Now running Windows 8 with PT10, IF/FW into DM4800

[Tonepad]

a few hiccups, here and there like having to disconnect & reconnect the FireWire cable to wake up the audio from Pro Tools and Reaper and some other non Tascam related Pro Tools things, but otherwise getting thru recording and mixing as normal. Win 8 is very much like 7 under the hood whcih is what I upgraded from, just to try it out. I have a couple of Win 7 clone drives to fall back on just in case, including an SSD that boots in 30 seconds or so. Win 8 boots that fast on a normal 7500 rpm drive which is great.

 

[cmaffia]

Ok well besides booting a little faster and apparently breaking things that used to work fine in Windows 7, what are the other advantages to using Windows 8 over Windows 7 that justifies its existence? I just bought a new audio workstation with Win 7 installed on it (technically outdated as soon as ordered). MS gets lamer by the year. I survived just fine with Windows XP up until this week since 2001. I'm all for moving forward but come on, make it worth it our while and our money!

NOTE: This sarcasm is not directed towards you Tonepad but towards Microsoft and other companies that push needless upgrades and continue to reinforce trends which shorten the lifespan of products in general.

 

[captdan]

I hear ya, Charlie. And your reticence about Micro$loth isn't without merit; who amongst us hath forgotten Vi$ta?

I don't intend to jump to Win8 ('WinAte?') anytime soon. But from what I gather, the big deal is the GUI; seems MS is intent on changing the paradigm (didn't Apple already do that?) by heralding the end of mice and the welcoming of 'TabletSpeak.'
So WinAte is MS's foray into this brave new world. I suspect it won't be its last.

Just my opinions - and worth whatcha pay for 'em.

CaptDan

 

[Muziekschuur]

I have it running on my laptop for testing purposes. It is built for the use of multiple tasks at the same time using the 16 or 32GB of Ram installed.

There are some quirky thing in it. I have a feeling W7 will be the businessdaw for some time to come. But on a laptop with the big multi gesture touchpads or touchscreens W8 is nice.

Think about a mixingdesk with W8 natively installed as OS. I mean that could be something. But at this time it's not yet ready for primetime. Not because it's not good. But because we ALL have to give feedback for the latest little touch ups... I'm guessing this could take a year or so. I do believe it is an improved W7 core. So it is fast...

 

[captdan]

Think about a mixingdesk with W8 natively installed as OS.

I have no doubt that virtual touch-screen GUI is the future of mixdesks. But I'm not certain they will spell doom for mechanical faders & knobs either. I see a coexistence rather than an outright victory.

I do believe it is an improved W7 core. So it is fast...

Well, that's good news. Wilson - so far - is pleased with W8. I'll be watching from the sidelines with no immediate intentions to buy a ticket to the front row seat.

CaptDan

 

[Jarno]

I have no doubt that virtual touch-screen GUI is the future of mixdesks.

I really hope it isn't. Any user interface needs feedback to the user. With touch-screen you can't feel what you are doing, only visual feedback is available. But OTOH, I'm afraid you're right: 10 years from now we are mixing with our iConsole 42s (powered by iOs 37 "Saber-toothed cat").

 

[captdan]

Any user interface needs feedback to the user.

Feedback, shmeedback. If it looks good - it IS good. :shock:

10 years from now we are mixing with our iConsole 42s (powered by iOs 37 "Saber-toothed cat").



I think long as humans use their hands (and sometimes their feet) to control audio hardware, at least some of that hardware will utilize a form of mechanical interface.
Still, touch screens have their place, and perhaps the next 'big thing' will be a hybrid of both concepts.

That is - unless or until it's all telepathic.

CaptDan

 

[Tonepad]

Just wanted to contribute to the community with this early W8 install. I'm a platform and OS agnostic working Windows and Mac OS and indeed iOS, so I'm pretty comfortable moving across OS GUIs. heck I run 3 flavors of OSx...10.6, 10.7 and 10.8. I still find good old Snow Leopard is the most solid. and I even like Lion over Mt. Lion. Over on the Win side I'd tell everyone to stay with W7 if you like it...I do too and as I said I have several W7 clone drives, in case this all comes to a screeching halt. However 7 still has memory management issues and I'm hoping that 8 may address this...or so I've gathered from the "internets"...my goal being a more solid running Pro Tools, which has always been buggy and at times very unstable on Win compared to any Mac OSx. Alas I don't think that will be completely realized until PT is 64 bit.
As far as the touchscreen value. I'm writing this on my iPad and I have V-Control Pro on this but I hardly ever use it...it just doesn't do it for me like grabbing a fader. So I'm not attracted to W8 for that and since my studio monitors are 5-6 feet away, touch is not in the mix. I do like the combo touchscreen/fader approach of the Eucon Artist Control I have and I could see a large format console combining touch and tactile in the future...DM5000 anyone?

