How it Works
Avid
Loading...
Mbox Mini
User Guide
76 pgs1.24 Mb0
Table of contents
Loading...

Avid Mbox Mini User Guide

Download
Page 1
®
Mbox Mini User Guide
Version 8.0.4
Page 2
Legal Notices
This guide is copyrighted ©2010 by Avid Technology, Inc., (hereafter “Avid”), with all rights reserved. Under copyright laws, this guide may not be duplicated in whole or in part without the written consent of Avid.
Product features, specifications, system requirements, and availability are subject to change without notice.
Guide Part Number 9329-62651-00 REV B 06/10
Documentation Feedback
At Avid, we are always looking for ways to improve our documentation. If you have comments, corrections, or suggestions regarding our documentation, email us at techpubs@avid.com.
Page 3

contents

Chapter 1. Welcome to Mbox Mini . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Mbox Mini Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Pro Tools LE Capabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
System Requirements and Compatibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Conventions Used in This Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
About www.avid.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Chapter 2. Installing Pro Tools on Mac . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Installation Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Installing Pro Tools LE and Connecting Your Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Launching Pro Tools LE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Additional Software on the Pro Tools Installer Disc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Uninstalling Pro Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Chapter 3. Installing Pro Tools on Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Installation Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Installing Pro Tools LE and Connecting Your Interface. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Launching Pro Tools LE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Additional Software on the Pro Tools Installer Disc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Uninstalling Pro Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Chapter 4. Configuring Your Pro Tools System. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Starting Up or Shutting Down Your System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Configuring Pro Tools LE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Configuring the Pro Tools Hardware Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Optimizing a Mac System for Pro Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Optimizing a Windows System for Pro Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Contents iii
Page 4
Chapter 5. Mbox Mini Hardware Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Mbox Mini Front Panel Features. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Mbox Mini Back Panel Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Chapter 6. Making Studio Connections. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Connecting Headphones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Connecting a Sound System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Connecting Audio Inputs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Connecting a Microphone to the Mbox Mini. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Connecting Instruments to the Mbox Mini . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Appendix A. Using the Driver Control Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Appendix B. Configuring AMS (Mac OS X Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Audio MIDI Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
MIDI Patch Name Support. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Appendix C. Configuring MIDI Studio Setup (Windows Only). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
MIDI Studio Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
MIDI Patch Name Support. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Appendix D. Hard Drive Configuration and Maintenance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Avoid Recording to the System Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Supported Drive Formats and Drive Types. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Formatting an Audio Drive. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Partitioning Drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Defragmenting an Audio Drive. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Using Mac Drives on Windows Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Hard Disk Storage Space . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Appendix E. Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Backing Up Your Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Common Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Performance Factors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Before You Call Avid Support. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Mbox Mini User Guideiv
Page 5
Appendix F. Resources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
About the Pro Tools Guides . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Appendix G. Compliance Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Environmental Compliance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
EMC (Electromagnetic Compliance). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Safety Compliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Contents v
Page 6
Mbox Mini User Guidevi
Page 7
chapter 1

Welcome to Mbox Mini

Welcome to the Mbox®Mini audio production system from Avid
Mbox Mini and Pro Tools LE USB-equipped computer with two channels of analog audio input, two analog monitor out­puts, and one headphone output. Mbox Mini includes one professional-quality mic preamp and 24-bit analog-to-digital and digital-to-ana­log converters.
®
.
®
provides your

Mbox Mini Features

The Mbox Mini provides the following:
• Two channels of analog audio input:
• Combo connector with XLR (microphone) input and 1/4-inch (line-level) input and switchable 48V phantom power.
• Two 1/4-inch TRS (Tip-Ring-Sleeve) con­nectors. One input is switchable between Line and DI level devices. One input is swit­chable between Line and DI for Input 2. The other is DI only and switchable with the Combo connector for Input 1.
• Gain control with –20 dB pad available sep­arately on each input channel.
• Two 1/4-inch TRS analog monitor outputs.
• 1/4-inch TRS stereo headphone output.
• Adjustable level control for headphone and monitor outputs.
• Mon (Monitor) Mute switch for muting mon­itor outputs, without muting headphone out­put. This switch does not affect recording.
• 24-bit A/D and D/A converters, supporting sample rates of 44.1 kHz and 48 kHz.
• Zero-latency analog record monitoring with Mix (ratio) knob for adjustable balance be­tween input and playback.
• USB-powered operation.
Mbox Mini may not function properly if con­nected to a USB hub. Connect Mbox Mini to a separate, dedicated USB port.
Chapter 1: Welcome to Mbox Mini 1
Page 8

Pro Tools LE Capabilities

Pro Tools LE™ on Mac or Windows provides the following capabilities with Mbox Mini:
• Playback of up to 48 mono or stereo digital audio tracks, or a combination of playing back and re cordi ng up to 48 mo no or st ere o digital audio tracks, depending on your computer’s capabilities.
• Up to 128 audio tracks (with up to 48 active tracks), 128 Auxiliary Input tracks, 64 Mas­ter Fader tracks, 256 MIDI tracks, and 32 In­strument tracks per session.
• 16-bit or 24-bit audio resolution, at sample rates up to 96 kHz.
• Non-destructive, random-access editing and mix automation.
• Audio processing with up to 10 inserts per track (RTAS plug-ins or hardware inserts).
• Up to 10 sends per track.
• Up to 32 internal mix busses.
Pro Tools LE uses your computer’s CPU to mix and process audio tracks (host process­ing). Computers with faster clock speeds yield higher track counts and more plug-in processing.

System Requirements and Compatibility

Mbox Mini can be used with a qualified Win­dows or Mac computer.
A DVD drive is required to use the Pro Tools In­staller disc.
Avid can only assure compatibility and provide support for hardware and software it has tested and approved.
For complete system requirements and a list of qualified computers, operating systems, hard drives, and third-party devices, visit:
www.avid.com/compatibility
MIDI Requirements
USB, FireWire, and PCI MIDI interfaces work effectively with Pro Tools systems on Mac or Windows. Serial MIDI interfaces are supported on Windows systems only.
Only USB MIDI interfaces are compatible with Pro Tools systems for Mac OS X. Modem-to-serial port adapters and serial MIDI devices are not supported.
For a list of supported MIDI interfaces and con­trollers, visit www.avid.com.
Mbox Mini User Guide2
Page 9
Hard Drive Requirements
For optimal audio recording and playback, all Pro Tools systems require one or more qualified hard drives.
If you are using an ATA/IDE or FireWire hard drive, initialize your drive with the Disk Utility application included with Apple System soft­ware (Mac) or Windows Disk Management (Windows).
For more information, see Appendix D, “Hard Drive Configuration and Mainte­nance.”
Avoid Recording to the System Drive
Recording to your system drive is not recom­mended. Recording and playback on a system drive may result in lower track counts and fewer plug-ins.

Conventions Used in This Guide

All of our guides use the following conventions to indicate menu choices and key commands:
:
Convention Action
File > Save Choose Save from the
File menu
Control+N Hold down the Control key
Control-click Hold down the Control key
Right-click Click with the right
The names of Commands, Options, and Settings that appear on-screen are in a different font.
The following symbols are used to highlight important information:
User Tips are helpful hints for getting the most from your system.
and press the N key
and click the mouse button
mouse button
Important Notices include information that could affect your data or the performance of your system.
Shortcuts show you useful keyboard or mouse shortcuts.
Cross References point to related sections in this guide and other Pro Tools guides.
Chapter 1: Welcome to Mbox Mini 3
Page 10

About www.avid.com

The Avid website (www.avid.com) is your best online source for information to help you get the most out of your Pro Tools system. The fol­lowing are just a few of the services and features available.
Product Registration Register your purchase online.
Support and Downloads Contact Avid Customer Success (technical support); download software updates and the latest online manuals; browse the Compatibility documents for system re­quirements; search the online Knowledge Base or join the worldwide Pro Tools community on the User Conference.
Training and Education Study on your own using courses available online or find out how you can learn in a classroom setting at a certified Pro Tools training center.
Products and Developers Learn about Avid products; download demo software or learn about our Development Partners and their plug-ins, applications, and hardware.
News and Events Get the latest news from Avid or sign up for a Pro Tools demo.
Mbox Mini User Guide4
Page 11
chapter 2

Installing Pro Tools on Mac

This chapter contains information for Mac sys­tems only. If you are installing Pro Tools on a Windows computer, see Chapter 3, “Installing Pro Tools on Windows.”
Before installing this version of Pro Tools, refer to the Read Me information included on the Pro Tools Installer disc.

Installing Pro Tools LE and Connecting Your Interface

Before connecting your Pro Tools LE interface to the computer, you need to install Pro Tools LE software.
Do not start this procedure with your Mbox Mini connected to your computer.

Installation Overview

Installation of the Mbox Mini on a Mac includes the following steps:
1 “Installing Pro Tools LE and Connecting Your
Interface” on page 5.
2 “Launching Pro Tools LE” on page 7.
3 Configuring your system for improved perfor-
mance (see Chapter 4, “Configuring Your Pro Tools System”).
4 Making audio connections to the Mbox Mini
(see Chapter 6, “Making Studio Connections”).
The Pro Tools Installer disc includes addi­tional software for your system. For more in­formation, see “Additional Software on the Pro Tools Installer Disc” on page 8.
To install Pro Tools LE on Mac OS X:
1 Make sure you are logged in as an Administra-
tor for the account where you want to install Pro Tools.
When the installation is complete, you will need to restart your computer.
For details on Administrator privileges in Mac OS X, see your Apple OS X documenta­tion.
2 Insert the Pro Tools LE Installer disc in your
DVD drive.
Chapter 2: Installing Pro Tools on Mac 5
Page 12
3 On the Installer disc, locate and double-click
Install Pro Tools LE.mpkg.
Install Pro Tools LE.mpkg icon
11 Connect the small end of the included USB
cable to the USB port on Mbox Mini. Connect the other end of the USB cable to any available USB port on your computer.
Mbox Mini may not function properly if con­nected to a USB hub. Connect Mbox Mini to a separate, dedicated USB port.
4 Follow the on-screen instructions to proceed
with installation.
5 Click Continue each time you are prompted.
6 At the Installation Type page, do one of the
following:
• To install all Pro Tools application files and free plug-in suites (and associated content), leave the default Installation options se­lected and click Continue.
– or –
• Select (or deselect) a custom configuration of Installation options (see “Installation Options” on page 6) and click Continue.
7 Click Install.
8 If prompted, enter your Administrator pass-
word and click OK to authenticate the installa­tion.
9 Follow the remaining on-screen instructions.
10 When installation is complete, click Restart.
If the USB LED on the front panel of the Mbox Mini does not illuminate after instal­lation, try unplugging the USB cable from the Mbox Mini USB port and plugging it back in. If the USB LED still does not illuminate, shut down the computer, disconnect Mbox Mini and start the computer. Once the computer has fully restarted, reconnect Mbox Mini.
Installation Options
Pro Tools LE Options
To install a subset of Pro Tools software and plug-ins (and associated content), click the re­veal triangle for the Pro Tools LE option in the installer, and deselect any of the following op­tions that you do not want installed. (If an item is checked, it will be installed.)
Application Files (Required for Pro Tools) Installs the Pro Tools application and supporting library files needed to run Pro Tools. This option must be selected to install Pro Tools.
DigiRack Plug-Ins Installs free plug-ins including DigiRack plug-ins, free Bomb Factory plug-ins, Eleven Free, TL Utilities, and Digidesign D-Fi and Maxim plug-ins. For more information, see the Audio Plug-Ins Guide.
Mbox Mini User Guide6
Page 13
Pro Tools Creative Collection Options
Select any of the Pro Tools Creative Collection options you want installed. For more informa­tion, see the Audio Plug-Ins Guide.
Effect Plug-Ins Installs six free virtual instrument plug-ins from Avid’s AIR group.
Virtual Instruments Installs 20 free effects plug­ins from Avid’s AIR group.
Virtual Instrument Content Installs sample con­tent for AIR virtual instruments.
Virtual Instrument Content is very large and may take up to 20 minutes to install. During this time, the progress bar may not appear to move but your software is still in­stalling. Do not terminate your installation.
Additional Options
The Pro Tools installer provides the following additional options to install along with Pro Tools software and plug-ins:
Avid CoreAudio Drivers This option installs a multichannel sound driver that allows CoreAu­dio-compatible applications to record and play back through Avid audio interfaces.

