Pinnacle Systems Mbox 2 - 6.8.1 Quick Start Guide
Getting Started with
Mbox 2
™
Version 6.8.1 for LE Systems on Windows or Macintosh
Digidesign
2001 Junipero Serra Boulevard
Daly City, CA 94014-3886 USA
tel: 650·731·6300
fax: 650·731·6399
Technical Support (USA)
tel: 650·731·6100
fax: 650·731·6384
Product Information (USA)
tel: 650·731·6102
tel: 800·333·2137
International Offices
Visit the Digidesign Web site
for contact information
Web Site
www.digidesign.com
Copyright
© 2005 Digidesign, a division of Avid Technology, Inc. All rights
reserved. This guide may not be duplicated in whole or in part
without the express written consent of Digidesign. Avid,
Digidesign, Mbox 2, and Pro Tools are either trademarks or
registered trademarks of Avid Technology, Inc. in the US and
other countries. All other trademarks contained herein are the
property of their respective owners.
Product features, specifications, system requirements, and
availability are subject to change without notice.
PN 9320-14742-00 REV A 9/05
Communications and Safety Regulation Information
Compliance Statement
This model Digidesign Mbox 2 complies with the following
standards regulating interference and EMC:
• FCC Part 15 Class B
• EN 55022
• EN 55204
• AS/NZS 3548 Class B
• CISPR 22 Class B
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 Digidesign,
2001 Junipero Serra Boulevard, Suite 200
Daly City, CA 94014 USA
tel: 650-731-6300
declare under our sole responsibility that the product
Mbox 2
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.
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.
Mbox 2
Any modifications to the unit, unless expressly approved by
Digidesign, could void the user's authority to operate the
equipment.
Canadian Compliance Statement:
This Class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES-
003.
Cet appareil numérique de la classe B est conforme à la norme
NMB-003 du Canada.
Australian Compliance
European Compliance
contents
Chapter 1. Welcome to Mbox 2
Mbox 2 Package
Mbox 2 Features
Pro Tools LE Capabilities
System Requirements
Digidesign Registration
About the Pro Tools Guides
About www.digidesign.com
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Chapter 2. Windows Configuration
Installation Overview
Windows System Settings
Installing Pro Tools LE and Mbox 2
Optional Software on the Pro Tools Installer CD-ROM
Launching Pro Tools LE
Configuring Pro Tools LE
Hard Drive Configuration and Maintenance
Removing Pro Tools on Windows XP
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Chapter 3. Macintosh Configuration
Installation Overview
Apple System Settings for Mac OS X
Installing Pro Tools LE
Connecting Mbox 2 to the Computer
Optional Software on the Pro Tools Installer CD-ROM
Launching Pro Tools LE
Configuring Pro Tools LE
Audio MIDI Setup (AMS)
Hard Drive Configuration and Maintenance
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Contents
iii
Removing Pro Tools on Mac OS X
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Chapter 4. Mbox 2 Hardware and Connections
Mbox 2 Front Panel Features
Mbox 2 Back Panel Features
Making Signal Connections to Mbox 2
Chapter 5. Working with Pro Tools LE
Session Basics
Transport Controls
Tracks
Regions Lists
Navigating in a Session
Importing Audio
Basic Recording
Editing
Mixing
Plug-Ins
Mix Automation
Final Mixdown
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Appendix A. Windows System Optimizations
Troubleshooting
Advanced Settings
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Appendix B. Configuring Midi Studio Setup (Windows Only)
MIDI Studio Setup
Patch Name Support
Appendix C. Configuring AMS (Mac OS X Only)
Audio MIDI Setup
Patch Name Support
Index
Getting Started with Mbox 2
iv
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chapter 1
Welcome to Mbox 2
Welcome to Mbox 2, Digidesign’s portable
Pro Tools micro-studio.
Mbox 2 Package
Mbox 2 provides your USB-equipped computer
with two channels of analog audio input and
output, two channels of digital audio input and
output, MIDI In and Out ports, analog monitor
outs, and a headphone output with front panel
level control. Mbox 2 provides professionalquality mic preamps and 24-bit analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog converters.
