Question for Pro Tools users

[seven]

So I'm considering converting to a mac now, been a long time windows user.....any of ya'll use protools on a mac and if so what kind of mac do you have? g4,g5, imac, mac pro...something else? anybody runnin a notebook? Give me feedback on how your protools is running on these machines for tracking as well as editing and mixdown.. oh and thinkin of goin with mbox pro or 002rack, they appear to be compatible with the same systems running 7.x and up

[Sar KAZum]

So I'm considering converting to a mac now, been a long time windows user.....any of ya'll use protools on a mac and if so what kind of mac do you have? g4,g5, imac, mac pro...something else? anybody runnin a notebook? Give me feedback on how your protools is running on these machines for tracking as well as editing and mixdown.. oh and thinkin of goin with mbox pro or 002rack, they appear to be compatible with the same systems running 7.x and up
I'm currently running the new white macbook g5-fully upgraded though....and I have the mbox 2 pro w/protools 7.3.....everything is running perfect!!!!

[konceptjones]

Why switch if you're going to use ProTools? Is there another reason compelling you to switch platforms?

[seven]

Primarily I don't want to go through the hassle of having to research so many preconfigured PC'S to make sure they're compatible. You have to make sure you have the right processor, service pack, motherboard chipset, bla bla bla. Then if I get someone to put one together for me, shit it's almost the same price if not more and then there's no support if the machine fails.

Secondly, I'm not sayin mac is better than windows however I've heard enough people in the industry give accolades to the mac, plus mac is more flexible and if I really was attatched to windows I could run it on a mac. PC doesn't seem to want to "get along" with other platforms and there's less I can do. Pro tools on windows doesn't let you import audio into a session directly off disk you have to rip it first...can't use the movie option (correct me if i'm wrong) and my pc has crashed too much and is vulnerable to viruses.



Why switch if you're going to use ProTools? Is there another reason compelling you to switch platforms?

[konceptjones]

Primarily I don't want to go through the hassle of having to research so many preconfigured PC'S to make sure they're compatible. You have to make sure you have the right processor, service pack, motherboard chipset, bla bla bla. Then if I get someone to put one together for me, shit it's almost the same price if not more and then there's no support if the machine fails.

Secondly, I'm not sayin mac is better than windows however I've heard enough people in the industry give accolades to the mac, plus mac is more flexible and if I really was attatched to windows I could run it on a mac. PC doesn't seem to want to "get along" with other platforms and there's less I can do. Pro tools on windows doesn't let you import audio into a session directly off disk you have to rip it first...can't use the movie option (correct me if i'm wrong) and my pc has crashed too much and is vulnerable to viruses.

There's not much to research anymore. There's only a handful of things that can cause issues these days. Just stick with intel based PC's and you really shouldn't have a problem. Buying a Dell with an Intel processor pretty much ensures compatibility right now.

I have a Dell Inspiron 630m laptop with a 2GHz Pentium D and a gig of RAM. My interface is an M-Audio Fast Track USB and it runs ProTools M-Powered just fine. My home machine, however, is a self built frankenstein PC. Athlon XP2000+ on an MSI K7 Master-S board with a hybrid chipset (AMD 761 Northbridge/VIA VT82C686B Southbridge) AND on-board Ultra160 SCSI controller running XP SP2 and an M-Audio Audiophile 192. The SCSI controller is NOT Digi approved, and the hybrid chipsets usually have problems with everything under the sun, but my machine runs ProTools MP flawlessly. One of my other machines that formerly had ProTools on it was a Pentium 3 850, running XP SP1 and had a Digidesign Audiomedia III in it with ProTools 6.1.1. Again, flawless operation.

If you want, head over to the Digi Support forum at http://duc.digidesign.com/ and look in the ProTools LE or M-Powered forums, there's guides stickied in the forum on best desktops and laptops for PTLE/MP.

[seven]

I'll check out the support page....however there's always the virus issue and although I don't expose my recording computer much to the internet, when imported files are needed that's when the whole virus issue kicks in...and has windows solved this problem so it doesn't get upset when you hot swap peripherels?


There's not much to research anymore. There's only a handful of things that can cause issues these days. Just stick with intel based PC's and you really shouldn't have a problem. Buying a Dell with an Intel processor pretty much ensures compatibility right now.

I have a Dell Inspiron 630m laptop with a 2GHz Pentium D and a gig of RAM. My interface is an M-Audio Fast Track USB and it runs ProTools M-Powered just fine. My home machine, however, is a self built frankenstein PC. Athlon XP2000+ on an MSI K7 Master-S board with a hybrid chipset (AMD 761 Northbridge/VIA VT82C686B Southbridge) AND on-board Ultra160 SCSI controller running XP SP2 and an M-Audio Audiophile 192. The SCSI controller is NOT Digi approved, and the hybrid chipsets usually have problems with everything under the sun, but my machine runs ProTools MP flawlessly. One of my other machines that formerly had ProTools on it was a Pentium 3 850, running XP SP1 and had a Digidesign Audiomedia III in it with ProTools 6.1.1. Again, flawless operation.

