Pinnacle Systems Mbox 2 - 7.3 Quick Start Guide
Getting Started
Mbox® 2
Version 7.3
Copyright
© 2007 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 , 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 9320-55985-00 REV A 1/07
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. Installation QuickStart
Windows Installation Overview
Mac Installation Overview
Chapter 2. 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 3. Windows Configuration
Installation Overview
Windows System Optimization
Installing Pro Tools LE and Connecting Mbox 2
Launching Pro Tools LE
Configuring Pro Tools LE
Additional Software on the Pro Tools Installer Disc
Removing Pro Tools LE
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Chapter 4. Mac Configuration
Installation Overview
Mac System Optimization
Installing Pro Tools LE
Connecting Mbox 2 to the Computer
Launching Pro Tools LE
Additional Software on the Pro Tools Installer Disc
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Contents
iii
Configuring Pro Tools LE
Removing Pro Tools
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Chapter 5. Mbox 2 Hardware Overview
Mbox 2 Front Panel Features
Mbox 2 Back Panel Features
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Chapter 6. Making Hardware Connections
Connecting Headphones
Connecting a Sound System
Connecting a Recorder for Mixdowns
Connecting Audio Inputs
Connecting a Microphone
Connecting Instruments to the Mbox 2
MIDI Connections
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Chapter 7. Common Tasks with Pro Tools LE
Recording a Pro Tools Session
Importing Audio from a CD
Creating an Audio CD from a Pro Tools Session
Recording MIDI in a Pro Tools Session
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Appendix A. Configuring MIDI Studio Setup (Windows Only)
MIDI Studio Setup
MIDI Patch Name Support
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Appendix B. Configuring AMS (Mac OS X Only)
Audio MIDI Setup
MIDI Patch Name Support
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Appendix C. Hard Drive Configuration and Maintenance
Avoid Recording to the System Drive
Supported Drive Formats and Drive Types
Formatting an Audio Drive
Partitioning Drives
Mbox 2 Getting Started Guide
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Defragmenting an Audio Drive
Using Mac Drives on Windows Systems
Hard Disk Storage Space
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Appendix D. Troubleshooting
Index
Backing Up Your Work
Common Issues
Performance Factors
Before You Call Digidesign Technical Support
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Contents
v
Mbox 2 Getting Started Guide
vi
chapter 1
Installation QuickStart
Windows Installation Overview
(Windows Systems Only)
Installing the Mbox 2 on a Windows computer
includes the following steps:
1
“Windows System Optimization” on page 9.
2
“Installing Pro Tools LE and Connecting
Mbox 2” on page 13.
3
“Launching Pro Tools LE” on page 14.
4
“Configuring Pro Tools LE” on page 14.
5
Making audio and MIDI connections to the
Mbox 2. (See Chapter 6, “Making Hardware
Connections” for details.)
Mac Installation Overview
(Mac OS X Systems Only)
Installation of the Mbox 2 on a Mac includes
the following steps:
1
“Mac System Optimization” on page 21.
2
“Installing Pro Tools LE” on page 23.
3
“Connecting Mbox 2 to the Computer” on
page 23.
4
“Launching Pro Tools LE” on page 24.
5
“Configuring Pro Tools LE” on page 25.
6
Making audio connections to the Mbox 2.
(See Chapter 6, “Making Hardware Connections” for details.)
Chapter 1: Installation QuickStart
1
Mbox 2 Getting Started Guide
2
chapter 2
Welcome to Mbox 2
Welcome to the Mbox® 2 audio/MIDI production system from Digidesign
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.
®
.
Mbox 2 Package
The Mbox 2 package includes the following:
• Mbox 2 desktop audio interface
• Pro Tools Installer disc containing
Pro Tools LE™ software, DigiRack RTAS (RealTime AudioSuite) and AudioSuite plug-ins,
optional software, and electronic PDF guides
• This
Getting Started Guide
tion, configuration, and common tasks for
your Pro Tools system.
• USB connector cable
• Digidesign Registration Information Card
, covering installa-
Chapter 2: Welcome to Mbox 2
3
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 a total of four channels of input, 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), 64 video 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 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 per track
• 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.
