PT is completely compatible with Vista or Win7. The recommended versions (read only supported versions) are Business and Ultimate. Unlike most, I don't mind Vista Ult but if you get your choice it should be Win 7 Ult. On the other hand unless you don't care for the Mac OS user interface (yes there are people out there that don't like it despite the commercials and hype) there is no reason to change to windows.

There isn't anything wrong with the MBox as long as one accepts it for what it is. As to having it play nice with OS 10.* or Windows, the basic problems are going to be the same. Indeed, whatever interface one chooses the setup and routing is very similar.

If you don't like the PT workflow then there are lots of other DAWs out there. Mackie Tracktion is the most intuitive while Logic, Cubase, or Audition are the most similar in capabilities to PT just with different implementation. Reaper would be another DAW worth taking a look at.

Whatever DAW is ultimately chosen, it will be too complex to learn it without really diving into the help files off and online and also specific user forums + lots of experimentation on home projects. This can be either loads of fun or dreck depending on how one approaches it. Regardless, it is necessary.

A little more guidance

TheJackAttack wrote: PT is completely compatible with Vista or Win7. The recommended versions (read only supported versions) are Business and Ultimate. Unlike most, I don't mind Vista Ult but if you get your choice it should be Win 7 Ult. On the other hand unless you don't care for the Mac OS user interface (yes there are people out there that don't like it despite the commercials and hype) there is no reason to change to windows.

There isn't anything wrong with the MBox as long as one accepts it for what it is. As to having it play nice with OS 10.* or Windows, the basic problems are going to be the same. Indeed, whatever interface one chooses the setup and routing is very similar.

If you don't like the PT workflow then there are lots of other DAWs out there. Mackie Tracktion is the most intuitive while Logic, Cubase, or Audition are the most similar in capabilities to PT just with different implementation. Reaper would be another DAW worth taking a look at.

Whatever DAW is ultimately chosen, it will be too complex to learn it without really diving into the help files off and online and also specific user forums + lots of experimentation on home projects. This can be either loads of fun or dreck depending on how one approaches it. Regardless, it is necessary.

I am getting a new computer anyways for other usage. Windows 7 looks promising.

I like Pro Tools and don't want to change, but the issues, ugggg.

So you are saying that PT is compatiable with Vista or Win7, only if it is Business or Ultimate editions? I had this originally working on an XP machine, but the buffer couldn't keep up (I think I am saying that correctly). I was able to get it working on my MacBook, but after some updates, it stopped. So I want to switch back to using PT on Windows (plus my MacBook has only 800 FSB and 5400 RPM HD). Just want something beefier.

So I am buying a new computer for sure.

You are saying that if I buy a quad core, with Windows 7 business edition (Vista business edition now, then the upgrade will come), everything should work fine with PT and Mbox?

Thanks man, I appreciate it.

Less problems with Win7 than Vista but yes, it will work fine.

The sample buffer rate is adjustable on the MBox-usually from within the DAW which is controlling the ASIO drive (win) or the Core Audio (mac). If the buffer is too low it can cause problems, and conversely if the buffer is too high it causes problems with some machines. This range will be computer specific and not interface specific.

Re: A little more guidance

tapupartforpres wrote: ...I was able to get it working on my MacBook, but after some updates, it stopped. So I want to switch back to using PT on Windows (plus my MacBook has only 800 FSB and 5400 RPM HD). Just want something beefier.

The clue to your problems may be here: a 5400rpm drive as both the OS and the audio drive. Any DAW software is going to struggle with that. It's worth borrowing an external FireWire 7200rpm drive to try as your PT audio drive before you abandon the MacBook. You presumably have the vintage of MacBook that was blessed with a FireWire port?

Re: A little more guidance

Boswell wrote: [quote=tapupartforpres]...I was able to get it working on my MacBook, but after some updates, it stopped. So I want to switch back to using PT on Windows (plus my MacBook has only 800 FSB and 5400 RPM HD). Just want something beefier.

The clue to your problems may be here: a 5400rpm drive as both the OS and the audio drive. Any DAW software is going to struggle with that. It's worth borrowing an external FireWire 7200rpm drive to try as your PT audio drive before you abandon the MacBook. You presumably have the vintage of MacBook that was blessed with a FireWire port?

Thanks for the reply. I have a White Intel Dual 2.16GHZ Macbook with 4GB of RAM. That is a good idea. I have an external firewire drive I can try. It's also a USB 2.0, which is a tad faster.

