need some newbie protools. dumping from 8trk RtoR. advice?

[thereminman]

I'm completely ignorant of digital recording. I'm just starting the business of sifting through websites, talking to knowledgeable friends, visiting music stores, etc. to learn about it.

I've been recording onto a Tascam 80-8 1/2" tape machine for about 10 years with fairly good success. I've got a job recording some music for a television show. For the last couple of years, I've just delivered CD's of the music cues, and someone on the other end has done the editing--the inserting it into the program.

I'm thinking I need to step up and learn this stuff.

I'm thinking of continuing to record on the 8 track reel to reel and maybe dump it to protools for editing/mixing/sharing files.

If I did that --what would I need? ---an 8 track interface? (I've seen that MBOX that does 4...that wouldn't do, would it?)----would the *free* protools be good enough for this?.......anyone have any thoughts?

[farview]

Protools free went away a long time ago, so it really isn't an option.

Is there a reason you want to specifically go with protools? (nothing wrong with it, but there are dozens of other DAWs out there)

Yes, you would basically need an 8 channel interface with line inputs. then some sort of DAW. If you are just editing, you could use Reaper which is $60 if you decide to pay for it. The free trial is fully functional.

If you are going to actually put the music to picture, you are going to have to get a DAW that actually does that. Not all of them do.

Protools now will work with any interface, so you are not stuck with their's, but I don't know if that version of protools will do post production and let you sync to video.

[Nick Sevilla]

Hi,

If you want to do the D.A.W. (Digital Audio Workstation) thing now, good for you!

It will take learning how to use it, for what you need it todo, so not necessarily having to learn every bell and whistle will be ok.

Now, if you will do synch to picture (Yes, synch is the correct spelling of the term)...

You absolutely will need both a powerful computer, AND a D.A.W> that can synch to incoming SMPTE timecode, when needed.

I would investigate the Motu hardeware and their software.

Pretty much ALL the movie and TV guys I know use Motu. And I know it works, as I also have one.

Their converters are really good, and the bonus is that if you get a decent converter, ie 828 mkii and higher, you will automatically also have an interface that locks to incoming SMPTE, and does so also resolving WORD CLOCK. This Word Clock is quite important, and misunderstood. It is the sample rate matching between the analog and the digital devices. If you end up having to do multiple laydowns, looping, etc, this will be important to keep everything correctly synched.

And the Motu converters have this feature built in.

Pro tools needs their Sync IO, which is another $$$.
And for Pro Tools to synch to incoming SMPTE ocode properly, you either get the Pro Tools 10 HD.

Apparently, they no longer offer SMPTE synch with the non-HD version of Pro Tools.

I know the earlier one, PT9, might still be able to use their add on software bundle, but it costs a whole grand (1000USD) so, this is probably not the way to go.

Cheers

[doctari]

When Pro Tools first came to my house, sessions recorded on the Otari 8-trac went into the digidesign 002r way too hot. I'm a home studio operator and someone more experienced can address input distortion, tape to digital before you invest in gear. May not be an issue at all just something to consider.