The Mbox 2 package includes the following:
• Mbox 2 desktop audio interface
• Installer CD-ROMs containing Pro Tools LE
software, DigiRack RTAS (Real-Time AudioSuite) and AudioSuite plug-ins, optional software, and electronic PDF guides
• This
Getting Started with Mbox 2 Guide
includes instructions for installing and configuring Mbox 2, and an introduction to
Pro Tools LE software
• The
Mbox 2 Basics Guide
users specific methods for accomplishing
common tasks (such as getting sound in and
out of your Mbox 2, connecting a mic or instrument, and recording a session)
• USB connector cable
• Digidesign registration card
, designed to give new
, which
Chapter 1: Welcome to Mbox 2
1
Mbox 2 Features
Pro Tools LE Capabilities
The Mbox 2 provides the following:
•Two channels of analog audio input with microphone preamps and switchable 48V phantom power
• Analog input jacks include one XLR and
two 1/4-inch connectors (one TRS, one TS),
with switchable Mic, Line, and DI levels
•–20 dB pad available separately on each analog input channel
•Two channels of S/PDIF digital input and output.
• S/PDIF inputs are available independently,
in addition to analog inputs 1–2;
• S/PDIF outputs mirror analog outs 1–2
• Up to four channels of input, total, using analog and digital inputs simultaneously
• One MIDI In and one MIDI Out port, providing 16 MIDI input channels and 16 MIDI output channels
•Two 1/4-inch TRS analog monitor outputs
• 24-bit A/D and D/A converters, supporting
sample rates of 44.1 kHz and 48 kHz
• Zero-latency analog record monitoring with
adjustable balance between input and playback
•Mono switch for enhanced monitoring of single-channel input sources (does not affect recording)
•1/4-inch
adjustable level control
• USB-powered operation
(
TRS) stereo headphone output with
Pro Tools LE software provides the following capabilities with Mbox 2:
• Playback of up to 32 mono digital audio
tracks, and of playback up to 28 tracks
while recording up to 4 tracks, depending
on your computer’s capabilities
•Up to 128 audio tracks (with 32 voiceable
tracks maximum), 256 MIDI tracks,
128 Auxiliary Input tracks, and 64 Master
Fader tracks per session
•16-bit or 24-bit audio resolution, at sample
rates up to 48 kHz
• Non-destructive, random-access editing
and mix automation
• Audio processing with up to 5 RTAS plugins per track, depending on your computer’s capabilities
• Up to 5 inserts and 5 sends per track
• Up to 16 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.
Mbox 2 will not function properly if connected to a passive USB hub. If you need to
use a hub for other USB peripherals, use a
powered hub or a separate dedicated USB
port for Mbox 2 to function properly.
Getting Started with Mbox 2
2
System Requirements
Mbox 2 can be used with a Digidesign-qualified
Windows or Macintosh computer running
Pro Tools LE software.
For complete system requirements, visit the
compatibility page of the Digidesign Web site
(www.Digidesign.com/compato).
Compatibility Information
Digidesign can only assure compatibility and
provide support for hardware and software it
has tested and approved.
For a list of Digidesign-qualified computers, operating systems, hard drives, and third-party devices, refer to the latest compatibility information on the Digidesign Web site
(www.digidesign.com/compato)
MIDI Requirements
Mbox 2 includes one MIDI In port and one
MIDI Out port, providing 16 channels of MIDI
input and 16 channels of MIDI output.
.
Hard Drive Considerations
Hard Drive Configuration and
Maintenance
It is recommended that you start with a newly
initialized audio drive. You should also periodically defragment your audio drive to ensure
continued system performance.
For a list of qualified hard drives, see our
Web site (www.digidesign.com/compato).
If you are using an ATA/IDE or FireWire hard
drive, initialize your drive with Windows Disk
Management (Windows) or the Disk Utility application included with Apple System software
(Macintosh).
Avoid Recording to System Drives
Although Pro Tools LE will let you record to
your system drive, this is generally not recommended. Recording and playback on system
drives results in lower track counts and fewer
plug-ins.
If you require additional MIDI ports, add a MIDI
interface to your system.
USB MIDI interfaces work effectively with
Pro Tools systems on Windows or Macintosh.
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 adapters, refer to the Digidesign Web site (www.digidesign.com).
Chapter 1: Welcome to Mbox 2
3
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 2 lists the required disk space for certain track numbers and track lengths, to help you estimate
your hard disk usage.
