Pro Tools LE to HD upgrade special: Open discussion

[Dism]

Um... we all know that newer Mac Pros have i7s in them... right?

Macs are just a box PC done right, as far as I'm concerned. A high end Mac is just a high end PC with features that most other box companies won't include. I also prefer OSX to Windows, but to each his own. Hell, you can run Windows on a Mac, and OSX on a PC these days, so the hardware is pretty well all the same.

The argument here, is LE or HD. It is evident that most HD users are also Mac users which is why, I believe, this thread exists in the Windows forum. The idea here is to find out why Windows users are content with LE and why Mac users tend to upgrade in the end. It seems that most Windows users prefer the native power they are able to achieve with current technology. Mac users could say the same however, with the Mac Pro certainly keeping up with the best of them. So the distinction between performance is important, and why it is a representative from Digidesign asking the question.

I think I can agree with the consensus, however. A dual i7 quad Mac or PC can certainly hold up just about anything LE has to offer, so if the difference is less discernible, how can we justify spending several thousands of dollars for a few more channels and a higher bitrate? If there isn't a new HD line in the works, I'm sure the research here is more purposeful in making HD a more attractive purchase. Perhaps a new card in the mix with a more powerful core system? An earlier post about "10 Apple ][s having 10 processors" really struck it home for me. Processor technology has clearly changed significantly, even if you choose to ignore Moore's law. If Digi falls behind in processor tech, it will mean the end of HD as we know it. So, adapt or fall behind. I'm sure Digi has a plan for all of us.

[spicemix]

Originally Posted by nod25

Ouch.

Wow. That's saying something coming from Tony...

Et tu, Brute?

[nod25]

Originally Posted by spicemix

Et tu, Brute?

I like this guy.

[danander11]

Originally Posted by Dism

The argument here, is LE or HD. It is evident that most HD users are also Mac users which is why, I believe, this thread exists in the Windows forum.

Actually this thread exists in the mac forums as well. More than a discussion about the merits of moving to HD, it seems to me the discussion Tony invited was with regard to the special offer to upgrade at a lower price than normal..

While offering value pricing for their products is a good thing for any company, the key word here would be value. Tony took the position that sending the $5000 or so to move up to a HD1 system was great value... a position the myself, and a lot of others, disagree with.

It's not that I, or again, many others, wouldn't mind having an HD system, the cost is prohibitive or at least 'not good value' just to get back to where we are with our LE systems. And to exceed that would cost even more.

Sadly, Tony never really offered anything more than a half-hearted attempt at making sales, and never realy made any points. I don't hold it against him personally, I don't know him. But it's a shonky way to do business... Honestly, if you want folks to upgrade, who is the most likely demographic to do so? LE users. If you can't convince them.. it likely aint gonna happen.

This whole mac-v-PC thing is a detour at best.. and actually means very little in the grand scheme of things. Folks like what they like. And unless compelled to, some change but most stay with what they know.

Just an observation on my part.

Peace!

[Jenk2k]

The mac pc thing is not the point and i think everyone here knows it. the point is cost-capablity curve. the preference stuff is not relevant. a tool is a tool. and some people get so wound up about these things. im too busy to have angry debates. let's not get off on a detour.

[Keybeeetsss]

Yeah Jenk, Danny & all else is rite; We've being speaking on LE period until it was made a Mac thing which again we don't care about; So sorry Dism but ur wayyyy off with the this thread was starting in the LE Windows forum because most Mac users are on HD; I mean seriously, Stop Playin I mean do u actually look @ the forum itself or do u JUST browse the HD side for Mac because even with that being said u are too missing many Windows HD users...jus sayin

[Mekon]

Originally Posted by Greg M

you get more power with a PC running an i7 processor and PTLE natively than you get with an HD7 and any kind of computer (Mac or PC). Add to that the Complete Production Toolkit and you aren't really missing much except some delay compensation.

Can you use your own high end convertors like Apogee DA/AD16x to record and mix 16 tracks at once OTB with anything less than HD then?

[sean shannon]

Originally Posted by Mekon

Can you use your own high end convertors like Apogee DA/AD16x to record and mix 16 tracks at once OTB with anything less than HD then?

Of course you can. I chose MOTU HD192s with SONAR.

[Keybeeetsss]

Originally Posted by Mekon

Can you use your own high end convertors like Apogee DA/AD16x to record and mix 16 tracks at once OTB with anything less than HD then?

Well 1st off, again this is the PC side & Apogee doesn't work on the PC side but to answer ur question about mixing OTB, yes u can mix 18 channels @ once & of course with converters of ur choosing with exception of Apogee (10 channels to be specific unless ur goin to a desk)

[Mekon]

Originally Posted by Keybeeetsss

Well 1st off, again this is the PC side & Apogee doesn't work on the PC side but to answer ur question about mixing OTB, yes u can mix 18 channels @ once & of course with converters of ur choosing with exception of Apogee (10 channels to be specific unless ur goin to a desk)

I thought Apogee ad/da 16x work with anything with an adat port or by using the system specific card in the expansion slot so not sure what you mean? I use mine with a roland daw and a toft atb24. So le has a max of 10 digital outs at once? So you can only mix with 10 tracks max otb using a high end converter to a desk. Same recording wise I guess. Thats the major limitation of le for me.