upgrading to HD questions and ebay

[redchair]

Digidesign Pro Tools HD Core Card (PCI) EXCELLENT!!!


i am presently using digi 003, PTLE 8, windows xp
now investigating the steps to upgrade to HD,,,but very raw at what i need. I just make my own electro music, using digi plug ins and virtual instruments and waves, so i dont need massive session parameters....just looking to get (of course,,lol) more clarity etc...needed in techno, trance music...
On ebay, i saw an ad for a Digidesign HD core card (PCI) for $2500,
is this what i need? does this sound right?
what else do i need?
can i still use my digi 003 controller, instead of having to get one fitted for hd like, command 8
my computer is tweaked out,,so it should hold if allot more cpu is needed,,but should i still get the hardware to help with that....or should i investigate just starting from scratch..what have hd users found...

lots of questions,,with not a huge budget...thats why i am very interested in the ebay items....has anyone purchased from their as well....

[albee1952]

The 003 does not work at all with any TDM or HD setup. Some things to consider here. First off, a well-built quad core/LE system will outperform HD1 or HD2. So the only thing to gain there is ADC. Latency compensation can be dealt with for way less money than it will cost to go HD3. If you want better sound, record with better mics, thru better preamps, thru better converters. None of that is addressed by HD or any other DAW system. You can make these improvements with what you have(Get something like an API A2D and patch it to your SPDIF input and a really good mic). The only reason I see(one man's opinion here) to go HD is to open a commercial studio in a big market where nothing else would compete. I run 48 track sessions all day long on my custom built i7 system.

[albee1952]

BTW, to run HD, you need at least the core card AND an IO box. The 96IO sounds the same as the 003 from what I have read.

[IntelDoc]

I would NEVER buy a 96 but would rather spend the money on a Lynx or something to get you going.

HD has some perks if you use a lot of outboard gear. Sounds like you are not personally ready for HD with some of the questions you are asking. No offense but that is the first of my thoughts.

Clarity comes with mixing, better room acoustics and experience, NOT HD.... HD is a tool that allows you to have larger sessions and better control (at least sometimes) but by no means is a clarity item. That is all part of the mixing. I believe that the 003 has a new external clocking feature yes? If that is the case I would invest in a Antelope Isochrone OCX atomic clock. Amazing clock.... For elecetronic music that is primarily RTAS instruments and other beat related software I would think that you ca get away with a LE rig. A nice pre tied to a nice converter (Apogee or something) and some room treatment.... good mic... BINGO....

Not sure that you need a HD rig....

Doc