MOTUnation.com

I would like to run my MOTU Express 128 MIDI interface to my Mac Pro
holding a MOTU PCIe-424 card feeding out to a MOTU 24 I/O. These are
operating very well on my Mac Pro using Leopard 10.5.2.

Why do I want to install another drive in the Pro and then install
Vista 64, probably the Ultimate edition?

Because I have a large 64-bit application that cannot be operated on
Leopard because Apple announced shortly before Leopard's release
that a major part of it (the 'Carbon API'), on which my application relies
indirectly for its' user interface, would not be included in 64-bit form in
the initial Leopard release. As of January/February 2008 it now seems
highly unlikely that Apple will provide a 64-bit port of that part
of OS X in a subsequent OS X version! However, I am told that
Vista 64 Ulitmate can run this large application (uses/consumes
info from up to 16 GB of data stored in RAM, thus the need for a
fully functional 64-bit operating system).

I tried this last July with Apple's Tiger and installing XP-64 in a partition
on the Mac Pro hard drive. That was fine, BUT the MOTU 64-bit drivers
for XP-64 for my Express 128 and 24 I/O would not operate therein!!?

So, my question:

With Vista 64 installed on a drive (partitioned or separate hard disk)
in a Mac Pro operating with Leopard OS X 10.5.x has anyone
been able to "run" MOTU audio gear?

Specifically, if possible, success using the
MOTU Express 128 MIDI/USB interface into the Pro AND with the
Pro using the MOTU PCIe-424 "sound card" which feeds the digital
audio signal out to the MOTU 24 I/O?

I really hope that these MOTU audio items will operate on Vista 64
when installed on a separate Mac Pro hard drive. Anyone know for
certain they WILL run, before I spend money on another drive and
Vista 64, either the Business or Ultimate editions (only they can
access my two quad-core Intel CPUs; for some reason the Home
editions of Vista will only recognize/use a single CPU.

Jim

Last I heard, the unofficial word from Windows land was that Vista is a "disaster" for DAW work.

This came from Brad, who posts here, works at Sweetwater Sound, and is a HUGE Windows advocate.

I don't know if these issues have been resolved, but if I were you I would would be cautious about thinking that Windows Vista is going to solve your "problem" -- I have not put it on my Windows machine.

Best of Luck!

Okay, I am a PC guy..... but I have a MacBook and I do run WindowsXP on it, but to get a MacPro to run Vista to run your audio hardware and software really makes no sense to me. Now for my purpose it does, I need to test this stuff and know what works and what doesn't work. If you're on a MacPro, go with Digital Performer or Logic, something.

As to VISTA, as an operating system it has problems..... as one for audio, it's a disaster as I've mentioned. Yes, programs and hardware are starting to support VISTA, but that doesn't mean it's working right. Stay away from it....maybe in 3-6 months, re-consider it.

Brad and the others,

Thank you so much for your replies. Just this morning I talked with Matt
at MOTU Tech Support.

He says MOTU DOES NOT support their products in Vista installed via
Boot Camp, Fusion, or Parallels. However, he has learned that some
MOTU customers have gotten such to operate, but MOTU still will not
guarantee their proper operation when in Vista 64 on a Mac, even
when Vista is installed on a separate hard drive from any other Apple
software.

He then sent me a link to some beta drivers they
are working on to correct this issue! I now have these, but am
not really sure I should proceed...really think not.

Given these three inputs, I am NOT going to proceed with Vista 64.
Too much risk to even try, and I can get along with the 3.25 GB or
so RAM that I can now use with Leopard 10.5.2 now operating just
fine on my Mac Pro machine. Of course would be nice to use more
RAM, but not an absolute need just now.

Anyway, I will now wait for the multi-platform library that Hauptwerk
uses for its interface to be ported from the Carbon API to the alternate
'Cocoa API', for which a 64-bit port does exist within Leopard. This port
is being worked on as a matter of priority by Trolltech, makers of the
multi-platform library, but it's a large task, and it currently seems most
likely that this will be ready in the second half of 2008. I expect that
a 64-bit version of Hauptwerk for OS X 10.5.x will be released very
soon after that 64-bit port of the multi-platform library is completed.

What's Hauptwerk? See,

http://www.crumhorn-labs.com/

Thank again for your help/advice.

Jim

can you post the links? seems motu is hiding these beta drivers real good.