DP7 Audio HW Driver

[AleCerto]

After a billion years I'm going to do the "big step": upgrading to DP 7 from DP 3 (yes, I'm a Neanderthalian DP user!!).
Since I'm also going to get a Digi PT HD2, I'd like to know if I can use the PT hardware as a CoreAudio Driver under MOTU Audio System.
In other words, I'd like to use the HD2 hw both in DAE mode and as a "simple output" in MAS.
I'm sorry if it's a "stupid" question but I'm a prehistoric user who's facing a whole new world.
TIA
Ale

[kwiz]

Welcome to the 21st century!
Just kidding.
You can use DP as a front end to PTHD using the DAE engine but you won't be able to use MAS plugins that way. If you want to use DP's MAS engine, you have to use DP exclusively using either the computers audio output or a different I/O interface other than PT's.

[1nput0utput]

Welcome to the 21st century! :lol: :lol: :lol:
Just kidding.
You can use DP as a front end to PTHD using the DAE engine but you won't be able to use MAS plugins that way. If you want to use DP's MAS engine, you have to use DP exclusively using either the computers audio output or a different I/O interface other than PT's.

That's not true. When DP is in DAE mode, it will use the Digidesign TDM cards for mixing and processing. Both RTAS and TDM plug-ins will be available.

When DP is in the MAS mode, it can use the Digidesign CoreAudio driver, which allows you to use the first eight inputs and outputs of the Pro Tools HD interfaces with no TDM mixing or processing. In MAS mode the mixing and processing are done natively (on the computer's CPU), and MAS and AU plug-ins are available.

[AleCerto]

Ciao,
thank you for your replies.

I haven't struggled with DP7&HD2 yet (and I'm looking forward to), but during the last 4 years I've been also working with another old MIDI/Audio system: DP4.52&PT MIX+.
In this system was possible to:
1) use DAE Audio System (TDM/RTAS & Audiosuite plug-ins and Digi/RTAS virtual instrument)
or
2) use MOTU Audio System (MOTU & AU plug-ins and virtual instruments) and use the Digi hw as a "simple" input/output/bus device ("Digidesign HW (MIX)" as the Hardware Driver - I've chosen DP4.52 as a Supported Application in Digidesign CoreAudio Setup).

But each time I had to use an Audio System (MOTU or DAE) I had to deactivate Audio (=MIDI only) first, quit DP, and:
to use MAS, include DP as a Supported Application in Digidesign CoreAudio Setup and then open DP;
to use DAE, remove DP as a Supported Application and then open DP.
I was not able to open DP with DAE while DP is a Supported Application in Digidesign CoreAudio Setup (errors and crashes).

I do think DP7 and PT8/HD2 can do the same, but my question is: do they act in the same way?
I mean, is it possible now to open DP7 with DAE while DP7 is a Digi Supported Application in PT8 CoreAudio Setup?
And in DAE mode can I now also use/have the MAS and AU plug-ins and virtual instruments beside the TDM/RTAS ones?

TIA
Ale

[kwiz]

Welcome to the 21st century!
Just kidding.
You can use DP as a front end to PTHD using the DAE engine but you won't be able to use MAS plugins that way. If you want to use DP's MAS engine, you have to use DP exclusively using either the computers audio output or a different I/O interface other than PT's.

That's not true. When DP is in DAE mode, it will use the Digidesign TDM cards for mixing and processing. Both RTAS and TDM plug-ins will be available.

When DP is in the MAS mode, it can use the Digidesign CoreAudio driver, which allows you to use the first eight inputs and outputs of the Pro Tools HD interfaces with no TDM mixing or processing. In MAS mode the mixing and processing are done natively (on the computer's CPU), and MAS and AU plug-ins are available.

That's right, I stand corrected. I used to use a TDM system back in the OS 9 days before core audio and was still thinking of how that used to work.

[Radiogal]

I´m concerned about how you will react after upgrading from DP 3 to DP 7... WOW... Think about it...the hype.. what a feeling! Just imagine the size of this step!!!!
The pich correction alone will blow you away... not to mention all the other upgrades... Be aware of the beast you´re releasing ! It´s sooo powerful!

[spirit]

Radiogal- for certain things- like scratchpad ideas etc. it is POSSIBLE to prefer DP3- especially if you don't like the new GUI, have a learning curve to deal with (why did they put that menu THERE? when it was perfectly fine before etc.) and maybe had melodyne already. Also DP3 seemed to be a pretty stable straight forward version (which appears likely to be a pretty stable version but wouldn't be happy on a G4 laptop etc.), especially compared to some of the DP4 versions.

On topic- not having tried it with the current PT and DP versions it still might be important to note that in the past Digidesign's core audio drivers seemed like they were designed to make you really want to use protools- buggy, max 8 inputs or outputs etc. So I wouldn't expect any less of a particular procedure to be required. Maybe you will be pleasantly surprised that not all the steps are required, but the steps you outlined seemed pretty sensible- and workable as opposed to PT LE 7.something regularly not completing startup because of the digi core audio drive.