Table 2. Required hard drive space for audio tracks
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
Getting Started with Mbox 2
4
Digidesign Registration
Please register your purchase immediately. Review the enclosed registration information card
and follow the instructions on it to quickly register online. Registering your purchase is the
only way you can be eligible to receive complimentary technical support and future upgrade
offers. It is one of the most important steps you
can take as a new user.
About the Pro Tools Guides
The
Getting Started with Mbox 2 Guide
how to install and use Mbox 2 to record, edit,
and mix audio and MIDI tracks in Pro Tools LE.
If you are new to working with digital workstations, it is recommended that you read the following:
•
Mbox 2 Basics Guide
how to get sound in and out of your Mbox 2,
connect a microphone or instrument, record
to a Pro Tools session, import audio from a
CD, create an audio CD from a Pro Tools session, and other topics.
provides simple steps for
explains
For additional information, see the following
online guides:
•
Pro Tools Reference Guide
software in detail.
•
Pro Tools Menus Guide
on-screen menus.
•
DigiRack Plug-Ins Guide
the RTAS and AudioSuite plug-ins included
with Pro Tools LE.
•
Digidesign Plug-Ins Guide
optional Digidesign plug-ins.
•
DigiBase Guide
Pro Tools DigiBase databasing and browsers
for data and media management.
•
Pro Tools Keyboard Shortcuts
shortcuts for Pro Tools LE.
PDF versions of the Pro Tools guides are installed automatically with Pro Tools LE, and are
accessible from the Pro Tools Help menu. To
view or print the PDF guides, you can use Acrobat Reader or Macintosh Preview.
provides details on using
explains Pro Tools LE
covers all the Pro Tools
explains how to use
explains how to use
lists keyboard
A copy of Acrobat Reader is included on the
Pro Tools LE CD-ROM for Windows.
Printed copies of the
Guide
and other guides in the Pro Tools
Pro Tools Reference
guide set can be purchased separately from
the DigiStore (www.digidesign.com).
Chapter 1: Welcome to Mbox 2
5
Conventions Used in This Guide
Digidesign guides use the following conventions to indicate menu choices and key commands:
:
Convention Action
File > Save Session Choose Save Session from
the File menu
Control+N Hold down the Control key
and press the N key
Control-click Hold down the Control key
and click the mouse button
Right-click (Windows) Click with the right mouse
button
The following symbols are used to highlight important information:
User Tips are helpful hints for getting the
most from your Pro Tools system.
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
other Digidesign guides.
About www.digidesign.com
The Digidesign Web site (www.digidesign.com)
is your best 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.
Registration Register your purchase online. See
the enclosed registration form for instructions.
Support Contact Digidesign Technical Support
or Customer Service; download software updates and the latest online manuals; browse the
Compatibility documents for system requirements; search the online Answerbase; join the
worldwide Pro Tools community on the Digidesign User Conference.
Training and Education Become a certified
Pro Tools Operator or Expert; 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 Digidesign
products; download demo software; learn about
our Development Partners and their plug-ins,
applications, and hardware.
News and Events Get the latest news from Digidesign; sign up for a Pro Tools demo.
To learn more about these and other resources
available from Digidesign, visit the Digidesign
Web site (www.digidesign.com).
Getting Started with Mbox 2
6
chapter 2
Windows Configuration
This chapter contains information for Windows
systems only. If you are installing Pro Tools on a
Macintosh computer, see Chapter 3, “Macintosh Configuration.”
Before installing this version of Pro Tools,
please refer to the Read Me information included on the Pro Tools Installer CD-ROM.
Installation Overview
Installing the Mbox 2 on a Windows computer
includes the following steps:
1 Configuring “Windows System Settings” on
page 7.
2 “Installing Pro Tools LE and Mbox 2” on
page 10.
3 Restarting your computer.
4 “Configuring Pro Tools LE” on page 12.
5 Making audio connections to the Mbox 2.
(See Chapter 4, “Mbox 2 Hardware and Connections” for details.)
Windows System Settings
Configure your Window system settings, as follows:
Required Settings These instructions must be
followed before installing Pro Tools.
Recommended Configuration These instructions
should be followed to optimize your system’s
capabilities, or to let older computers run
Pro Tools.
