Looking to Upgrade PTHD 3 PCIx version Power PC

[a2zproductions]

I'm looking to upgrade my old worn out PTHD3 PCIx on an old Power PC.

What do I need?

Will a new Quad Core and Pro Tools 9 give me what I basically have. I only need to cut 4 tracks at once and mix with Delay Compenstation.

[tech_head]

You will either need to upgrade the cards or get an expansion chassis.
Any MacPro will work, buy a refurb from Apple for best pricing.
There is a Magma 4 Slot chassis that will work with your existing cards and it costs about $800 or so on eBay.

[formfunction]

Originally Posted by a2zproductions

I'm looking to upgrade my old worn out PTHD3 PCIx on an old Power PC.

What do I need?

Will a new Quad Core and Pro Tools 9 give me what I basically have. I only need to cut 4 tracks at once and mix with Delay Compenstation.

Yes.. just get the computer and PT9... and an interface.... forget HD for your needs. (If that OMNI only had a firewire port). ff

[studiojimi]

it's a shame you wore out your HD rig man

how did you do that.....??

mine just keeps on tickin'

[spiritG]

Probably a new computer with PT9HD will do what you want without the PCI-x cards IF:
all the plugins you are going to use on new or in old sessions have current RTAS equivavlents on intel/snow leopard. (note: some like autotune have current versions that will NOT open up from sessions made with certain older versions- you would have to reinstantiate and make new settings in that case).

You are not currently mixing using ALL the TDM and RTAS power that your HD3 G5 system has. If you are totally maxing out TDM and RTAS you may be able to run native only on the most powerful of Mac Pros- but not neccessarily- in some cases turning the TDM plugins to RTAS can exceed a mac pros capacity, but generally the newer high end mac pros should be able to equal or (probably significantly) exceed the plug in power of a HD3/g5 combination. Buffer size makes a difference- which brings us to the next point,

You are not monitoring through plugins while recording. Without TDM you will have to contend with different latency considerations and whether your sessions and macpro can function at low enough buffer settings for your talent to be satisfied regarding any monitoring latency. Probably you can, but there may be some instances where not,

so a simple yes or no answer without having more specific information about your requirements could be misleading.
In other words, probably a PT9HD/ new high end mac pro would cover most bases that a HD3/G5 would, but there could be some cases it wouldn't, and backwards session and plugin compatibility issues.

Alternative-the current magma 6 slot PCIx to PCIe(<$2200>) chassis and a macpro- doesn't solve old session compatibility though.
But if old session compatibility is not an issue, then maybe get a Mac pro and wait to sell the PCIx cards until you are sure you don't need to put them in a Magma.
Or just keep your well worn system if it is working, and offload VI load to a 2nd computer with VD pro or another means.

[a2zproductions]

thanks everybody.

Spirit, yeah, I was wondering about the latency while monitoring through the plugs. With my HD, I can have plugs galore, drum busses with plugs, master bus plugs, & delay compensation on, No problems, no flangy sounding vocals in the phones. This is the only thing that has me worried. In this case, no pun intended, looks like a chasis and new Mac Pro are in order.

Next question, can I buy PT 9HD & LE together on 1 ilok?