2.8GHz Quad-Core with D-Show Profile for live recording?

[soloan]

Hi.

I am going to purchase the latest "One 2.8GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon “Nehalem” processor" Mac Pro with 3GB (three 1GB) memory. It will be used with D-Show Profile for about 64 tracks live recording in 48k. So the inputs come from D-Show and I will monitor the signal through Aurora 16 connecting to the accel process card.

Any known issue with this configuration? What do you think if I use 2 internal SATA harddisk(system on a separate one)?

Do I need to use a specific ver of Protools(I plan to install Snow Leopard and PTHD 8.04) to match the firmware/software of the D-Show?

Please direct me to any related topics also.

Thanks.

Cheers,
Soloan

[digidesigner]

You need PTHD3 as for 64 tracks you will use 2 connectors/ 2 cards and if you need to monitor thru an external IO box that must be then connected to the third card. Are you sure you need to monitor? I mean you have a d-show system that you can use right? You can mix down to assignables lets say 1 and 2 (PT output 49&50) and patch these back to any free input channels. Then you can listen to these channels if you need to monitor but pushing a solo on a input channel would be the same so I don't think there is that much of a point in "monitoring" anything. And if you are not running the show then you have no control over gains and stuff anyway... you would need to go and tap on the FOH engineers shoulder for each problem and he might be busy anyway... So as long as he/she is not pushing the gains and all the lines work you will be fine.

But yeah, AFAIK you can monitor thru an external box but I think you need to get word clock from FOH rack to your box for it all to work as D-Show will be the master clock device.

You can choose whatever Pro Tools version you like (from the ones that were available since Venue systems are out at least)

[soloan]

Digidesigner, Thanks for the reply.

I am not the FOH engineer for the show. So you are right, I will have to rely on the FOH guy heavily.

It seems there is no compatibility problem on the latest Mac Pros with Protools, right? So it doesnt matter if I buy the lastest one?

[digidesigner]

Originally Posted by soloan

Digidesigner, Thanks for the reply.

I am not the FOH engineer for the show. So you are right, I will have to rely on the FOH guy heavily.

It seems there is no compatibility problem on the latest Mac Pros with Protools, right? So it doesnt matter if I buy the lastest one?

No, no check the Pro Tools Mac section of the board, I see a bunch of people having problems with the new computers. But I haven't really looked into this too much so please do your own reading and see what would be the safest machine. If tracking is the only work this computer needs to do then get the most stable PCIe machine as even an G5 would handle the job running at only 5% or so. I'm not suggesting you to get a G5 but just to let you know there is very little for a current computer to do while recording so there is no absolute need to have the most current machine.