If problems occur after configuring all required and recommended settings, see
Appendix A, “Windows System Optimizations” for information on troubleshooting
and configuring advanced settings.
Required Settings
To ensure optimum performance with
Pro Tools LE, configure the following Control
Panel settings for your version of Windows XP.
Disable Hyper-Threading
For Pentium IV computers with Hyper-Threading, disable Hyper-Threading in the BIOS.
Refer to your computer’s documentation for
steps on how to enter your computer’s BIOS and
disable Hyper-Threading.
Chapter 2: Windows Configuration 7
Enable DMA for any IDE hard drives:
1 Choose Start > Control Panel.
2 Launch System.
3 Click the Hardware tab.
4 Under Device Manager, choose Device Man-
ager.
5 In the Device Manager window, double-click
IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers, then double-click
the Primary IDE Channel for your IDE hard
drive.
6 Click the Advanced Settings tab.
7 For each device, set the Transfer Mode to
“DMA if available,” and click OK.
In most cases, this will already be set correctly as
Windows XP will detect and activate DMA
mode by default.
8 Repeat steps 5–7 for any additional IDE Chan-
nels.
9 Close the Computer Management window.
Disable System Standby and Power Management
When using Pro Tools, the Windows System
Standby power scheme must be set to Always
On. This helps prevent long record or playback
passes from stopping due to system resources
powering down.
To configure Windows Power Management:
1 Choose Start > Control Panel.
2 Launch Power Options.
3 Click the Power Schemes tab.
4 From the Power Schemes pop-up menu, select
Always On.
5 Click OK.
This sets System Standby, System Hibernate,
and “Turn off hard disks” to Never.
On AMD processors, be sure to check and
disable Cool N’Quiet in the System BIOS (in
the Cool & Quiet Configuration section).
Refer to the manufacturer’s documentation
for instructions on disabling this power option, if necessary.
Disable ClearType Font Smoothing
When using Pro Tools, the Effects “Clear Type”
setting must be disabled.
To disable ClearType font smoothing:
1 Choose Start > Control Panel.
2 Launch Display.
3 Click the Appearance tab.
4 Click Effects.
5 Deselect “Use the following methods to
smooth edges of screen fonts.”
6 Click OK to save your settings and close the
Effects dialog.
7 Click OK.
Disable Data Executive Prevention (DEP)
When using Pro Tools, Data Executive Prevention should be disabled to prevent system
crashes.
To disable Data Execution Prevention: (DEP)
1 Choose Start > Control Panel.
2 Launch System.
3 Click the Advanced tab.
4 From the Startup and Recovery section, click
Settings.
Getting Started with Mbox 28
5 Click on the down arrow in the Default Oper-
ating System pop-up menu, and note if the
“/NoExecute=” line reads as follows (spacing
and case-sensitive):
/NoExecute=AlwaysOff
6 Do one of the following:
• If the “/NoExecute=” reads “/NoExecute=
AlwaysOff,” data prevention is disabled,
and you do not need to change any settings. Click OK to close the Startup and Recovery dialog, click OK to close the Systems
Property dialog, and continue with “Completing Required Windows System Settings” on page 9.
– or –
• If the “/No Execute=” does not read
“/NoExecute=AlwaysOff” (for example, it
reads “NoExecuteOptIn”), continue with
the following steps.
7 Click Edit to edit the startup options file man-
ually.
8 Change the “/NoExecute=” line to read as fol-
lows:
/NoExecute=AlwaysOff
Recommended Configuration
Pro Tools LE 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:
•Avoid running other Windows 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 using Pro Tools.
• If your video display card supports it, enable Bus Mastering in the manufacturer’s
Control Panel.
• Disable any networking cards (other than
any 1394 “FireWire” card that you might
use to connect an external drive to your
system).
For information on disabling networking
cards, see “Disabling Network Cards” on
page 59.
9 Save the boot.ini file if it was changed.
10 Choose File > Exit.
11 From the Startup and Recovery dialog, click
OK.
12 From the System Properties dialog, click OK.
Completing Required Windows System Settings
When finished updating required Windows system settings, restart your computer.
Chapter 2: Windows Configuration 9
Installing Pro Tools LE and Mbox 2
8 Wait for the installer to finish installing all
software components, drivers, and PACE System
files before proceeding to the next step.