Launching Pro Tools LE

When launching Pro Tools LE the first time, you are prompted to enter an authorization code to validate your software. (The code begins with the letters DIGI.)
To authorize Pro Tools LE software:
1 Make sure Mbox Mini is connected to your
computer.
2 Click the Pro Tools LE icon in the Dock (or
double-click the application icon in the Pro Tools folder inside the Digidesign folder).
3 Enter the authorization code in the dialog
(making sure to type it exactly as printed, and observing any spaces and capitalization), then click Validate. (Your authorization code is lo­cated on the back of your Pro Tools DVD wallet.)
4 Use the Quick Start dialog to do one of
the following:
• Create a new session from template.
• Create a new blank session.
• Open any other session on your system.
Avid Video Engine This option lets you integrate
®
Avid
video peripherals (such as the Avid Mojo® with your Pro Tools system). Do not install un­less you will be using one of these products.
MIDI I/O Driver The MIDI I/O
™
Driver is re­quired if you are using the Avid MIDI I/O inter­face. Do not install unless you will be using a MIDI I/O.
Quick Start dialog
For more information on the Quick Start dialog and session templates, see the Pro Tools Reference Guide (Help > Pro Tools Reference Guide).
Chapter 2: Installing Pro Tools on Mac 7
Page 14

Additional Software on the Pro Tools Installer Disc

The Pro Tools LE Installer disc provides addi­tional software for your system, including audio drivers (for playing other audio applications through your Pro Tools hardware) and a Pro Tools demo session.
Avid CoreAudio Driver
The Avid CoreAudio Driver is a multi-client, multichannel sound driver that lets Core Au­dio–compatible applications record and play back through Pro Tools hardware.
The Avid CoreAudio Driver is installed by default when you install Pro Tools.
Check your Pro Tools Installer disc for additional software and installers.
Third-Party Applications and Plug-Ins
Your Pro Tools package also includes free appli­cations and plug-ins from Avid and selected Avid Third Party developers (content subject to change). Once you've completed your Pro Tools installation, you can install these separately.
Installers are located on your Pro Tools LE Installer disc in the Additional Files\3rd Party Content folder.
For information on configuring the Avid CoreAudio Driver, see the CoreAudio Drivers Guide.
Standalone CoreAudio Driver
The Avid CoreAudio Driver can be installed as a standalone driver on Mac systems that do not have Pro Tools software installed.
For information on installing and configuring the standalone version of the Avid CoreAudio Driver, see the CoreAudio Drivers Guide.
If you uninstall Pro Tools, the Avid CoreAudio Driver is automatically uninstalled at that time.
Mbox Mini User Guide8
Page 15
Pro Tools Demo Session
The Pro Tools LE Installer disc includes a demo session that you can use to verify that your sys­tem is working.

Uninstalling Pro Tools

If you need to uninstall Pro Tools software from your computer, use the Uninstaller application.
The demo session for Pro Tool LE is named “Filtered Dream.”
Before installing the demo session to your audio drive, make sure the drive is config­ured as described in “Formatting an Audio Drive” on page 50.
To install the demo session:
1 Insert the Pro Tools LE Installer disc into your
DVD drive.
2 On the Pro Tools LE Installer disc, locate and
open the Additional Files/Pro Tools Demo Ses­sions Installer folder.
3 Double-click Install demo session.pkg.
4 Follow the on-screen instructions.
5 When prompted, select your audio drive as
the install location and click Next to begin the installation. When installation is complete, click Close.
The demo session can be opened by double­clicking the Filtered Dream.ptf file (located in the Filtered Dream Demo Session folder).
To remove Pro Tools from your computer:
1 Make sure you are logged in as an Administra-
tor for the account where Pro Tools is installed.
For details on Administrator privileges in Mac OS X, see your Apple OS X documen­tation.
2 Go to Applications/Digidesign/Pro Tools/
Pro Tools Utilities and double-click Uninstall Pro Tools.
3 Click Continue to proceed with the uninstall.
4 Choose the type of uninstall you want to per-
form:
Safe Uninstall Leaves certain plug-ins and sys­tem files needed for compatibility with some Avid products. Use Safe Uninstall if you are us­ing an Avid application or preparing to update to a CS (customer support) release.
Clean Uninstall Removes all Pro Tools files, in­cluding system files, Avid plug-ins, and MIDI patch names. Use Clean Uninstall whenever you are preparing to upgrade, or to troubleshoot from a clean system.
5 Click Uninstall.
6 Enter your Administrator password and click
OK.
7 Click Finish to close the Installer window.
Chapter 2: Installing Pro Tools on Mac 9
Page 16
Mbox Mini User Guide10
Page 17
chapter 3

Installing Pro Tools on Windows

This chapter contains information for Windows systems only. If you are installing Pro Tools on a Mac computer, see Chapter 2, “Installing Pro Tools on Mac.”
Before installing this version of Pro Tools, refer to the Read Me information included on the Pro Tools LE Installer disc.

Installing Pro Tools LE and Connecting Your Interface

Before connecting your Pro Tools LE interface to the computer, you need to install Pro Tools LE software.
Do not start this procedure with your Mbox Mini connected to your computer.

Installation Overview

Installing the Mbox Mini on a Windows com­puter includes the following steps:
1 “Installing Pro Tools LE and Connecting Your
Interface” on page 11.
2 “Launching Pro Tools LE” on page 14
3 Configuring your system for improved perfor-
mance (see Chapter 4, “Configuring Your Pro Tools System”).
4 Making audio and MIDI connections to the
Mbox Mini (see Chapter 6, “Making Studio Connections” for details).
The Pro Tools Installer disc includes addi­tional software for your system. For more in­formation, see “Additional Software on the Pro Tools Installer Disc” on page 14.
To install Pro Tools LE:
1 Start Windows, logging in with Administrator
privileges. For details on Administrator privi­leges, refer to your Windows documentation.
When the installation is complete, you will need to restart your computer.
2 Insert the Pro Tools LE Installer disc in your
DVD drive and do on of the following:
• If Windows AutoRun is enabled, a mini-browser appears. Select Install Pro Tools LE to begin your installation.
– or –
• If Windows AutoRun is disabled, locate and double-click Setup.exe. on the Installer disc.
Setup.exe icon
Chapter 3: Installing Pro Tools on Windows 11
Page 18
In Windows 7 and Windows Vista, if the User Account Control dialog appears, click Allow.
3 Follow the on-screen instructions to proceed
with installation and click Next when prompted.
4 To install the complete compliment of
Pro Tools software and plug-ins, leave Pro Tools selected.
5 At the Select Features page, do one of the
following:
• To install all Pro Tools application files and free plug-in suites (and associated content), leave the default Installation options se­lected and click Continue.
– or –
• Select (or deselect) a custom configuration of Installation options (see “Installation Options” on page 13) and click Continue.
6 Click Next.
7 Click Install.
In Windows XP, a series of Software Instal­lation dialogs about the driver not passing Windows Logo testing may appear. Click “Continue Anyway” on each one until they go away.
If any other dialogs appear (such as the “Found New Hardware” dialog), leave them open and do not click on them. These dia­logs will close on their own.
Mbox Mini may not function properly if con­nected to a USB hub. Connect Mbox Mini to a separate, dedicated USB port.
10 Wait for the installer to finish installing all
software components, drivers, and PACE System files before proceeding to the next step.
11 When installation is complete, click Finish
and restart your computer.
8 When prompted, connect the small end of the
included USB cable to the USB port on Mbox Mini. Connect the other end of the USB cable to any available USB port on your com­puter.
9 Click OK.
In Windows 7 and Windows Vista, a series of Windows Security dialogs may appear. Click “Install” on each one until they go away.
Mbox Mini User Guide12
Page 19
Installation Options
Additional Options
Pro Tools LE Options
To install a subset of Pro Tools software and plug-ins (and associated content), click the re­veal triangle for the Pro Tools LE option in the installer, and deselect any of the following op­tions that you do not want installed. (If an item is checked, it will be installed.)
Application Files (Required for Pro Tools) Installs the Pro Tools application and supporting library files needed to run Pro Tools. This option must be selected to install Pro Tools.
DigiRack Plug-Ins Installs free plug-ins including DigiRack plug-ins, free Bomb Factory plug-ins, Eleven Free, TL Utilities, and Digidesign D-Fi and Maxim plug-ins. For more information, see the Audio Plug-Ins Guide.
Pro Tools Creative Collection Options
Select any of the Pro Tools Creative Collection options you want installed. For more informa­tion, see the Audio Plug-Ins Guide.
The Pro Tools installer provides the following additional options to install along with Pro Tools software and plug-ins:
Mac HFS+ Disk Support Option This option lets your Pro Tools system read, write, record, and play back using Mac-formatted HFS+ disks. HFS+ disks are commonly referred to as Mac OS Extended disks.
For information on using the Mac HFS+ Disk Support option, see the HFS+ Disk Support Option Guide.
Avid Video Engine This option lets you integrate
®
Avid
video peripherals (such as the Avid Mojo® with your Pro Tools system). Do not install un­less you will be using one of these products.
Command|8 Controller and Driver This option in­stalls the personality file and device driver for the Avid Command|8 Control Surface. Do not install unless you will be using Command|8.
Installing QuickTime
Effect Plug-Ins Installs 6 free virtual instrument plug-ins from Avid’s AIR group.
Virtual Instruments Installs 20 free effects plug­ins from Avid’s AIR group.
Virtual Instrument Content Installs sample con­tent for AIR virtual instruments.
Virtual Instrument Content is very large and may take up to 20 minutes to install. During this time, the progress bar may not appear to move but your software is still in­stalling. Do not terminate your installation.
QuickTime is required for Pro Tools if you plan to include movie files, or import MP3 or MP4 (AAC) files in your sessions. QuickTime for Win­dows is available as a free download from the Apple website (www.apple.com).
For information on which version of QuickTime is compatible with your version of Pro Tools, visit www.avid.com/compatibility).
Chapter 3: Installing Pro Tools on Windows 13
Page 20
To install QuickTime:
1 Visit www.apple.com and go to the Quick-
Time page.
2 Download the QuickTime installer applica-
tion to your computer.
3 Double-click the QuickTime installer applica-
tion and follow the on-screen installation in­structions.
4 Restart your computer.
Quick Start dialog

Launching Pro Tools LE

When launching Pro Tools LE the first time, you are prompted to enter an authorization code to validate your software. (The code begins with the letters DIGI.)
To authorize Pro Tools LE software:
1 Make sure Mbox Mini is connected to your
computer.
2 Double-click the Pro Tools LE shortcut on
your desktop (or the application icon in the Pro Tools folder inside the Digidesign folder).
3 Enter the authorization code in the dialog
(making sure to type it exactly as printed, and observing any spaces and capitalization), then click Validate. (Your authorization code is lo­cated on the back of your Pro Tools DVD wallet.)
4 Use the Quick Start dialog to do one of
the following:
• Create a new session from template.
• Create a new blank session.
• Open any other session on your system.
For more information on the Quick Start dialog and session templates, see the Pro Tools Reference Guide (Help > Pro Tools Reference Guide).

Additional Software on the Pro Tools Installer Disc

The Pro Tools LE Installer disc provides addi­tional software for your system, including audio drivers (for playing other audio applications through your Pro Tools hardware) and a Pro Tools demo session.
Check your Pro Tools Installer disc for additional software and installers.
Third-Party Applications and Plug-Ins
Your Pro Tools package also includes free appli­cations and plug-ins from Avid and selected Avid Third Party developers (content subject to change). Once you've completed your Pro Tools installation, you can install these separately.
Installers are located on your Pro Tools LE In­staller disc in the Additional Files\3rd Party Content folder.
Mbox Mini User Guide14
Page 21
Avid Audio Drivers
The Avid Audio Drivers are multi-client, multi­channel sound drivers that allow Pro Tools and third-party audio programs that support the ASIO Driver or WaveDriver MME/DirectX (Multimedia Extension) standards to record and play back through qualified Pro Tools audio in­terfaces.
For information on configuring settings for your audio interface for use with Pro Tools or other audio applications, see Appendix A, “Using the Driver Control Panel.”
For additional information on the Avid Audio Drivers, see the Windows Audio Drivers Guide.
3 Double-click LE Demo Session Setup.exe.
4 Follow the on-screen instructions.
5 When prompted, select your audio drive as
the install location and click Next to begin the install.
6 When installation is complete, click Finish.
The demo session can be opened by double­clicking the Filtered Dream.ptf file (located in the Filtered Dream Demo Session folder).

Uninstalling Pro Tools

Use the Uninstall Pro Tools application to unin­stall Pro Tools software from your computer.
Pro Tools Demo Session
The Pro Tools LE Installer disc includes a demo session that you can use to verify that your sys­tem is working.
The demo session for Pro Tool LE is named “Filtered Dream.”
Before installing the demo session to your audio drive, make sure the drive is config­ured as described in “Formatting an Audio Drive” on page 50.
To install the demo session:
1 Insert the Pro Tools LE Installer disc into your
DVD drive.
2 On the Pro Tools LE Installer disc, locate and
open the Additional Files\Pro Tools Demo Ses­sions Installer folder.
To uninstall Pro Tools from your computer:
1 Start Windows, logging in with Administrator
privileges. For details on Administrator privi­leges, refer to your Windows documentation.
2 Go to C:\Program Files\Digidesign\
Pro Tools\Pro Tools Utilities and double-click Uninstall Pro Tools.exe.
3 Click Next.
4 Click Uninstall to proceed with the uninstalla-
tion.
Chapter 3: Installing Pro Tools on Windows 15
Page 22
Mbox Mini User Guide16
Page 23
chapter 4

Configuring Your Pro Tools System

After you have connected your system and in­stalled Pro Tools software, you are ready to start up and configure your Pro Tools system.

