PTLE 8 & 002 Rack - safe to upgrade to Pro Tools 9 or 10?

[Tubthumper]

Hi everyone, long time no post.

I'm running a 002 Rack using Pro Tools LE 8.0.5 on a PC running Win 7 Home Premium 64 bit. Runs great, but I'd like to crossgrade or upgrade to a newer version of Pro Tools to take advantage of ADC, bounce to MP3, etc.

Compatibility concerns me, and I'm finding it hard to get straight answers to my questions from dealers - hence my post here.

Here's how I run my system:

I dont use the 002 Rack's conversion, I run 8 channels of external A>D and D>A via ADAT, and clock to ADAT when tracking.

I monitor via external D>A (Lavry DA10) via SPDIF from the 002 Rack.

I use an external control surface (Motor Mix), run via MIDI to/fro the 002.

I use an M Audio USB MIDI dongle for MIDI keyboards/drum machines (connected directly to the PC, but accessible via Pro Tools).

I have many third-party RTAS plug ins installed.

In summary, the 002 Rack acts as a Pro Tools dongle, and as a Firewire interface to pass digital audio to and from the PC. Conversion done externally.

Does anyone know if I can safely upgrade to Pro Tools 9 or 10 and continue to operate my system as currently configured?

Any advice or recommendations will be *much* appreciated!

Thanks,
Greg

[sbag]

Im not for sure, but i use Ableton to produce and PT for editing & mixing.. So unless you just want the added VI's and features then. If it ain't broke then don't fix it. My 2 cents.

[Nialzzz]

Hi Buddy,

I would say, check the compatibility page.

From looking over it myself, it would seem the 002 was supported until PT 10, and remains untested (by Avid) on PT11.

With regards to the mp3 bounce. Two things;

Free; Bounce .wav and import to iTunes. Export as mp3 from iTunes.

Paid; Buy the £9.99 bounce to mp3 option in the avid marketplace.

The paid option obviously only applies to PT8 down. Still, better than the 2-3 hundred pounds/dollars you'd pay on upgrading to a new workspace you (by the sounds of it) don't really need to.

[albee1952]

The MP3 option is now standard in PT10/11(not sure about the Express version, which you would not want anyway). Word is that the rack version of 002 does work in PT11, while the console version works as an interface, but not as a controller. Since you don't use the inputs of the 002 anyway, you know you can ditch the 002 in favor of any number of other hardware options(although, there is a certain simple elegance to how Digi/Avid hardware works...which is a major reason I still run my 003 here).