You can only use the RAM disk feature if you upgrade to the toolkit from base PT10 in Windows. That capability is not in the $699 base package. But, to Dave's original concern, another $799 will get you the capability you seek. Basically a $1400 investment but you can shave about $200 off that investment if you buy the PT9 MBox version right now and then pay for the upgrade to PT10. A very little advertised option.

Just to clarify. Pro Tools 10 can playback your entire session from RAM. But as Middleman correctly points out you do need ProTools HD and the Complete Production Tool Kit in order to do it.

In terms of RAM though I am sort of correct. The amount of available RAM for caching you have is approx 3G less than the total amount of RAM you have installed on your system. So if you have 16 Gig of RAM installed on your (Apple 64 Bit OS) then you do actually have 13 Gig available for this feature despite the fact it is only a 32 bit app.

You might be wondering how it's able to access memory beyond the usual 32 bit boundaries. The anwser is that it doesn't. By opening Activity Monitor on the MAC you can see that Pro Tools uses a second process called KMM_Server, which can run as a 64 bit process, communicating with Pro Tools to store and retrieve audio data for your session. But it still means you could playback an entire session from RAM even if the session needs well above 4 Gig to do it.

The next version (11) will more than likely be 64 bit anyway so its not a big thing. Playing back sessions from RAM is though, it is lightening fast and very responsive.

zippsinc


Hi Dave

Yes you would have to install 32bit versions of your VST software. For example, I have Superior Drummer 2.0 and EZ Keys (64bit & 32bit) installed. Failure to install the 32bit versions means that they would just not show up in Pro Tools at all.

Stewart
 

Just to be clear - since Pro Tools doesn't support VST, the issue isn't whether or not you install the 32 bit version of your VST plug-in - this won't make the slightest difference in PT - it's a matter of installing the RTAS version of your plug-in (which of course is 32 bit). 

Rain

zippsinc


Hi Dave

Yes you would have to install 32bit versions of your VST software. For example, I have Superior Drummer 2.0 and EZ Keys (64bit & 32bit) installed. Failure to install the 32bit versions means that they would just not show up in Pro Tools at all.

Stewart

Just to be clear - since Pro Tools doesn't support VST, the issue isn't whether or not you install the 32 bit version of your VST plug-in - this won't make the slightest difference in PT - it's a matter of installing the RTAS version of your plug-in (which of course is 32 bit). 

This won't be a problem for me as I am not trying to force Pro Tools to be SONAR X1.  I see PT as more of a "capture" tool where I am trying to capture a performance and make it sound as good as possible.  So if RTAS versions of my important software will get the job done I will be ok.
 
When I am in creative mode, I will probably be more happy in SONAR or Reaper.

In which case, you'll probably be happy w/ PT, considering what you're expecting from it.

Personally, I'm sticking w/ Logic for creation and/or anything that stays in house and doesn't require collaboration. 

Rain


In which case, you'll probably be happy w/ PT, considering what you're expecting from it.

Personally, I'm sticking w/ Logic for creation and/or anything that stays in house and doesn't require collaboration. 

So, evidently you are running on a Mac?

Yup.

On a PC, it'd probably be Sonar + PT. 

Playing back sessions from RAM is though, it is lightening fast and very responsive.

 
Samplitude has had that feature for well over 10 years...  
Welcome to the year 2000  
 
There are means of working around the 4GB limitation (Vienna Ensemble Pro, RAM disk, etc)... but they are just that (workarounds). 

When I am in creative mode, I will probably be more happy in SONAR or Reaper.

 
When I'm trying to compose/produce I much prefer Sonar X1 to ProTools.
Been working on some jingles in X1 recently... and I'm having a blast.

Rain

 

Just to be clear - since Pro Tools doesn't support VST, the issue isn't whether or not you install the 32 bit version of your VST plug-in - this won't make the slightest difference in PT - it's a matter of installing the RTAS version of your plug-in (which of course is 32 bit). 
 

Yeh...I clumsily messed up there. I meant Dave's current VST plugins, of which, there may also be RTAS versions available. I had to rewrite my post twice due to IE9 crashing as I was previewing or clicked the 'Post Message' button. I was losing the will to live as I wrote the third one.
Stewart
p.s. My IE9 appears to crash every time I post here. The post goes on but IE9 has to be shutdown (PITA). In Firefox12, this forum ignores basic formatting (eg. line spacing for paragraphs). I can't win....lol