ProTools Free vs. Cool edit

I currently use Cool Edit Pro (retail verison) for all my audio dohickery. By the looks of it I will need to get a duel boot with Win ME going if I want to run Pro-Tools Free. Could anyonew shed some light on the pro's cons of the free pro tools over Cool edit? I don't wanna set up a duel boot to find that the pro tools free is a freeby thingy! Heh, Thanks, Richard.

If you've got Cool Edit Pro, Pro Tools Free won't offer that many advantages, other than flexibility with editing. Having said that, I use both with W98. Sometimes PT lets you do stuff quicker. They are both good programs. A few comparisons:- CEP - 64 tracks of audio (mono/stereo) Works with DirectX plug-ins No real-time FX Pan & volume visible simlutaneously Compatible with your expensive S/PDIF i/o card! No MIDI PTF - 8 tracks of audio (mono)- but it is free! Doesn't work with DirectX (but Audiosuite stuff is good) Real time FX ($50 D-Verb is great) Only one automation parameter visible at a time Won't see any S/PDIF i/o Useful MIDI functionality Both will sync to MTC. Once you get to know PT you realise it has the edge when it comes to most editing functions. What is your OS? Why the dual boot? Hope this helps.

Thanks for the reply! Most helpfull. I use Windows 2000, and the Pro tools doesn't run on that, win2k is far more stable. I would need to run in Win9X/Me to get it to work. Based on your info I think I'll stick with cool edit, I can get good real time effects with the eax on the sblive (changes pitch without altering speed, v kewl.) Again, thanks for the help! Rich.