To install Pro Tools LE on Windows:
1 Make sure you have configured all the re-
quired Windows system settings, and restarted
your computer. See“Windows System Settings”
on page 7 for more information.
2 Start up Windows, logging in with Adminis-
trator privileges. If you do not have Administrator privileges or do not know how to set them
up, see your Windows User’s Guide.
3 Connect the small end of the included USB ca-
ble to the USB port on Mbox 2.
4 Connect the other end of the USB cable to any
available USB port on your computer. Wait for
the Found New Hardware Wizard dialog to appear and leave it open: Do not click Next.
Mbox 2 may not function properly if connected to a USB hub. If you need to use a
hub for other USB peripherals, connect the
hub to a separate USB port; Mbox 2 must
have a dedicated port in order to function
properly.
5 Insert the Pro Tools Installer CD-ROM for
Windows in your CD-ROM drive. Locate and
open the Pro Tools Installer folder, and doubleclick the Setup icon.
6 Click Next to begin installation.
9 Click OK when prompted to install Quick-
Time. If required, you can install QuickTime
later (see “Installing QuickTime” on page 10).
10 Restart your computer.
If the USB LED on the front panel of the
Mbox 2 does not illuminate after installation, try unplugging the USB cable from the
Mbox 2 USB port, and plugging it back in.
If the USB LED still does not illuminate,
shut down the computer, disconnect
Mbox 2 and start the computer. Once the
computer has fully restarted, reconnect
Mbox 2.
MIDI Studio Setup
(Optional)
If you plan to use any MIDI devices with
Pro Tools, configure your MIDI setup with MIDI
Studio Setup. See Appendix B, “Configuring
Midi Studio Setup (Windows Only)” for details.
Installing QuickTime
(Optional)
QuickTime 6.5 or later is required for Pro Tools
if you plan to include movie files in your sessions. QuickTime is available as a free download
from the Apple Web site (www.apple.com).
7 Select the components you want to install and
click Next.
If you get a warning dialog about the driver
not passing Windows Logo testing, click
Continue Anyway.
Getting Started with Mbox 210
Optional Software on the Pro Tools Installer CD-ROM
Your Pro Tools Installer CD-ROM includes several software options.
Digidesign ASIO Driver
The Digidesign ASIO (Audio Sound Input Output) Driver is a single-client multichannel
sound driver that allows third-party audio programs that support the ASIO standard to record
and play back through Digidesign hardware.
Digidesign WaveDriver
The Digidesign WaveDriver is a single-client,
stereo sound driver that allows third-party audio
programs that support the WaveDriver MME
(Multimedia Extension) standard to play back
through Digidesign hardware.
Digidesign WaveDriver is automatically installed when you install Pro Tools.
For detailed information on configuring the
Digidesign WaveDriver, see the
WaveDriver Guide
.
Digidesign
Digidesign ASIO Driver is automatically installed when you install Pro Tools.
For detailed information on configuring the
Digidesign ASIO Driver, see the
ASIO Guide
To use Digidesign ASIO Driver without
Pro Tools, use the stand-alone version of
the Digidesign ASIO Driver. The standalone version of Digidesign ASIO Driver is
available on the Digidesign Web site
(www.digidesign.com)
.
Digidesign
To use Digidesign WaveDriver without
Pro Tools, use the stand-alone version of
the Digidesign WaveDriver. The standalone version of Digidesign WaveDriver is
available on the Digidesign Web site
(www.digidesign.com)
Pro Tools Demo Session
The Pro Tools LE Installer CD includes a demo
session that you can use to verify that your system is working.
Before installing the demo session to your
audio drive, make sure the drive is configured as described in “Formatting an Audio
Drive” on page 15.
To install the demo session:
1 Insert the Pro Tools LE Installer CD in your
CD-ROM drive. Locate and double-click
Setup.exe, in D (CD-ROM drive):\Additional
Files\Pro Tools LE Demo Session Installer.
2 Set the install location to your audio drive and
click Install.
3 When installation is complete, click OK.
Chapter 2: Windows Configuration 11
Launching Pro Tools LE
When launching Pro Tools LE the first time, you
are prompted to enter an authorization code to
validate your software.
To validate Pro Tools LE software:
1 Double-click the Pro Tools LE shortcut on
your desktop (or the application in the Pro Tools
folder inside the Digidesign folder).