Starting Up or Shutting Down Your System

To ensure that the components of your Pro Tools system communicate properly with each other, you need to start them in a particu­lar order.
Start up your Pro Tools system in this order:
1 Make sure all your equipment (including your
computer) is off.
2 Lower the volume of all output devices in your
system (especially the main outputs to your speakers!).
3 Turn on any external hard drives. Wait ap-
proximately ten seconds for them to spin up to speed.
4 Turn on any control surfaces (such as Com-
mand|8).
5 Turn on any MIDI interfaces, MIDI devices, or
synchronization peripherals.
6 With the volume of all output devices low-
ered, turn on your Pro Tools audio interfaces. Wait at least fifteen seconds for the audio inter­face to initialize and the status LEDs to stop flashing.
7 Turn on your computer.
8 Launch Pro Tools or any third-party audio or
MIDI applications.
9 Bring the output levels up to a comfortable lis-
tening level.
Shut down your Pro Tools system in this order:
1 Quit Pro Tools and any other running applica-
tions.
To quit Pro Tools, choose Pro Tools > Quit (Mac) or File > Exit (Windows).
2 Turn off or lower the volume of all output de-
vices in your system.
3 Turn off your computer.
4 Turn off any MIDI interfaces, MIDI devices, or
synchronization peripherals.
5 Turn off any control surfaces.
6 Turn off any external hard drives.
Chapter 4: Configuring Your Pro Tools System 17
Page 24

Configuring Pro Tools LE

To change the Hardware Buffer Size:
1 Launch Pro Tools.
Pro Tools System Settings
In the Playback Engine dialog, Pro Tools LE lets you adjust the performance of your system by changing system settings that affect its capacity for processing, playback, and recording.
In most cases, the default settings for your sys­tem provide optimum performance, but you may want to adjust them to accommodate large or processing-intensive Pro Tools sessions.
Hardware Buffer Size
The Hardware Buffer Size (H/W Buffer Size) con­trols the size of the buffer used to handle host processing tasks such as Real-Time AudioSuite™
®
(RTAS
) plug-ins.
• Lower Hardware Buffer Size settings are useful for improving latency issues in certain record­ing situations or for improving certain system performance problems. On Pro Tools LE sys­tems, lower settings reduce all input-to-out­put monitoring latency on any record-armed tracks or Auxiliary Input tracks with live in­puts.
• Higher Hardware Buffer Size settings are use­ful for sessions that are using more RTAS plug­ins for playback. These settings allow for more audio processing. They can also be useful to reduce errors on some machines that require a higher buffer size.
2 Choose Setup > Playback Engine.
3 From the H/W Buffer Size pop-up menu, select
the audio buffer size, in samples.
Playback Engine dialog for Pro Tools LE, with Structure Free plug-in installed. (Mbox 2 shown)
4 Click OK.
In addition to causing slower screen re­sponse and monitoring latency, higher Hardware Buffer Size settings can increase the latency caused by RTAS plug-ins, and affect the accuracy of plug-in automation, mute data, and MIDI track timing.
Mbox Mini User Guide18
Page 25
Host Processors
The Host Processors setting lets you manage multi-processor support for RTAS (Real-Time AudioSuite) plug-in processing.
Used in combination with the CPU Usage Limit setting, the Host Processors setting lets you con­trol the way RTAS and other host-based process­ing tasks are carried out by the system.
For example:
• For sessions with large numbers of RTAS plug­ins, you can allocate 2 or more processors to RTAS processing and set a high CPU Usage Limit.
• For sessions with few RTAS plug-ins, you can allocate fewer Host Processors to RTAS and set a low CPU Usage Limit settings to leave more host processing resources available for automation accuracy, screen response, and video.
• Depending on the importance of video and overall screen response, and on the density of automation being employed, try different combinations of Host Processors and CPU Us- age Limit settings to achieve the best results. For example, to improve screen response in a medium-sized session using a moderate num­ber of RTAS plug-ins, try reducing the number of RTAS plug-ins, but keep the CPU Usage Limit set to the maximum (up to 99% on a single processor system).
To set the number of Host Processors:
1 Choose Setup > Playback Engine.
2 From the Host Processors pop-up menu, select
the number of available processors you want to allocate. The number of processors varies de­pending on your computer:
• Select 1Processor to limit processing to one CPU in the system.
• Choose 2 Processors to enable load balanc­ing across two available processors.
• On systems running four or more proces­sors, choose the number of processors for processing.
3 Click OK.
System Usage Window and Processing
The System Usage window (Window > System Us­age) displays the combined amount of process-
ing occurring on all enabled processors with a single indicator, regardless of how many proces­sors are available in the system. If the System Us­age Window shows that you are at the limit of available resources, increase the number of pro­cessors and adjust the CPU Usage Limit setting.
Chapter 4: Configuring Your Pro Tools System 19
Page 26
CPU Usage Limit
Host Engine (Error Suppression)
The CPU Usage Limit setting controls the per­centage of CPU resources allocated to Pro Tools host processing tasks. Used in combination with the Host Processors setting, the CPU Usage Limit setting lets you control the way Pro Tools tasks are carried out by the system.
•Lower CPU Usage Limit settings limit the effect of Pro Tools processing on other CPU-inten­sive tasks, such as screen redraws, and are use­ful when you are experiencing slow system response, or when running other applications at the same time as Pro Tools.
•Higher CPU Usage Limit settings allocate more processing power to Pro Tools, and are useful for playing back large sessions or using more RTAS plug-ins.
The maximum available CPU Usage Limit de­pends on the number of processors in your com­puter and on the number of processors you spec­ify for RTAS processing. This value can range from 85% for single-processor computers, and 99% for multiprocessor computers (which dedi­cate one entire processor to Pro Tools).
The Host Engine option determines error report­ing during playback and recording. This is espe­cially useful when working with instrument plug-ins.
You should only enable error suppression if you are experiencing frequent RTAS errors that are interrupting your creative workflow. When er­ror suppression is enabled, you can experience a degradation of audio quality. However, this may be acceptable in order to avoid interrupting playback and recording when working with in­strument plug-ins. Be sure to disable error sup­pression when you need to ensure the highest possible audio quality, such as for a final mix.
To enable error suppression:
1 Choose Setup > Playback Engine.
2 Select Host Engine: Ignore Errors During Play-
back/Record.
3 On Mac, you can also select Minimize Additional
I/O Latency.
4 Click OK.
On multiprocessor computers, the maximum CPU Usage Limit is reduced when you use all your processors (as selected in the Processing pop-up menu). For example, on dual-processors, the limit is 90%. On four-processor computers, the limit is 95%.
Increasing the CPU Usage Limit may slow down screen responses on slower computers.
To change the CPU Usage Limit:
1 Choose Setup > Playback Engine.
2 From the CPU Usage Limit pop-up menu, select
the percentage of CPU processing you want to allocate to Pro Tools.
3 Click OK.
Mbox Mini User Guide20
Error Suppression Options
Ignore Errors During Playback/Record
When the Ignore Errors During Playback/Record option is enabled, Pro Tools continues to play and record even if the host processing require­ments exceed the selected CPU Usage Limit. This can result in pops and clicks in the audio, but does not stop the transport.
Page 27
Minimize Additional I/O Latency (Mac Only)
When enabled, any additional latency due to suppressing errors during playback and record is minimized to 128 samples. Suppressing RTAS er­rors requires at least 128 samples of additional buffering on some systems. If this option is dis­abled, the buffer is half the H/W Buffer Size, or at least 128 samples (whichever is greater). If you are on an older, slower computer, you may want to disable this option to avoid adverse perfor­mance.
This option is only available on Mac if the Ignore Errors During Playback/Record option is enabled.
DAE Playback Buffer Size
The DAE Playback Buffer Size setting determines the amount of memory DAE allocates for disk buffers. In addition to levels, the DAE Playback Buffer Size shows values in milliseconds, which indicate the amount of audio buffered when the system reads from disk.
The optimum DAE Playback Buffer Size for most disk operations is 1500 msec; Level 2 (Default).
• DAE Playback Buffer Size settings lower than 1500 msec; Level 2 (Default) may improve playback and recording initiation speed, as well as preview in context in DigiBase brows­ers. However, a lower setting may make it dif­ficult to play or record tracks reliably with sessions containing a large number of tracks or a high density of edits, or with systems that have slower or heavily-fragmented hard drives.
• DAE Playback Buffer Size settings higher than 1500 msec; Level 2 (Default) allow higher track count, higher density of edits in a session, or the use of slower hard drives. However, a higher setting may increase the time lag when starting playback or recording, starting pre­view in context from DigiBase browsers, or cause a longer audible time lag while editing during playback.
Using a larger DAE Playback Buffer Size leaves less system memory for other tasks. The default setting of 1500 msec (Level 2) is recommended unless you are encountering –9073 (“Disk too slow or fragmented”) errors.
To change the DAE Playback Buffer Size:
1 Choose Setup > Playback Engine.
2 From the DAE Playback Buffer pop-up menu, se-
lect a buffer size. Memory requirements for each setting are shown at the bottom of the Playback Engine dialog.
3 Click OK.
If Pro Tools needs more system memory for the DAE Playback Buffer, it will prompt you to re­start your computer.
Chapter 4: Configuring Your Pro Tools System 21
Page 28
Cache Size
The Cache Size setting determines the amount of memory DAE allocates to pre-buffer audio for playback and looping when using Elastic Audio.
Minimum Reduces the amount of system mem­ory used for disk operations and frees up mem­ory for other system tasks. However, perfor­mance when using Elastic Audio features may decrease.
Normal Is the optimum Cache Size for most ses­sions.
Plug-In Streaming Buffer Size
(Structure Plug-In Only)
This setting appears in the Playback Engine dia­log only if Structure, Structure LE, or Structure Free is installed on your system. The Plug-In Streaming Buffer Size determines the amount of memory DAE allocates for streaming playback from disk with the Structure plug-in. This setting only affects playback if disk stream­ing is activated in Structure’s plug-in controls (see the AIR Virtual Instruments Guide for more information).
Large Improves performance when using Elastic Audio features, but it also decreases the amount of memory available for other system tasks, such as RTAS processing.
Using a larger Cache Size leaves less system memory for other tasks. The default setting of Normal is recommended unless you are encountering -9500 (“Cache too small”) errors.
To change the Cache Size:
1 Choose Setup > Playback Engine.
2 From the Cache Size pop-up menu, select a
disk cache size.
3 Click OK.
The optimum Plug-In Streaming Buffer Size for most sessions is 250 ms (Level 2).
• Plug-In Streaming Buffer Size settings lower than 250 ms (Level 2) reduce the amount of system memory used for sample playback and frees up memory for other system tasks. How­ever, audio quality of sample playback may decrease.
• Plug-In Streaming Buffer Size settings higher than 250 ms (Level 2) improve the audio qual­ity of sample playback, but they also decrease the amount of memory available for other sys­tem tasks, such as RTAS processing.
Using a larger Plug-In Streaming Buffer Size leaves less system memory for other tasks. The default setting of 250 ms (Level 2) is recommended unless you are experiencing problems with the audio quality of sample playback.
To change the Plug-In Streaming Buffer Size:
1 Choose Setup > Playback Engine.
2 From the Plug-In Streaming Buffer Size pop-up
menu, select a buffer size.
3 Click OK.
Mbox Mini User Guide22
Page 29
Optimizing the Plug-In Streaming Buffer Size
(Structure Plug-In Only)
This option appears in the Playback Engine dia­log only if one of the Structure sampler instru­ment plug-in is installed on your system. This option is useful when you are playing samples from the same drive that contains audio for the current session. When this option is selected, Pro Tools automatically optimizes the size of the Plug-In Streaming Buffer to facilitate disk access from both Pro Tools and Structure. The Plug-In Streaming Buffer Size pop-up menu is unavail­able when this option is selected.
To set Pro Tools to optimize the Plug-In Streaming Buffer Size:
1 Choose Setup > Playback Engine.
2 Select the Optimize for Streaming Content op-
tion.
3 Click OK.
Default Sample Rate
The Sample Rate setting appears as the default sample rate when you create a new session. (This setting is available in the Hardware Setup dialog only when no session is open.)
You can change the sample rate when creat­ing a new Pro Tools session by selecting a different sample rate in the New Session dialog. (Refer to
Guide for details.)
To change the default Sample Rate:
1 Choose Setup > Hardware.
the Pro Tools Reference

