Updating to Macbook Pro - compatability questions

[edfreeze]

Hello and thanks to anyone who may chime in. I want to update to a new Macbook Pro with at 2.4 Ghz processeor and Intel Core 2 Duo. I also want to update from my MBox to a digirack 003.

From scanning the boards, I understand that I do NOT want to use the latest OS and should run Tiger if I want the latest version on PT to run well. My main software for sounds is Reason, which I run in the background via rewire. Is anyone else using this set up and how is it going? If I can't open Reason, i can't relaunch my old sessions or compose new music, so I'm screwed. I also use SampleTank - anyone opening sampletank in a config like the one I'm describing above?

Last question - i see on Digi's FAQ page that one should NOT use the left-side USB port for their hardware. Has onyone found there to be a significant difference between left and right USB ports?

Thanks again in advance - please jump in, I'm very anxiouys to update because between PT stopping constantly and the latency of the MBox I'm going out of my mind.

[Cam9021]

I have a Macbook Pro running PT 7.1 with Reason and SampleTank. My OS is 10.4.10. No real problems and if you run PT 7.3 you need to do the update from the Digi site. Biggest problem I had is had to go to the Digi site to download all the updates for Rewire and Sampletank, as well as all my plug-in's. I am running an external hard drive for recording PT as if I don't I get the CPU overload, which seems to be the most common problem.

From what I understand, OS 10.4.9 is the hot set-up, but my buddy has 10.4.10 with PT 7.3 and had no real problems after doing the update from the Digi site (if I remember correctly it's called the Combo Update, or something like that). I haven't don't the Combo update as I understand that's for 7.3, not 7.1.

I'm sure in a couple of weeks it will be 10.5 with 7.4, so you may want to wait, but that's what's going on with my rig. Disclaimer: I only record little stuff for fun, so no 36 inputs with a ton of plug-ins, just my little M-Box 2 and several tracks.
Dan'o :}

[edfreeze]

Thanks for the response!

[OddsAre]

I'm sure in a couple of weeks it will be 10.5 with 7.4, so you may want to wait, but that's what's going on with my rig.

Don't hold your breath!!!!

And about using the USB port on the side, you shouldn't have anything associated with Pro Tools (if you buy the Digi 003rack) that will need a USB port. You will need an external hard drive that is Fire Wire.

And if you buy a new 003 then it will come with 7.4, which works great. Most probably your new Mac Book Pro will come pre loaded with OSX 10.4.11 and then include a DVD copy of Leopard which you can load later on. It should run ok on 10.4.11 as long as you follow the instructions from Digi. I'm not sure how long Apple will continue to send out models with Tiger pre loaded.

P.S.- Reason will work perfectly with that setup.

[edfreeze]

Thanks OddsAre for the info - yeah, of course the 003 is firewire, good point. I'm currently using the MBox, that's why I'm curious about that. Thanks for the info regarding the 003, and Reason's compatibility with that.

Any ideas about SampleTank's compat? Also, I'm using a 500gig drive with the right Oxford chipset - i"m told that smaller HDs are better for PT - any ideas about this?

New HDs come with a later chipset - an Oxford 924 chipset. Any compat issues there?

Thanks again!