A PDF Manual for DP

nickmorgan19457 · Post by **nickmorgan19457** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 10:43 am

I'd like to start off by saying I am completely against pirating software, I even went so far as to use Fedora Core (free distrobution of Linux, which I hated) for 3 years becasue I didn't have the cash (or the interest) to pay for Windows, when I could have spend 3 hours on BitTorrent. I don't even download music without buying the CD first. Well, except for bootleg stuff. But that's all ready cursed.
Secondly, since no manual is available, I have a few questions I'd like to ask.
1) Does DP have the ability to pan each side of a stereo track or a balance control? I'd like to be able to "close" the stereo image on stereo tracks, by panning each side to a specfic point in the stereo field.
2) How flexable are the key command settings? I've read that in Logic you can set pretty much anything to a keyboard shortcut and I'm hoping you can do the same with DP.
3) What happens to Aux returns? Do they all end up in a seperate window with no post effect controls, or do they return to a channel for eqing and such?
4) Do you need anything special to work with protools project? I realize that you can't open protools files directly, but do I need any special hardware to open AAF files of protools decent?
5) TDM hardware is need to run TDM plugin's, right? I've read this on a few threads and people seemed so pissed about. It seems obvious to me, but I just want to clarify.
Thirdly, would I really be that hard to make a pdf manual, and not put the sticker on it? It mean, is there anything I could learn from the manual that I couldn't learn on here with a single post and a fews hours of waiting?
And fouth, and finally. I tired to do the in store demo thing a few weeks ago. I live in the middle of nowhere Vermont, putting me 5 hours from the nearest store with DP in stock, letalone a demo. I honestly couldn't handle talking to the salesman. He couldn't have been more that 16, seriously. He didn't understand any of my questions, had no clue what MIDI was, and tried on 4 occasions tried to tell me that mac sucks and I should just get protools for a dell. It was annoying. So, just so you all know, this is not my first step on the shopping trek.
Thank you for your time.

cuttime · Post by **cuttime** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 10:44 am

Drop **DELETED** a line. I think he has a PDF copy.

Resonant Alien · Post by **Resonant Alien** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 10:57 am

Hi Nick,

I'll try to help you out:

1) Does DP have the ability to pan each side of a stereo track or a balance control? I'd like to be able to "close" the stereo image on stereo tracks, by panning each side to a specfic point in the stereo field.

Yes - DP's Trim plug allows you to "pan" the stereo image of a stereo track wherevey you like, as well as cutting/boosting gain (hence "Trim"). You can even flip the left/right completely if you want.

2) How flexable are the key command settings? I've read that in Logic you can set pretty much anything to a keyboard shortcut and I'm hoping you can do the same with DP.

Pretty much the same in DP. You can set any command to any key you like.

3) What happens to Aux returns? Do they all end up in a seperate window with no post effect controls, or do they return to a channel for eqing and such?

You set up the Sends in your source track to whatever bus you want - you can even pan the send if you send to a stereo bus. On the Aux track, you select the bus as the input and select an output for the Aux. You can add whatever effects, etc you want in the Aux track just like any other audio track. Aux tracks appear just like audio tracks in DP's mixer.

4) Do you need anything special to work with protools project? I realize that you can't open protools files directly, but do I need any special hardware to open AAF files of protools decent?

I've never done it, but DP support OMF import. I believe you just export the PT project in OMF and suck it into DP.

5) TDM hardware is need to run TDM plugin's, right? I've read this on a few threads and people seemed so pissed about. It seems obvious to me, but I just want to clarify.

Yes, TDM plugins are for ProTools HD/TDM rigs only. In terms of DP, you would be running DP under DAE instead of MAS, DP being the front end to the Digi hardware. At that point, I believe the TDM plugs work just like they do inside PT, but I have never done it.

Thirdly, would I really be that hard to make a pdf manual, and not put the sticker on it? It mean, is there anything I could learn from the manual that I couldn't learn on here with a single post and a fews hours of waiting?

I'm with ya bro - I just don't get the whole "no PDF" thing....Apple puts the serial numbers on the discs themselves and gives you the PDF.

And fouth, and finally. I tired to do the in store demo thing a few weeks ago. I live in the middle of nowhere Vermont, putting me 5 hours from the nearest store with DP in stock, letalone a demo. I honestly couldn't handle talking to the salesman.

Also with ya here.....

Resonant Alien · Post by **Resonant Alien** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 11:02 am

Oh, you didn't say if you were comparing DP to LogicExpress or LogicPro (come to think of it - you may not have said you were comparing to Logic, but anyway......). LogicExpress is a great price ($299), but there is majorly annoying thing that Express does not have - ability to drop markers in your tracks. They make you buy LogicPro to get this little nicety! Damn Apple.

DP's markers are flexible and awesome - you drop them wherever you want and name them whatever you want.

ryst · Post by **ryst** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 11:14 am

Aramis wrote:
ryst wrote:GESUS KHRIST! Can we make a sticky that explains the "PDF" thingy? It's like every couple weeks there is a new thread.
GESUS KHRIST does not spell that way !!!!