Configuring the Pro Tools Hardware Settings

In the Hardware Setup dialog, Pro Tools lets you set the default sample rate and clock source for your system, as well as a range of controls spe­cific to each type of audio interface.
Hardware Setup dialog (Mbox shown)
2 Select the sample rate from the Sample Rate
pop-up menu.
3 Click OK.
Chapter 4: Configuring Your Pro Tools System 23
Page 30
Clock Source
The Pro Tools Hardware Setup dialog lets you se­lect the Clock Source for the system.
Internal If you are recording an analog signal di­rectly into Pro Tools, you will usually use the Pro Tools Internal clock source.
S/PDIF Use this setting if you are recording through the Mbox Mini S/PDIF input from an external digital device. This setting will synchro­nize Pro Tools to that digital device.
To select the Clock Source:
1 Choose Setup > Hardware.
2 Choose the clock source from the Clock Source
pop-up menu.
3 Click OK.
Your digital input device must be connected and powered on for Pro Tools to synchro­nize to it. If your input device is not powered on, leave the Clock Source set to Internal.
Configuring I/O Setup
Using the I/O Setup dialog, you can label Pro Tools LE input, output, insert, and bus signal paths. The I/O Setup dialog provides a graphical representation of the inputs, outputs, and signal routing of the Mbox Mini.
Pro Tools LE has default I/O Setup settings that will get you started. Use the I/O Setup dialog only if you want to rename the default I/O paths.
To rename I/O paths in I/O Setup:
1 Choose Setup > I/O.
I/O Setup dialog for Mbox
2 Click the Input, Output, Insert, or Bus tab to dis-
play the corresponding connections.
3 To change the name of a path or subpath, dou-
ble-click directly on the Path Name, type a new name for the path, and press Enter.
4 Click OK.
See the Pro Tools Reference Guide (Help > Pro Tools Reference Guide) for more infor­mation on renaming I/O paths.
Configuring MIDI Setup
If you plan to use any MIDI devices with Pro Tools, do one of the following:
On Mac, configure your MIDI setup with Au-
dio MIDI Setup. See Appendix B, “Configuring AMS (Mac OS X Only)” for details.
– or –
On Windows, configure your MIDI setup with
MIDI Studio Setup. See Appendix C, “Configur­ing MIDI Studio Setup (Windows Only)” for de­tails.
Mbox Mini User Guide24
Page 31
Backing Up your System Configuration
After configuring your system and Pro Tools, you should save an image of your system drive using a backup utility such as Bombich Carbon Copy Cloner or Time Machine (Mac) or Acronis True Image or Norton Ghost (Windows). By do­ing this, you can quickly restore your system configuration and settings if you encounter any problems.
Turning Off Energy Saver
To turn off the Energy Saver feature:
1 Choose System Preferences from the Apple
menu and click Energy Saver.
2 Do the following:
• Set the computer sleep setting to Never.
• Set the display sleep setting to Never.
• Deselect “Put the hard disk(s) to sleep when possible.”

Optimizing a Mac System for Pro Tools

To ensure optimum performance with Pro Tools, configure your computer before using Pro Tools software.
Before configuring your computer, make sure you are logged in as an Administrator for the ac­count where you want to install Pro Tools. For details on Administrator privileges in Mac OS X, see your Apple OS X documentation.
Do not use the Mac OS X automatic Software Update feature, as it may upgrade your system to a version of Mac OS that has not yet been qualified for Pro Tools. For details on qualified versions of Mac OS, visit www.avid.com/compatibility.
Turning Off Software Update
To turn off the Software Update feature:
1 Choose System Preferences from the Apple
menu and click Software Update.
2 Click the Scheduled Check tab.
3 Deselect “Check for Updates.”
Disable or Reassign Mac Keyboard Shortcuts Used by Pro Tools
To have the full complement of Pro Tools key­board shortcuts, you need to disable or reassign any conflicting Mac OS X Keyboard Shortcuts in the Apple System Preferences, including the fol­lowing:
• “Show Help menu”
• Under “Keyboard Navigation”
• “Move focus to the window drawer”
• Under “Dock, Exposé, and Dashboard”
• “Automatically hide and show the Dock”
•“All windows”
• “Application windows”
•“Desktop”
• “Dashboard”
• “Spaces”
• Under “Spotlight”
• “Show Spotlight search field”
• “Show Spotlight window”
For a complete list of Pro Tools keyboard shortcuts, see the Keyboard Shortcuts Guide (Help > Keyboard Shortcuts).
Chapter 4: Configuring Your Pro Tools System 25
Page 32
To disable or reassign Mac OS X keyboard shortcuts:
1 Choose System Preferences from the Apple
menu and click Keyboard.
2 Click the Keyboard Shortcuts tab.
3 Do one of the following:
• Deselect the Mac OS X options that conflict with Pro Tools keyboard shortcuts.
– or –
• Assign different, non-conflicting keyboard shortcuts to the corresponding Mac OS X options.
Reassign Spaces Keyboard Shortcuts
If you want to use Spaces, you should reassign the Spaces keyboard shortcuts to avoid conflicts with important Pro Tools keyboard shortcuts. You can reassign Spaces keyboard shortcuts to use a combination of modifier keys (Com­mand+Option+Control+Shift) in addition to the default Spaces keyboard shortcut assign­ments to avoid these conflicts.
To reassign Spaces keyboard shortcuts to use modifier key combinations that do not conflict with Pro Tools keyboard shortcuts:
1 Choose System Preferences from the Apple
menu and click Exposé & Spaces.
2 Click the Spaces tab.
3 Ensure that Enable Spaces is selected.
4 Press and hold Command+Option+Con-
trol+Shift and select “Control+Option+Shift+Com­mand+F8” from the “To activate Spaces” pop-up
menu.
5 Press and hold Command+Option+Con-
trol+Shift and select “Control+Option+Shift+Com­mand+Arrow Keys” from the “To switch between spaces” pop-up menu.
6 Press and hold Command+Option+Con-
trol+Shift and select “Control+Option+Shift+Com­mand+Number Keys” from the “To switch directly to a space” pop-up menu.
Disabling Spotlight Indexing
The Mac OS X Spotlight feature automatically indexes files and folders on local hard drives in the background. In most cases, this is not a con­cern for normal Pro Tools operation. However, if Spotlight starts indexing drives while record­ing in a Pro Tools session with high track counts for an extended period of time, it can adversely affect Pro Tools system performance. You may want to disable Spotlight indexing for all local drives before using Pro Tools for big recording projects.
Disabling Spotlight indexing also disables the Find function in Mac OS X.
To disable Spotlight indexing:
1 Choose System Preferences from the Apple
menu and click Spotlight.
2 In the Spotlight window, click the Privacy tab.
3 To prevent indexing of a drive, drag its icon
from the desktop into the list.
Mbox Mini User Guide26
Page 33
Enabling Journaling for Audio Drives
Enabling DMA
To yield higher performance from audio drives, enable journaling.
To enable journaling:
1 Launch the Disk Utility application, located in
Macintosh HD/Applications/Utilities.
2 Select the volume in the left column of the
Disk Utility window.
Select Enable Journaling in the toolbar.

Optimizing a Windows System for Pro Tools

To ensure optimum performance with Pro Tools LE, configure your computer before using Pro Tools hardware and software.
For Mac System Optimization, see “Opti­mizing a Mac System for Pro Tools” on page 25.
Before configuring your computer, make sure you are logged in as an Administrator for the ac­count where you want to install Pro Tools. For details on Administrator privileges, see your Windows documentation.
Enabling your computer's DMA (Direct Memory Access) frees up CPU bandwidth so your com­puter can do other Pro Tools tasks.
In most cases the DMA option will already be set correctly, as Windows detects and activates DMA mode by default.
To enable DMA for any IDE hard drives (Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP):
1 Choose Start.
2 Right-click Computer (Windows 7, Windows
Vista) or My Computer (Windows XP) and choose Manage.
3 In the left pane of Computer Management un-
der System Tools, click on Device Manager.
4 In the right pane, click the triangle
(Windows 7) or the plus (+) sign (Windows Vista, Windows XP) next to IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers.
5 Double-click on an IDE Channel.
6 Click the Advanced Settings tab.
7 Under Device Properties, check the box Enable
DMA (Windows 7, Windows Vista) or under each listed Device, set the Transfer Mode to DMA if available (Windows XP).
Required Optimizations
To ensure optimum performance with Pro Tools, configure the following settings be­fore using Pro Tools hardware and software.
When you are finished changing Windows system settings, restart your computer.
8 Click OK.
9 Repeat for each IDE Channel.
Chapter 4: Configuring Your Pro Tools System 27
Page 34
Configuring Windows Power Management Settings
Pro Tools requires maximum CPU performance for optimal RTAS processing and disk streaming. For best performance, use the following recom­mended Windows Power Management settings.
To configure Windows Power Management Settings (Windows 7, Windows Vista):
1 Choose Start > Control Panel.
2 Click Hardware and Sound > Power Options.
3 In the Power Options control panel, click High
Performance.
4 Click Change plan settings.
To configure Windows Power Management Settings (Windows XP):
1 Choose Start > Control Panel.
2 Double-click Power Options.
3 Click the Power Schemes tab.
4 From the Power Schemes pop-up menu, select
Always On.
5 Verify that the following settings are set to
Never:
• Turn off hard disks
• System standby
•System hibernates
6 Click OK.
5 Click Change advanced power settings to
change additional settings.
6 Click Hard disk > Turn off hard disk after =
Never. You can make optional changes such as disabling sleep and disabling shutting down the monitor.
7 Click OK or click Save changes to save the
changes.
8 Close the window.
Disabling User Account Control
(Windows 7, Windows Vista)
Some third-party applications that interface with Pro Tools may require UAC to be disabled for proper operation.
To disable User Account Control (UAC):
1 Choose Start > Control Panel.
2 Click User Accounts and Family Safety.
3 In the User Accounts and Family Safety control
panel, click User Accounts.
4 Click Change User Account Control settings
(Windows 7) or Turn User Account Control on or off (Windows Vista).
5 Move the User Account Control slider to Never
Notify (Windows 7), or deselect the Use User Ac­count Control (UAC) to help protect your computer option (Windows Vista).
6 Click OK.
7 Restart your computer.
Mbox Mini User Guide28
Page 35
Recommended Optimizations
Disabling Network Cards
Pro Tools can also be affected by other software and hardware drivers installed on your com­puter. For best possible performance, it is recom­mended (but not required) that you do the fol­lowing:
• Avoid running any unneeded programs at the same time as Pro Tools.
• Turn off any software utilities that run in the background, such as Windows Messen­ger, calendars, and disk maintenance pro­grams.
• Turn off any non-essential USB devices while running Pro Tools.
• If your video display card supports it, en­able Bus Mastering in the manufacturer’s Control Panel. See the manufacturer’s in­structions for details.
Optional Optimizations
The following system optimizations may help Pro Tools perform better on some systems. It is recommended that you only try these optimiza­tions if necessary, as they may disable or ad­versely affect the functionality of other pro­grams on your system.
If applicable, disable any networking cards (other than a FireWire card that you might use to connect an external drive to your system).
To disable a network card (Windows 7, Windows Vista):
1 Choose Start > Computer.
2 Click System Properties.
3 In the left-hand pane under Control Panel
Home, click on Device Manager.
4 In the Device Manager window, double-click
Network adapters.
5 Right-click on the network adapter and select
Disable.
6 Repeat as necessary for additional network
adapters
7 Close the Device Manager window.
To disable a network card (Windows XP):
1 Right-click My Computer and choose Manage.
2 Under System Tools, select Device Manager.
3 In the right-hand pane, click “+” to reveal Net-
work adapters.
4 In the Device Manager window, double-click
Network adapters.
5 Right-click on the network adapter and select-
Disable.
6 Repeat as necessary for additional network-
adapters.
7 Close the Computer Management window.
Chapter 4: Configuring Your Pro Tools System 29
Page 36
Adjusting Processor Scheduling
Disabling System Startup Items
To adjust Processor Scheduling performance (Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP):
1 Right-click Computer (Windows 7, Windows
Vista) or My Computer (Windows XP) and choose Properties.
2 Click the Advanced system settings link in the
left pane (Vista, Windows 7) or the Advanced tab (Windows XP).
3 Under the Performance section, click the Set-
tings button.
4 In the Performance Options window, click the
Advanced tab.
5 Under the Processor Scheduling section, select
the Background Services option.
6 Click OK to close the Performance Options
window.
7 Click OK to close the System Properties win-
dow.
8 Restart the computer for the changes to take
effect.
The fewer items in use by your computer, the more resources are available for Pro Tools. Some startup applications may be consuming unnec­essary CPU resources, and can be turned off.
If you disable any of the following startup items, do so carefully:
• Portable media serial number (required for some applications that utilize a copy pro­tection key)
• The Plug and Play service
•Event log
• Cryptographic services
To Disable System Startup Items: (Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP):
1 From the Start menu, type “msconfig” in Start
Search (Windows 7, Windows Vista) or in Run (Windows XP) and click OK to open the System Configuration Utility.
2 Under the General tab, choose Selective
Startup.
3 Deselect Load Startup Items and click OK.
4 Click Restart to restart the computer.
5 After restarting, the computer displays a Sys-
tem Configuration message. Check to see if Pro Tools performance has increased before you deselect the Don't show this message again op­tion. If performance has not changed, run “msconfig” and return your computer Startup Selection back to Normal Startup - load all device drives and services. Alternatively, try disabling Startup items and non-essential processes indi­vidually.
Mbox Mini User Guide30
Page 37
chapter 5
Signal Clip
Headphone output
LEDs
Signal Clip LEDs
Gain/
–20 dB pad switches 1–2
Mon/Mute switch
Master monitor knob
Power LED
Mix (Ratio)
Phantom power (+48V) LED