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.
Mbox 2 Getting Started Guide
4
System Requirements
Mbox 2 can be used with a Digidesign-qualified
Windows or Mac computer running
Pro Tools LE software.
For complete system requirements, visit the
Digidesign website (www.digidesign.com).
Hard Drive Requirements
For optimal audio recording and playback, all
Pro Tools systems require one or more Digidesign-qualified drives.
For a list of Digidesign-qualified hard drives,
visit the Digidesign website
(www.digidesign.com).
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 website
(www.digidesign.com).
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.
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 Mac. Serial
MIDI interfaces are supported on Windows systems only.
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
(Mac).
For more information, see Appendix C, “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.
Digidesign does not recommend recording
to the system drive. Record to a system drive
only when necessary.
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, visit the Digidesign website (www.digidesign.com).
Chapter 2: Welcome to Mbox 2
5
Digidesign Registration
Review the enclosed Digidesign Registration Information Card and follow the instructions on it
to quickly register your purchase 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.
These guides and other guides are installed on
your startup drive during installation. To view
or print PDF guides, you can use Adobe Reader
or Apple Preview (Mac only).
Printed copies of the Pro Tools Reference
Guide and other guides in the Pro Tools
guide set can be purchased separately from
the DigiStore (www.digidesign.com).
Conventions Used in This Guide
About the Pro Tools Guides
This Getting Started guide explains how to install Pro Tools LE software, make basic connections to your Mbox 2 interface (to get sound in
and out of your interface), and do common
tasks (such as recording in Pro Tools).
In addition to any printed guides or documentation included with your system, PDF versions of
Pro Tools guides and Read Mes are installed automatically with Pro Tools.
The main guides (such as the Pro Tools Reference
Guide and the Pro Tools Menus Guide) are accessi-
ble from the Pro Tools Help menu.
• Pro Tools Reference Guide explains Pro Tools
software in detail.
• Pro Tools Menus Guide covers all the Pro Tools
on-screen menus.
• DigiRack Plug-Ins Guide explains how to use
the RTAS and AudioSuite plug-ins included
with Pro Tools.
• Digidesign Plug-Ins Guide explains how to use
optional Digidesign plug-ins.
• Pro Tools Shortcuts lists keyboard and Rightclick shortcuts for Pro Tools.
Digidesign 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
and press the N key
Control-click Hold down the Control key
and click the mouse button
Right-click 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.
Mbox 2 Getting Started Guide6
About www.digidesign.com
The Digidesign website (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 Digidesign Registration Information Card 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
website (www.digidesign.com).
Chapter 2: Welcome to Mbox 2 7
Mbox 2 Getting Started Guide8
chapter 3
Windows Configuration
This chapter contains information for Windows
systems only. If you are installing Pro Tools on a
Mac computer, see Chapter 4, “Mac Configuration.”
Before installing this version of Pro Tools,
refer to the Read Me information included
on the Pro Tools LE Installer disc.
Installation Overview
Installing the Mbox 2 on a Windows computer
includes the following steps:
1 “Windows System Optimization” on page 9.
2 “Installing Pro Tools LE and Connecting
Mbox 2” on page 13.
Windows System Optimization
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, refer to your
Windows documentation.
Required Optimizations
To ensure optimum performance with
Pro Tools LE, configure the following settings
before you install Pro Tools hardware and software.
When you are finished changing Windows
system settings, restart your computer.
3 “Launching Pro Tools LE” on page 14.
4 “Configuring Pro Tools LE” on page 14.
5 Making audio and MIDI connections to the
Mbox 2. (See Chapter 6, “Making Hardware
Connections” for details.)
Chapter 3: Windows Configuration 9
Enabling DMA
Enabling your computer's DMA (Direct Memory
Access) frees up CPU bandwidth so the computer can do other Pro Tools tasks.
In most cases the DMA option will already be set
correctly, as Windows XP detects and activates
DMA mode by default.
To enable DMA for any IDE hard drives:
1 Choose Start > Control Panel.
2 In Classic View, double-click 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.
To configure Windows Power Management:
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 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.