Should I install PT on it and have everything point to that drive (buffer and everything)? Any suggestions. Thanks

PT will be on the internal Mac drive. You need to set the audio destination drive to the firewire or usb2 drive. This will be true even if you get a pc. A good safe buffer for that setup ought to be around 1024 samples as a starting point.

I apparently missed the whole 5400rpm thing at first glance.

[addendum] Not all external drives are 7200RPM either which puts you back in the bottleneck you were in originally.

"I have an external firewire drive I can try. It's also a USB 2.0, which is a tad faster."

It's either USB 2.0, or Firewire. It might even be eSata. Unless for some reason it has both, but why would you want to use both? That's like putting one of your kids on a bus and then driving the car behind it until you get to the same place.

USB 2 is slower than Firewire, in the same way that a plane is slower than a car if you want to go to the store.
But if your car is busy driving audio data around, get a plane.

Also, I see no issue with the 800MHz FSB in your macbook, other than the fact it's a laptop and will generally lack the muscle of a full-blown desktop if you want to really push the performance barriers.

Codemonkey wrote: "I have an external firewire drive I can try. It's also a USB 2.0, which is a tad faster."

It's either USB 2.0, or Firewire. It might even be eSata. Unless for some reason it has both, but why would you want to use both? That's like putting one of your kids on a bus and then driving the car behind it until you get to the same place.

USB 2 is slower than Firewire, in the same way that a plane is slower than a car if you want to go to the store.
But if your car is busy driving audio data around, get a plane.

Also, I see no issue with the 800MHz FSB in your macbook, other than the fact it's a laptop and will generally lack the muscle of a full-blown desktop if you want to really push the performance barriers.

Fail with the glasses chochie. You really think I would use them at the same time? LOL. USB 2.0 has a faster max speed than FW 400, but FW is capable of reaching 400mbps and sustaining it, where as USB 2.0 speed will go up and down. It never hurts to have a external that has the capability to do both though. OWNED.

If you have any constructive to say let me know.

FAIL.

I (and several others, probably) would prefer you not to make false statements like "USB 2 is faster than FW" especially if you know why this isn't true.

And back to your earlier posts... if you're set on buying a new PC, I would advise you use neither USB or Firewire, but actually get a SATA drive or two. But a smart guy like you knew that, right?

Codemonkey wrote: if you're set on buying a new PC, I would advise you use neither USB or Firewire, but actually get a SATA drive or two.

Thank you for your constructive input. I appreciate it.

I think I am going to stick with the MacBook. Now that I am home I can see that my drive is firewire.

Codemonkey, should I load the system software and save files to the drive I have. What is your experience? Thanks!

LOVE the mousetrap Mr.Monkey. I actually have a cat that might think up something like that..........

Hi there Mr. new-to-the-forums. You have to be careful around Monkey, Jack and the Bos....you might put out yer eye on their pencils.....

I actually dunno how to respond now. Yeesh...

So far I have posted (what I think is) technically accurate information but which you (OP) have found needless. Except for my statement which pointed out a flaw in your assertion that USB 2.0 is faster than FW. Since we both seem to be in agreement that USB is in fact less reliable when transferring streams of real-time data I see no problem other than red mist.

"Codemonkey, should I load the system software and save files to the drive I have."
I think you should install Windows 95 (the one without a USB driver; clearly you don't need it).
And obviously you save to the drive you have. You can't write data to a drive you don't have!

Codemonkey wrote: I actually dunno how to respond now. Yeesh...

So far I have posted (what I think is) technically accurate information but which you (OP) have found needless. Except for my statement which pointed out a flaw in your assertion that USB 2.0 is faster than FW. Since we both seem to be in agreement that USB is in fact less reliable when transferring streams of real-time data I see no problem other than red mist.

"Codemonkey, should I load the system software and save files to the drive I have."
I think you should install Windows 95 (the one without a USB driver; clearly you don't need it).
And obviously you save to the drive you have. You can't write data to a drive you don't have!

Like I said, when you got something constructive to say let me know.

Davedog wrote: LOVE the mousetrap Mr.Monkey. I actually have a cat that might think up something like that..........

Hi there Mr. new-to-the-forums. You have to be careful around Monkey, Jack and the Bos....you might put out yer eye on their pencils.....

Thanks Dave. I appreciate your feedback. I am here for help not get into pissing matches with children. I wonder if Monkey actually has a job? For me, this is a hobby. I seems I must own 3-D glasses to know "what's going on". Little does he know, I could buy his home town. OWNED, literally.

Codemonkey wrote: I actually dunno how to respond now. Yeesh...

