003 Control Surface - No Longer Supported?

[spearson8]

I'm aware the Avid is no longer making 003 units but I heard that the next generation of ProTools will not support the 003.

NOT AT ALL? Meaning, I need to get a new BOARD??!! PT10 and the 003, for me anyways, works FLAWLESSLY. I would hate to be stuck in PT10 and not able to upgrade to what will hopefully be 64-bit compatibility in the next version of PT.

Anyone know any details?

[mykhal c]

Yep...PT10 is EOL for 002/003 and TDM hardware.TDM hardware will continue to receive support for next 3yrs....as well as software updates via PT10....

[nigelpry]

Have a look at my post a while back when this issue first surfaced.

http://duc.avid.com/showthread.php?t=311421

You'll find that there has been no definitive reply from Avid, just some hopeful musings from other users.

I reckon the best we can hope for is that it may still work, but that Avid won't provide any support if it doesn't, as it is no longer a supported product.

And when the day comes that the drivers no longer work, for whatever reason, then that will be the end, as they won't update the driver any more. We'll either have to stay with the last os+pt version that works, or move to another audio interface if we want to stay current on the software front.

As I say, that's the best case scenario. Worst case ..... it may not work at all come PT11. Avid is quiet on the subject.

One other person mentioned in a post wondering whether it might be possible to get Avid to separate out the audio driver from the control surface part of it, so we could use a third party audio interface but continue to use the control surface part of the 003.

Now that would be a really nice way of providing us 003 users with an ongoing use for our 003.

I wonder if the protocol that the 003 uses to talk to pro tools is the same as what the other control surfaces use .... C|24, D-Command, Icon etc etc. If it is, then Avid is unlikely to mess with that protocol much, otherwise it would cause problems for those other control surfaces.

If the 003 does talk the same language as those other control surfaces, then that adds weight to the suggestion that Avid could provide a longer life for the 003 by separating out the audio driver from the control surface driver.

But it's very unlikely that Avid will do this work, seeing as the 003 is discontinued.

Maybe they would be persuaded to let someone knowledgeable (I bet there is a good programmer out there who is also a pro tools user) get at the source code for the driver so they can isolate the audio driver from the control surface driver, so we can choose to use either or both in our our projects. I don't know if separating out is even possible, but it sure is a nice idea.

Any ideas, thoughts, anyone?

[mykhal c]

Avid had EOL announcements and support coverage when they released PT10.that's where you'll find the specifics.

Too add...the 002 drivers,which I use, haven't been updated in 2yrs now on W7 side...1.5 yrs on OSX side...they will probably never be touched again...003 falls into the same hole IMHO...and forget HUI protocol comin to these control surfaces...nice thought tho...

[ac30fan]

Originally Posted by nigelpry

One other person mentioned in a post wondering whether it might be possible to get Avid to separate out the audio driver from the control surface part of it, so we could use a third party audio interface but continue to use the control surface part of the 003.

Now that would be a really nice way of providing us 003 users with an ongoing use for our 003.

You don't seriously think that AVID is directing ANY thought at how to keep legacy hardware owners happy, do you? It's clear to me that the abandonment of Digi era users has begun. I mean, 002/003 units are the ONLY interfaces experiencing the chronic Core Audio issues. Owners of 3rd party hardware are better supported than us right now, and we're technically still covered under the AVID umbrella.

I was on Digital Performer for years; moved to PT for collaborative opportunities that surfaced 2 yrs ago. During those years, MOTU never showed this level of contempt for registered owners of their hardware. I'm baffled by AVID's behavior and can't see why I would ever trust another piece of their hardware.

My planned strategy is to freeze my setup on the last version of PT that isnt creeping with bugs. I really don't care too much about 64bits anyway, and am increasingly tired of this endless quest of chasing the next magical piece of gear.... Gets in the way of making music

[nigelpry]

ac30fan,

You thought I was serious?

I don't for one minute think that Avid are spending time developing new 002/3 drivers.

I've just gotten used over the years to making full use of the 003 as a control surface for pro tools, see nothing else in avid's current line up at a sensible price point that offers anything like those control surface features, and wish, after it stops working as an audio interface, it would still work as a control surface.

My expectations are not high, however.

N