Avid Pro Audio Community

Avid Pro Audio Community

How to Join & Post  •  Community Terms of Use  •  Help Us Help You

Knowledge Base Search  •  Community Search  •  Learn & Support


Avid Home Page

Go Back   Avid Pro Audio Community > Pro Tools Hardware > Pro Tools HDX & HD Native Systems (Mac)

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
  #1  
Old 06-20-2022, 01:30 PM
basslik's Avatar
basslik basslik is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Posts: 2,009
Default G5 to Firewire

My buddy has a G5 running a HDX PCI card with a Apogee AD16 HD connection via PCI.


Has an opportunity to do a slight upgrade to a 2010 Mac Pro.


Would it yield better throughput via firewire as opposed to PCI on the G5 ?
__________________
MAC PRO 2010 5,1 3.46hex 128ram - MONTEREY 12.7.3 - PT 2023.12 / 003 RACK SIGNATURE MOD / DIGIMAX FS / PCM90 2CHANNEL SPDIF

Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 06-20-2022, 04:43 PM
albee1952's Avatar
albee1952 albee1952 is offline
Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Norwich, CT
Posts: 39,306
Default Re: G5 to Firewire

I think you need to back up here as there is massive confusion in play. HDX doesn't work on a G5. The G5 ran out of time when HD cards went to PCIe(G5 could only use PCI-x HD cards). A 2010 Mac Pro(intel) can only take PCIe HD cards(or the HDN card). The G5 topped out with OSX Leopard and Pro Tools 8HD. The Mac Pro can go to Pro Tools 10 HD(maybe later versions, but not with HD cards). I suspect you have more questions than answers right now Your friend needs to start by figuring out exactly what he really has, exactly what he really needs, and what kind of budget he has

Just my opinion, but I would move to a completely new(er) setup with a much newer computer. If(the big IF) your friend has a single HD card, a modern native setup will run circles around HD1.
__________________
HP Z4 workstation, Mbox Studio
https://www.facebook.com/search/top/...0sound%20works


The better I drink, the more I mix

BTW, my name is Dave, but most people call me.........................Dave
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 06-20-2022, 09:14 PM
basslik's Avatar
basslik basslik is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Posts: 2,009
Default Re: G5 to Firewire

Thanks Dave, yeah I know its a G5 for whatever HD card ? running Apogee with 192's.


He just needs it for tracking in the studio and mixes at home. He'll probably go the M1 route for home, but needs to keep chugging along with the older interfaces. He has a 2010 at his disposal to keep the interfaces alive and was wondering if the Apogee had firewire and ditch the HD card.

Thank you for your time and I'll get detailed info on what HD card X ?
__________________
MAC PRO 2010 5,1 3.46hex 128ram - MONTEREY 12.7.3 - PT 2023.12 / 003 RACK SIGNATURE MOD / DIGIMAX FS / PCM90 2CHANNEL SPDIF

Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 06-20-2022, 10:22 PM
Darryl Ramm Darryl Ramm is online now
Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: USA
Posts: 19,510
Default Re: G5 to Firewire

Quote:
My buddy has a G5 running a HDX PCI card with a Apogee AD16 HD connection via PCI.
Nope as Dave already pointed out HDX never ran on a PCI card, let along on a G5. What you likely mean is he has a Apogee Symphony PCI card, connecting an Apogee AD16-X to the G5. And the AD16-X currently has an Apogee "HD" (i.e. DigiLink compatible) card installed in it to allow it to connect to the Symphony PCI card. The Symphony PCI card talks DigiLink compatible protocol to the AD16-X but presents that as a CoreAudio device to the DAW (including Pro Tools which can talk to that as if it was any other CoreAudio interface).

Why are you asking if Firewire would have better throughput? Throughput won't be an issue, finding any damn something that works on a 2010 Mac Pro is what he should focus on. And maybe he has all he already needs... either a PCIe Symphony card, or a Avid HD Native or HDX card. And if he does not have any of those or does not want to go that way (I'd not upgrade to Pro Tools HD/Ultimate just to use a HD Native card... but if he already has that...??? how do we guess? How much does he want to spend? Does he just want to use this interface alone? Or does he want to join it to other DigiLink Symphony connected interfaces? Why is he not asking here himself?).

If the other options I mention above don't look good for him, (most likely on cost/complexity,) then he should go the simplest route and buy a Firewire card to put in the X-slot in the 16-X. "Throughput" is not an interesting metric to think about. Maybe you meant latency... I am sure you can find latency specs on the Apogee web site. It's also probably not worth leaping through too many hoops to use this stuff, while they were very nice in their day there is no choice of better/higher performance interface out there today. Especially USB interfaces.

