Pro Audio Support

Q:
Although the jump to Mac OS X with Pro Tools 6.0 is both a bold and necessary move, why have you not implemented auto delay compensation for TDM plug-ins?
 
A:
While this is very high on the long list of stuff we would like to add, it hasn't happened yet because we have had to focus on transitioning our entire product line to OSX. As the Mac is still a favorite platform for many, this transition was not an option for us, and it has been no small task either - it will have taken the team over two years of coding by the time it is complete! I'm happy to say that although 6.0 doesn't include as many new features as some of our previous software releases, we were able to add a bunch of other things, including some you specifically asked for, such as addition of Trim Scrub with Pro Control and Control|24, and TDM Plug-In instantiation on-the-fly. And now that Pro Tools' OSX support is almost done, we'll be able to return our focus to even more new features, including auto delay compensation.Some folks have questioned whether auto delay compensation hasn't been done because it isn't doable. I can say for sure that the TDM architecture is capable of supporting auto delay compensation, but it is a lot of work to do, and quite a bit more to do it right . It isn't just a case of advancing tracks behind the scenes; many other things have to be taken into account too:-First of all, Pro Tools' mixer architecture is completely dynamic, so users can configure it almost any way they wish. With auto delay compensation, this flexibility means that the implementation must manage the wide variety of configurations with their associated accumulating delays. For example, when routing a channel to a sub-group as well as a main output (such as when setting up a compressed drum sub group), the two arrival times at the main output might be different. This is just one "sub group" in the whole mix that has to be considered. Managing this essentially requires that Pro Tools considers all routing paths and then determines the compensation required for each track accordingly. -Many Pro Tools users have other devices synchronized with Pro Tools - all of which must be managed correctly. Other timeline elements should to be considered as well, such as ensuring markers, sync points, automation playlists, etc. reference the relative audio position correctly. -Finally, all plug-ins need to broadcast the amount of delay, and do so accurately, so that Pro Tools can compensate for all inserts. So while all of this is certainly achievable, implementing and testing it to ensure all scenarios are correctly accounted for will take a while, as I am sure you can imagine.