PT vs Xp Media Center...NOT!

NY Chief · Post by **NY Chief** » Mon May 08, 2006 1:20 pm

PT LE 7 does not like XP Media Center (not supported per Digi website) so a new dedicated PC is the way. I've tried playing the demo song and PT/XPMC just keeps hanging up. Error code - adjust H/W buffer up, when I do I get error code - adjust H/W buffer down. There's NO in between. Arrrrrrrgghhh!!!!!! I tried loading XP Home as my OS so then I get CPU useage errors. Both XP and Media Center have so much extra crap running in the back ground it's ridiculous. So I'm going to put the MC box as the home PC and get a box from Sweetwater already configured and optimized (we'll see about that) for PT. (Shoulda got a Studer and Neve...

)

MacGaden · Post by **MacGaden** » Mon May 08, 2006 2:49 pm

Should have gotten a Mac...They can do anything mediacenter can do out of the box. The new ones with Intel processors runs Windoze too, if you feel you have to.. Could have saved you a computer...

Post by **VelvetGeorge** » Mon May 08, 2006 3:01 pm

Mediacenter is the Fisher Price of PC's. If you can get rid of it, I'd suggest it.

I love Macs, but my dual Athlon/XP Pro comp has been rock solid. Aside from a compatiblity problem with MOTU hardware.

george

NY Chief · Post by **NY Chief** » Mon May 08, 2006 5:35 pm

VelvetGeorge wrote:Mediacenter is the Fisher Price of PC's.
george

I'll say!

Holy shit! When I looked at the files in the Media Center folder I couldn't believe how much CRAP is in there. I need my recording software, Internet connection and maybe a word processor. Don't need all that other shit clogging up my machine.

At one time I was pretty fluent in Windows but, just like everything else if you don't stay current you can get behind the curve REAL fast.

Hey, Mac I decided to say with the PC only becuase Pro Tools is gonna be a big enough learning curve and I know (at keast I thought I did!!) something about windows

NY Chief · Post by **NY Chief** » Wed May 10, 2006 12:43 pm

It's ALIVE!! I got got the new box from Sweetwater yesterday. Loaded PT and away we went. Demo song played fine. Now, to learn how to use it...

rockstah · Post by **rockstah** » Wed May 10, 2006 12:47 pm

right on man!

go digidesign.com and click on DISK in the menu there are links there for instructional videos for PT.

NY Chief · Post by **NY Chief** » Wed May 10, 2006 3:45 pm

rockstah wrote:right on man!

go digidesign.com and click on DISK in the menu there are links there for instructional videos for PT.

Hey Mark, get outta my head!!! I was wondering when you were gonna join this thread. And, I was gonna ask if you could recommend any good study materials. I already have accumlated a bunch of books and a couple of CD's / DVD's. This is going to get as addicting as amp building, huh? BTW my music room is in a room I built over my garage. The name of the studio is "The Addic"!

rockstah · Post by **rockstah** » Wed May 10, 2006 3:52 pm

hey man - congradulations!

the link i posted is kewl to get you started. need more? you can also get the instructional vid that digi puts out - its somewhere on the site.

i like the name of the studio sounds like nice place to keep your toys( pun intened)

Mark

NY Chief · Post by **NY Chief** » Wed May 10, 2006 7:14 pm

rockstah wrote:hey man - congradulations!

the link i posted is kewl to get you started. need more? you can also get the instructional vid that digi puts out - its somewhere on the site.

i like the name of the studio sounds like nice place to keep your toys( pun intened)

Mark

I have that vid. It actually comes with 002r. Sweetwater was pretty cool about it. I ordered the DVD from the site after I bought the rack and the sales guy who handles my account called me the next day and told me to check the package as I already have that vid and canceled the order for me. That's pretty good customer service IMO.

The Addic is a cross between the attic that it is and the addiction this shit can be. My first band was called Obsession and I was the guy that did all the "other" stuff that the band mates didn't do. Bought the PA, ran the sound, fixed all the broken shit, humped the (my) Altec bins and ran the recording rig while the rest of the guys smoked, drank and chased the skirts. My Mom said "Obsession" is perfect becuase that's what it was with me.

I get the feeling you can commiserate!