Last edited by Darryl Ramm; 06-21-2022 at 01:11 AM.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 06-21-2022, 09:11 AM
basslik's Avatar
basslik basslik is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Posts: 2,009
Default Re: G5 to Firewire

Points well taken.

He's really not a computer guy. So he asked for my help.

Understand now what can only run on a G5, thank you.

He does plan on getting a Apple M2 laptop for home mixing and would also cover the studio if he upgraded interfaces as you mentioned. Watched Barry Johns videos on the M1 and it's a beast.

His reasoning for keeping the G5 he stated that it's rock solid for merely tracking.

Indeed YOU folks are are always incredibly helpful as always and appreciate your time.


Have wonderful day.
__________________
MAC PRO 2010 5,1 3.46hex 128ram - MONTEREY 12.7.3 - PT 2023.12 / 003 RACK SIGNATURE MOD / DIGIMAX FS / PCM90 2CHANNEL SPDIF


Last edited by basslik; 06-21-2022 at 10:23 AM.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 06-21-2022, 02:48 PM
albee1952's Avatar
albee1952 albee1952 is offline
Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Norwich, CT
Posts: 39,306
Default Re: G5 to Firewire

Okay, I think its starting to clear up a bit. Your friend(who is not a computer guy), probably has an HD card that is PCI-X. My personal recommendation: leave the Apogee connected to the old system(its not broken, so don't fix it) and get a Thunderbolt interface to go with a new(er) Mac. Also, I would resist going cheap with any firewire interface as its spending money on out-dated technology

***Important detail*** As the G5 is likely running PT8 or older, moving sessions between the 2 systems is going to be a hassle because PT10 and newer uses a different session file format(.ptx vs .pts) and certain features(like Clip Gain) are NOT shareable. A newer system will open old sessions(as long as they are not in SD II audio format), but to move back to the old system, the session must be re-saved in the older(7>9) format.
__________________
HP Z4 workstation, Mbox Studio
https://www.facebook.com/search/top/...0sound%20works


The better I drink, the more I mix

BTW, my name is Dave, but most people call me.........................Dave
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 06-21-2022, 04:13 PM
basslik's Avatar
basslik basslik is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Posts: 2,009
Default Re: G5 to Firewire

Quote:
Originally Posted by albee1952 View Post
Okay, I think its starting to clear up a bit. Your friend(who is not a computer guy), probably has an HD card that is PCI-X. My personal recommendation: leave the Apogee connected to the old system(its not broken, so don't fix it) and get a Thunderbolt interface to go with a new(er) Mac. Also, I would resist going cheap with any firewire interface as its spending money on out-dated technology

***Important detail*** As the G5 is likely running PT8 or older, moving sessions between the 2 systems is going to be a hassle because PT10 and newer uses a different session file format(.ptx vs .pts) and certain features(like Clip Gain) are NOT shareable. A newer system will open old sessions(as long as they are not in SD II audio format), but to move back to the old system, the session must be re-saved in the older(7>9) format.

Yes that I agree with. He really wanted to up the ram in the G5, only supports 8 gigs form what I gather and For now to help a sluggish but rock solid machine.

He'll only track the sessions at the studio then work it all from home on a laptop.

Ain't broke don't fix (indeed).
__________________
MAC PRO 2010 5,1 3.46hex 128ram - MONTEREY 12.7.3 - PT 2023.12 / 003 RACK SIGNATURE MOD / DIGIMAX FS / PCM90 2CHANNEL SPDIF


Last edited by basslik; 06-21-2022 at 08:03 PM.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Questions on USB/Firewire speeds on computer W/ No firewire port rockguitarist1255 Tips & Tricks 14 04-02-2013 06:35 PM
Digi 002 Firewire 400speed not accepted by new Mac Pro Firewire 800speed ports AncientMan 003, Mbox 2, Digi 002, original Mbox, Digi 001 (Mac) 4 03-15-2010 09:31 PM
Impossible to find SIIG FireWire 2-Port ExpressCard FireWire adapter Bloody Maker 003, Mbox 2, Digi 002, original Mbox, Digi 001 (Win) 6 02-22-2010 09:58 AM
Issue? Laptop, Firewire 410, SIIG Firewire Express Card batchmister1 Pro Tools M-Powered (Win) 2 08-07-2009 10:37 AM
More Firewire Formatting/Performance Woes - Anybody got Atto working with Firewire? Audiobotica33 Storage Subsystems 1 12-11-2001 07:12 AM


All times are GMT -7. The time now is 12:11 PM.


Powered by: vBulletin, Copyright ©2000 - 2008, Jelsoft Enterprises Limited. Forum Hosted By: URLJet.com