Mbox Mini Hardware Overview

Mbox Mini Front Panel Features

Figure 1 identifies controls, indicators, and input and output ports on the front panel on the Mbox Mini.
Figure 1. Mbox Mini front panel
Gain/–20 dB Pad Switch 1
This knob adjusts the Input 1 (Mic/Line or DI) gain level depending on which input is enabled by the back panel Combo/DI switch. Turn the knob clockwise to increase gain, and counter­clockwise to decrease gain. If your input signal is too hot even with the Gain knob at a low set­ting, pull the Gain knob out to engage a “pad” that attenuates the signal by -20dB.
Gain/–20 dB Pad Switch 2
This knob adjusts the input gain level of Input 2 (Line/DI) depending on which input is enabled by the back panel Line/DI switch. Turn the knob clockwise to increase gain, and counter-clock­wise to decrease gain. If your input signal is too hot even with the Gain knob at a low setting, pull the Gain knob out to engage a “pad” that attenuates the signal by -20dB.
Chapter 5: Mbox Mini Hardware Overview 31
Page 38
Mix (Ratio)
Signal Clip LEDs
This knob mixes between input and playback.
Mbox Mini gives you the ability to monitor your analog input signals while recording, with­out the delay incurred by A/D/A converters and host-based processing.
This zero-latency analog monitoring is con­trolled with the Mix knob, which you can use to blend and adjust the monitor ratio between Mbox Mini analog inputs and Pro Tools play­back.
To listen to just the source input signal, turn the Mix knob fully left to Input. To listen to Pro Tools output only, turn the knob fully right to Playback.
The output from the Mix control is routed di­rectly to the Mon Out (Monitor Outputs), and is mirrored in the Headphone output.
This ability to blend and control the relative lev­els of Pro Tools playback and latency-free live analog inputs can be particularly effective when overdubbing.
These two signal clip LEDs illuminate green in the presence of audio signal, and illuminate red when the signal reaching Mbox Mini is about to clip. The LEDs are associated with signals routed from Inputs 1– 2.
Phantom Power (+48V) LED
The phantom power +48V LED indicates that phantom power is engaged.
Headphone Output
Use the Headphone Output to connect a stereo headphone with a 1/4-inch stereo connector.
Power LED
The Power LED indicates that the Mbox Mini has received power from its USB connection. Once the Power LED light is on, audio can pass in or out of the system.
Speaker/Mute Switch
This switch mutes the Monitor Outputs, with­out muting the Headphone Output. This switch does not affect recording.
Master Monitor Knob
The Master Monitor knob controls the Monitor output and Headphone output levels. In Pro Tools, this is the signal that is routed to Out­puts 1–2.
Mbox Mini User Guide32
Page 39

Mbox Mini Back Panel Features

Mic/Line
DI
Monitor Output
+48V
01
Left
02
Right
USB 2.0
Line/DI
02
01
DI
Mic/Line
DI
Line
USB port
Mic/Line input
Phantom power (+48V) switch
Monitor outputs
Line/DI switch
Line/DI
Input 2
Combo/DI switch
DI input
The Mbox Mini back panel has the following features:
Figure 2. Mbox Mini back panel
USB Port
This standard USB connector is used to connect your computer to the Mbox Mini. One standard USB cable is included with your system.
Monitor Outputs
To monitor your mix, these outputs can be con­nected to a mixing board, directly to a monitor­ing system such as a stereo power amp, or an­other stereo destination.
These outputs accept TRS (Tip-Ring-Sleeve) or TS (Tip-Sleeve) 1/4-inch connections.
The Mon Out L and R outputs play the audio that is routed to analog outputs 1 and 2 from within Pro Tools, respectively. These analog outputs feature 24-bit digital-to-analog convert­ers.
Line/DI Switch
This switch selects either the line-level input or instrument-level input for channel 2. When pressed in, the instrument-level input (DI) is en­abled. When not pressed in, line-level input is enabled.
DI (Input 1)
The DI input accepts instrument-level 1/4-inch TS (Tip-Sleeve) connections.
On the front panel, the input signal is adjusted by the Input 1 Gain control. The source (Mic/Line or DI) is chosen using the Combo/DI switch on the back panel.
Chapter 5: Mbox Mini Hardware Overview 33
Page 40
Line/DI (Input 2)
The Line/DI input accepts line level signals, in­struments, and other 1/4-inch TRS (Tip-Ring­Sleeve) or TS (Tip-Sleeve) connections.
On the front panel, the input signal is adjusted by the Input 2 Gain control. The source (Line or DI) is chosen using the Line/DI switch on the back panel.
Combo/DI Switch
This switch selects either the Mic/Line input for channel 1 or the DI input for channel 1. When pressed in, the channel 1 DI input is selected. When not pressed in, the channel 1 combina­tion jack connector is selected.
Phantom Power (+48V) Switch
When pressed in, +48V phantom power is active on the Mic XLR input. Phantom power is pro­vided for microphones that require it to operate.
If you are not sure about the phantom power re­quirements for your microphone, consult your microphone’s documentation or contact the manufacturer.
When using phantom power, Mbox Mini’s maximum current per microphone is 4 mA.
Mic/Line (Input 1)
The channel 1 Mic/Line input on the back panel provides Mic (XLR) and Line (1/4-inch TRS) on a combination jack. Switch between channel 1 Mic/Line and channel 1 DI using the Combo/DI switch on the back panel.
About Phantom Power
Dynamic microphones (such as a Shure SM57) do not require phantom power to operate, but are not harmed by it. Most condenser micro- phones (like an M-Audio Solaris) do require phantom power to operate.
Although phantom power can be used safely with most microphones, it is possible to damage some ribbon microphones with it. Always turn off phantom power and wait at least ten seconds before connecting or dis­connecting a ribbon microphone.
Mbox Mini User Guide34
Page 41
chapter 6

Making Studio Connections

To hear audio recorded into a Pro Tools session, you will need to connect headphones or an ex­ternal sound system (such as powered monitors or a home stereo) to Mbox Mini. Sound from Mbox Mini cannot be played through your computer’s speakers or your computer’s sound output.

Connecting Headphones

Connecting a Sound System

Monitor outputs 1–2 on the back of the Mbox Mini support 1/4-inch plugs. These con­nections can be balanced TRS (Tip-Ring-Sleeve) or unbalanced TS (Tip-Sleeve) style connectors. To listen to your Pro Tools session, these out­puts can be connected to any amplification sys­tem: powered speakers, a home stereo system, or an audio mixer.
On the front panel of the Mbox Mini is a 1/4­inch jack to connect headphones.
Use the Headphone and Monitor Output Level control to adjust headphone and monitor out­put volume.
To connect headphones:
Connect headphones with a 1/4-inch stereo
connector (or adapter) to the Headphone jack.
When connecting to a stereo system, connect the left channel (often the white plug) to Mon Out L, and right channel (often the red plug) to Mon Out R.
Home stereo systems often use RCA connec­tors. You can use an adaptor or a special ca­ble to convert from the 1/4-inch TRS (Tip­Ring-Sleeve) connectors used by Mbox Mini to the RCA connectors on your home stereo.
Monitor outputs L and R play the audio that is routed to analog outputs 1 and 2 within Pro Tools.
Chapter 6: Making Studio Connections 35
Page 42

Connecting Audio Inputs

Mbox Mini inputs (sources) support micro­phones, guitars, keyboards, and other types of instruments. For information about connecting specific audio sources, see “Connecting a Micro­phone to the Mbox Mini” on page 36, and “Connecting Instruments to the Mbox Mini” on page 37.
Overview of Analog Inputs
Mbox Mini provides a total of two channels of analog input on the back panel. These jacks are labeled Mic/Line and DI (input 1) and Line/DI (input 2).
Mic/Line (Input 1)
Input 1 provides Mic/Line and DI input connec­tors. Inputs are selectable with the back panel Combo/DI switch. When the Combo/DI switch is pressed in, the DI input is selected (the DI in­put jack is located above the Line/DI jack.). When not pressed in, the combo connector jacks (XLR, 1/4-inch) are selected.
These inputs appear as Analog In (1) in Pro Tools.
XLR For XLR microphone cables.
1/4-inch TRS (Tip-Ring-Sleeve) or TS (Tip Sleeve) Fo r l in e or D I i np uts fr om guit ar s, key -
boards, mixers or similar sources.
Line/DI (Input 2)
Input 2 provides a Line/DI input connector. The input is selectable with the back panel Line/DI switch (located to the upper-left of the input). This input appears as Analog In (2) in Pro Tools.
Line/DI For line or DI inputs from guitars, key­boards, mixers or similar sources.

Connecting a Microphone to the Mbox Mini

Mic Cables and Connectors
Use a microphone with an XLR connector to connect the microphone to the Mbox Mini.
The Mbox Mini can only supply power through a microphone cable with an XLR connector. If you are not sure about the phantom power re­quirements for your microphone, refer to your microphone’s documentation or contact the manufacturer.
XLR connector
Phantom Power
Some microphones require power to operate. This power, called phantom power, is supplied ei­ther by a battery in the microphone, or through an audio interface (such as Mbox Mini) that can supply power through the microphone cable.
Most condenser microphones (such as an M-Audio Solaris) require phantom power to op­erate. Dynamic microphones (such as a Shure SM57) do not require phantom power to oper­ate, but are not harmed by it.
Although phantom power can be used safely with most microphones, it is possible to damage some ribbon microphones with it. Always turn off phantom power and wait at least ten seconds before connecting a rib­bon microphone.
Mbox Mini Setup Guide36
Page 43
Using a Mic that Has an XLR Connector
To use a microphone that has an XLR connector:
1 Plug your microphone cable into the Mic/Line
input on the back of Mbox Mini.
2 Set the Combo/DI switch on the back to
Combo (or “microphone”) position. The button should be out, not pressed in.
3 If your microphone requires phantom power,
make sure the microphone is connected, then press the Phantom Power switch (labeled +48V) on the back of the Mbox Mini. +48v phantom power is enabled when the switch is pressed in.
4 On the front of the Mbox Mini, turn the Mix
control fully left to Input.
5 On the front of the Mbox Mini, carefully turn
the Input 1 Gain control to the right to increase the input level of your microphone signal.
6 If the incoming signal is too loud, pull the
Gain knob out to engage the 20 dB pad.
3 On the front of the Mbox Mini, turn the Mix
control fully left to Input.
4 On the front of the Mbox Mini, carefully turn
the input’s Gain control to the right to increase the input level of your guitar.
5 If the incoming signal is too loud, pull the
Gain knob out to engage the 20 dB pad.
To use a keyboard or mixer with Mbox Mini:
1 Plug your keyboard, mixer, or other audio
source into either the Input 1 or Input 2 (TRS) inputs on your Mbox Mini. If your source is ste­reo (such as a stereo keyboard or the stereo out­put from a mixer), connect the left channel (often the white plug) to Input 1, and right channel (often the red plug) to Input 2.
2 If you are using Input 1 (Mic/Line), set the
Combo/DI switch on the back panel to Combo, by pressing the switch out.
If using Input 2 or if using both inputs (1 and 2) in a stereo configuration, make sure the Line/DI button for Input 2 is in the “out” (Line) position.

