HD Upgrade question

[Lee Cardan]

Hi all

I'm currently on Pro Tools 9
I need to upgrade to HD as I'm ready to connect all 64 channels of the console to ProTools

I have the option to acquire a HD Native card with Pro Tools 9

Firstly, is it possible to transfer the license from the sellers iLok to my iLok ?

Second, it looks like I can upgrade to HD 10:
http://www.sounddevices.com.au/products ... 1-Upgrade/

But can I go to 11 ? Or do I have a HDX card for that?
And if I go to 10 or 11 (if possible) on this HD native card, can I use my Lynx Auroras ?

If I go with this option am I now stuck and unable to upgrade beyond 10/11 and will need an upgrade from the HD Native card to HDX?

If that's the case, obviously I should go for HDX from now. To get this HD Native Card running HD10 will cost around $2k, what's the most cost effective solution to move to HDX that will let me keep using my Auroras ?

[Ben M]

Hey Lee,

I'd be more inclined to spend the extra $ and go directly to HDX with HD 11 if you're planning on 64 IO (with plugins) to and from your console.

Just my 2 bobs worth.

[Lee Cardan]

Thanks Ben

Only problem is how do I get HDX with 11 without and AVID interface?

I'm very happy with my auroras. I'd be very unhappy to spend $6k towards and avid 16i/o when that could pay for the next two auroras and then some.

And just so I get this right
HDX is the future, and HD supports up to PT11 and that's it?

[audioio]

Someone with more experience here may comment, but isn't it since v8 that avid don't normally allow license transfers? I assumed that is because an HD license is supposed to be tied to hardware. So it may be possible to transfer a license if you're also purchasing the hardware (such as the HD Native card you mentioned). It would be worth enquiring.

[Lee Cardan]

Thanks David, yeah that's kind of an important one !

Also thought id mention my plugin use is minimal at best, only moving to hd to get to 64 outs. My Mac Pro is mid 2010, 8 core 16gb, upgrading to ssd shortly for the boot and software drive but that's all I'm going to put into this computer, and hope to get a good few years out of it still. I could always upgrade everything in one big hit a few years down the track..

So perhaps I don't need to think about HDX at this stage?
I don't even know the differences to be honest :-/

[audioio]

HDX vs Native is like TDM vs Native in the old days, I suppose... potentially greater DSP power (not so important to you) and low latency (may be important). HD Native has an onboard monitoring thingy doesn't it? So rather than monitoring off track outputs, it provides it on record-enabled tracks on the card... I think.

Maybe ask Mat Robins ow that's worked out for him. He's got HD Native.

[Lee Cardan]

I was under the impression that the audio stream doesn't actually leave the card in HD systems, native or other. I presume there's still some latency, I read in the vicinity of 3ms, but even still that doesn't really bother me as I tend to monitor off the console when tracking.

[Sammas]

To buy second hand you must sell the "system" and fill out the appropriate transfer of ownership documentation with Avid.

You can try and hobble together a system second hand, but I wouldn't advise it at this stage. Avid have just introduced a subscription licensing plan for PT, but the HD aspects of it won't be released until this time next year. It wouldn't surprise me if they intended on locking people out whom purchased software outside of complete Avid systems.

Do you have 4 Auroras, Lee?

[Lee Cardan]

Hi Nath
Thanks for the info, I'm trying to contact a guy in Avid CS who has helped people with this before (found that from a forum post). I'll see what I can do

I only have two auroras at the moment but plan to expand

[NYMo]

As each Aurora will do 32 i/o it is easier and cheaper to do somrthing that uses the aes/ebu out. i used to use 888/24 in 24 bit 48khz mode which i used to run the effects through but kept the main conversion through the Lynx....anyways, just an idea !

cheers

[Sammas]

The problem with PT vanilla or PT HD running via core audio/ASIO is that it only supports 32 channels of I/O.

[Moltenwok]

And doesn't that just suck balls and make you not want to sign up to avids gravy train!