Disabling ClearType Font Smoothing
When using Pro Tools, the Effects “Clear Type”
setting must be disabled.
7 For each device, set the Transfer Mode to
“DMA if available,” and click OK.
8 Repeat steps 5–7 for any additional IDE Chan-
nels.
9 Close the Computer Management window.
Disabling 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.
Mbox 2 Getting Started Guide10
To disable ClearType font smoothing:
1 Choose Start > Control Panel.
2 Double-click Display.
3 Click the Appearance tab.
4 Click Effects.
5 Deselect “Use the following method to
smooth edges of screen fonts.”
6 Click OK to save your settings and close the
Effects dialog.
7 Click OK.
8 Restart the computer.
Recommended Optimizations
Pro Tools can also be affected by other software
and hardware drivers installed on your computer. 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 nonessential USB devices
while running Pro Tools.
• If your video display card supports it, enable Bus Mastering in the manufacturer’s
Control Panel. Refer to 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.
4 Under the General tab, choose “Do not use
this device (disable)” from the Device Usage
pop-up menu, and click OK.
5 Close the Computer Management window.
Adjusting Processor Scheduling
To Adjust Processor Scheduling Performance:
1 Choose Start > Control Panel.
2 In Classic View, double-click System.
3 Click the Advanced tab.
4 Under the Performance section, click the Set-
tings button.
5 In the Performance Options window, click the
Advanced tab.
6 Under the Processor scheduling section, select
the Background Services option.
7 Under the Memory Usage section, select the
System cache option.
8 Click OK to close the Performance Options
window.
9 Click OK to close the System Properties win-
dow.
Disabling Network Cards
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:
1 Right-click My Computer and choose Man-
age.
2 Under System Tools, select Device Manager.
3 In the Device Manager window, double-click
Network adapters, then double-click the Network Adapter card you want to disable.
10 Restart the computer for the changes to take
effect.
Chapter 3: Windows Configuration 11
Disabling Hyper-Threading
Pro Tools LE takes advantage of the added processing power of computers that have multiple
processors, or that feature multi-core processing
or Hyper-Threading, for RTAS processing.
However, if you set the number of processors
available for RTAS processing to 1 (in the
Pro Tools Playback Engine dialog), some computers with hyperthreading capability may experience decreased performance.
If this occurs, you can increase the number of
RTAS processors in the Playback Engine dialog,
or you can disable Hyper-Threading on the computer.
Refer to your computer’s documentation for
steps on how to enter the computer’s BIOS and
disable Hyper-Threading.
Disabling System Startup Items
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 should be turned off.
To Disable System Startup Items:
1 From the Start menu, choose Run.
2 Type “msconfig” and click OK. The System
Configuration Utility opens.
3 Under the General tab, choose Selective Star-
tup.
4 Deselect Load Startup Items and click OK.
5 Click Restart to restart the computer.
6 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 Selective
Startup back to Normal Startup. Alternatively,
try disabling Startup items and non-essential
processes individually.
If you disable any of the following startup items,
do so carefully:
• Portable media serial number (required for
applications that utilize a copy protection
key)
• Plug and play
• Event log
• Cryptographic services
• DHCP Client, TCP/IP Net BIOS, and other
networking-related items (unless the computer has no network or internet connection, in which case these items can be
disabled)
Mbox 2 Getting Started Guide12
Installing Pro Tools LE and Connecting Mbox 2
Windows will display several messages
during installation that can be ignored, including multiple “Found New Hardware”
dialogs and “A Problem Occurred During
Hardware Installation.”
To install Pro Tools LE:
1 Start Windows, logging in with Administrator
privileges. For details on Administrator privileges, refer to your Windows documentation.
2 Connect the small end of the included USB ca-
ble to the USB port on 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
have a dedicated port in order to function
properly.
3 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.
4 Insert the Pro Tools LE Installer disc for Win-
dows in your CD/DVD drive.
5 On the Installer disc, locate and open the
Pro Tools Installer folder.
6 Double-click the Setup icon.
7 Follow the on-screen instructions to proceed
with installation.
8 Select the install location. For maximum reli-
ability, install Pro Tools on your startup drive.