YouTube · Post by **James Steele** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 12:00 pm

cuttime wrote:Drop XXXXXXX a line. I think he has a PDF copy.

Who is this person and please do not refer people on this board to someone to a source for an *illegal* PDF manual. MOTU has not officially released one, so any homemade PDF manual would be a violation of MOTU's copyright... aka "against the law." Thanks.

chrispick · Post by **chrispick** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 1:13 pm

I think we should try to be cooler about this PDF thing.

One, do we know for certain the reason DP has no PDF is to prevent piracy? Or is that just our assumption?

Two, DP has its own online help embedded in the program. Those with bootleg versions will also have that bootleg help function. So, a PDF DP manual would be, at best, supplementary info.

Three, knee-jerk chastisement of PDF seekers is pretty unfriendly for an otherwise open community like Unicornation.

Four, dismissing PDF seekers probably does little to deter piracy.

Just my opinion here.

Frodo · Post by **Frodo** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 1:45 pm

I agree, Chris.

Too many assumptions are dangerous and hurtful--- needlessly.

I do appreciate what James is taking responsibility for, and that's not allowing U-nation to be a hub for wholesale piracy.

... and we do know that MOTU does not offer a full PDF manual, for good or ill.

I don't see any harm in anyone *asking* about it, the same way people ask how to get an audio track working. But it is hard to get an assessment of an app when so many other apps are available as demos or when PDFs for so many other products are indeed available online. DP, in that regard, is the exception to the rule, and I fully understand why people keep asking about a PDF manual.

The thing I have to keep reminding myself of is that those who ask are unaware that they are not the first to ask such a question. The repetitive nature of the question is more from the perspective of those who have been here a while and who have seen threads about this grow long in a short time.

The other thing is that perhaps the unavailability of the PDF should be made clearer as a matter of statement on MOTU's site for prospective buyers. The reason why people come here is because there are so many honest questions which are simply not answered on MOTU's site, which is much more of a glorified ad than it is a resource for vital info. 90% of the time, the tech notes and support searches yield no results-- so people really have few other choices but to come here to ask-- and often at the risk of getting their heads knocked off.

Perhaps veteran users could spend less time worrying about the PDF questions of new members in favor of helping those members find answers to how DP works, such as was done here the way RA did for Nick. It would be ever so much cooler to take the high road with this issue....

...but that's just my 3• fwiw

taggart · Post by **taggart** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 2:26 pm

James Steele wrote:
cuttime wrote:Drop XXXXXXX a line. I think he has a PDF copy.
Who is this person and please do not refer people on this board to someone to a source for an *illegal* PDF manual. MOTU has not officially released one, so any homemade PDF manual would be a violation of MOTU's copyright... aka "against the law." Thanks.

James, XXXXXX was the previous poor soul who incurred the wrath of the Unicorn for requesting a PDF a couple weeks back. I'm pretty sure he never found one.

I think cuttime was just making a reference to that situation.

YouTube · Post by **James Steele** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 2:31 pm

That's cool. I forgot who he was referencing. I'm not trying to be a jerk about this and I didn't jump on the guy who asked either. It's a legitimate question.. the existence of a PDF manual. I'll try to put a sticky or something up that explains the situation. I also agree that we shouldn't jump down the throat of people for asking. In a previous thread, I remember *gently* explaining the PDF issue and having someone overreacting. Still, so long as MOTU does not release one officially, there is no legit way to get a PDF manual.

nickmorgan19457 · Post by **nickmorgan19457** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 2:32 pm

Well that answerers the big questions. I do have one more about the Trim plug in. It refers to all the plug ins, actually.

How implemented is parameter automation for the included plug ins? Could I automate the panning controls of Trim to bring one instrument "up front?" I presume it's possible, but I would like to be sure.

chrispick · Post by **chrispick** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 2:52 pm

nickmorgan19457 wrote:How implemented is parameter automation for the included plug ins? Could I automate the panning controls of Trim to bring one instrument "up front?" I presume it's possible, but I would like to be sure.

You can automate all parameters of Trim, yes. You can also simply automate the pan pots. And you can draw in automation or record it on-the-fly.

blue · Post by **blue** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 3:05 pm

Thanks Chrispick and Frodo for being voices of reason.

And thanks to James for running such a great forum. A few threads notwithstanding, this is the most civil and genuinely helpful forum I've ever read. Let's keep it that way!

taggart · Post by **taggart** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 3:24 pm

blue wrote:Thanks Chrispick and Frodo for being voices of reason.

And thanks to James for running such a great forum. A few threads notwithstanding, this is the most civil and genuinely helpful forum I've ever read. Let's keep it that way!

And so say all of us!
Pip, pip, cheeri-o and all that sort of rot!

Frodo · Post by **Frodo** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 5:07 pm