2 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 inside
cover of this guide.
Configuring Pro Tools LE
Pro Tools System Settings
◆ Lower Hardware Buffer Size settings reduce
monitoring latency, and are useful when you are
recording live input.
◆ Higher Hardware Buffer Size settings allow for
more audio processing and effects, and are useful when you are mixing and using more RTAS
plug-ins.
In addition to causing slower screen response and monitoring latency, higher
Hardware Buffer Size settings can affect the
accuracy of plug-in automation, mute data,
and timing for MIDI tracks.
To change the Hardware Buffer Size:
1 Choose Setups > Playback Engine.
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 hardware cache used to handle host processing tasks such as Real-Time AudioSuite (RTAS) plug-ins. The H/W Buffer setting
can also be used to manage monitoring latency.
Getting Started with Mbox 212
Playback Engine dialog for Mbox 2
2 From the H/W Buffer Size pop-up menu, select
the audio buffer size, in samples.
3 Click OK.
CPU Usage Limit
The CPU Usage Limit controls the percentage of
CPU resources allocated to Pro Tools host processing tasks such as Real-Time AudioSuite
(RTAS) plug-ins, as follows:
◆ Lower CPU usage settings reduce how much
Pro Tools processing affects other CPU-intensive
tasks (such as screen redraws), and limit the
amount of processor resources available for
Pro Tools tasks. They 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 real-time plug-ins.
Increasing the CPU Usage Limit may slow
down screen response on slower computers.
The maximum CPU Usage Limit is 85 percent
for single-processor computers, and 99 percent
for multi-processor computers. (The 99 percent
setting dedicates one entire processor to
Pro Tools.)
To change the CPU Usage Limit:
1 Choose Setups > Playback Engine.
To change the DAE Playback Buffer Size:
1 Choose Setups > Playback Engine.
2 From the DAE Playback Buffer pop-up menu,
select a buffer size.
3 Click OK.
Pro Tools Hardware Settings
Using the Hardware Setup dialog, you can select
the default sample rate and clock source for your
system, and configure the clock source for your
system.
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.)
2 From the CPU Usage Limit pop-up menu, se-
lect the percentage of CPU processing you want
to allocate to Pro Tools.
3 Click OK.
DAE Playback Buffer Size
The DAE Playback Buffer Size determines the
amount of memory DAE uses to manage disk
buffers, which affects system performance, as
follows:
◆ Lower DAE Playback Buffer Size settings can
improve playback and recording initiation
speed. However, a lower setting can make it difficult for slower hard drives to play or record
tracks reliably.
◆ Higher DAE Playback Buffer Size settings can
allow for a higher density of edits in a session.
However, a higher setting can cause a time lag to
occur before playback or recording begins. It can
also cause a time lag to occur when you are editing during playback.
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
the Pro Tools Reference Guide
for details.)
To change the default Sample Rate:
1 Make sure that no Pro Tools session is open.
2 Choose Setups > Hardware Setup.
Hardware Setup dialog for Mbox 2
3 Select the sample rate from the Sample Rate
pop-up menu.
4 Click OK.
Chapter 2: Windows Configuration 13
Clock Source
Using the Hardware Setup dialog, you can select
the clock source for the system.
Internal Use this setting if you are recording analog signals directly into Mbox 2 analog inputs
1–2 and/or are recording digital inputs into
Mbox 2 inputs 3–4 where the digital device is
synchronized to the Mbox 2 digital output.
S/PDIF Use this setting if you are recording
through the Mbox 2 S/PDIF inputs from an external digital device. This setting will synchronize Pro Tools to that digital device.
To select the clock source:
1 Choose Setups > Hardware Setup.
To rename I/O paths in I/O Setup:
1 Choose Setups > I/O Setup.
I/O Setup dialog for Mbox 2, Output page
2 Click the Input, Output, Insert, or Bus tab to
display the corresponding connections.
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 sig-
nal paths. The I/O Setup dialog provides a graphical representation of the inputs, outputs, and
signal routing of the Mbox 2.
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.
3 To change the name of a path or subpath,
double-click directly on the Path Name, type a
new name for the path, and press Return.
4 Click OK.
T
Refer to the Pro Tools Reference Guide (or
choose Help > Pro Tools Reference Guide)
for more information on renaming I/O
paths.
