Pro tools install windows XP

Hey Guyz,

It's been a while since I be on here. Any way, I want to start using Pro tools for my production. How do I get started with it. Do I need a new sound card? Can I just download load it from the net? and where? I'm running Windows Xp. I've been using N-Track studio. I had that it is best to use Pro tools cuz you get the Digital sound.

Respectfully, Jayson
help me out fam

You can download Pro Tools LE Free from the Digidesign website. It will work with any soundcard, the free version is limited to 8 tracks but it's a great way to learn Pro Tools. If you want to use the full version of PT then you have to buy digi hardware.

If you only need stereo in/out then you can go with an Audiomedia 3 card which can be found on ebay for about 150. The next step up would be an MBox which is a usb interface and runs about 450. If you need more ins and outs then your choices are the Digi 001, 002 or 002 rack whch all offer a variety of input/output configurations. The 001 will run about 700, they're gonna be hard to find soon. The 002's which are firewire interfaces run about 1,100 to 2100 bucks.

Now all that being said, you can make digital recordings without PT. There are a ton of other multitrack programs available that will work with just about any soundcard but ultimately it's the soundcard that's gonna determine how good a sound you get. Some other programs are Cakewalk's Sonar(299.00), Cool Edit Pro(279.00),Cubase(300.00-600.00)
and even Acid Pro(199.00) can be a serious multitrack program.

I'd look into all of these programs and see what looks best for you. Your gonna get a lot of opinions on what the best software is but what it all comes down to is what works best for you. That being said, I feel that Pro Tools is the best multitrack software out there, though I do use Sonar sometimes. Also if you decide to go the Pro Tools route make sure your PC can handle it, Pro Tools is very CPU intensive. Whatever you decide just make sure everything you choose is compatible. Good luck!

I just noticed that you said you're using Xp, PT Free won't work with Xp, sorry about that.

N-track is just as "digital" as pro-tools. The advantage of pro-tools is that a lot of professional studios use it, so you could take your mixes there and finish them.
Most versions of pro-tools only run with specific soundcards. The only exeption is Pro-tools free. The good news is that Pro-Tools Free is freeware and can be downloaded from the link below. The bad news is it's limited to 8 tracks of audio.
I suggest you try it to compare it to N-track. If you're looking for a similar DAW that will work on XP and supports 3rd party soundcards, i suggest you try Cubase SX.

http://www.digidesign.com/ (Pro-tools)
http://www.steinberg.net/en/index.php (cubase)

If you load service pack 1 it will install and work just fine.
I've seen it and played with it on my friends laptop running XP SVC PK 1.

Lampdog,
could you please clarify. I went to the digidesign site and i did not see any Service Pack 1. All I saw was Mac OS 9.0, Windows 98/ME, or order the disc. Can you help me out please. Is Service Pack 1 in the XP Config page or what?

Service pack 1 is an update from microsoft for xp. chances are ou

My friend has a laptop with XP and protools free on it. He had too mamy viruses so he formatted it and reinstalled XP. He had problems loading protools. I suggested he load svcpk 1 as well. Afterwards he was able to load protools just fine and it worked like normal again. I think he had svcpk 1 before but just didn't know it, someone else must have loaded it for him or something. His MBox wouldn't load up correctly either without svcpk 1. Svcpk1 is 133mb I think, it fixes some bugs in XP.

XP can also emulate all other windows below it.

Sorry about that, I got cut off. I was saying chances are it's already installed.

That's what I was wanting to know.

What's up

I just got a digi001 and plan to do my next CD on it... I'm currently mixing down my latest ( and first CD) on my vs1880. I have not installed it yet but I've only heard good things about it. I got it for the above mention reasons " a lot of studios use it" I don't want to do all the mixing and mastering... I would like to give someone else an oppertunity to work on my stuff so i decided to invest.... I will never get rid of my vs1880 but I think protools will be my new baby.....good luck!!!


Leroy