Protools on an ibook

[beatle888]

hello, im looking for some advice for a friend (really). he's under the impression that to use protools on OSX with his laptop he needs an Mbox. is this true?

 

[jakel]

Hi there,
I use protools with my ibook quite often, and I do not have an Mbox. I only use the free os9 version though, so I can't really speak to your friends question about protools 6 for osx. But as far as I know the Mbox is not required for protools 6.
However, most likely your friend will need a usb Griffin imic to get audio into the ibook.

 

[beatle888]

hello, thank you for the fast response. i sent him a link for the free os9 version. he can use that to hold him over im sure. i just came back from the apple website. heres the news o the protools osx

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
Digidesign-approved Pro Tools TDM (Pro Tools|HD, Pro Tools|24 MIX, Pro Tools|24) or LE (Mbox, Digi 001 and Audiomedia III/ToolBox) system running Mac OS X version v.10.2.3. Support for Digi 002 coming soon.


i wonder why they make you buy the mbox.

 

[snyzch]

protools free does not require and mbox, but it will only run in os9. protools 6 (for os x) does not have a free version (yet?), so the only options are protools le (requires and mbox, digi002 or digi001) or the nice expensive high end systems (mix, hd, etc)..... if you want to run protools in os x, you need to buy some hardware.

that said, the mbox is nice hardware and well worth it.

 

[snyzch]

i think digidesign requires an mbox/harware to run protools for similar reasons to apple requiring you to buy their computers to run os x, quality control.... digidesign likes making sure their products work to the extent they claim, etc..... that said, ptfree was a godsend when it came out, and i hope they will some day bring it to x, it works for good advertising anyway imo.... also nice when you dont want yer 'dongle'.

 

[beatle888]

its just that i thought protools was an application that allowed you to use your COMPUTER to capture the sound and mix it in protools. as long as you had a way to capture the analog signal. they really should keep it software based. why limit your costumer base? i know now that i cant/wont use protools if i have to buy their hardware tooo. i thought thats what my computer was for. oh well, im sure theres alternatives for us hobbiests.

 

[snyzch]

the computer does do the processing, of course, but by the time you get to really using pro-quality software like pt, you want the a/d and mic pre's that something like the mbox offers.... digi prolly want to make sure the interfaces you use will work to their specs.... there's plenty of arguments around for digi to loosen their reigns, and trust me im often one of them, but to be honest, i think its all in all worth it. for 400dollars you get ptle and an interface (mbox). most other companies, all you get is software for that price.... and i mean logic and nuendo, even ableton costs 300 i think..... and pt is worth it, if it works for you.

 

[WinterMute]

Its also about revenue protection, ProTools as software only is vulnerable, with the hardware it becomes almost impossible to hack.

Plus the quality of the Focusrite mic amps is way better than Macs own audio-input, and you get digital in/out. The main drawback is the lack of physical inputs for mulit-track recording, stereo is fine for foley/location and overdubbing, but its not enough for a proper MT drum recording.

The use of a multitrack in/out expands any system massively, check out MOTUs 828 systems, pricey but excellent.

The M-Box is excellent for the price, and ProTools sounds like the system for your needs, Logic will do the job just as well, but if you dont need the MIDI itsa steep learning curve.

The chances of a free OSX ProTools is currently slim.

 

[beatle888]

well, i dont dislike OS 9 THAT much
and im sure the music will sound just fine without the mbox. im only using protools to capture guitar, bass and vocals. the rest is done with midi OUTSIDE of protools. most likely reason 2. i hate all this music production BS. all i care about is laying down some tracks and applying the basic EQing and effects. no fancy over produced BS for me. but thats just my taste. ****, i hope reason 2 works in OS9, OH **** i hope it works with protools (free version). ok ive found something to do, gotta go check that out.

thanks everyone for your help.

 

[snyzch]

yeah reason 2 works in os9. no, there is no support for rewire in pt 5.x (os9), so you have to bounce to audio and then import into pt, and that will work fine. im not against os 9 either..... i use it everyday. i think you may find that however much you dont care about overproduction, there is a huge difference between recording instruments like guitars and bass and drums through an 1/8inch standard computer jack vs. recording through balanced pre-amped 1/4inch jacks with a/d converters. its just a question of how much of the signal you want to capture, and how accurately you want to capture it. that said, there are plenty of options that are not an mbox and will work well.

 

[wire]

pt free maybe a good idea for rough audio editing - also on an ibook. but: if you need plugins for adding reverbs/delay and stuff like that in realtime, the power of a g3-cpu is a bottleneck.
its a pain in the ass, to do pro-audio on such a machine. i worked with logic platinum 6 on an 700mhz ibook, and also with the freeze-functionality (rendering plugins into an audiodownmix, which release cpu-power) its not fun to work with.
most plugins, especially the softsynths, will increase performance on an altivec enabled mac, based on a g4.
but for rough multitrack audio - not preproduction or doing music- pt free is a good idea.
even with reason, the ibook will not be able to do music with lots of softsynths and effects added... :-( just my 0.02$ ;-)

 

[firewire]

I just got the Powerbook 17 inch and the Mbox. Wow, it is Great. I recorded some live bands, and the recording was really good. The Mbox is a great and cheap way to go with Protools!!!!!!!!!!