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  #1  
Old 01-16-2015, 04:32 PM
mike.porter mike.porter is offline
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Location: Denver, CO
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Default Early 2011 MacBook Pro / Yosemite / Pro Tools 11 Compatibility?

Hi all,

Would love to know if anyone has experience with (or a reasonably informed opinion on) whether Pro Tools 11 would run on an Early 2011 MacBook Pro (15", Standard Graphics, Model 8,2) running OSX Yosemite.

Avid has not qualified it--at least according to this page, Avid only starts with Late 2011 MBPs.

It's got a 2 GHz Intel Core i7 and 16GB RAM. I would think it would work, but would like some thoughts on it before shelling out for the program. Thanks.
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  #2  
Old 01-16-2015, 06:16 PM
Park Seward's Avatar
Park Seward Park Seward is offline
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Default Re: Early 2011 MacBook Pro / Yosemite / Pro Tools 11 Compatibility?

Download the free PT11 demo (good for 30 days) and see how it works
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Park
The Transfer Lab at Video Park
Analog tape to Pro Tools transfers, 1/4"-2"
http://www.videopark.com
MacPro 6 core 3.33 GHz, OS 10.12.1, 8 GB RAM, PT12.6.1, Focusrite Saffire Pro 40, PreSonus DigiMax, MC Control V3.5, dual displays,
Neumann U-47, Tab V76 mic pre, RCA 44BX and 77DX, MacBook Pro 9,1, 2.3 Mhz, i7, CBS Labs Audimax and Volumax.
Ampex 440B half-track and four-track, 351 tube full-track mono, MM-1100 16-track.
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  #3  
Old 01-16-2015, 09:50 PM
VRW VRW is offline
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Default Re: Early 2011 MacBook Pro / Yosemite / Pro Tools 11 Compatibility?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Park Seward View Post
Download the free PT11 demo (good for 30 days) and see how it works
+1

You may back up your existing system first. Use this app and any external drive
(doesnīt have to have any specific rotation speed nor a specific connection type,
any old USB 2 drive will do the job as long as there is enough storage space for
your data).
https://bombich.com
(itīs a 30 days fully functional demo version available which you can use and you
will find all instructions how to do it on this website too-need to prepare your drive
via Disk Utility to make it bootable first) Donīt use Time Machine as there have been
issues with it since 10.9.

Actually PT11 should work as it is not the most powerful machine in the world but it
definitely comes with an i7 Quad Core processor which is one crucial requirement
for a good and smooth PT11 performance and you also got all available 16GB Ram.
http://www.everymac.com/systems/appl...olt-specs.html

Under normal circumstances you should be good to go!

The best of success to you,

VRW



PS: if you havenīt got PT11 yet and you are qualified for the upgrade by any Digidesign
hardware or prior version of Pro Tools, try it out as soon as possible because there is still
inventory of this low price upgrade available from Sweetwater.
http://www.sweetwater.com/feature/protools11/
But as said before the official period for this offer has expired and there are only left overs
available from some resellers. If you might be interested you should hurry up.

Donīt forget to set up all the OS X optimization stuff before installing PT.
http://avid.force.com/pkb/articles/t.../Optimize-10-9
(works for 10.9 as well as for 10.10)



Mac Mini i7Quad, 16GB Ram, MBP Mid 2012 2,5GHz i5, 16GB Ram, Mac OSX 10.10.1 Yosemite, Apogee Quartet+Duet 2
Genelec Active, Yamaha NS10, Pro Tools 11.3, Logic 10.0.7, Waves, MCDSP, Duende Native, HOFA, IK Multimedia, NI etc.

Last edited by VRW; 01-17-2015 at 12:26 AM.
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  #4  
Old 01-17-2015, 01:20 AM
VRW VRW is offline
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Default Re: Early 2011 MacBook Pro / Yosemite / Pro Tools 11 Compatibility?

One thing left to mind... your OS hard drive, more, the speed of your OS drive.
If you still have the original one which is a 500GB 5400rpm HDD, you will have
to replace it with a faster one if you decide to go with PT11.

For demoing PT11 it may be alright if you donīt play with more than a handful
tracks and just very small, non-demanding sessions.

If however you will start working seriously with PT you will definitely have to get
a 7200rpm HDD for your OS drive as well as an external FW800 or Thunderbolt
connected drive for your Pro Tools session and audio files.

This 2nd "audio-drive" is a requirement for the use of PT and it also has to be a
7200rpm HDD at least!

Everything else with your 2011 i7 Quad MacBook should be absolutely no problem.
Btw itīs very easy to replace the internal HDDs of this MacBooks and you can find
lots of of tutorial videos on You Tube.

This one would be the best bet for audio recording if not a SSD.
http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Weste...al/WD7500BPKX/

You even could use 2 of those, one for the OS drive, the other put in an
external enclosure with FW800 or Thunderbolt connection for your 2nd audio drive.
Such an enclosure would be right enough.
http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Other...ng/MSTG800U3K/

This enclosure offers FW800 and USB 3 but you will want to use FW800 as your
MacBook still uses USB 2 ports which will be too slow for Pro Tools 11.

Anyway.
That should be it.

The very best of success and much fun,


VRW



Mac Mini i7Quad, 16GB Ram, MBP Mid 2012 2,5GHz i5, 16GB Ram, Mac OSX 10.10.1 Yosemite, Apogee Quartet+Duet 2
Genelec Active, Yamaha NS10, Pro Tools 11.3, Logic 10.0.7, Waves, MCDSP, Duende Native, HOFA, IK Multimedia, NI etc.
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  #5  
Old 01-17-2015, 02:54 AM
mindnoise mindnoise is offline
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Default Re: Early 2011 MacBook Pro / Yosemite / Pro Tools 11 Compatibility?