 

[captdan]

my goal being a more solid running Pro Tools, which has always been buggy and at times very unstable on Win compared to any Mac OSx. Alas I don't think that will be completely realized until PT is 64 bit.

I'm a relative newbie to PT - it's been one year since I moved over to it. I have to say that PT10 is stable about 95% of the time on my Win7 system. But - it's the other 5% that's suddenly, and unexpectedly annoying. I think it's a function of memory quirks in Win7 as you say, and limits reached with multiple instantiations of certain memory hungry VIs. At least, in those cases it seems, PT's nastiest DAE contentions come 'crashing' onscene.

A 64 bit PT will be an interesting development indeed.

CaptDan

 

[cmaffia]

You may want to look back to Cubase CaptDan.

http://www.steinberg.net/en/products/cu ... s_new.html

Cubase 7 will be released Dec 5. I can't vouch for Win7 yet as I haven't used it long enough but I can't remember ever crashing in Cubase 5, 5.5, 6 or 6.5 using WinXP to date.

 

[captdan]

Thanks Charlie. As you might recall, I used Cubase SX3 for several years - both in my previous rig and with the DM.

It's old news, but THE primary reason I decided to switch to PT was because of the simple, point and shoot input/output routing to the DM. I don't know if Cbase 5 and above is different in that regard; but it would have to be essentially the same approach - one stop menu with point/click - done. And, the ability to see at a glance - at any time - on the edit/track screen exactly where everything is routed.

Short of that, I'll stick with PT; at this point for me, it's just more productive - time spent creating product, and less time figuring stuff out. But don't get me wrong; Cubase is a superior DAW in many ways. So I'm not trying to start one of those DAW vsAW discussions.

CaptDan

 

[cmaffia]

You should take a look at the link and the 3 videos anyway. You might be surprised at how it's changed.

 

[captdan]

You may want to look back to Cubase CaptDan.

http://www.steinberg.net/en/products/cu ... s_new.html

Very impressive. I thought Cbase 6 was too. But, in all those eye popping features, I don't see how routing to an external mixer like the DM is made easier.

When you're setting up a routing - say - from a Cubase 5.5 track to DM, specifically what do you do? Is the Track Inspector still part of the deal? Is there a straightforward clearly labeled In/Out tab you click to reveal a user-friendly (by that I mean 12th grader level) menu?

When I used SX3 regularly, these steps were mercilessly convoluted, and when they were finally done, I didn't have an easy means to see the routing scheme on the DAW screen. That's why I began using Cubase's Track Notes - which in itself - was one more annoying step.

But my mind is open; after all, SX3 is 2005 technology. Then again, so is the DM.

CaptDan

 

[Arjan P]

Capt, I just use a couple of templates to start a new recording session in Cubase. Most used is the one with 32 mono channels going to and from DM, another is 24 mono plus 4 stereo channels. In either project it's just assigning the prepared channels to a new track for input and output, and I hardly ever check the VST Connections page (where Cubase inputs and outputs are nicely overviewed in an inputs and outputs tab). If you understand your DM, the Cubase part shouldn't give you any trouble IMO.

 

[captdan]

Hi Arjan,

I get all that. I used templates with C-base too.

The issue for me is this: though I tend to use pretty much the same fader layout on my DM, each project itself takes different shape. Sometimes I need to dedicate a secondary guitar track, for example, for purposes of matching takes to an older performance. It's just easier to open a new track in the DAW and route it quickly to the DM.

Same thing with VIs; I often like to stack or add various voices from different instruments - and this can occur spontaneously throughout the creating of a tune. As things develop, I might reorganize the DM fader layout to accomodate the emerging arrangement. Again, it's just easier for me to be able to patch, route and organize without being tied to a format where I can't easily see where everything is.
And that's why PT has been a major workflow improvement for the way I tend to approach things.

Without doubt, there are things about Cbase I like and miss; but I think it's just intended for somebody with a different left/right brain construction than I have.
As with any DAW, there are features I'll never use, don't need, nor care about. I can say the same thing about PT. But its workflow compatibility with the DM is something I DO care about.

Just my opinion and YMMV.

CaptDan

 

[Tonepad]

Help !!! my thread has been Hijacked !!!! I didn't think I posted this to GearS...tz !!

 

[captdan]

Though you write this with tongue lightly in cheek, you're right. I apologize for my part in taking your original intent in unintended directions.

CaptDan