Connecting Instruments to the Mbox Mini

Mbox Mini provides Line/DI inputs that sup­port direct instruments (such as electric guitar and electric bass), and line level devices (includ­ing electronic audio sources such as mixers, samplers, keyboards, turntables, and synthesiz­ers).
To use a guitar with Mbox Mini:
1 On the back of the Mbox Mini, plug your gui-
tar cable into one of the DI inputs (in this exam­ple, input 2).
2 On the back panel, make sure the Line/DI
switch is in the “in” position.
3 On the front of the Mbox Mini, turn the Mix
control fully left to Input.
4 Set your instrument’s volume to its optimal
level. For example, the optimal level for most keyboards is between 80% and 100% of maxi­mum volume.
5 On the front of the Mbox Mini, carefully turn
the input’s Gain control to the right to increase the input level of your keyboard.
6 If the incoming signal is too loud, pull the
Gain knob out to engage the 20 dB pad.
Chapter 6: Making Studio Connections 37
Page 44
Mbox Mini Setup Guide38
Page 45
appendix a
Web links
Sample Rate menu
Status indicators
Buffer Size menu

Using the Driver Control Panel

The Mbox Mini Driver Control Panel lets you configure settings for your audio interface for use with Pro Tools or other audio applications that support the CoreAudio Drivers (Mac) or ASIO Audio Drivers (Windows) standard.
The Driver Control Panel also features conve­nient links to driver updates, downloadable manuals, FAQs, tech support, product registra­tion, and our website (www.avid.com).
To open the Driver Control Panel:
On Mac, launch System Preferences (Apple
menu > System Preferences), then double-click Avid Mbox Mini. (You can also open the Driver Control Panel from the Applications menu.)
– or –
On Windows, choose Start > All Programs >
Avid > Mbox Mini > Mbox Mini Control Panel
.
Mbox Mini Driver Control Panel in stand alone mode
To open the Driver Control Panel from Pro Tools:
1 Choose Setup > Hardware in the Edit window.
2 Click launch control panel.
Appendix A: Using the Driver Control Panel 39
Page 46
Setting Sample Rate and Buffer Size
From the Driver Control Panel, you can change the Sample Rate or Buffer Size setting or access the Hardware Setup dialog for your Mbox Mini or third-party application.
To set the Sample Rate:
Click the Sample Rate pop-up menu (located
in the upper part of the Driver Control Panel) and choose the Sample Rate you want.
Sample Rate
Using the Status Indicators
Along the bottom-left of the Driver Control Panel are the following status indicators:
Hardware Connected
This indicates if a properly installed, powered­on Mbox Mini is connected to the computer.
Streaming
This indicates if audio from a Digital Audio Workstation or a media player (such as iTunes or foobar) is currently streaming within Pro Tools.
You may select from the following sample rates:
• 44100
• 48000
To set the Buffer Size:
Click the Buffer Size pop-up menu and choose
the number of samples you want.
Buffer Size (Windows Only)
You may select from the following number of samples:
• 128 samples
• 256 samples
• 512 samples
• 1024 samples
• 2048 samples
• 4096 samples
Viewing Firmware and Installer Information
Directly above the status indicators, you can view the firmware version of the Mbox Mini hardware, and the package version of the Mbox Mini driver installer.
Accessing the Web Links
Along the bottom-right of the Driver Control Panel you can easily access helpful online re­sources on our Avid website (www.avid.com) by clicking on the following pop-up menus:
•Manual
•Updates
• Support
•FAQs
•Register
Clicking on any of the “Web links” will open your web browser. Your computer must have Internet access for these pages to load.
Mbox Mini User Guide40
Page 47
appendix b

Configuring AMS (Mac OS X Only)

2 Click MIDI Devices. AMS scans your system for

Audio MIDI Setup

Pro Tools recognizes the ports on your MIDI in­terface as generic ports. With Mac OS X, you use Apple’s Audio MIDI Setup (AMS) utility to iden­tify external MIDI devices connected to your MIDI interface and configure your MIDI studio for use with Pro Tools.
To configure your MIDI studio in AMS:
1 Do one of the following:
• Launch Audio MIDI Setup (located in Mac­intosh HD/Applications/Utilities). Click Window > Show MIDI Window to view MIDI studio.
– or –
• In Pro Tools, choose Setup > MIDI > MIDI
Studio. In Audio MIDI Setup, click Window > Show MIDI Window to view MIDI
studio.
connected MIDI interfaces. If your MIDI inter­face is properly connected, it appears in the win­dow with each of its ports numbered.
Audio MIDI Setup (MIDI Devices) Mbox shown
3 For any MIDI devices connected to the MIDI
interface, click Add Device. A new external device icon with the default MIDI keyboard image will appear.
4 Drag the new device icon to a convenient lo-
cation within the window.
Appendix B: Configuring AMS (Mac OS X Only) 41
Page 48
5 Connect the MIDI device to the MIDI inter-
face by clicking the arrow for the appropriate output port of the device and dragging a con­nection or “cable” to the input arrow of the cor­responding port of the MIDI interface.
Making MIDI input and output connections (Mbox shown)
6 Click the arrow for the appropriate input port
of the device and drag a cable to the output ar­row of the corresponding port of the MIDI inter­face.
To remove a connection, select the cable and
press Delete. To delete all connections, click Clear Cables.
7 Repeat steps 3–6 for each MIDI device in your
MIDI setup.
2 Select a manufacturer and model for the new
device from the corresponding pop-up menus. (If the Manufacturer and Model pop-up menus do not provide a name for your particular de­vice, you can type a name.)
Naming a new MIDI device
For Manufacturer and Model names, AMS refers to one or more files with the suffix “.middev” in the directory Root/Library/ Audio/MIDI Devices. Pro Tools installs a file that contains information for many commercially available MIDI devices, named “Digidesign Device List.middev.” If the Manufacturer or Model names for any of your external MIDI devices is not available in the AMS Manufacturer and Model pop-up menus, you can add them by editing the .middev file in any text editor (such as TextEdit).
To configure an external MIDI device:
1 Select the external device icon and click Show
Info (or double-click the new device icon).
External Device Icon
Mbox Mini User Guide42
Page 49
3 Click the More Information arrow to expand
the dialog, then enable the appropriate MIDI channels (1–16) for the Transmits and Receives options. (These determine which channels the device will use to send and receive MIDI.)
Enabling MIDI channels
4 Click the device image. The window expands
to show images for various MIDI devices (such as keyboards, modules, interfaces, and mixers). Select an icon for your device.
Selecting a device icon
To use your own custom icons, you can place TIFF image files in /Library/ Audio/MIDI Devices/Generic/Images, and they will appear as choices in the AMS device window.
5 Click OK.
The device names you enter appear as MIDI in­put and output choices in Pro Tools.
Appendix B: Configuring AMS (Mac OS X Only) 43
Page 50

MIDI Patch Name Support

Patch Select button (Edit window)
Patch Select button (Mix window)
Change button
Pro Tools supports XML (Extensible Markup Language) for storing and importing patch names for you external MIDI devices. Pro Tools installs MIDI patch name files (.midnam) for the factory default patch names of many common MIDI devices. These files reside in directories, sorted by manufacturer, in Macintosh HD/ Library/Audio/MIDI Patch Names/Digidesign.
To import MIDI patch names into Pro Tools:
1 Verify the MIDI Device name in the Audio
MIDI Setup window (see “Aud io MIDI S etup ” on page 41).
2 Verify the Instrument or MIDI track output is
correctly assigned to the MIDI device.
3 Click the Instrument or MIDI track Patch Se-
lect button.
4 In the Patch Select dialog, click Change.
Patch Select dialog
5 In the Open dialog, navigate to /Library/Au-
dio/MIDI Patch Names/Digidesign/<name of manufacturer>, and select the MIDI Patch Name file (.midnam) for the MIDI device.
6 Click Open.
The Patch Select dialog is populated with patch names and the Patch Name Bank pop-up menu appears in the upper left hand corner of the win­dow.
Once patch names have been imported into Pro Tools, they are available for that MIDI de­vice in all sessions.
Patch Select button
Mbox Mini User Guide44
To clear patch names:
In the Patch Select dialog, click Clear, and the
click Done.
MIDI patch name files (.midnam) can be edited in any text editor, or you can use third-party patch librarian and editor soft­ware to create your own custom patch names.
Page 51
appendix c

Configuring MIDI Studio Setup (Windows Only)

MIDI Studio Setup

MIDI Studio Setup (MSS) lets you configure the MIDI controllers and sound modules that are connected to your system, and control the rout­ing of MIDI data between your MIDI equipment and Pro Tools.
MSS automatically finds MIDI interfaces, and lets you specify a custom name for each of the MIDI ports within the MIDI Studio Setup docu­ment.
MSS also supports XML-based patch file names for storing and importing patch names for your external MIDI devices.
Entire MIDI Studio Setup configurations created within MSS can be imported and exported.
MIDI Studio Setup Window
The MIDI Studio Setup window is organized into three sections. Interface controls are at the top of the window. All the currently defined in­struments are displayed in the Instrument Name list on the left side of the window. A detailed view of MIDI parameters is shown in the Proper­ties section on the right.
MIDI Studio Setup window
Appendix C: Configuring MIDI Studio Setup (Windows Only) 45
Page 52
Interface Controls
Properties Section
Create Adds a new instrument to the Instru­ment Name list.
Delete Deletes the instrument or instruments se­lected in the Instrument Name list.
Import Imports an existing MIDI Studio Setup file.
Export Exports the current MIDI Studio Setup file.
Show Duplicate Emulated Ports When this op­tion is selected and you are using a MIDI inter­face that supports timestamping (such as MIDI I/O), in addition to the MIDI ports on Mbox Mini, the MIDI Studio setup window shows both the DirectMusic time-stamped out­put ports, and non-stamped duplicate emulated output ports.
Some MIDI Interfaces will not properly load or unload their drivers unless you quit and re-launch Pro Tools. Check the documenta­tion that came with your MIDI interface for more information.
Instrument List
The Properties section lets you edit information for new instruments, or instrument currently se­lected in the Instrument list.
MIDI Studio Setup Properties section
When a previously defined instrument is se­lected in the Instrument list, the Properties sec­tion changes to reflect the properties of the se­lected instrument.
To define an instrument with MIDI Studio Setup:
1 Choose Setup > MIDI > MIDI Studio.
2 Click Create.
3 In the Instrument Name field, type the name
of your instrument, and press Enter.
The Instrument list contains all the currently defined instruments. Selecting an instrument in the list displays that instrument’s properties in the Properties section of the window.
Mbox Mini User Guide46
If you do not enter an instrument name, the Instrument Name field will automatically inherit information from the Manufacturer and Model pop-up menu.
4 Set a manufacturer and model for the new de-
vice from the corresponding pop-up menus. If the Manufacturer and Model pop-up menus do not provide a name for your particular device, select None.
5 From the Input pop-up menu, select the input
po rt on y ou r MI DI int er face that is connected to the MIDI Out of your instrument.
Page 53
6 From the Output pop-up menu, select the out-
put port on your MIDI interface that is con­nected to the MIDI In of your instrument.
7 Enable the appropriate MIDI channels (1–16)
for the Send Channels and Receive Channels op­tions (These determine which channels send and receive MIDI.)
terface port that is set and displayed here is the port through which MIDI data is sent from the external MIDI device specified in the Instru­ment Name field into your MIDI interface.
If you set the input port to None, the defined instrument will not appear as a choice in a MIDI Input selector.
Instrument Name
The Instrument Name field shows the user-de­finable instrument name for the currently se­lected instrument.
Manufacturer
The Manufacturer pop-up menu provides a list of MIDI equipment manufacturers. This list is derived from the XML-based MIDI device files.
For more information, see “MIDI Patch Name Support” on page 47.
Model
The Model pop-up menu provides a list of MIDI devices, filtered by the manufacturer name. This list is derived from the XML-based MIDI device files provided with your Pro Tools installation.
For more information, see “MIDI Patch Name Support” on page 47.
Input Port
Output Port
The Output Port pop-up menu displays a list of available MIDI interface output ports. The port set and displayed here is the port through which MIDI data is sent from your MIDI interface to the MIDI device specified in the Instrument Name field.
If you set the output port to None, the de­fined instrument will not appear as a choice in a MIDI Output selector.
Send Channels
The Send Channels grid sets the send channels for the MIDI device specified in the Instrument Name field.
Receive Channels
The Receive Channels grid sets the receive chan­nels for the MIDI device specified in the Instru­ment Name field.
The Input Port pop-up menu displays a list of available MIDI interface input ports. Inputs will include Mbox Mini and any additional MIDI in­terfaces enabled on your system. The MIDI in-

MIDI Patch Name Support

Pro Tools supports XML (Extensible Markup Language) for storing and importing patch names for your external MIDI devices. Pro Tools installs MIDI patch name files (.midnam) for the factory default patch names of many common MIDI devices. These files reside in directories, sorted by manufacturer, in C:\Program Files\ Common Files\Digidesign\MIDI Patch Names\ Digidesign.
Appendix C: Configuring MIDI Studio Setup (Windows Only) 47
Page 54
To import MIDI patch names into Pro Tools:
Patch Select button (Edit window)
Patch Select button (Mix window)
Change button
1 Verify the MIDI Device name in the MIDI Stu-
dio Setup window (see “MIDI Studio Setup” on page 45).
2 Verify the Instrument or MIDI track output is
correctly assigned to the MIDI device.
3 Click the Instrument or MIDI track Patch Se-
lect button.
Patch Select button
4 In the Patch Select dialog, click Change.
The Patch Select dialog is populated with patch names and the Patch Name Bank pop-up menu appears in the upper left hand corner of the win­dow.
Patch Select dialog with patch names
Once patch names have been imported into Pro Tools, they are available for that MIDI de­vice in all sessions.
To clear patch names:
In the Patch Select dialog, click Clear and then
click Done.
Patch Select dialog
5 In the Open dialog, navigate to C:\Program
Files\Common Files\Digidesign\MIDI Patch Names\Digidesign\<name of manufacturer>, and select the MIDI Patch Name file (.midnam) for the MIDI device.
6 Click Open.
Mbox Mini User Guide48
MIDI patch name files (.midnam) can be edited in any text editor, or you can use third-party patch librarian and editor soft­ware to create your own custom patch names.
Page 55
appendix d

Hard Drive Configuration and Maintenance

It is recommended that you start with a newly formatted external or secondary internal audio drive. You should also periodically defragment your audio drive to ensure continued system performance.

