ProTools Compatibility

[evan_ccs]

I am working in a new environment with a Digi 002R and 2 Tascam DM-3200s. The DMs have a remote mode for the faders in which were hoping to control the faders in PT. Is this possible? I've always thought that ProTools only responds to Digidesign hardware. Additionally, we are hoping to use the inputs from the DM to record in PT, giving us 40 total analog inputs. The DMs are connected to the computer via firewire and USB as is the 002R.

Please let me know.

Thanks.

[evan_ccs]

Okay, I got ProTools to recognize the DMs' faders by putting them in HUI emulation mode.

But what about the inputs? Is it possible to use them? Can anyone help me figure out how?

[JeffBarnett]

Nope, that won't work. Pro Tools LE maxes out at 18 simultaneous inputs on a Digi002 or 003. The DM3200's firewire card is not Pro Tools compatible.

[evan_ccs]

Well that's great. The Tascam people lied to us.

I'm certainly not disagreeing with you, but would this have been possible with, say, an HD system? Maybe that would explain why they told us it could work?

Oh well. Nothing we can do about it now: the boards were purchased from Sweetwater over a year ago--this place just now got the money to fund the studio for real. Great.

[JeffBarnett]

Pro Tools HD does support much higher track counts and inputs than Pro Tools LE. You could get 40 input channels on an HD system, but not through the DM's firewire board. You'd go out the digital outputs of the DM3200 into Pro Tools HD interfaces.

I'm not sure who you were talking to at Tascam, but the people I know at Tascam all understand this very well.

[Foreverain4]

if you get an maudio lightbridge ($400) with protools mpowered ($250) you can have 34inputs and 36outputs with protools. you must have protools mpowered version 7.3.1. this is actually a mistake on digidesigns part, and they have since "fixed" the "bug" with 7.3.1cs3 update. but if you avoid that, you have a protools system with plenty of io for pennies compared to HD...

note, i have this system, and it does work. i have been using my alesis HD24 for converters, but your tascams would be perfect...

[JeffBarnett]

I chatted with M-Audio a little on this...

There have been reports that people (like Foreverrain) have been able to get more than the official number of supported tracks into Pro Tools M-Powered from a ProFire Light Bridge using Pro Tools 7.3 (just don't update it to 7.3.1cs3).

However, the *official* spec is currently 16 channels, so any more than that is not supported, so I'd be hesitant to spend my money on that knowing it probably won't work in the future.

[Audioholic]

"However, the *official* spec is currently 16 channels, so any more than that is not supported, so I'd be hesitant to spend my money on that knowing it probably won't work in the future."



yup, specially since you will need to update your software at some point.

your best bet to get that many inputs would be to get additional I/O for your Digital board, and get multiple PT interfaces that can handle all the I/O you want (HD). 40 simultaneous inputs is quite alot, so unless you need to, like say track that many inputs at once, I wouldn't worry bout it.

Or look for another recording platform and I/O that can handle the firewire output from your board. don't know what to suggest off hand.

[Foreverain4]

this whole thing works out well for me. i dont upgrade everytime a new release comes out. so i will probably be on 7.3 for a few years. everything is working ROCK solid for me right now. macbook pro 15in, macbook pro 17in, 002r, lightbridge, and a transit. i constantly use both machines connecting/disconnecting different interfaces. hey, if it an't broke, dont fix it. or in this case, if it is broke (pt mpowered) why fix it? :smokin:



I chatted with M-Audio a little on this...

There have been reports that people (like Foreverrain) have been able to get more than the official number of supported tracks into Pro Tools M-Powered from a ProFire Light Bridge using Pro Tools 7.3 (just don't update it to 7.3.1cs3).

However, the *official* spec is currently 16 channels, so any more than that is not supported, so I'd be hesitant to spend my money on that knowing it probably won't work in the future.

[JeffBarnett]

Or look for another recording platform and I/O that can handle the firewire output from your board. don't know what to suggest off hand.
Pretty much all of the big ones (except Pro Tools, of course) will work - Cubase, Sonar, Logic, Nuendo, Digital Performer, etc.

[Audioholic]

Pro Tools is a great platform, but it is not an open platform, much like some earlier worskstations wern't necessarily open per say. So when getting into pro tools, Its good to take this into consideration. Using PT hardware and software as one cohesive unit. OF course you can get as many inputs as you want with HD by adding on I/O, LE is more limited, but fills a great project studio niche. 18 inputs is still a decent amount all in one, and if you use busses, your mixer is only 8 buss.

Possibly down the road PT may be a little more friendly, as they do with apogee a little now, but in some ways it is good they are guarded, and of course in some ways it is not. They should introduce audio through firewire though, seems that may be something more and more products get into.