See my Signiture -
Rock solid performance.
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last: PT11.3.1
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  #6  
Old 01-17-2015, 09:35 AM
mike.porter mike.porter is offline
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Default Re: Early 2011 MacBook Pro / Yosemite / Pro Tools 11 Compatibility?

Wow--awesome, thanks everyone for the quick replies.

I had not even thought to try the trial (duh). Regarding using CC Cloner: I'm not following exactly--why is this necessary? Is the issue that Pro Tools restorations from Time Machine don't work right? If so, I should be good; I don't use Pro Tools currently, because I don't have a version that is compatible with Yosemite (though, yes, I do qualify for the upgrade pricing on Pro Tools M-Powered 8, and want to move quickly on the Sweetwater deal). I do have older session files backed up externally.

So, in that case, a Time Machine restoration should work, yes?

VRW, I should have also mentioned, maybe in my signature, that I have a LaCie Rugged FW 800 drive for session/audio files. It's pretty old now and probably should be retired (so thanks for the HD/enclosure suggestions), but I'm pretty sure it runs at 7200RPM. Will verify.

Also, I did replace the internal HD a few months ago with an SSD. So it sounds like that should help matters as well.

Again, thanks everyone!
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  #7  
Old 01-17-2015, 01:22 PM
VRW VRW is offline
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Default Re: Early 2011 MacBook Pro / Yosemite / Pro Tools 11 Compatibility?

Quote:
Originally Posted by mike.porter View Post
I should have also mentioned, maybe in my signature, that I have a LaCie Rugged FW 800 drive for session/audio files. It's pretty old now and probably should be retired (so thanks for the HD/enclosure suggestions), but I'm pretty sure it runs at 7200RPM. Will verify.

Also, I did replace the internal HD a few months ago with an SSD. So it sounds like that should help matters as well
Thatīs perfect. You really have got everything you will need.
Thatīs cool.

Quote:
Originally Posted by mike.porter View Post
Regarding using CC Cloner: I'm not following exactly--why is this necessary? Is the issue that Pro Tools restorations from Time Machine don't work right? If so, I should be good; I don't use Pro Tools currently, because I don't have a version that is compatible with Yosemite (though, yes, I do qualify for the upgrade pricing on Pro Tools M-Powered 8, and want to move quickly on the Sweetwater deal). I do have older session files backed up externally.

So, in that case, a Time Machine restoration should work, yes?
No, it doesnīt have to do anything with Pro Tools specifically.
Up to OS X 10.9 I always had used Time Machine to back up
my fresh OS X (with and without PT) and I also never have
had any problems restoring it via Time Machine.

Since 10.9 however I couldnīt get any Time Machine back up
finished anymore as every trial (and there were a lot) got stuck
sooner or later and there was no chance to solve it.
On searching the web on this issue I just saw many other entries
regarding this issue, so I assumed it to be a general OS X problem.

I looked for another solution, remembered great reviews about the
CCC, tried it and was impressed how easy to handle yet reliable it was.
This is why I now only recommend to use CCC as it can be used for free
for 30 days and works really flawlessly with Mavericks and Yosemite.

Thatīs all.
If Time Machine still does work properly with your system you of course
may use it. Just back up your system before installing the PT Trial and the
dedicated driver for your interface to make sure you can come back to a
well working system if anything of the stuff should mess up your system.

One last thing. If you havenīt got it already get the Trim Enabler application
to enable Trim support for your SSD. This will support your SSD as to itīs
speed as well as to itīs lifetime.
http://www.cindori.org/software/trimenabler/

Except you got one of those OWC SSDs which do not need this because of a
particular processor they use.


Finally the very best to you and lots of fun with PT11,


VRW




Mac Mini i7Quad, 16GB Ram, MBP Mid 2012 2,5GHz i5, 16GB Ram, Mac OSX 10.10.1 Yosemite, Apogee Quartet+Duet 2
Genelec Active, Yamaha NS10, Pro Tools 11.3, Logic 10.0.7, Waves, MCDSP, Duende Native, HOFA, IK Multimedia, NI etc.

Last edited by VRW; 01-17-2015 at 11:22 PM.
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  #8  
Old 01-17-2015, 08:09 PM
CME CME is offline
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Default Re: Early 2011 MacBook Pro / Yosemite / Pro Tools 11 Compatibility?

Just kind of skimmed through the previous replies. So sorry if I'm being redundant. But I have an early 2011 with 2.3 ghz proc, 16GB of ram, and a 480GB SSD. This thing is great for pro tools. Lots of power and portable. I've swapped the DVD drive for a Bluray burner, bought a henge dock, akitio Thunder dock, and some usb 3.0 drives. I am good to go for a while into the future. :)
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  #9  
Old 01-18-2015, 08:57 PM
mike.porter mike.porter is offline
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Default Re: Early 2011 MacBook Pro / Yosemite / Pro Tools 11 Compatibility?

Thanks CME. Did not know about those Henge docks--they look cool. Thinking about a Thunderbolt dock like yours or the CalDigit one after I get Pro Tools set up.
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  #10  
Old 01-19-2015, 03:41 PM
CME CME is offline
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Default Re: Early 2011 MacBook Pro / Yosemite / Pro Tools 11 Compatibility?

You're welcome. I also got a good deal on a hp 27" wqhd monitor. Makes for a great set up.

And there are a couple of other docks that have recently came out that do look nice. The sonnet echo 15 is really awesome. But not sure it's been released yet, and was announced a long time ago.
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