Because you are a sociopath. Grow up and answer the question boy.

edited for... well it wasnt too nice.

anyway look hamslap, i dont give a crap what you can buy. i will say this , you cant buy repect. why are you attacking one of the dudes in here with the best attitude and an eagerness to help?

dave_p wrote: edited for... well it wasnt too nice.

anyway look hamslap, i dont give a crap what you can buy. i will say this , you cant buy repect. why are you attacking one of the dudes in here with the best attitude and an eagerness to help?

You found his post helpful? Eagerness? That was an attack my friend.

What precisely do you find objectionable?

tapupartforpres wrote: [quote=Davedog]LOVE the mousetrap Mr.Monkey. I actually have a cat that might think up something like that..........

Hi there Mr. new-to-the-forums. You have to be careful around Monkey, Jack and the Bos....you might put out yer eye on their pencils.....

Thanks Dave. I appreciate your feedback. I am here for help not get into pissing matches with children. I wonder if Monkey actually has a job? For me, this is a hobby. I seems I must own 3-D glasses to know "what's going on". Little does he know, I could buy his home town. OWNED, literally.

Well, believe it or not, Mr. Monkey is quite skilled at what he does. He's Scottish so understand that some things you think may be a lark are serious to him and other things you may think of as underhanded are ,to him, quite a poke in the ribs and not intended for angry banter.

Its all about being here a while before you pick your enemies and friends.

As an adiministrator I say welcome, but understand that we always keep semi true facts to minimum around here simply because we have so many young folks that read these pages.

I'm glad you're wealthy enough to own a Scottish burg....but its callous to indicate that this makes you any more expert about your posts.

Mr. Monkey is good guy and really does know the 'puter stuff. You should listen with an ear to the wiser.

And dont be looking to pick a fight where its not given.

I still think the cat thing is hilarious.

Codemonkey wrote: What precisely do you find objectionable?

1. Artificial Smugness

2. Still haven't helped me

3. Still haven't given your opinion with out being a smug pr'ck

Your pedestal stinks like sh't. You think because I come in here for help I know nothing about computers, too funny. Dude I make more in 3 months then you do in a year being a .net AND .php programmer.

Do you care to answer the question yet?

OWNED, boy.

Davedog wrote: [quote=tapupartforpres][quote=Davedog]LOVE the mousetrap Mr.Monkey. I actually have a cat that might think up something like that..........

Hi there Mr. new-to-the-forums. You have to be careful around Monkey, Jack and the Bos....you might put out yer eye on their pencils.....

Thanks Dave. I appreciate your feedback. I am here for help not get into pissing matches with children. I wonder if Monkey actually has a job? For me, this is a hobby. I seems I must own 3-D glasses to know "what's going on". Little does he know, I could buy his home town. OWNED, literally.

Well, believe it or not, Mr. Monkey is quite skilled at what he does. He's Scottish so understand that some things you think may be a lark are serious to him and other things you may think of as underhanded are ,to him, quite a poke in the ribs and not intended for angry banter.

Its all about being here a while before you pick your enemies and friends.

As an adiministrator I say welcome, but understand that we always keep semi true facts to minimum around here simply because we have so many young folks that read these pages.

I'm glad you're wealthy enough to own a Scottish burg....but its callous to indicate that this makes you any more expert about your posts.

Mr. Monkey is good guy and really does know the 'puter stuff. You should listen with an ear to the wiser.

And dont be looking to pick a fight where its not given.

I still think the cat thing is hilarious.

Yea Dave, picking my friends, IN A CHAT ROOM? LOL get a life. I asked a question and all I got was a retarded, "you can't use USB and FIREWIRE at the same time". LOL. Too Funny.

"tapupartforpres wrote: Dude I make more in 3 months then you do in a year being a .net AND .php programmer.

so what? i probably make more in 3 weeks than you do in 3 months, coding in REAL languages, solving real problems. not your stupid problems that you feel ENTITLED to an answer. what does it prove? nothing.

owned?

If someone understood computers and also understood audio recording, then they would never try to record to an OS drive whether on a Mac or on a Windows machine-and they would understand the relevance of 5400rpms vice 7200rpms. Also, one would understand that USB 2.0 is faster than 1394a in paper specification only. Real world application fails the test every time. The MBox is one of the easiest interfaces in the world to set up and use regardless that it wouldn't be my preference.

As to who makes more cash than whom, that is completely irrelevant. I have saved the asses of many commanding officers in the Corps and saved an equal number of asses in civilian life and they were nearly all paid more than I was. Remuneration is definitely no sign of either intelligence or competency. I rarely admit how many higher degrees I have because I've also seen how few skills people touting sheepskins or other certifications seem to have.

Long story short: settle down and stay civil or get out.

