opinions about updating to newest version of PT LE

[protuser]

a question to ask other protools LE user's:
If you are using a version of protoolsLE say (6.4) and things seem to be working ok, and then a new version like like 6.7 is released, Is it very important to upgrade?

was there big differences in earlier versions of PT and ver. 6.4?

IM just wondering because if I constantly make update's then I'm forced to learn the new features and also taking the risk of getting incompatablity issues.
the computer I use with protools is NOT conected online.

[SimpleNatureSpirit]

Within the first few days of 6.7 being out, it seemed buggy and even destructive. Digi obviously has not thoroughly tested their new features and, as can be seen with the number of CS updates already, the community was their primary beta testers. For a product that we needed to pay for, this is virtually unacceptable. I had 5.3.1 with my OO1 and received a free update to v6 at 1 year of ownership, but 6.7 was only free if you bought Digi in the last month or two before the release of 6.7.
As for v5 to v6... I lost productivity in the new upgrade. Things simply stopped working that I got use to. We weren't stable till CS9 came out almost a year later. Now that 6.7 is out, 6.4 users will not see any more bug fixes either (although an upgrade to 6.7 has to be paid for). Digi never really address the serious issues with 6.7 like stability, technology enablers like hyperthreading, or even adding previously incompatable chipsets. I am getting seriously disappointed with DigiDesign as time goes on. I will wait to see if they pull out a few stops by overhauling their compatability and stability issues in V7. If it is only another warm-over to the existing PTLE app, then I will probably just put my DigiGear in the corner and use it for a mixing console. Too much is happening in this arena to ignore what's happening with other options.

Ask youself this: "Who is expecting me to keep up with the Bleed'n Edge in DigiLand?"
If you come up with a blank, lay low for a while and keep up with the zines meanwhile.

[Petander]

No need to update if a system works.


I jumped into 6.7 though, after ghosting a spare system drive so I have a working 6.4 as well. Got no complaints about 6.7, I didn´t DL any cs updates or even update the 002 firmware - why should I because it works now?

Lots of plugins and instruments, they all transferred just fine. A couple of tracks less in Davec, though. But it often runs 24 / 7 for several days without a reboot, just like 6.4 does in my case.


But generally, do not update for the sake of an update. I´m really allergic to the consistant "update everything all the time" - phenomen. I also use a synced up Atari STE with Cubase for some midi work (with external soundmodules) , haven´t updated for a while...


Serious midi work I do in another plattform... just used to it. Personally I don´t need/want any more midi functions in PTLE, just more audio tracks please. If 7.0 comes out as an all-in-one-midi-moulinex I´m not gonna touch it I guess.


Whatever you do, make backup drives and cd:s of your working system.

[lwilliam]

Simply upgrade if you need or want the new features, or if there is quirk or an instability that you feel would be addressed in the upgrade. Otherwise, why bother?

It used to be that you never upgraded to a version x.0 (zero at the end) as you knew it would have bugs. I always waited until at least version x.1.

More recently, it seems software developers have not fully beta-tested their products before releasing even an incremental upgrade such as PT 6.4 to 6.7. This is self-evident in that fact that there have been eight "bug fix" releases since 6.7 came out only a few months ago. Why does an x.7 version of ANYTHING need a bug fix? That should be what versions x.1-x.6 ironed out.

I'm currently on 6.7cs7 which seems to be ok on my system, but with the ever lessening quality of major releases, I will certainly not upgrade to any new version until the first few bug fixes come out.

This is not limited to Digidesign, however. If you visit the Apple Logic forums, you will hear from some VERY unhappy users of Logic Pro 7, who are still complaining about stability and "broken" features even after the recent 7.01 release. At least with Protools, SOME people have fairly stable systems. That's much rarer with Apple Logic users from all reports.

MOTU is not a whole lot better. I'm still running DP 4.5, but 4.51 and 4.52 have now been released to fix "broken" features that were supposed to be working and only worked with some plugins or some hardware.

Don't even get me started on Steinberg...wait for a version x.42 before considering using it in a professional situation - at least with their Mac products.

[albee1952]

If you are going to update, do yourself a HUGE favor. Buy another hard drive and copy your working system drive or do a complete new load of your OS followed by the new version of PT. This way, if you have any troubles, just pop the old drive in and you are right where you left off. With 80gb drives for $50 after rebates, I keep 2 and trust me; you will NEVER regret having a spare drive with a full working PT setup.