon how u use RTAS; but, the use of RTAS on AUX as well as VI's takes away voices; so say u have 5 VI's open, good-bye 10voices (stereo)...

LE, 22 stereo is 22 tracks with 26 stereo tracks left regardless to how many VI's or aux, RTAS u use...

[Bob Olhsson]

It depends entirely on what you are trying to do. For a home studio where you are almost never recording more than two or three performers at the same time and not under heavy time constraints, HD is usually going to be overkill.

When you NEED HD is when you also need a full on studio with a console, 50 mikes in the locker and the meter is running at $100+ an hour.

I'm not sure why people get so hung up on bragging rights.

[Keybeeetsss]

$75 an hr(there aren't any facilities here gettin $100 an hr), 49 mics, plenty of outboard & I'm not bragging

But yeah, if U don't need the i/o, then its not much to think about anymore...

Workflow isn't even an issue as far as I'm concerned...