M Box Users Options

[nlowther]

Hey all you MBox users out there.
I want the to get the Mbox 'cause Pro tools is great for what I want . Only thing is Ive been toid by some people that it cant run Virtual Instruments without noticeable latency and chews up processor speed real quick when adding effects.
Tell me its not true, tell me simplicity rules and keep away from the maze that is Logic.

[arvidtp]

Powerbook G4 1.25GHz 15", OS 10.3(.4 now). I admit that I should get more RAM for optimal performance, but still it should be better than it is, and at least be stable and all...

The Driver issue is that Digi uses their own "Direct IO" drivers that are not part of the operating system, but are based precariously on extra kernel extensions - that is so an OS 9-like thing to do. That is why it keeps breaking when Apple updates OS X, when other software like reason, logic, etc keeps going strong. I don't think it has to do with DV, because it is more a IO thing than a file format thing. But I'm not knowledgeable in the video thing (I like and can use FCP, but couldn't figure out what the hell I was doing when I tried Avid!). And FCPro could use the Mbox for output in theory. However that brings me to another point:

Myself, and several other computer musicians I know who have been around a lot longer than I, feel that Digidesign wants to LIMIT the use of their hardware with other software - to make it as difficult as possible for you to try software other than Pro TOols and possibly realize that it is not all there is to making music on a computer, while still being able to say that they make compatible products. Why else the "single client" nature of the mbox/001/002 coreaudio drivers, when Digi as a big company is completely capable of making a good, normal, multi-client, stable coreaudio driver? Without you having to add apps to a list before using them, with some of them either not working at all or crashing 30 sec after launch because of Mbox (i.e. stable and respected software like reason)? And for goodness sakes the lowest latency on that driver is 512 samples! I can't very well use that to perform with for the instruments I build in MaxMSP! I'm really frustrated with them. Pro TOols is great software for what it is (except when it crashes) but the limitations it and its hardware dependencies impose get me really frustrated.

Sorry to have to bash Digi, but I think its a shame for those of us who want to experiment with other stuff besides what Digi wants us to use. Maybe you will have better luck with the Mbox drivers as far as stability, but I think I know how to maintain a mac, and the limitations I have stated are real.