offline bounce?

[danielfre]

Hello.
New to this forum and fairly new to PT, so forgive me for asking a total noob-question.

I'm using Pro Tools LE at work, migrating old audio cassetes to PC. My problem is the mixdown - there doesn't seem to exist an offline bounce option, wich mean I loose a lot of time in that process. I first have to record the tape to pro tools, then go through it again for every mixdown (I'm converting to 16 and 24 bits...). For now I do the converting and editing in Audacity, but it would be awsome to be able to do everything in Pro Tools...

So - is there any way to make a (fast) offline bounce to disc from within Pro Tools? And if not - why, oh god why?

/Daniel

EDIT: I'm using Pro Tools LE 7.2 and Mbox2.

[Burbree]

You can cosolidate your playlist (Select then Alt>Shift>3) on a stereo track then select the region and export region as a file (Ctrl>Shift>K) Select Bit depth and file options.

hope this helps

[The Weed]

You can Export single or multiple regions faster-than-realtime, but not with inserted effects or automation, only with printed effects. If you are mixing mutiple tracks with inserted effects and/or automation, your only choice is real-time playout to a file.

The reasons for this, according to Digidesign, are two-fold:

1) If you want to use outboard effects, you cannot do this faster-than-realtime;

and

2) In TDM/HD any inserted effects using DSP cards cannot happen faster-than-realtime.

The last discussion I had with a Digidesign rep about this, I pointed out that with the incredible computing power now available from CPU's and with the fact that in 7x there were no longer any restrictions on where RTAS plug-ins could be used in HD, it should be possible to provide an OPTION for faster-than-realtime mixdown with all effects and automation when no outboard gear and/or no DSP plug-ins were being used. He agreed and said he would mention it at a future meeting.

Please don't hold your breath waiting for this option to be implemented in Pro Tools. Rather, take the playout in realtime as an opportunity to recheck your mix, go to the bathroom, read a book, have wild sex, whatever you want to do while the playout is occurring.

Others have used a workaround. They bus the mix tracks to a stereo track and record the mix as they go along. They then consolidate the mixed stereo track and export that to a file. Not always perfect, but good enough for a rough mix. As always, YMMV.


Cheers,

[Burbree]

Interestingly enough I never use the bounce engine as I find that it affects the sound. Bounces sound smaller and high frequencies seem to be impaired. I ALWAYS bus to a track. If a realtime bounce affects the sound, then an offline, faster than realtime bounce might impair the result yet further..

I think a compromise that digi COULD EASILY implement across HD and LE on tracks that dont use external processing and do contain plug-ins that are available as audiosuite:
a track freezing function a la Logic which creates a processed temporary audio file which frees up the combined plug-in processing used on that track

[danielfre]

Many thanks!
Oh so it can be done then! Cool, I just must have missed that. I'll check the method with when I'm back from the holidays. I don't use any realtime effects, mostly just trim the edges and when needed a little normalization.

Thanks again!
/Daniel

[wmmccoy]

Interestingly enough I never use the bounce engine as I find that it affects the sound. Bounces sound smaller and high frequencies seem to be impaired. I ALWAYS bus to a track.

Nice to talk to you again.

Just curious, I understand bussing to another track, but how does this get one around the fact that if one wants to use a composite outside of PT, you have to bounce, right? Man, if I'm missing something, I'd love to know about it, because, like you say, bounces are NOT identical sonically in any way to the original PT mix.

Best regards,
M. McCoy

[The Weed]

Just record enable the track everything is bussed to as you mix. Then apply fades to, consolidate and export that track.

Cheers,