9 Click Next.
10 Select the Pro Tools application for installa-
tion.
11 You can also select from a list of optional
items to install along with Pro Tools.
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.
DigiTranslator DigiTranslator™ is a software option for Pro Tools that lets you convert and exchange OMF and AAF sequences and MXF files
directly in the Pro Tools application. This option is purchased separately.
Command|8 Controller and Driver The Command|8 Driver is required if you are using the
Digidesign Command|8 control surface.
MP3 Export Option The MP3 Export Option lets
you export MP3 files from Pro Tools. This option is purchased separately.
12 Click Next.
13 Click Install.
Windows will display several messages
during installation that can be ignored, including multiple “Found New Hardware”
dialogs and “A Problem Occurred During
Hardware Installation.”
If you get a warning dialog about the driver
not passing Windows Logo testing, click
Continue Anyway.
14 Wait for the installer to finish installing all
software components, drivers, and PACE System
files before proceeding to the next step.
15 When installation is complete, click Finish.
Chapter 3: Windows Configuration 13
Installing QuickTime
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 XP 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 the compatibility pages of
the Digidesign website
(www.digidesign.com).
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.
Launching Pro Tools LE
When launching Pro Tools LE the first time, you
are prompted to enter an authorization code.
To authorize Pro Tools LE software:
1 Double-click the Pro Tools LE shortcut on
your desktop (or the application icon 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
front cover of this guide.
3 Double-click the QuickTime installer applica-
tion and follow the on-screen installation instructions.
4 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.
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 18.
Configuring Pro Tools LE
Pro Tools System Settings
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. The H/W Buffer setting can also
be used to manage monitoring latency.
◆ Lower Hardware Buffer Size settings reduce
monitoring latency, and are useful when you are
recording live input.
Mbox 2 Getting Started Guide14
◆ 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 increase
the latency caused by RTAS plug-ins, and
affect the accuracy of plug-in automation,
mute data, and MIDI track timing.
To change the Hardware Buffer Size:
1 Choose Setup > Playback Engine.
With computers that have multiple processors,
or that feature multi-core processing or hyperthreading, this setting lets you enable multi-processor support for RTAS processes. Used in combination with the CPU Usage Limit setting, the
RTAS Processors setting lets you control the way
RTAS processing and other Pro Tools tasks are
carried out by the system.
◆ A higher number of processors reserves more
CPU processing capacity for RTAS plug-in processing. This is useful for sessions with large
number of RTAS plug-ins.
◆ A lower number of processors leaves more
CPU processing capacity for automation, screen
redraws, and video playback in Pro Tools, or for
other application running at the same time as
Pro Tools.
To set the number of RTAS Processors:
1 Choose Setup > Playback Engine.
2 From the RTAS Processors pop-up menu, select
the number of available processors you want to
allocate for RTAS plug-in processing.
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.
RTAS Processors
The RTAS Processors setting determines the
number of processors in your computer allocated for RTAS plug-in processing.
3 Click OK.
CPU Usage Limit
The CPU Usage Limit controls the percentage of
CPU resources allocated to Pro Tools host processing tasks. Used in combination with the
RTAS 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 ef-
fect 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.
Chapter 3: Windows Configuration 15
◆ 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.
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 percent for single-processor computers to 99 percent for multi-processor computers.
Increasing the CPU Usage Limit may slow
down screen response on slower computers.
There is one RTAS Engine option:
Ignore Errors During Playback/Record When enabled, Pro Tools continues to play and record
even if the RTAS processing requirements exceed the selected CPU Usage Limit. This can result in pops and clicks in the audio, but does not
stop the transport.
To enable RTAS error suppression:
1 Choose Setup > Playback Engine.
2 Select Ignore Errors During Playback/Record.
3 Click OK.
To change the CPU Usage Limit:
1 Choose Setup > Playback Engine.
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.
RTAS Engine (RTAS Error Suppression)
The RTAS Engine option determines RTAS error
reporting during playback and recording. This is
especially useful when working with instrument
plug-ins.
You should only enable RTAS error suppression
if you are experiencing frequent RTAS errors
that are interrupting your creative workflow.
