cheapest version of protools?

  • Thread starter Thread starter antispatula
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antispatula

antispatula

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I'm going to be recording a lot at my friends house (cuz she has a u87 and a great river:) ) and she uses protools. But I want to mix it all at my house, and maybe record a little ay my house too like bass and keys. So I need the cheapest version I can get, unless theres another way I can open protools files in another, cheaper program.

Ive heard the cheapest version is 250 bucks? Can anyone give me any names or links?

thanks!!!!
 
Do you have any DigiDesign hardware? As far as I know that's required to run ProTools.

Sorry if you already knew this.

Also, I think most DigiDesign hardware comes with a lite version of ProTools which should/might/maybe work.
 
There are three basic versions of Pro Tools-

Pro Tools HD/TDM
Pro Tools LE
Pro Tools M-Powered

Pro Tools LE or Pro Tools M-Powered are going to be the ones in your price range. Think of Digidesign as a hardware company. You buy their hardware, and you get the LE software (such as the 002, M-Box, and so on).

With M-Powered you are able to use a wide variety of approved M-Powered interfaces, but the M-Powered software is sold seperately. There are basically no differences between the Pro Tools LE and M-Powered software, except that the M-Powered will not run the DV Toolkit (Post-Production stuff). With LE you are locked to the Digi hardware.

Check this out-

http://www.protoolsforum.com/ProToolsLE1.html
 
The cheapest version I seen was $5













































































It was for like Pro Tools 3 or 4 or something.
 
you can get pro tools m-powered for $250 or if you know some one in college, a teacher, clergy-person, etc. you can get the academic version for like $170, but then you need an m-audio interface. the m-audio transit is the cheapest one, i believe, that will run m-powered and it's <$100.
there is the new m-box mini that costs something like $300 and comes with pro tools le.
 
so if you buy an mbox and pay for the software is there a way to use it with another interface that you also own?

what are the limitations on LE?
 
FALKEN said:
so if you buy an mbox and pay for the software is there a way to use it with another interface that you also own?
Click to expand...

no, basically you are buying the hardware...and it's coming with it's own proprietary software. Digi is really a hardware company but everyone just has come to know it more as a software company now.


what are the limitations on LE?
Click to expand...

track count is the most notorious...ADC is another (although, I know some who prefer it that way). No surround sound, limited video implementation...
 
Go to your local GC, ask for an Mbox Mini, say you only only have $250, ask if they can do that out the door, if not, ask the guy that's standing next to the guy that says no, if not, PM me and I'll ship it to you for $255, (I have to cover the shipping charge).. that's the only version I know of for $250, unless you have an Maudio peice, then you can get PT M-Powered. Same thing as LE.

Also, Digidesign hardware will work with any software, but Pro Tools only works with Digidesign hardware.
 
DV toolkit

Would someone talk about the advantages of the DV toolkit and what exactly is in there? Does it come bundled with the Rack Factory system? How much is it to add it to a rack factory system?

Please excuse the dumb questions. I have the rack factory locked and loaded with LE version 7.3 and I'm reasonably impressed with the power of this program.

I can't figure out if the DV toolkit is a must or not...

Steve
 
blewgrass said:
Would someone talk about the advantages of the DV toolkit and what exactly is in there? Does it come bundled with the Rack Factory system? How much is it to add it to a rack factory system?

Please excuse the dumb questions. I have the rack factory locked and loaded with LE version 7.3 and I'm reasonably impressed with the power of this program.

I can't figure out if the DV toolkit is a must or not...

Steve
Click to expand...

http://www.digidesign.com/index.cfm?langid=100&navid=71&mkt=ALL&itemid=4898

If you don't know what it is, then it's probably not a "must"
 
I was under the impression that with the use of a special USB "dongle", it would allow you to use PT without any sort of PT/M-Audio Hardware.

iKey or Ilock or something along those lines. I see things of that nature constantly on Ebay.
 
jaykeMURD said:
I was under the impression that with the use of a special USB "dongle", it would allow you to use PT without any sort of PT/M-Audio Hardware.

iKey or Ilock or something along those lines. I see things of that nature constantly on Ebay.
Click to expand...

the DVD toolkit?
no

M-Audio hardware works with M-Powered
Digi hardware works with Pro Tools LE

The DV toolkit is just added options for LE (NOT M-Powered).
 
jaykeMURD said:
I was under the impression that with the use of a special USB "dongle", it would allow you to use PT without any sort of PT/M-Audio Hardware.

iKey or Ilock or something along those lines. I see things of that nature constantly on Ebay.
Click to expand...

No, the Ilok is for plugins. The "dongle" in this case would be the hardware piece itself. That being said, the cheapest way to get into ProTools LE is to find a used M-box 1. It makes a perfect dongle and allows me to use my other, significantly better hardware with PTLE if I want to.

They go regularly for $150-200. Of course Digi software should come with it. Current version is 7.3 so the first thing you need to find out is what version your friend has. Make sure whatever you get is equal or greater.

I had an 002 and ditched it because the Mbox was more than enough to work with. I prefer using Cubase 4 anyway, but it's nice to be Digi-compatible if I need to be.
 
"It makes a perfect dongle and allows me to use my other, significantly better hardware with PTLE if I want to."

ok is that through the adat and spdif i/o or does it "unlock" other pci-based hardware?

"track count is the most notorious...ADC is another "

ok what is the track count in LE? what is ADC? thnx.
 
FALKEN said:
"It makes a perfect dongle and allows me to use my other, significantly better hardware with PTLE if I want to."

ok is that through the adat and spdif i/o or does it "unlock" other pci-based hardware?
Click to expand...

Just S/PDIF...but I think he was talking about just using Pro Tools to mix in, but another program to record in.


"track count is the most notorious...ADC is another "

ok what is the track count in LE? what is ADC? thnx.
Click to expand...

32 voices (there is a difference between voices and tracks) standard...48 mono or stereo tracks (not voices) with the DV Toolkit.
ADC = automatic delay compensation. Technically, LE DOES use a hardware buffer for delay compensation with plugins, but anything larger than what the buffer is set to and you get a delay. Different plugins give different amounts of delay. Again, I know guys who hate that Digi hasn't implemented ADC into LE, and others who prefer the manual control.
 
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