After configuring Pro Tools LE and your
system, you should save an image of your
system using Norton Ghost. Norton Ghost
lets you save and recall known good configurations of your system and settings, which
can help you recover if you encounter any
problems in the future.
For more information on Ghost, visit the Symantec Web site (www.symantec.com)
Getting Started with Mbox 214
Hard Drive Configuration and
Maintenance
Formatting an Audio Drive
On Windows, it is recommended that you start
with newly formatted drives dedicated for audio, such as a secondary hard drive purchased
just for audio. For optimum performance, audio
drives should be formatted with the FAT32 or
NTFS file system.
Audio Drives and Disk Cleanup
The process of recording, editing, and deleting
tracks and sessions can quickly decrease overall
drive performance.
It is suggested that you regularly defragment your
drives.
To use Defragment Now:
1 Right-click on the desired volume and select
Properties, then click the Tools tab.
To format and configure an audio drive:
1 Right-click My Computer and choose Man-
age.
2 Under Storage, choose Disk Management.
3 In the Disk Management window, right-click
the hard drive you will use for audio and choose
Format.
4 Do one of the following:
• Select the Quick Format option. Quick option should be sufficient for qualified
mechanisms.
– or –
•To help achieve maximum disk performance, you can optionally select 32K from
the Allocation unit size pull-down (make
sure Quick Format is not selected). Though
this option takes longer to complete, it can
further increase how efficiently audio data
is written to and read from the drive.
5 Click Start, and follow the on-screen instruc-
tions.
2 Click Defragment Now.
3 In the Defragment Now tab, select Analyze or
Defragment.
• Click Analyze if you merely want to determine the amount of fragmentation.
• Click Defragment to start the defragmenting process on the selected volume.
In addition, you should periodically use Disk
Cleanup (or an equivalent utility) to asses the
condition of drives and, if necessary, delete temporary files and other unused data.
To use Disk Cleanup:
1 Choose Start > Control Panel.
2 In Classic View, launch Administrative Tools.
3 Double-click Computer Management.
4 Double-click Storage.
5 Double-click Disk Management.
6 Select the desired volume in the list, then
choose File > Options.
Pro Tools only supports Basic drive Types.
6 When formatting is complete, close the For-
mat window.
Disk Cleanup determines how performance is
being affected by drive condition, and lets you
review and delete temporary and other unnecessary files from the selected volume. For more information on using Disk Cleanup, see your Windows XP documentation.
Chapter 2: Windows Configuration 15
Avoid Recording to System Drives
Although Pro Tools will let you record to your
system drive, this is generally not recommended. Recording and playback on system
hard drives results in lower track counts and
fewer plug-ins. You should record to system
drives only when necessary (for example, if your
computer has just one hard drive).
Removing Pro Tools on Windows XP
If you need to remove Pro Tools LE from your
computer use the Add or Remove Programs
command.
To remove Pro Tools from your computer:
1 Choose Start > Control Panel.
2 Launch Add or Remove Programs.
3 From the Currently installed programs list, se-
lect Digidesign Pro Tools LE.
4 Click the Change/Remove button.
5 Follow the on-screen instructions to remove
Pro Tools.
Getting Started with Mbox 216
chapter 3
Macintosh Configuration
This chapter contains information for Macintosh systems only. If you are installing Pro Tools
on a Windows computer, see Chapter 2, “Windows Configuration.”
Before installing this version of Pro Tools,
please refer to the Read Me information included on the Pro Tools Installer CD-ROM.
Installation Overview
Installation of the Mbox 2 on a Macintosh includes the following steps:
1 Configuring “Apple System Settings for
Mac OS X” on page 17.
2 “Installing Pro Tools LE” on page 18
3 Restarting your computer.
4 “Launching Pro Tools LE” on page 19.
5 “Configuring Pro Tools LE” on page 19.
6 Making audio connections to the Mbox 2.
(See Chapter 4, “Mbox 2 Hardware and Connections” for details.)
Apple System Settings for Mac OS X
To ensure optimum performance with
Pro Tools LE, configure the following settings
before you install Pro Tools software.
To configure Mac OS X for Pro Tools LE:
1 Make sure you are logged into an administra-
tor account where you want to install
Pro Tools LE. For details on Administrator privileges in Mac OS X, refer to your Mac OS X documentation.
