Digi 003 Setup-Computer has died.

chordaroys

New member
Hi Home Recording folk.
My iMac has finally died. Its served me well for nearly two decades but has finally gone too far to fix.
My question, how do people feel about retro fitting backup settings and software to a refurbished iMac. Is it worth the trouble or is it time to say goodbye to the 003 and other connected hardware and start again? Any advice or thoughts most welcome.
Chord
 
Hi,
Any software from that long ago isn't going to be compatible with anything modern, but there's no real need to dump the digi 003.
I've seen that plenty of people are using them on Sierra/High Sierra and modern Vs of ProTools.

The main hardware concern is that modern apple computers don't have direct FireWire ports,
although they do have thunderbolt which is compatible, so a physical connection adapter can get you around that.

If you're considering upgrading to something newer, but used, then you could get something with FW ports easily enough. My 09 tower has them.

If that iMac was literally almost two decades old then a modern phone would be more powerful, so finding a substantial used-upgrade on the cheap shouldn't be hard.

If you're considering a 'new' imac of the same age and generation then, yeah. You can just clone your drive and hit the ground running, assuming the drive isn't the bit that broke. :p


Lots of 'ifs' there...Tell us more about your thoughts, needs, and plans. :)
 
Thanks Steenamaroo.
Thanks so much for your reply. I'm keen to get a computer that will keep the 003 going. It suits my simple needs.

How do go about getting older versions of the software I need to keep the 003 functioning.
From the Avid site. ** 003 Family only supported up through Pro Tools 12.7.1**
and
**System Requirements and Compatibility with Pro Tools 12.7 Software
Mac 10.12.2 (Sierra), 10.11.6 (El Capitan), 10.10.5 (Yosemite), 10.9.5 (Mavericks)**

I've limited experience with Protools, I;ve been using Logic 8. I really am a dinosaur. Not worried about learning Protools tho just need to get the iLock.
Any advice most welcome. Seems silly to dump hardware which still functions and suits my needs.

Chord
 
Never yet seen a computer that was "too far gone". It's just a collection of parts and any and all of them can be replaced.

My trouble is that I haven't found anything close to the MIDI suite I now enjoy. So I keep my vintage Macs alive for that. But I'm 'encroaching' with PC based stuff like Cubase (still an old version, though).

I know that sooner or later may many rack units will be replaced with soft synths. I know that sooner or later one, or perhaps two, PCs will replace the whole magilla and everything -- tracking, mixing, and mastering -- will be accomplished internally. Some folks are there, already.

So if I know where it's probably gonna hafta head, I just plan for it that way and allow these new workflows to ooze their way into my setup. The time will come when I will be done with my current setup and go on my way.

Oh, my current setup. Mac G4 that handled midi and audio until recently. Now a PC for audio, but the G4 (running opcode suite) for just the midi side. Have a 7100 for loading programs on my live modules.
 
[MENTION=56480]choraroys[/MENTION], have you looked at getting a used Mac from a place like Powermax (recommended to me who keeps his shed running on stuff from there)? You could probably get a FW equipped model, and possibly even one with Sierra (vs. HS) installed.

And, as a Logic Pro X user, why not just upgrade to that?
 
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Thanks Steenamaroo.
Thanks so much for your reply. I'm keen to get a computer that will keep the 003 going. It suits my simple needs.

Not at all. Glad to help, if I can.

How do go about getting older versions of the software I need to keep the 003 functioning.
From the Avid site. ** 003 Family only supported up through Pro Tools 12.7.1**
and

OK, sorry. I assumed you were using Protools because the 003 on the required-hardware list for PT 8 and earlier.
My mistake!

If you're happy with Logic then there's no reason to move elsewhere.

I suppose the bottom line is that the 003 is fine. If you gave me it right now I could use it just fine.

You just need to decide if you want to replace the old machine like for like (or fix it), move forward a little with a used-upgrade, or come right into 2018.
What you choose dictates what OS you'll run, and the OS dictates what version of logic you can run.

Do you have any preference there?

Logic 8 dates to 2007 and Apple's specs suggest Power-PC and Intel compatibility so that could be a blessing.
I think it was distributed by disc only, though, so you'd probably have to find a sneaky download on a forum somewhere. ;)

That would open up the option of looking at 07/08/09 apple computers. Old enough to be cheap and new enough to be, pretty much, supercomputers compared to what you had.

Just some thoughts. :)


Edit: What year is your model of iMac?
 
Thanks. I believe the drivers from Avid don’t support Logic and the 003 rack past a certain time. Haven’t researched this.
 
As an audio interface the compatibility is between the interface and the OS.
True enough, using its full control potential might be a different story, if it's the control surface version you have. Would need to look into that.

There are users on DUC successfully using the 003 as an audio interface on High Sierra, though, for what it's worth.
 
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