Supported Drive Formats and Drive Types

Drive Formats
Always back up any important data on your drive before formatting it, as it will erase all data on the drive.

Avoid Recording to the System Drive

Recording to your system drive is not recom­mended. Recording and playback on a system drive may result in lower track counts or fewer plug-ins.
Mac Mac systems should use drives formatted with HFS+ or HFS file system only.
HFS drives are supported as Transfer drives only.
Windows Windows systems should use drives formatted as NTFS only.
Windows systems can also support Mac drives formatted with HFS+ system (also commonly referred to as Mac OS Extended). Refer to the Pro Tools Reference Guide for more information (Help > Pro Tools Refer­ence Guide).
Hard drive performance depends on factors in­cluding system configuration, number of tracks, session sample rate, density of edits, and the use of crossfades and other processes such as Beat Detective in a session.
For complete hard drive requirements, visit our website (www.avid.com).
Appendix D: Hard Drive Configuration and Maintenance 49
Page 56
SCSI Hard Drives
Avid recommends qualified SCSI hard drives and a qualified SCSI host bus adapter (HBA) card or (on Windows systems) a qualified built-in SCSI HBA connector on the motherboard.
For complete information on track count and the supported number and configuration of SCSI drives, visit our website (www.avid.com).
FireWire Hard Drives
Avid recommends qualified FireWire drives and (on Windows systems) a qualified FireWire host adapter.
For complete information on track count and the supported number and configuration of FireWire drives, visit our website (www.avid.com).
IDE/ATA/SATA Hard Drives
A qualified internal IDE/ATA/SATA drive may be used as a dedicated audio drive.
2 Click the Erase tab.
Disk Utility (Mac OS X)
3 Select the drive you want to initialize in the
column on the left side of the window.
4 Choose the Mac OS Extended (Journaled) for-
mat.
Do not choose the “Case-Sensitive” format option. Pro Tools will not operate properly with case-sensitive formatted drives.
For complete information on track count with internal drives, refer to our website (www.avid.com).

Formatting an Audio Drive

Formatting Mac Audio Drives
For optimum performance, audio drives should be formatted as Mac OS Extended (Journaled).
To format an audio drive:
1 Launch the Disk Utility application, located in
Macintosh HD/Applications/Utilities.
Mbox Mini User Guide50
5 Type a name for the new volume.
6 If you plan to connect the drive to a Mac OS 9
computer, select Install Mac OS 9 Drivers (Mac OS 9 options only appear in 10.5 or below).
7 Click Erase.
The drive appears on the Desktop with the new volume name.
Page 57
Formatting Windows Audio Drives
3 If the volume is “Healthy,” do the following:
For optimal performance, audio drives should be formatted as NTFS.
Pro Tools only supports Basic drive types. Do not convert the drive to a Dynamic type.
To format an audio drive (Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP):
1 Right-click Computer (Windows 7,
Windows Vista) or My Computer (Windows XP) and choose Manage.
2 Under Storage, choose Disk Management.
Disk Management window (Windows XP)
Healthy volumes are volumes that have pre­viously been partitioned and formatted.
• In the Disk Management window, right­click the hard drive you will use for audio and choose Format.
• In the Format window, name the volume.
• Choose a file system. For optimum perfor­mance, audio drives should be formatted as NTFS.
• Select Perform a quick format.
•Make sure Enable file and folder compression is not selected.
• Set the Allocation unit size to Default.
• Click OK.
4 If the volume is “Unallocated,” do the follow-
ing:
• In the Disk Management window, Right­click the hard drive you will use for audio and choose New Partition.
• In the New Partition Wizard window, click Next.
• When prompted, select the partition type.
Avid recommends using Primary partitions, instead of Extended partitions.
• Follow the on-screen instructions to select a partition size and other partition settings.
• When prompted, choose a file system. For optimum performance, audio drives should be formatted as NTFS.
• Select Perform a quick format.
•Make sure Enable file and folder compression is not selected.
• Set the Allocation unit size to Default.
• Click OK.
Appendix D: Hard Drive Configuration and Maintenance 51
Page 58

Partitioning Drives

Partitioning creates a logical volume or volumes on a physical drive, almost as if you were creat­ing virtual hard drives. Partitions can then be formatted with the appropriate file system (NTFS for Windows, HFS+ for Mac).
Mac OS allows drives larger than 4096 MB to be seen as whole volumes. Drives must be initialized with a disk utility that recog­nizes the 2 terabyte limit. Single Pro Tools audio files cannot exceed 3.4 GB in size.
Windows XP allows drives formatted with the NTFS file system to be seen as whole volumes. Single Pro Tools audio files can­not exceed 3.4 GB in size.
Seek Times on Partitioned Drives
Seek times are actually faster on partitioned drives (assuming that reads and writes are per­formed on a single partition), since the heads only have to seek within the partition boundar­ies, rather than the whole capacity of the drive.
Smaller partitions perform faster than larger par­titions, but this comes at the expense of contig­uous storage space. When you partition a drive, you will need to find the compromise that best suits your performance and storage require­ments.
Avoid distributing audio files within a ses­sion over different partitions on the same drive since this will adversely affect drive performance.

Defragmenting an Audio Drive

Mac Systems
When working with larger files (such as video), you can limit fragmentation by backing up your important files to another disk, erasing the files from the original hard disk, then copying the files back, instead of doing a defragmentation.
Window Systems
Periodically defragment audio drives to maintain system performance.
For maximum recording and playback effi­ciency, data should be written to your hard drive in a contiguous fashion—minimizing the seek requirements to play back the data. Unfor­tunately, your computer can’t always store the sound files in this way and must write to disk wherever it can find space.
In multitrack recording, audio tracks are written in discrete files, spaced evenly across the disk. While fragmentation of individual files may be zero, the tracks may be far enough apart that playback will still be very seek-intensive. Also, the remaining free space on the disk will be dis­contiguous, increasing the likelihood of file fragmentation on subsequent record passes.
Increased fragmentation increases the chance of disk errors, which can interfere with playback of audio, and result in performance errors.
On Windows, to avoid fragmentation, for­mat drives with higher cluster sizes (such as 32K).
Mbox Mini User Guide52
Page 59
Optimizing (Defragmenting) Drives
To prevent fragmentation, you can optimize your drive, which rearranges your files into a contiguous format. Most optimizing software lets you run a check on a drive to find out the percentage of fragmentation. If your drive shows moderate to heavy fragmentation, you should consider optimizing it.
If you use your system for intensive editing, or if you frequently delete audio or fade files from your hard drive, you may need to optimize your drives on a weekly basis, or even every few days, since it doesn’t take long for even a large hard drive to become fragmented.
Backing Up Data Before Optimizing
Since your files will be rewritten by the optimi­zation process, always make a backup copy of the data on your hard drive before you optimize it. You should also use a hard drive utility to find and repair any problems before optimizing data or re-initializing your drives. If there is any dam­age to your hard drive's directories prior to opti­mizing, serious data loss may result.
Defragmenting Windows Audio Drives
5 When defragmenting is complete, close the
Disk Defragmenter window.
In Windows 7 you can Ctrl-Click on the drive names to select multiple drives to de­fragment, and once more than one drive is selected, the button changes to “Defrag­ment disks.”
The “Defragment Now” (Vista only) com­mand defragments all your hard drives. This can take a lot of time, especially on systems with multiple drives.
Advanced users can use the command line tool Defrag.exe to defragment individual drives. See your Windows Vista documen­tation for more information.
To defragment an audio drive (Windows XP):
1 Right-click My Computer and choose Manage.
2 Under Storage, choose Disk Defragmenter.
3 In the Disk Defragmenter window, choose the
drive you want to defragment
4 Click the Defragment button and follow the
on-screen instructions.
To defragment an audio drive (Windows 7 and Windows Vista):
1 Click Start.
2 Type “disk defragmenter” in the search field at
the bottom. “Disk Defragmenter” should appear at the top of the search results.
3 Click the Disk Defragmenter.
4 Click the Defragment disk button (Windows 7)
or the Defragment now button (Windows Vista). Follow the on-screen instructions.
5 When defragmenting is complete, close the
Computer Management window.
Appendix D: Hard Drive Configuration and Maintenance 53
Page 60

Using Mac Drives on Windows Systems

Pro Tools for Windows lets you record and play back sessions directly from a Mac-formatted (HFS+) drive connected to a Windows system. This functionality requires that all Mac session and audio files be stored on Mac-formatted drives.
During Pro Tools installation, make sure to se­lect the Mac HFS+ Disk Support option. This op­tion lets your Pro Tools system read, write, re­cord, and play back using Mac-formatted HFS+ disks.
For information on sharing sessions be­tween Mac and Windows systems, see the Pro Tools Reference Guide (Help > Pro Tools Reference Guide).
Formatting and Maintaining HFS+ Drives
To format and partition any drives as HFS+, con­nect the drives to a Mac computer and use the Apple OS X Disk Utility to format the drives as Mac OS Extended (Journaled).
Mbox Mini User Guide54
Page 61

Hard Disk Storage Space

Mono audio tracks recorded with 16-bit resolution at 44.1 kHz (CD quality) require approximately 5 MB of hard disk space per minute. The same tracks recorded with 24-bit resolution require about
7.5 MB per minute.
Stereo audio tracks recorded with 16-bit resolution at 44.1 kHz (CD quality) require approximately 10 MB of hard disk space per minute. The same tracks recorded with 24-bit resolution require about 15 MB per minute.
Table 5 lists the required disk space for certain track numbers and track lengths, to help you estimate your hard disk usage.
Table 5. Required hard drive space for audio tracks (44.1 kHz and 48 kHz sessions shown)
Number of Tracks and Length 16-bit at
44.1 kHz
1 mono track, 1 minute 5 MB 5.5 MB 7.5 MB 8.2 MB
16-bit at
48 kHz
24-bit at
44.1 kHz
24-bit at
48 kHz
1 stereo track (or two mono tracks), 5 minutes
1 stereo track (or two mono tracks), 60 minutes
24 mono tracks, 5 minutes 600 MB 662 MB 900 MB 991 MB
24 mono tracks, 60 minutes 7 GB 7.8 GB 10.5 GB 11.6 GB
32 mono tracks, 5 minutes 800 MB 883 MB 1.2 GB 1.3 GB
32 mono tracks, 60 minutes 9.4 GB 10.4 GB 14 GB 15.4 GB
50 MB 55 MB 75 MB 83 MB
600 MB 662 MB 900 MB 991 MB
Appendix D: Hard Drive Configuration and Maintenance 55
Page 62
Mbox Mini User Guide56
Page 63
appendix e

Troubleshooting

Backing Up Your Work

It is highly recommended that you back up your work on a regular basis, and especially before making changes to your system configuration.
Backing Up Your Session Data
Back up your session and audio data frequently. There are a variety of media that are suited to back up projects of various sizes, from auto­mated tape backup systems to high-capacity op­tical drives, or to CD burners.
The best way to back up an entire session is to use the Save Copy In command. This command lets you save the session file and all of its associ­ated files to a new location.
The Auto Save Backup feature (in the Operation Preferences page) sets Pro Tools to automatically save backups of the session file while you work.
Backing Up Your System Configuration
After configuring your system and Pro Tools, you should save an image of your system drive using a backup utility such as Norton Ghost (Windows) or Bombich Carbon Copy Cloner (Mac). By doing this, you can quickly restore your system configuration and settings if you encounter any problems.

Common Issues

Pro Tools Won’t Launch
Problem
When you double-click the Pro Tools applica­tion or a Pro Tools session file, Pro Tools doesn’t launch, or displays an error message.
Possible Solutions
Check to be sure your computer has the re-
quired amount of RAM to launch Pro Tools. Visit www.avid.com/compatibility.
Try a complete restart. Turn off your audio in-
terfaces, computer peripherals and your com­puter, and then turn them on again in the proper sequence.
Appendix E: Troubleshooting 57
Page 64
If you tried to launch Pro Tools by double-
clicking a Pro Tools session file, do the follow­ing:
• Close any error message.
• Double-click the Pro Tools application.
• In Pro Tools, choose File > Open Session to open the session.
Reinstall the Pro Tools application, using the
Pro Tools Installer disc.
Audio Interface Is Not Recognized
Problem
When you launch Pro Tools it does not recog­nize an audio interface, or a connected audio interface is not available.

