"It sucks" isn't very scientific.

I've seen LE and M-Powered run just fine on PCs.

My Mbox II runs just fine on my PC. No problems so far. (at least none that I haven't encountered before on a mac)

ProTools is stable on the PC platform and has been for years and years. Tell your friend to go bite a tree.

Pro-tools TDM support for windows started when Microsoft launched win2k. That was the first reliable platform they put trust in from microsoft. However, I use to use protools free when I was running win98se back in the day. And that was the only platform offered for that, other than what was offered on a Mac.

I've been running PT-LE on a Windows machine now for 6 months. I just finished mixing an album with it. Rock solid the whole way through. Had a few minor problems at first. However they were due to a faulty motherboard. That can happen on a MAC as easily as a windows machine.

Windows may have been inferior 5 years ago, that is certainly not the case now. You just need to macke sure your windows machine is build from Digi approved hardware. Otherwise you may run into trouble. If you follow the few simple guidlines when building/buying your Windows machine, it will work like a champ.

"owever they were due to a faulty motherboard. That can happen on a MAC as easily as a windows machine."

hmmm.... yes.... but i doesn't happen as often.....

dabmeister music wrote: Pro-tools TDM support for windows started when Microsoft launched win2k. That was the first reliable platform they put trust in from microsoft. However, I use to use protools free when I was running win98se back in the day. And that was the only platform offered for that, other than what was offered on a Mac.

hmm - so the TDM version of ProTools I ran on WinNT starting around 2000 wasn't supported?

dabmeister music wrote: Pro-tools TDM support for windows started when Microsoft launched win2k. That was the first reliable platform they put trust in from microsoft. However, I use to use protools free when I was running win98se back in the day. And that was the only platform offered for that, other than what was offered on a Mac.

hmm - so the TDM version of ProTools I ran on WinNT starting around 2000 wasn't supported? three systems, rock-stable from day 1

I have a TDM system ... now upgraded to HD
and
I have multiple 001 systems
every thing was Mac
BUT now all but two of my LE systems are on XP.
My last three albums were successfully recorded on XP / 001 ... and Ai3 and ADA8000 additions.

I am now ( and I can't believe I'm saying this) seriously considering using an XP machine to run my HD system.
So far my research tells me that all my plugs are OK on XP and same with the Dual Screens and Canopus firewire Video playback is all alive.

I don't think I need Final Cut Pro for a while and my music commitments are low at present so It is a perfect opportunity to give the whole thing a test.

The money I save will finance another Digi interface instead of the expensive Mac.
This is all inspired because of the Mac PCI-Express slot thing.
My taste of Mac OSX and I-this and I-that has not been good.
As a computer user from the late 70's I'm sick of the computer telling me what I can'n'can't and how to run things.
It's my computer ... not Steve's !

Amen. Mac schmac!

(y)

hmm - so the TDM version of ProTools I ran on WinNT starting around 2000 wasn't supported? three systems, rock-stable from day 1

That may be true, but I was'nt considering beta testing as one of the requirements. Yes NT was supported back then, but it was'nt widely accepted amongst the audio community because of the instability & bugs it had. That did'nt last too long before w2k came along. All I was saying was, PC support for a TDM system really did'nt get off the ground until digidesign put faith in that OS.

"This is all inspired because of the Mac PCI-Express slot thing."

what thing..... the fact that they offer machines with pci-e AND pci-x ??

seems pretty flexible to me...... (just as they were when swithing to osx....)

iznogood wrote: ... what thing..... the fact that they offer machines with pci-e AND pci-x ??
seems pretty flexible to me...... (just as they were when swithing to osx....)

I have some Digidesign HD cards and say a fibre channel card and walk into an Apple Store to buy a computer

They can only sell me a machine with 3 PCI-E slots.
The older 3 PCI-X is on the US list but not on the Aust list AND NOT available.

ONLY second hand is available to me

Currently Digidesigns cros grade to PCI-E ready HD cards are not yet available.
http://www.digidesign.com
http://www.digidesign.com/news/details.cfm?story_id=3828

Perhaps I could run an expansion chassis BUT only via ethernet and I have no idea if that is ready yet

The PCI-to-PCI and PCIe-to-PCI expansion solution from Digi is in the pipeline.

PCI-E to expansion is also in the works

"The older 3 PCI-X is on the US list but not on the Aust list AND NOT available. "

that sucks!!! :-?

thanks for the replies. has any one purchased the mbox yet? how does the version 7.0 rate ?

Pro Tools and Win XP

Ok, being a mac user I realize that most people who have replied will call me the devil but before you puchase an MBOX 2 go to http://www.digidesign.com and check to see if your system is supported COMPLETELY (yes right down to the f***ing brand name on you CD/RW drive. I've seen plenty of people run PT on XP just fine and ALOT of people who spent 5 grand upgrading thier PC until they finally gave up and bought a G5. Protools on any system is "finicky at best" and I just finished my level one Digi/Avid engineering certification at Savannah College of Art and Design (I'm working on a sound design degree.) You would not beleave how specific the requirements are even for an MBOX. I don't mean to scare you out of purchasing one because PT 7 is AWESOME I'm just saying take the time to check.

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