2 Choose System Preferences from the Apple
Menu and click Energy Saver.
3 Click the Sleep tab and turn off the Energy
Saver feature by setting the sleep feature to
Never.
Do not use the Mac OS X automatic Software Update feature, as it may install components that have not yet been qualified for
Pro Tools. For details on qualified versions
of Mac OS, refer to the latest compatibility
information on the Digidesign Web site
(www.digidesign.com).
4 Return to the System Preferences and click
Software Update.
5 Deselect “Automatically check for updates
when you have a network connection.”
Chapter 3: Macintosh Configuration 17
6 Close the Software Update dialog box.
7 Proceed to “Installing Pro Tools LE” on
page 18.
Connecting Mbox 2 to the Computer
Before launching Pro Tools LE software, connect Mbox 2 to your computer.
Installing Pro Tools LE
After the Apple System software settings are configured, you are ready to install Pro Tools LE.
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. For details on Administrator privileges in Mac OS X, refer to your Apple Mac OS X
documentation.
2 Insert the Pro Tools LE Installer CD-ROM in
your CD-ROM drive. Double-click “Install
Pro Tools LE.”
3 Enter your Administrator password and click
OK to authenticate the installation.
4 Follow the on-screen instructions to continue
and accept installation.
5 In the Installer window, make sure the Install
Location is on your Startup hard drive.
6 In the Installer window, choose Custom In-
stall from the pop-up menu, and click Install.
7 Follow the remaining on-screen instructions
to install Pro Tools and options. (See also “Optional Software on the Pro Tools Installer CDROM” on page 19.)
To connect Mbox 2 to your computer :
1 Connect the small end of the included USB ca-
ble to the USB port on Mbox 2.
2 With your computer on, connect the other
end of the USB cable to any available USB port
on your computer.
If the USB LED on the front panel of the
Mbox 2 does not illuminate after installation, try unplugging the USB cable from the
Mbox 2 USB port, and plugging it back in.
If the USB LED still does not illuminate,
shut down the computer, disconnect
Mbox 2 and start the computer. Once the
computer has fully restarted, reconnect
Mbox 2.
Mbox 2 may not function properly if connected to a USB hub. If you need to use a
hub for other USB peripherals, connect the
hub to a separate USB port; Mbox 2 must be
connected to a dedicated port on the computer in order to function properly.
8 When installation is complete, click Restart.
Getting Started with Mbox 218
Optional Software on the Pro Tools Installer CD-ROM
Your Pro Tools Installer CD-ROM includes several software options.
Pro Tools Demo Session
The Pro Tools E Installer CD-ROM includes a
demo session that you can use to verify that
your system is working.
To install the demo session:
1 Insert the Pro Tools LE Installer CD in your
CD-ROM drive. Locate and double-click the
demo session installer icon.
2 Select your audio drive as the install location
and click Install.
3 When installation is complete, click Quit.
Launching Pro Tools LE
To use Pro Tools LE and Mbox 2 you must have
an iLok with an authorization for Pro Tools LE.
One pre-authorized iLok is included with the
Mbox 2 package
Configuring Pro Tools LE
Pro Tools System Settings
Pro Tools LE allows you to adjust the performance of your system by changing system set-
tings 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 hardware cache used to handle host processing tasks such as Real-Time AudioSuite (RTAS) plug-ins. The H/W Buffer setting
can also be used to manage monitoring latency.
◆ Lower Hardware Buffer Size reduce monitor-
ing latency, and are useful when you are recording live input.
◆ Higher Hardware Buffer Size settings allow for
more audio processing and effects, and are useful when you are mixing and using more RTAS
plug-ins on your system.
To validate Pro Tools LE software:
1 Double-click the Pro Tools LE application (lo-
cated in the Pro Tools folder, inside the Digidesign folder).
2 Enter the authorization code in the dialog
when prompted (making sure to type it exactly
as printed, and observing any spaces and capitalization) then click Validate.
Your authorization code is located on the inside
cover of this guide.
In addition to causing slower screen response and monitoring latency, higher
Hardware Buffer Size settings can affect the
accuracy of plug-in automation, mute data,
and timing for MIDI tracks.
Chapter 3: Macintosh Configuration 19
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