Tascan DM4800

[Andrew. D]

Hi All

I would like to know if anyone is using the Tascam DM 4800 with the firewire option, as a front end for ProTools either 10 or 9 and if so how well does it work?
Also how is it as a control surface for PT? Is it comparable to the C24 or is it more like 3 Command 8's?
Thanks

[P,B,S]

Originally Posted by Andrew. D

Hi All

Also how is it as a control surface for PT? Is it comparable to the C24 or is it more like 3 Command 8's?
Thanks

I have never used a DM4800 but it uses the Mackie HUI protocol to communicate with PT. From my very limited experience with with HUI it is very slow and not very useful for fade automation. Maybe they have fixed something to improve upon this but if they haven't and it behaves and functions like a MACKIE D8B it is basically useless as a control surface.
But it would have 24 outputs on tascam,s tdif format . So if you happen to use MOTU,s 2408 you will enjoy the i/o section but in my experience the HUI format leave worlds to be desired compared to the Control 24, which is already over a decade old so its not exactly modern technology to begin with.

I myself would stay clear of anything using HUI . PT once said they would no longer support HUI but the public backlash kept it going at least until now.
If you buy anything HUI you are buying a format PT has said years ago it wants to drop , so I doubt it will be in PT much longer.
It probably is a good or even great piece of gear but its usefulness as a surface is most likely very short term in PT.
PT 11 with 64bit is a good excuse to put the HUI issue to bed leaving all HUI in the past

Or at least this my understanding learned from here that HUI is on its way out
I also cannot comment on the audio side of things, as I have never used it

[cwsand]

I used a 4800 last year extensively and had no issues using it as a controller with HUI. It was very responsive and accurate to what was on the screen and vice versa. Getting the transport to work properly was a bit more tricky, but I was able to get it working with MTC.

[29CountsNY]

I use a DM3200 as a front end for pro tools since version 8.
Works great and once they opened up the FireWire card to be able to use with pro tools it was even better!!