When RTAS 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 RTAS error suppression when you
need to ensure the highest possible audio quality, such as for a final mix.
DAE Playback Buffer Size
The DAE Playback Buffer Size determines the
amount of memory DAE allocates for disk buffers. The optimum DAE Playback Buffer Size for
most disk operations is Level 2.
◆ DAE Playback Buffer Size settings lower than
Level 2 may improve playback and recording
initiation speed, but 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
Level 2 will allow for a higher density of edits in
a session or a higher track count when using
slower hard drives. However, a higher setting
can also cause a time lag to occur when starting
playback or recording, or 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 Level 2 is recommended unless you are encountering -9073
(“Disk too slow or fragmented”) errors.
Mbox 2 Getting Started Guide16
To change the DAE Playback Buffer Size:
1 Choose Setup > Playback Engine.
2 From the DAE Playback Buffer pop-up menu,
select a buffer size.
3 Click OK.
Pro Tools Hardware Settings
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.
Clock Source
The Pro Tools Hardware Setup dialog lets you 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.
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.
Hardware Setup dialog for Mbox 2
the Pro Tools Reference
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 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.
2 Select the sample rate from the Sample Rate
pop-up menu.
3 Click OK.
Chapter 3: Windows Configuration 17
To rename I/O paths in I/O Setup:
1 Choose Setup > I/O.
Additional Software on the Pro Tools Installer Disc
The Pro Tools Installer disc provides additional
software for your system, including audio drivers (for playing other audio applications
through your Digidesign hardware) and a
Pro Tools demo session.
Refer to your Pro Tools Installer disc for additional software and installers.
I/O Setup dialog for Mbox 2
2 Click the Input, Output, Insert, or Bus tab to
display the corresponding connections.
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 Enter.
4 Click OK.
T
See the Pro Tools Reference Guide (or choose
Help > Pro Tools Reference Guide) for more
information on renaming I/O paths.
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 A, “Configuring
MIDI Studio Setup (Windows Only)” for details.
Backing Up your System
Configuration
Windows Audio Drivers
The Digidesign ASIO Driver and WaveDriver
Windows System Audio Driver let you use your
Digidesign Mbox 2 hardware interface with
third-party applications that support the ASIO
Driver or WaveDriver MME (Multimedia Extension).
The Digidesign ASIO Driver and WaveDriver for
Mbox 2 are automatically installed when you
install Pro Tools.
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.
For detailed information on configuring the
Digidesign ASIO Driver, see the Windows
Audio Drivers Guide.
After configuring your system and Pro Tools,
you should save an image of your system drive
using a backup utility such as Norton Ghost. By
doing this, you can quickly restore your system
configuration and settings if you encounter any
problems.
Mbox 2 Getting Started Guide18
Digidesign WaveDriver
3 Double-click Setup.exe.
The Digidesign WaveDriver Windows System
Audio Driver 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.
For detailed information on configuring the
Digidesign WaveDriver, see the Windows
Audio Drivers Guide.
Standalone Digidesign ASIO Driver
Digidesign Windows Audio Drivers can be installed on Windows systems that do not have
Pro Tools software installed. Use the standalone
version of the Digidesign Windows Audio Drivers installer (Digidesign Audio Drivers
Setup.exe), which is available on the Pro Tools
Installer disc.
For information on installing and configuring the standalone version of the Digidesign
Windows Audio Drivers, see the Windows
Audio Drivers Guide.
4 Select your audio drive as the install location
and click Install.
5 When installation is complete, click OK.
Removing Pro Tools LE
If you need to remove Pro Tools LE software
from your computer, you can use the Add or Remove Programs command.
To remove Pro Tools from your computer:
1 Choose Start > Control Panel.
2 Double-click 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 LE.
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.
Before installing the demo session to your
audio drive, make sure the drive is configured as described in “Formatting an Audio
Drive” on page 64.
To install the demo session:
1 Insert the Pro Tools LE Installer disc into your
CD/DVD drive.
2 From your CD/DVD drive, locate and open
the Additional Files/Pro Tools LE Demo Session
Installer folder.
Chapter 3: Windows Configuration 19
Mbox 2 Getting Started Guide20
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