Hardware to software transition

[Progger]

I've been recording for some time now on a Fostex VF-80 hard disk recorder with a Behringer Eurorack 1204Pro-FX mixer, and it's pretty decent, but not robust enough. I want more options in terms of post-tracking editing. So, I downloaded the free version of Pro Tools, but it doesn't work in Windows XP. So, once I get a new copy of Partition Magic, I plan to create a 15 GB Win98 partition and use that exclusively for Pro Tools. Now, some questions.

1. Is 15 GB enough? How much music am I going to be able to store and edit on that amount of space?

2. What do you think about Pro Tools Free? Worth a damn?

3. If I want to import my songs on my Fostex VF-80 to Pro Tools, will Pro Tools recognize the individual tracks and be able to differentiate in the GUI? (Another way of putting it: does the Fostex tag program tracks with a readable format that differentiates tracks and will Pro Tools see that?)

4. Is it feasible to record some tracks on the hardware, some on the software, and eventually incorporate them into a finished product on the software? Will the tracks line up in time?

5. Is my rig powerful enough?
Specs: 37 GB hard drive (plan to use 15 GB partition for Pro Tools)
Dell integrated graphics and audio (no real sound card to speak of)
256 MB ram
1.8 ghz Intel processor

6. What about running it in Linux with WINE? Can I do that?

 

[Stealthtech]

I recommend a second HD dedicated to audio only but 15 gig will have enough space for projects but limited storage if you intend to save a lot of songs. However if you do a mix to 1 stereo 16 bit track you will have plenty of space.
You can import digital audio to your PC from the fostex but will need an audio card for the transfer with spdif or digital inputs like an audiophile 2496 would do the job fine at minimum cost.
You will need to sync up the time stamp with PT and the Fostex.

 

[Progger]

I don't know if I'd actually need that card. Right now the way I put songs into MP3 format on my HD is just run patch cables from my stereo out on the VF-80 into a 1/8" adapter, which plugs right into the back of my PC. From there I just encode the track with MusicMatch. It looks like those inputs on the Audiophile do the exact same thing as what I'm doing. Or am I totally off the mark? I'm not exactly a seasoned veteran of recording here.

 

[Stealthtech]

Then your doing a digital to analog transfer. I was reffering to a digital transfer with the audiophile. The Fostex has spdif outs and the AP has spdif ins.

 

[69ShadesofRed]

I definitely second Stealth's recommendation on doing S/PDIF digital to digital x-fers, the AD converters on the buillt in sound card are really shitty, why would you wanna go through a DA and then a shitty AD conversion when you can keep everything in digital and make an exact replica of what's on your Fostex on your computer? But then again, if you like the quality of MP3, then maybe it's not a big deal.

The processor speed is fine but I'd up the RAM to 512MB if you intend to use plugins and more tracks.

 

[Progger]

This will probably sound stupid, but I like the sound better that I get running my Fostex through my crappy sound card the analog way. Maybe it's because I'm using my Boston speakers as monitors . . .

 

[DonF]

1. Is 15 GB enough? How much music am I going to be able to store and edit on that amount of space?

At 5MB/minute (16 bit/44.1 kHz), about 50 track-minutes. Cut by one-third if you go 24-bit. I'd advise getting a second hard drive to devote to audio if you're at all serious. For Win98 a system partition, 15GB is probably too big — 2 – 4GB might be better.

2. What do you think about Pro Tools Free? Worth a damn?

It's worth what you paid for it! If you simply can't spend any money, it's certainly worth a try. Assuming you can get it running and stable (which is most decidedly non-trivial!), you will have a good idea what ProTools is all about. ptFREE sounds better to me (and is also more stable!) than any other free/cheap product I have tried. It comes with lots of plugins, including compressors, gates, EQs, etc., but no reverb. For that you have to pay money. I don't know if they still offer it, but I got a special ptFREE version of Digi's D-Verb for $50.

3. If I want to import my songs on my Fostex VF-80 to Pro Tools, will Pro Tools recognize the individual tracks and be able to differentiate in the GUI? (Another way of putting it: does the Fostex tag program tracks with a readable format that differentiates tracks and will Pro Tools see that?)

I think someone else answered this already; use an S/PDIF connection to record the individual tracks into ptFREE. Getting them to align with each other will be a trick, though. Does the VF-80 have any other export options besides audio and S/PDIF out?

4. Is it feasible to record some tracks on the hardware, some on the software, and eventually incorporate them into a finished product on the software? Will the tracks line up in time?

What synchronization options do you have on the VF-80? If it can slave to a MIDI clock, you might be able to lock it to ptFREE.

5. Is my rig powerful enough?

I would suggest more RAM, and an additional hard drive.

6. What about running it in Linux with WINE? Can I do that?

I wouldn't recommend it. Last I checked, WINE was not very stable. Add to that the instability of ptFREE, and you're in for major headaches. BTW, ptFREE has a Macintosh-like GUI (you'll have to see it to know what I mean), so there's already some kind of emulation going on. Adding another layer to this would be asking for trouble, in my opinion.

Oh, I heartily recommend the Audiophile. I'm using it with ptFREE on a 500MHz P-III. You do realize, I hope, that ptFREE is the only version of Pro Tools that runs with non-Digidesign hardware, right?

 

[Progger]

Thanks a lot for the info.

The VF-80 has a stereo out with 1/4" jacks which I use to simply play the songs through, encoding them as MP3s with Musicmatch. Really low-tech, but it's worked so far, with pretty impressive results. The songs sound much better as MP3s than they sound on the unit when I'm monitoring with headphones. Maybe it's the phones that are the problem there: I'm using DirectSound Extreme Isolation phones. I bought them for recording drum tracks without destroying my ear drums, but maybe they're crappy for monitoring and mixing.

I'll see what I can do with PTfree, but if it has no reverb, it's not really worth recording into directly. My mixer provides most of my reverb functions, but to connect it to my PC I'd need that soundcard, which I just can't afford to buy right now, being merely 17 with no steady source of income.

The VF-80 can do the MIDI sync thing, but I have no MIDI sequencer. So I'm screwed there.

I'm sorry if I appear to be a little lacking in recording knowledge and lingo. It's probably because I really AM lacking in knowledge. I've never had to communicate with people on this subject.

I've been able to do great things with my Fostex, and songs really do sound good on it. I'm just way too much of a control freak, and I want the raw power of software. Looks like I'll probably keep to hardware, though, until I can afford to buy a laptop and some high quality software.