If you want, head over to the Digi Support forum at http://duc.digidesign.com/ (http://www.arizonabeats.com/forum/redirector.php?url=%68%74%74%70%3a%2f%2f%64%75%63% 2e%64%69%67%69%64%65%73%69%67%6e%2e%63%6f%6d%2f) and look in the ProTools LE or M-Powered forums, there's guides stickied in the forum on best desktops and laptops for PTLE/MP.

[konceptjones]

I'll check out the support page....however there's always the virus issue and although I don't expose my recording computer much to the internet, when imported files are needed that's when the whole virus issue kicks in...and has windows solved this problem so it doesn't get upset when you hot swap peripherels?


hot swap? Are you thinking of firewire or USB devices? If so, you just unmount USB stuff and then pull it out, same as before from Win98SE to XP. Not sure about FW 'cause I don't use it.

Virus? Keep a copy of some antivirus sw on it and you should be cool. Run XP SP2 to be compatible with the DAW software and pro hardware and everything should be good.

[seven]

firewire and usb. and since it's newer protools i'll be using firewire. I want to hot swap rather than have to go manually tell it to disconnect. I'm tryin to avoid running antivirus or any program in the background while running protools especially if running 96khz sample rate

hot swap? Are you thinking of firewire or USB devices? If so, you just unmount USB stuff and then pull it out, same as before from Win98SE to XP. Not sure about FW 'cause I don't use it.

Virus? Keep a copy of some antivirus sw on it and you should be cool. Run XP SP2 to be compatible with the DAW software and pro hardware and everything should be good.

[konceptjones]

firewire and usb. and since it's newer protools i'll be using firewire. I want to hot swap rather than have to go manually tell it to disconnect. I'm tryin to avoid running antivirus or any program in the background while running protools especially if running 96khz sample rate

The way around that is to scan the files on another machine before you drop 'em on your DAW.

I'll look into the FW thing tho. Never gave much though to it.

[seven]

I'll give u an example:
my roland phantom can receive and swap files with acomputer but can't stay connected to use sequencer, so I have to connect and disconnect. windows gets sensative sometimes about that. i swap external drives between computers.


The way around that is to scan the files on another machine before you drop 'em on your DAW.

I'll look into the FW thing tho. Never gave much though to it.

[RythmIQ]

look man, i couldn't read this whole thing cause you guys are going back and forthe, but I think my input is highly applicable to your question seven...

I started out producing on a beefy PC using an MBox (the first one)...after a while I felt like I needed more inputs/outputs and I upgraded to the M-Audio FW 1814 (though in retrospect I didn't need to)...

For a long time I had issues with pops in my vocal recording tracks. This in the end was due to firewire performance on the PC. And as you suggested I had countless issues that would not have happened if I simply had a mac. It's pretty simple really PT and many other audio applications are natively developed on the Mac, therefore it is the first test bed and more thoroughly tested and adapted. Feature wise they are the same.

Anyway, long story short I ended up getting a MacBook Pro 2.33 ghz intel core duo with 2GB of RAM. I never ever ever ever ever ever have problems. Hope I didn't just jinx myself lol. But anyway, and I also run an MPC 2500 / Fantom and track out my beats into this setup.

worx fantastic, i would never again go back to PC's for my music...I just have less problems on a Mac. Plain and simple, and problems in the studio? There is nothing more frustrating.

I hope this helps you with your decision.
RythmIQ

[Big Haps]

look man, i couldn't read this whole thing cause you guys are going back and forthe, but I think my input is highly applicable to your question seven...

I started out producing on a beefy PC using an MBox (the first one)...after a while I felt like I needed more inputs/outputs and I upgraded to the M-Audio FW 1814 (though in retrospect I didn't need to)...

For a long time I had issues with pops in my vocal recording tracks. This in the end was due to firewire performance on the PC. And as you suggested I had countless issues that would not have happened if I simply had a mac. It's pretty simple really PT and many other audio applications are natively developed on the Mac, therefore it is the first test bed and more thoroughly tested and adapted. Feature wise they are the same.

Anyway, long story short I ended up getting a MacBook Pro 2.33 ghz intel core duo with 2GB of RAM. I never ever ever ever ever ever have problems. Hope I didn't just jinx myself lol. But anyway, and I also run an MPC 2500 / Fantom and track out my beats into this setup.

worx fantastic, i would never again go back to PC's for my music...I just have less problems on a Mac. Plain and simple, and problems in the studio? There is nothing more frustrating.

I hope this helps you with your decision.
RythmIQ:dj: