Transfering mac PT5.1 drive into PC PT5.1 \'puter

I have searched previous posts for this answer, but I haven't found one. I have a PC with PT5.1. I am working with a producer on the other side of the country who uses a Mac with PT5.1. We would like to transfer PT sessions back and forth. I know that PT5.1 allows for PC/Mac compatibility. However, an internet transfer of the files (could be several gig) would be too cumbersome. We are discussing mailing the drive with the session on it back and forth. Although I know the actual PT file will be compatible, how about the drive? Can a PC pull files from a drive that is formatted with a Mac and vice versa? Thanks, Kelly

don't know if you can swap drives like that, but i'd be afraid of the drive getting damaged going cross country like that several times. if you both have high speed internet, you could look into getting an ftp server. its as reliable as your connection. cable modem service has been very reliable for me and i run an ftp server out of my house......

It'll be safer to purchase Jaz drive or DVD-RAM and transfer media. I now have a 14ch track 24bit/48khz 4min 800MB. fastest speed I've got till now with my DSL (Limited to 200KBps) is 100KB from Cable/DSL , DSL technology limited to 70KB up... Simple calculation: 800M (=800*1024) / 100K = 8192 (Sec) 3Hours... If the bandwidth is optimal, no breaks, no traffics (busy net hours) Unless you have all thos dreamy HDSLs... Uncompressed DATA is INBEARABLE for such transfer. Possible Solutions: JAZ/DVD-RAM: High capicity... UPS/DHL sendings... And capable for more than 800MB Another solution: Mixdown tracks... Just keep the tracks you want the otherside to edit and you have like 3tracks... (Use MONO ) that'll be 100MB and that's 20Min xfer.

Ohh, You'll need some sort of Mac "PLUGIN"... There is those MacOpener all those software you should buy that gives you support for HFS and HFS2 so you read/write and all on mac drives/cdroms as they're Windows cdroms... Works well on NT/98/ME/2000 about 150$ for software...

You could also try a shareware app called "transmac". It enables you to read mac-formatted disks (floppys, HD's and CD-roms) on a PC so you can transfer the files to a win-formatted disk. I got this app for free with a computer mag. You could try a search on the net and see what you come up with.

Hi, This is one place where a Firewire drive would be useful, presuming that both OS's could read the disk. Remember that Even Windows 98/ME and Windows NT are not necessarily compatible (FAT16/FAT32/NTFS) and are certainly not compatible most of the time with Linux. I'm not a MAC user, but the OS has been different for a long time with it's long file name handling. On the plus side, all of the Firewire drives are SBP-2, so at least all the OS's should be able to see the drive. They just might tell you on one system that it isn't formatted. I've been using Firewire drives for awhile now, and haven't tried them out for this app, but I do NOT think they are fast enough to actually be your audio drive. It isn't the drive as much as the 1394 cards and drivers beign slower than the ATA cards, so to do this you'd have to record to your audio drive, then transfer to Firewire, then move the drive, then transfer to the otehr audio drive. To much of a hastle. Probably faster to just copy across the network... I don't think you'd hurt anything if you could get one to borrow somewhere and try it out, or get someone at a computer store to try it for you. Good luck! Mark

Thank you for your responses. da BaSsTaRd: I have a cable modem and the producer has a DSL connection. I get from 5kb to 50kb per sec typically. Since 6 Gig = 6000000 kb, a trasfer at 50 kb/sec = over 33 hours. That is assuming there are no problems (drop offs, etc). Rock Artist: JAZ/DVD Ram is a possibility. The mixdown idea is not because we want to conserve all the automation. You are correct regarding the MacOpener-type software although it turns out to be about $65. Espron: I found transmac for about $65 also. Mark: Firewire is a possibility. You are correct that I wouldn't be using it as my audio drive. aka21st: interesting idea, but at 56K/sec, although it would be as fast as my cable modem, it would still take a day or so to transfer a large file. After reading everyone's responses and thinking for a few days, I was shocked that no one else came to the same conclusion I did: copy the files to CD. That provides 750 MB per CD. Files could be split among a few CDs and then shipped. I wouldn't have to worry about drives breaking in the mail and the only additional purchase would be the CDs and Mac/PC transfer utilities. Thanks for all of your responses.

Heck. It helps to read the question first? Why not FORMAT CDr as ISO 9660? Both systems should read the media OK. However, Mac users must load SD-2 files onto an HFS or HFS+ formatted HD to use. While you're SD 2 on FAT 32 format. Correct? Most studios I know use DDS 2 or 4 with Retrospect. Do you think they may de-gauss in transit? And have you spoken with DANTZ yet? Retrospect may be the best solution on ISO 9660. Each BU set could be one song i.e. 4 CDs. I think it's $99. You only need Retrospect Desktop if you're using a tape drive. my .02

aka21st, You'll have to help me define some of your terms. I have a PC with Win98se, which means my drives are formatted Fat32. My friend is using a Mac G4 (HFS or HFS+ formatting, I believe). I'm not sure what his drives are formatted as. To tell you the truth, I hadn't figured out how the CDR will be formatted. The utilities mentioned earlier in this topic should transfer files from a Mac CD or drive onto a PC. I'm sure there are utilities that do the reverse. I'm not sure of some of your terms: SD2, DDS2, DDS4, Retrospect, de-gauss, DANTZ, ISO 9660. I assume from context that Retrospect is a file transfer utility, but you'll have to clue me in to the rest.