Sorry.

I started on the wrong foot with the cat image (while funny, it was admittedly unnecessary).

However; you point out that

all I got was a retarded, "you can't use USB and FIREWIRE at the same time"

At the time you made the statement, I had no idea of your computer skills. I assumed (my 2nd mistake) that you were considering using the USB 2.0 connection over the Firewire connection and since this is suboptimal practice for streaming real-time audio data, I called you out. I also thought you may have tried to use both at once, clearly this makes no sense either.

I actually have no job - good call on that. Instead I study games programming, do c#/.net in some of my spare time and volunteer with a church to run a sound system. This obviously doesn't entitle me to solve other people's problems but I like to try. I found a niche here, posting common solutions to common problems, normally leaving myself out of discussions specific to certain software or hardware.
I reckon that if what I was posting was technically rubbish, someone would call me out.

So if my usage of RO has crossed paths with yours, I apologise, and I will pin a note to my desktop reminding me not to post in your threads again.

BTW: if I come across as a smug prick, it's cause I type in mostly full sentences probably with an air of proper Englishness, rather than standard (American) terms and slang, maistly cos i fun oot ma mither tung is nae yuse oan eh web, right?

tapupartforpres wrote:

Yea Dave, picking my friends, IN A CHAT ROOM? LOL get a life. I asked a question and all I got was a retarded, "you can't use USB and FIREWIRE at the same time". LOL. Too Funny.

All right.

First off. This isnt a "chat room" its BB site.

Secondly, your hostility at your own assumed points of contentions are just that...assumed.

You're obviously way too cultured and refined for us here in the stockyards as well as being way too wealthy.

You should look to play elesewhere.

No one here cares one whit how much cash you can fling around, although if you use your paypal and offer enough up front someone might take the time to answer your problems.

But thats between you and someone.....

This is a free site. People come here because they want to. And they answer ,on their own time, as best they can.

Sometimes the question begs several more questions simply because there may not be enough info in the original post to make a positive answer. So, patience is required on occasion.

Do you know about patience? Or is it something that you dont need?

And then theres the entitlement.

Theres no such thing as an entitlement here. No one owes you anything and, as I said, can only do what they feel like doing in order to help you.

But they certainly dont owe it to you simply because you signed up.

Your egotistical replys are disturbing. I'm not sure why you feel it necessary to be so antagonistic without ever learning anything about the people who are resident here.

That was the point of my suggestion to you and you didnt seem to GET it.

So this is a real warning. You can react like a petulant child, shake your fistfull of dollars and tell us all what idiots we are and simply go away mad or you can look at the situation as an adult and realize that your reactions were way out of line and over the top and become a citizen of this place.

Its up to you.

Any rant with expletives and venom will be deleted and you will become just another in long history of banished trolls from this site.

Its your choice.

Davedog wrote: [quote=tapupartforpres]

Yea Dave, picking my friends, IN A CHAT ROOM? LOL get a life. I asked a question and all I got was a retarded, "you can't use USB and FIREWIRE at the same time". LOL. Too Funny.

All right.

First off. This isnt a "chat room" its BB site.

Secondly, your hostility at your own assumed points of contentions are just that...assumed.

You're obviously way too cultured and refined for us here in the stockyards as well as being way too wealthy.

You should look to play elesewhere.

No one here cares one whit how much cash you can fling around, although if you use your paypal and offer enough up front someone might take the time to answer your problems.

But thats between you and someone.....

This is a free site. People come here because they want to. And they answer ,on their own time, as best they can.

Sometimes the question begs several more questions simply because there may not be enough info in the original post to make a positive answer. So, patience is required on occasion.

Do you know about patience? Or is it something that you dont need?

And then theres the entitlement.

Theres no such thing as an entitlement here. No one owes you anything and, as I said, can only do what they feel like doing in order to help you.

But they certainly dont owe it to you simply because you signed up.

Your egotistical replys are disturbing. I'm not sure why you feel it necessary to be so antagonistic without ever learning anything about the people who are resident here.

That was the point of my suggestion to you and you didnt seem to GET it.

So this is a real warning. You can react like a petulant child, shake your fistfull of dollars and tell us all what idiots we are and simply go away mad or you can look at the situation as an adult and realize that your reactions were way out of line and over the top and become a citizen of this place.

Its up to you.

Any rant with expletives and venom will be deleted and you will become just another in long history of banished trolls from this site.

Its your choice.

Wow nice post. Let me quote from above, get a life.

Ah well...

I have a very full life as if it matters and I'm not here to banter with the likes of you.

You are a child and the play room is full.

Thanks for your contributions.