Panther (OSX 10.3.9) with PT 6.9, or Tiger w/PT 7?

[wez]

hi all, one for the mac/Schmo-Tools tragics....

we're setting up a second PT room (i know, it's the dark side) and i'll be setting up a new, clean machine. our other room is PT 6.9 running on Panther. Should I duplicate this setup in the other room for compatibility or would it be better to go with Tiger & PT 7? i don't know anything about the advantages of these two newer releases, and whether there are any issues. enlighten me so that i may choose the right path.

peace,

wez

[Kris]

If you're buying a new dual core/Intel equipped G5 you may have some time to wait before everything pro-tools associated is brought up to spec. Interms of compatability you'll be at an immediate disadvantage until all manufacturers adjust for Intel.

Maybe see if you can buy a non-intel G5?

[Jason Dirckze]

And there are a few teething problems with the Quad G5's too....but nothing major. A couple of processor settings, and you always need to run PT higher than 256...

Which Mac are you thinking of getting???

Jase

[davemc]

Well if your moving projects backwards and forwards I would keep them both the same. As the screen layouts and sessions are different between 6.x and 7.x. You will have to keep saving as a 6.x session each time to transfer back.
If your other room is a LE room. 7.0 onwards gave greater RTAS performance. 7.1 music prod pack gives you 48 tracks as well.

[wez]

not getting a G5, shopping for one of the later G4s, ie MDD

[rick]

presuming all your software is purchased, why wouldnt you run the same version in both rooms?

i am trying a new strategy
i just bought a g5dual 2 gig, i loaded it with the software that came with it ( tiger 10.4 .something) i bought the version 7 update for tools which is a its a clean reinstall, i undated my plug ins to run on this new 7 system and that it
i am not touching any installs or version updates again !

the theory is its a optimised sytem it works and maybe if i leave it alone , if i never fall for the web browser telling me to update itunes or some security login and i just leave it as it is ...working ,
it will do its job as a tape machine and forget its an already aging computer,
what do you think..?

you know g4s are really really noisy right ..?

[Martin]

i ran a MDD G4 protools rig for a while and i can say the move to a G5 was very easy and pain free..

6.9 ran fine with all plugs realitively good performance, but 7.0 you do notice it better RTAS performance cause it actually uses the dual processors properly. i run out of USB bandwidth before the machine is even close to running out of puff

[Jason Dirckze]

Thats a good strategy Rick, and one that has worked for me. I bought an original G5 single 1.6gHz processor when they first came out, probably 3 years ago now, and have stuck with the original OS (Panther). Still working as it should....

Jase

[wez]

Rick... the reason i currently have 6 computers is because of your advice about 3 years ago, ie dedicated machine for each task. and it has served me well! although my dining room looks like a swap meet this weekend, as i've bought most of them home to shuffle HDs around, as i get ready to sell a couple - wife not completely happy (resigned i think is the word).

David's new G5 has PT 6.9, and absolutely nothing else on it as far as i know. my main G4 has PT 5.2 & 6.4 and a thing called DSP-Quattro, nothing else - this is my 'tape deck' machine. my PC has Sequoia and PlexTools Pro - nothing else, it's my record/burn/test machine. I figure if you're going to spend $5k on the software then the least you can do is spend a few hundred bucks and give it it's own computer.

as for not fixing it unless it's broke - still using 9.2 at home. i also still have a Blue G3/400 Mhz which i will put back into service if i have to (at home).

anyway, back to the topic.... yep it's all new legit software, probably will make sense to stick with 6.9 for the moment. yep i know about the "wind tunnel" G4s, but there are fan mods available, and we have an iso box. although if an early G5 came up at the right price, i'd look at that too.

hate to say it but plug-in performance will be important as this setup will be the antithesis of the A-room (which is analogue heaven) - it's essentially for tv/film & 'in the box' work, schmick control surface etc.

thanks for the advice guys,

cheers, wez

[rick]

you cant blame me if you have six computers,
i only have...err actually i'm not telling ..
and your right you probably can blame me

my feeling in the next few months as the new intel macs appear it will be a great time to buy a 2nd hand g5

version 7 tools seems to have moved a few things around but i did not notice it was an amazing improvement just a pain as i try and figure out where things moved to
i could read the instructions but life is too short for that kind of folly

i guess my point is whatever you use obviously the same in both rooms is the go.

and the only other thing is i have found that updating mac o/s systems always causes more problems then it fixes
so from now untill i figure out a better solution i am only going run th o/s that was shipped with the computer on that computer
well i until that strategy corners me into something i havent forseen anyway.
i hate computers

[Martin]

just a note on the MDD noise thing: they are LOUD

i moved mine behind a brick wall to get the bugger quiet, and i could still here it through the wall on a quiet night

the g5 lives happily under the desks with only a soft whirr, this was another reason i went G5..

[wez]

thanks everyone!

1) stick with Panther/PT6.9 for now for compatibility between rooms.
2) spend a bit more and hunt around for an early G5 perhaps.

anyone got a G5 to sell?

cheers, wez

[heathen]

Speaking of computers I just set up a new pc a few weeks back with an AMD 64x2 4400 + dual core as my new DAW 2 gig ram as well with an RME hdsp 9652 card to feed my mixer, to replace my Mackie HDR. All I can say is wow. Still on 32 bit os xp sp2 but this thing rips, I've tried to bog it down with plugs but I hav'nt done it yet. Nuendo 3 runs perfectly on it. Was expensive for a pc (processor was $800) but well worth it, hopefully this one lives for years to come, fingers crossed. Also installed in it is a Zalman super quiet power supply, its in this monster black case, so it's very quiet.

I've never encountered a problem with the AMD cpu's, I dunno they just seem to work flawlessly,even while multi tasking, which I rarely do anyway.

So are any of you guys going to run xp on the new MacIntels? It may make os updates less painfull. But then again if aint broke don't fix it is probably a good rule to work by.



Heath

[mfdu]

my two previous AMD builds ran really hot - like 50 to 60 degrees. that was the only reason my current build is an intel.

pt 7 definately has major rtas performance boosts. it is the first to support hyperthreading chips, so i effectively got a hardware update simply by updating software.

loading v.7 more than doubled my plugin count, simply by switching on hyperthreading - now pt views the cpu chip as a dual-core!

but when it comes to stability, i have never had a problem. something to do with knowing how to set up a windoze box, and regular backup/defrag sessions maybe?

certainly, yoo'se ain't talking wintel boxes, but i just wanted to stick my nose in . . .

chris.

[David W]

Just caught this thread and hoping to have a coupple of questions answered myself.

Firstly I am also running PT HD 6.9.1 and looking to upgrade to OSX 10.3.9.(cant use UAD-1 Neve 1073 unless OSX 10.3.9 or higher)
I read somewhere this is not recomended (untested) in digi site. Wes are you havin any issues with this setup.

Also wondering if PT HD 7 with improverd RTAS capabilities helps when using RTAS/VST wrapper for my 2 UAD-1 cards.