Recording with Big Sur on Mac Questions

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by keith.rogers

It depends on the age of your Mini and the software you are relying on whether an update will create problems.

The biggest hurdle for me is the drop of 32-bit support after Mojave, so that's where my 2012 Mini is staying, even though I could bump it to Catalina at least. That would, unfortunately, leave me with having to replace old, unsupported Adobe and Office apps that I use occasionally, but have zero interest in paying hundreds of dollars to upgrade. (My iMac - a few years older generation is running the latest version of OS X, but that's only used for my music and some video/photo stuff.)

Look at the System Report and scour the applications that have "No" in the 64-bit column. A lot will be Apple system stuff, that will update with the OS, but if any are apps that you use, you need to figure out what moving past Mojave will cost.

p.s. Anything that like a USB mic that is "class compliant," i.e., just "plugs and plays" without needing a driver, will work across the 32-bit/64-bit update. Older hardware of any kind that has its own driver, might be another reason, besides apps, that would need some research.

Excellent point about the change to 64 from 32 bit I had forgotten all about that.

[slide496]

Thanks, Keith.Rogers. additional expense possible for sure. and I'll look into the 64 bit issue.

[DupleMeter]

Originally Posted by slide496

That's good news about Protools and the USB-C interfaces , maybe they are solving the issues, the Sweetwater list has over 100 manufacturers that were initially effected and you noted that you are using the Apple M1 chip which was another thing I was interested in knowing more about.

I'm curious as what M1 mac you have and and you buy anything specifically for the Big Sur upgrade or using hardware/software from a previous operating system?

I'm testing on a 13" MacBook with M1. It came with Big Sur...I only installed what I needed to test.

Point of clarification - my interfaces are connected via ethernet using a USB-C Hub.

I only have the system for testing & to write an article. My main workhorse is an iMac Pro. I also just got the top end 16" i9 MacBook Pro to test as well. And I'm expecting an M1 mac mini to add to the test systems. Coincidentally, I am in the market for a new laptop. I can't decide if I want to jump on the 16" Intel or hold out for September & the expected M1X "pro" laptops that are rumored.

Using my iMac Pro as the benchmark the M1 operated at about 50% & the i9 was about 64%.

The big problem with the i9 in a small enclosure is that it heats up too much to run at full power for any length of time.

Either would be a suitable mobile tracking system...but I wouldn't want to have to mix a big, involved project on either.

[DupleMeter]

Originally Posted by slide496

Apple apparently doesn't offer these days a previous operating system in the app store for very long so if any forum members want to have Big Sur on hand it might be a good idea to download before Monterey comes out. They say they have the Catalina installer online, but its not the full install just a 19mg download.

Harriet

They make it really hard to get previous OSes, but they can be found. You can get a link to what they do have available from this support page: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201372

[slide496]

Originally Posted by DupleMeter

They make it really hard to get previous OSes, but they can be found. You can get a link to what they do have available from this support page: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201372

An apple tech walked me through where to find Catalina OS 10.15.1 and I was advised to upgrade High Sierra to the last upgrade of Mojave and then appy that 10.15.1, I have the complete installer for mojave though. He did not direct me to a stand alone installer, the way you can download Big Sur. This is 4 or 5 pages in on the app store. I'm not doing it.

You mentioned you were going to be testing a macmini. I'd be interested in knowing if you are connecting a monitor directly to the mini, if you run into any display problems.

I did when I first installed High Sierra with an HP monitor , a commonly reported one of the display being too large so you can no longer see the top bar with Finder etc. This was not resolvable on a mac and I had to get a new monitor at the time.

[keith.rogers]

Originally Posted by slide496

An apple tech walked me through where to find Catalina OS 10.15.1 and I was advised to upgrade High Sierra to the last upgrade of Mojave and then appy that 10.15.1, I have the complete installer for mojave though. He did not direct me to a stand alone installer, the way you can download Big Sur. This is 4 or 5 pages in on the app store. I'm not doing it.

You mentioned you were going to be testing a macmini. I'd be interested in knowing if you are connecting a monitor directly to the mini, if you run into any display problems.

I did when I first installed High Sierra with an HP monitor , a commonly reported one of the display being too large so you can no longer see the top bar with Finder etc. This was not resolvable on a mac and I had to get a new monitor at the time.

What upgrade is being presented in the System Preferences? On my late-2012 Mini (currently on Mojave), I only see Catalina.

I would simply do the updates presented by Apple in System Preferences, if that's the route you want to go, i.e., *past* Mojave and 32-bit support.

Wherever you are at, Apple provides security updates (or seems to, as I still get them, occasionally, on the Mini/Mojave system), but it also will persist an alert on the System Preferences for an available OS X update. I just choose to ignore it on my old Mini.

I have an HP monitor I'm using, but it's a small-ish thing, 1920x1080. I'd guess the integrated video chip in this (i5, HD 4000 graphics) chipset is as much a limitation as anything else, as it's semi-pokey in that respect.

[slide496]

Thanks Keith.Rogers for your encouragement.

After looking around for the past several days I think maybe the way to go is to buy a refurbished macmini 2018 or 2020 from Apple with 14 day return policy. That way I can test my monitor, my usb Shure MV51 and Apogee, wifi, integration with my iphone 12 and be done with it. At least I will know if it's worth an upgrade now or wait till the fall offerings.

I did run into a compatibility issue with a mic that has C connection combining an older USB connection mic to make an aggregate mic for recording.

Harriet