Performance Factors

There are several conditions that may adversely affect the performance of Pro Tools. These include:
Network Connections Close any network con­nections unless you are using them for network interchange of audio data.
Background Applications Any software utilities that run in the background or generate disk activity, such as virus protection, disk optimiza­tion, or file savers, should be turned off or removed.
Screen Savers Screen saver software should be completely disabled on your computer before running Pro Tools.
Possible Solutions
Turn off your computer and check to be sure
your cables are properly and securely connected to your computer and to your audio interface.
Verify that your Hardware Setup dialog set-
tings are correct.
Power Saver Features Some automatic power saver features, such as those that spin down the system hard drive, can affect Pro Tools perfor­mance. These features should be turned off.
Mbox Mini User Guide58
Page 65

Before You Call Avid Support

Register Your System
Register your purchase by following the instruc­tions on the Registration Information Card in­cluded with your system. By registering, you be­come eligible to receive the following:
• Technical support information
• Software update and upgrade notices
• Hardware warranty information
Gather Important Information
Avid wants to help you resolve problems as quickly and efficiently as possible. If you collect the following information before you contact Avid Support, it will make the diagnosis of your problem easier.
Pro Tools Software
• Pro Tools software version
• Plug-In versions
• Other Pro Tools software options or components
• Additional plug-ins from Avid Development Partners
Other Hardware
Refer to the manufacturer’s documentation for operational details.
The most common hardware additions include:
• 1394 (FireWire) cards for Windows systems (manufacturer, model)
• Video Capture cards (manufacturer, model)
To verify that your hardware is qualified for use with your Pro Tools system, visit:
www.avid.com/compatibility
System Information
Computer
• Make, model, processor speed
• Amount of system RAM
• Operating system (version of Windows or Mac OS)
• Any Drivers, Disk Utilities, or other system­related applications you may have installed
Pro Tools Hardware
• Type of cards, interfaces, or peripherals
Hard Drives
•Make, Model
•Drive size (GB)
• Drive speed (RPM)
• Drive type (SCSI, FireWire, IDE/ATA)
• Utility used to format the drive
• Number and size of partitions on the drive
Other Software
If you are using other audio or video applica­tions, refer to the manufacturer’s documenta­tion for operational details.
Make note of any other software that was run­ning when a problem occurred.
Diagnostic Information
Note any DAE errors or other error codes you en­counter. Additonally, note the ability to repro­duce the problem under different conditions, for example, with another session, or after changing settings (such as the Hardware Buffer Size).
Appendix E: Troubleshooting 59
Page 66
Mbox Mini User Guide60
Page 67
appendix f

Resources

Whether you are new to Pro Tools or just start­ing out with your new system, we encourage you to read and utilize the many guides that Pro Tools provides. There are also useful online resources available, giving you everything from Pro Tools tips to Pro Tools answers.

About the Pro Tools Guides

In addition to any printed guides included with your system, PDF versions of the printed guides and many additional Pro Tools guides and Read Mes are installed automatically during Pro Tools installation (see “Documentation Installed Au­tomatically with Pro Tools” on page 62). The PDFs are located in the /Digidesign/Documenta­tion folder on your local drive.
Printed copies of the Pro Tools Reference Guide and other guides in the Pro Tools guide set can be purchased separately from t Avid Store (http://shop.avid.com).
User Guide
The User Guide for your system gives you de­tailed instructions for setting up and configur­ing software and hardware for optimum perfor­mance.
he
Printed Intro to Pro Tools Guide
The printed Intro to Pro Tools has tutorials on us­ing Pro Tools (such as recording in a Pro Tools session, importing audio from a CD, and creat­ing an audio CD from a Pro Tools session).
Guides Accessible in Pro Tools
The main Pro Tools guides are accessible from the Pro Tools Help menu. (Choose Help, then select a guide.)
These include:
• Pro Tools Shortcuts, provides a complete list of keyboard and Right-click shortcuts for Pro Tools.
• Audio Plug-Ins Guide, describes the audio plug­ins included with Pro Tools for both real-time and file-based audio processing as well as many other paid plug-in option offered from Avid.
• Pro Tools Menus Guide, covers all the Pro Tools on-screen menus.
• Pro Tools Reference Guide, explains Pro Tools software in extensive detail.
Appendix F: Resources 61
Page 68
Documentation Installed Automatically with Pro Tools
When you install Pro Tools, you get useful PDF versions of many Pro Tools guides and Read Mes. This documentation can be found in the following locations:
Mac Applications/Digidesign/Documentation
Windows C:\Program Files\Digidesign\
Documentation
To view or print PDF guides, you can use Adobe Reader (recommended) or Apple Preview (Mac only).
Read Me Files
These contain late-breaking information and known issues pertaining to Pro Tools software and hardware configurations. Read Me files are installed in the Documentation folder when you install Pro Tools.
Helpful Online Resources
Once you get going, here are some helpful on­line resources:
• For questions about installation, visit Avid’s online Knowledge Base. Go to: http://www.avid.com/onlinesupport
• Get useful information, help, and tips from the worldwide community of Pro Tools users at the online User Conference. Go to: http://duc.avid.com
• If you can’t find your answers on the User Conference or the Knowledge Base, contact Avid email support. Go to: http://www.avid.com/support
Mbox Mini User Guide62
Page 69
appendix g

Compliance Information

Environmental Compliance

Disposal of Waste Equipment by Users in the European Union
This symbol on the product or its packaging indicates that this product must not be disposed of with other waste. Instead, it is your responsibility to dispose of your waste equipment by handing it over to a designated collection point for the recycling of waste electrical and electronic equipment. The separate collection and recycling of your waste equipment at the time of disposal will help conserve natural resources and ensure that it is recycled in a manner that protects human health and the environment. For more information about where you can drop off your waste equipment for recycling, please contact your local city recycling office or the dealer from whom you purchased the product.
Proposition 65 Warning
This product contains chemicals, including lead, known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm. Wash hands after handling.
Perchlorate Notice
This product may contain a lithium coin battery. The State of California requires the following disclosure statement: “Perchlorate Material – special handling may apply, See www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/perchlorate.”
Recycling Notice
Appendix G: Compliance Information 63
Page 70
EMC (Electromagnetic
Avid
Compliance)
Avid declares that this product complies with the following standards regulating emissions and immunity:
• FCC Part 15 Class B
• EN 55022 Class B
• EN 55204 Class B
• AS/NZS 3548 Class B
• CISPR 22 Class B
FCC Compliance for United States
Radio and Television Interference
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules.
DECLARATION OF CONFORMITY
We, Avid, 2001 Junipero Serra Boulevard Daly City, CA 94014-3886, USA 650-731-6300 declare under our sole responsibility that the product Mbox Mini complies with Part 15 of FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) this device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.
Australian Compliance
Canadian Compliance
This Class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES-003
Cet appareil numérique de la classe A est conforme à la norme NMB-003 du Canada
CE Compliance
(EMC and Safety)
Avid is authorized to apply the CE (Conformité Europénne) mark on this compliant equipment thereby declaring conformity to EMC Directive 89/336/EEC and Low Voltage Directive 73/23/EEC.
Communication Statement
NOTE: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try and correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:
• Reorient or locate the receiving antenna.
• Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.
• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
Any modifications to the unit, unless expressly approved by Avid, could void the user's authority to operate the equipment.
Mbox Mini User Guide64

Safety Compliance

Safety Statement
This equipment has been tested to comply with USA and Canadian safety certification in accordance with the specifications of UL Standards: UL60065 7th /IEC 60065 7th and Canadian CAN/CSA C22.2 60065:03. Avid Inc., has been authorized to apply the appropriate UL & CUL mark on its compliant equipment.
War ning
Page 71
Important Safety Instructions
1) Read these instructions.
2) Keep these instructions.
3) Heed all warnings.
4) Follow all instructions.
5) Do not use this equipment near water.
6) Clean only with dry cloth.
7) Do not block any ventilation openings. Install in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
8) Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other equipment (including amplifiers) that produce heat.
9) Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized or grounding-type plug. A polarized plug has two blades with one wider than the other. A grounding type plug has two blades and a third grounding prong. The wide blade or the third prong are provided for your safety. If the provided plug does not fit into your outlet, consult an electrician for replacement of the obsolete outlet.
10) Protect power cords from being walked on or pinched particularly at plugs, convenience receptacles, and the point where they exit from the equipment.
11) Only use attachments/accessories specified by the manufacturer.
12) For products that are not rack-mountable: Use only with a cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or table specified by the manufacturer, or sold with the equipment. When a cart is used, use caution when moving the cart/equipment combination to avoid injury from tip-over.
13) Unplug this equipment during lightning storms or when unused for long periods of time.
14) Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel. Servicing is required when the equipment has been damaged in any way, such as power-supply cord or plug is damaged, liquid has been spilled or objects have fallen into the equipment, the equipment has been exposed to rain or moisture, does not operate normally, or has been dropped.
15) For products that are a Mains powered device: The equipment shall not be exposed to dripping or splashing and no objects filled with liquids (such as vases) shall be placed on the equipment.
Warning! To reduce the risk of fire or electric shock, do not expose this equipment to rain or moisture.
16) For products containing a lithium battery: CAUTION! Danger of explosion if battery is incorrectly replaced. Replace only with the same or equivalent type.
17) The equipment shall be used at a maximum ambient temperature of 40° C.
Appendix G: Compliance Information 65
Page 72
Mbox Mini User Guide66
Page 73

index

A
Audio MIDI Setup (AMS) (Macintosh) 41 authorizing Pro Tools LE
Mac 7 Windows 14
C
Cache Size 22 Clean Uninstall (Mac) 9 Clock Source 24
Internal setting 24 S/PDIF (digital) setting 24
compatibility 2 CPU Usage Limit 19, 20
D
DAE Playback Buffer Size 21 DMA option (Windows), enabling 27 drive formatting
Mac 50 Windows 51
drive maintenance 49 drive requirements 3
E
Energy Saver (Mac), turning off 25
H
hard drives
drive formats 49 FireWire requirements 50 formatting 50, 51 formatting (Mac) 50 IDE/ATA requirements 50 maintenance 49, 52 optimizing 53 partitioning 52 requirements 3 SCSI requirements 50 space requirements 55
Hardware Buffer Size 18
I
I/O Setup
Windows 24
IDE/ATA requirements 50 Ignore Errors During Playback/Record option 20 installing Pro Tools LE
Mac 5 Windows 11
installing QuickTime (Windows) 13
J
journaling (Mac), enabling 27
F
FireWire requirements 50
L
latency
Hardware Buffer Size 18
Index 67
Page 74
M
Mbox Mini
back panel 33
MIDI
setup (Macintosh) 41 setup (Windows) 45
MIDI Studio Setup (MSS) (Windows) 45 Minimize Additional I/O Latency option 21
N
network cards (Windows), disabling 29 network connections 58
O
optimizing hard drives 53
P
partitioning hard drives 52 Patch Select dialog
Macintosh 44 Windows 48
phantom power
when to use 36
Playback Engine
RTAS Processors setting 19
Plug-In Streaming Buffer 23 Plug-In Streaming Buffer Size 22 plug-ins
multiprocessors 19 RTAS Processors setting 19
Pro Tools
demo session (Windows) 9, 15 removing (Windows) 9, 15
Pro Tools LE
capabilities 2 configuration (Windows) 18 installing (Mac) 5 installing (Windows) 11
Processor Scheduling performance (Windows) 30
Q
QuickTime
installing (Windows) 13
R
removing Pro Tools
Windows 9, 15
RTAS Processors setting 19
S
Safe Uninstall (Mac) 9 Sample Rate 23 screen savers 58 SCSI requirements 50 Software Update (Mac), turning off 25 Spotlight indexing (Mac), disabling 26 Startup items (Windows), disabling 30 system
optional optimizations (Windows) 29 recommended optimizations (Windows) 29 required optimizations (Windows) 27 shutting down 17 starting up 17
system optimization
Mac 25 Windows 29
system requirements 2 system settings
Cache Size 22 Clock Source 24 CPU Usage Limit 20 Hardware Buffer Size 18 I/O Setup 24 Plug-In Streaming Buffer 23 Plug-In Streaming Buffer Size 22 Sample Rate 23
T
technical support 59
U
uninstalling Pro Tools
Mac 9 Windows 15
User Account Control (UAC)
disabling 28
Mbox Mini User Guide68
Page 75
Page 76
Avid
2001 Junipero Serra Boulevard Daly City, CA 94014-3886 USA
Technical Support (USA)
Visit the Online Support Center at www.avid.com/support
Product Information
For company and product information, visit us on the web at www.avid.com
Loading...
Buy Points How it Works FAQ Contact Us Questions and Suggestions Privacy Policy Cookie Policy Terms of Use