Post by **VelvetGeorge** » Wed May 10, 2006 7:19 pm

NY Chief wrote: The Addic is a cross between the attic that it is and the addiction this shit can be. My first band was called Obsession and I was the guy that did all the "other" stuff that the band mates didn't do. Bought the PA, ran the sound, fixed all the broken shit, humped the (my) Altec bins and ran the recording rig while the rest of the guys smoked, drank and chased the skirts. My Mom said "Obsession" is perfect becuase that's what it was with me.

I get the feeling you can commiserate!

Yep, I know that role well. How about the time I spent all night on new year's eve trying to fix a broken powered head. The club was supposed to provide a PA, yeah right.
I guess I'm still mad about that one....

VG

rockstah · Post by **rockstah** » Wed May 10, 2006 7:29 pm

NY Chief wrote:
rockstah wrote:hey man - congradulations!

the link i posted is kewl to get you started. need more? you can also get the instructional vid that digi puts out - its somewhere on the site.

i like the name of the studio sounds like nice place to keep your toys( pun intened)

Mark
I have that vid. It actually comes with 002r. Sweetwater was pretty cool about it. I ordered the DVD from the site after I bought the rack and the sales guy who handles my account called me the next day and told me to check the package as I already have that vid and canceled the order for me. That's pretty good customer service IMO.

The Addic is a cross between the attic that it is and the addiction this shit can be. My first band was called Obsession and I was the guy that did all the "other" stuff that the band mates didn't do. Bought the PA, ran the sound, fixed all the broken shit, humped the (my) Altec bins and ran the recording rig while the rest of the guys smoked, drank and chased the skirts. My Mom said "Obsession" is perfect becuase that's what it was with me.

I get the feeling you can commiserate!

Star*Guitar · Post by **Star*Guitar** » Thu May 11, 2006 6:51 am

The problem really is Pro Tools. I hate Pro Tools and what it does to tone and the mix. It is a demanding application that destroys whatever is musical about your recording.

If you want to hear examples of it killing your cuts, light up the CD with EVH and Cherone.

There are way better ways to achieve a good mix. The studios are responsible for making it the standard. But when you take into consideration the stuff they have to pitch correct and time shift...That is all they can do...check out any hip hop clip and you will find good examples.

By the way...if too many things are running in Media Center...why don't you just uninstall them? Not sure I understand this problem.

NitroLiq · Post by **NitroLiq** » Thu May 11, 2006 10:42 am

Chief, you could check out the following book if you decide not to go the DVD route:

Protools 7 Power

I've looked at the one for Nuendo in B&N and it's pretty good. Comes with a CD with project files so you can follow along as it gets you into recording, editing, midi, etc. They have one for PT LE as well (actually listed on the same page as part of a bundle option).

As far as media center goes....it's been years since I've bought an off the shelf computer or online configured purchase (ala Dell) as I build my own boxes from scratch. That being said, the first thing I would do with any new purchase (for example if I were to buy a laptop), is re-format/partition the entire drive to get rid of all the proprietary crap the vendor sticks on there. Install XP Pro (no other version of XP), the various drivers, then software I need and go man go. Then I just tweak XP (make it look more like win2K, turning off all the fades, animations, etc.) This site is a good one for tweaking for music apps:

http://www.musicxp.net/

We're expecting some clips once you get everything up and running.

NY Chief · Post by **NY Chief** » Thu May 11, 2006 12:47 pm

Thanks, Nitro!! It's on the way!

Star, I did try uninstalling a bunch of shit but it still wouldn't run and Digi specifically states on their site that MEdia Center is NOT supported so their must be something more to it. The machine I was trying to run it on was a dual core AMD 2Ghz with 1G RAM. That meets digi spec. as I understand it MC is a shell that runs over XP so there must be other stuff in the background taking up CPU time and/or the firewire comm.

I'm a little nervous that you feel PT is that "flat" anybody else agree?? Now that I already have the gear I don't need to hear that kinda stuff!!

Post by **VelvetGeorge** » Thu May 11, 2006 12:57 pm

Mike, PT will reproduce what you put into it. For the most part. It will affect the sound when start mixing a lot of tracks together, or processing them to death. But for the most part, if it doesn't sound right it's because of something wrong before it hits the computer.

If anything, recording your gear will let you really start to scrutinize how it sounds. Grab a 57 and a condensor mic and start playing with placement. That's an art in itself.

Looking forward to clips....

VG