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PowerTracks Pro Audio
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Joined: Jan 2012
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OP
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Hiya all, how do you configure PT 11 to use an external drive for recording/audio streaming, in my case, a drive E:?
Thanks in advance!
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PowerTracks Pro Audio
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Set up the appropriate folders in Drive E using Windows Navigator. Then Open/Save your files using the folder in Drive E. The PTW program can remain in the current Drive
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PowerTracks Pro Audio
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However it will still stream to C; unless you change the default "Temp Audio" folder in audio preferences. This is where recorded streams get directed until they are saved.
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
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PowerTracks Pro Audio
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Although speeds vary depending on the device, in general terms you won't get as fast a transfer rate to a USB external drive as you will to an internal IDE or SATA drive. This could have an effect on how many tracks you can stream.
ROG.
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PowerTracks Pro Audio
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OP
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Hey thanks for all your replies.
Rharv, that's what I thought: to assign the directory in audio prefs to the drive letter. But, then when I save, do the tracks stream from C:? In other words, are the tracks to E: just temp tracks, or do they stream always from E:?
ROG: I use an SATA 10,000 rpm veloci-raptor for my external drive, and it seems to handle the loads okay so far. We'll see when I get more tracks and plugins involved.
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PowerTracks Pro Audio
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OP
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Lyn, sorry for the lame question, but where do I find Windows Navigator? And, will this keep everything on drive E:? I have PT 11 installed on C: right now.
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PowerTracks Pro Audio
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Rharv, okay here's the question I was fishing for: when I save the SEQ file (the project file), do I save it to the external drive E: for the best streaming results?
In other words, since PT is installed on C: is it a good idea to save the project to E:?
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PowerTracks Pro Audio
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I use separte drives for each. One for recording, one for playback and another for OS.
The purpose of separating recording from playback is diskthrash from the drive trying to keep up with reading chunks all over the drive (due to editing and mixing) and then trying to keep up with writing the streaming input at the same time. Too much jumping around.
So to avoid this it is often better to have OS and playback on one drive (where you save the song is the playback drive). And then use another for recording to, especially if you record a lot of tracks. This is if you only have two drives available.
Once you 'keep take' I think the audio gets moved to the project drive (playback; where you stored it) but that may not happen until the next save is envoked, not sure .. and this may be part of why RB is able to ask "recover data from last session"? as an option after a crash. Maybe it doesn't move those temp audio files (recorded tracks) from the orecording drive until it closes..
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
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PowerTracks Pro Audio
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So it looks like saving the project SEQ file to the external drive is the best option so as to keep Windows OS and PT 11 separate from the audio files. In other words, the main factor is to keep the two apart so as not to over-task one drive or the other.
I think I got it. Thanks again!
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PowerTracks Pro Audio
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How did you get that from my post? Quote:
So to avoid this it is often better to have OS and playback on one drive (where you save the song is the playback drive). And then use another for recording to,
The important part was keeping recording drive and playback drive separate. Even if playback drive included OS (another read function)..
Recording (write function) kept separate from read functions (play back and OS)
If you save to recording drive it will read from that drive for playback next time seq file is launched. Then you have read/write actions happening on same drive. At the same time. This is what is trying to be avoided.
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
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PowerTracks Pro Audio
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OP
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So just use the external drive E for recording and save the seq file to C: where Pt and the OS is located.
thanks for clarifying.
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PowerTracks Pro Audio
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If you're still not sure how to set up the folder, just open the window for the E drive and go to FILE - NEW - FOLDER. You can name it anything you like as long as you go to PT audio prefs and select it in the AUDIO TEMP DIRECTORY slot.
ROG.
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PowerTracks Pro Audio
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Thanks ROG. I appreciate all the help.
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PowerTracks Pro Audio
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Call the folder TempAudio
You'll thank me later..
Try the USB drive to record to, I haven't used an external drive (via USB) to record to. I can't vouch if that is the best setup for your system or not. Need to test it. It wouldn't surprise me if it worked fine. It also wouldn't surprise me if it didn't. How new of a system (using USB 1.0 or USB 3?) would be a factor. Also how busy the USB ports were already (and PCI bus etc) could even influence it.
I'd much rather have two internal drives to work with for audio.. if possible
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
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PowerTracks Pro Audio
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OP
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actually I'm using an external SATA WD 10k rpm velociRaptor drive to record to. My internal drive is a 7200 rpm.
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PowerTracks Pro Audio
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rharv - you've got me curious. Why TempAudio particularly? Mine's actually called Rudolph and it seem to work ok.
James - the point both rharv and I are making is that we don't know how you're connecting the sata drive to the PC. It's not the speed of the drive which could be a problem, it's the sustained transfer speed of the connection. The most common is USB and as rharv says, there's a big difference between USB 1/2/3.
ROG.
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PowerTracks Pro Audio
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I connect the external drive via a SATA port/connection, not USB, which I believe is faster than USB 2.0. I also have USB 3.0 capability on my computer but my drive isn't 3.0 capable.
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PowerTracks Pro Audio
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That's fine - I don't see any problems.
ROG.
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