Pinnacle Systems Mbox - 5.2.1 Quick Start Guide
Getting Started with Mbox
Version 6.1 for LE Systems on Windows XP and Mac OS X
Version 5.3.3 for LE Systems on Windows XP
Version 5.2.1 for LE Systems on Mac OS 9
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
This guide is copyrighted ©2003 by Digidesign, a division of
Avid Technology, Inc. (hereafter “Digidesign”), with all rights
reserved. Under copyright laws, this guide may not be
duplicated in whole or in part without the written consent of
Digidesign.
DIGIDESIGN, AVID and PRO TOOLS are trademarks or
registered trademarks of Digidesign and/or Avid Technology,
Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective
owners.
All features and specifications subject to change without
notice.
PN 932011595-00 REV A 06/03
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
complies with Part 15 of FCC Rules.
Current Consumption 500mA
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.
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
Mbox 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
Windows System Settings
Hard Drive Configuration and Maintenance
Installing Pro Tools LE and Mbox
Installing Optional Software for Pro Tools LE
Launching Pro Tools LE
Configuring Pro Tools LE
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Chapter 3. Macintosh Configuration
Apple System Settings
Hard Drive Configuration and Maintenance
Installing Pro Tools LE
Installing OMS
Installing the Demo Session
Connecting Mbox to the Computer
Launching Pro Tools LE
Configuring Pro Tools LE
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Chapter 4. Connecting Your Studio
Mbox Front Panel Features
Mbox Rear Panel Features
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Contents
iii
Making Signal Connections to Mbox
Connecting a Recorder for Mixdowns
MIDI Connections
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Chapter 5. Working with Pro Tools LE
Session Basics
Transport Controls
Navigating a Session
Tracks
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Regions Lists
Importing Audio
Basic Recording
Editing
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Mixing
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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 AMS (Mac OS X Only)
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Appendix C. Digidesign ASIO Driver
Introduction
Compatibility
Installing the ASIO Driver
Changing ASIO Driver Settings
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Appendix D. Configuring OMS (Mac OS 9 Only)
Appendix E. Digidesign Control Panel (Mac OS 9 Only)
Index
Getting Started with Mbox
iv
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chapter 1
Welcome to Mbox
Welcome to Mbox, Digidesign’s portable
Pro Tools micro-studio, designed in collaboration with Focusrite.
Mbox provides your USB-equipped computer
with two channels of analog and digital audio
input and output, employing professional-quality mic preamps and 24-bit analog-to-digital
and digital-to-analog converters.
The Mbox package includes the following:
• Mbox desktop audio interface
• Installer CD-ROM containing Pro Tools LE
software, DigiRack RTAS (Real-Time AudioSuite) and AudioSuite plug-ins, and electronic
PDF guides
• This
Getting Started with Mbox Guide
cludes instructions for installing and configuring Mbox, and an introduction to
Pro Tools LE software
•USB connector cable
• Digidesign registration card
, which in-
Mbox Features
The Mbox desktop audio interface provides the
following:
•2 analog audio inputs with Focusrite microphone preamps and switchable 48V phantom
power
• Analog input jacks accept both XLR and 1/4inch (TRS) connectors, and are switchable between Mic, Line, and Instrument levels
•2 channels of S/PDIF digital input and output
•2 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 summing the input signal
with the monitor mix
• Analog 1/4-inch TRS insert on each input
• 1/4-inch
output with adjustable level control
• USB-powered operation
(
TRS) or 1/8-inch stereo headphone
Mbox will not function properly if connected
to a USB hub. If you need to use a hub for
other USB peripherals, use a separate USB
port; Mbox must have a dedicated port in order to function properly.
Chapter 1: Welcome to Mbox
1
Pro Tools LE Capabilities
Pro Tools LE software provides the following capabilities with Mbox:
Pro Tools LE 6.1
• Play back up to 32 mono digital audio
tracks, and play back up to 30 tracks while
recording up to 2 tracks, depending on
your computer’s capabilities
• Sessions can include up to 128 audio tracks
(with 32 voiceable tracks maximum), 256
MIDI tracks, 128 Auxiliary Input tracks,
and 64 Master Fader tracks.
Pro Tools LE 5.3.3 (Windows Only)
• Play back up to 32 mono digital audio
tracks, and play back up to 30 tracks while
recording up to 2 tracks, depending on
your computer’s capabilities
• Sessions can include up to 32 audio tracks,
128 MIDI tracks, 64 Auxiliary Input tracks,
and 64 Master Fader tracks.
Pro Tools LE 5.2.1
• Play back up to 24 mono digital audio
tracks, and play back up to 22 tracks while
recording up to 2 tracks depending on your
computer’s capabilities. See the Digidesign
Web site for information on 32 track capability with Pro Tools LE 5.2.1 (www.digidesign.com/compato)
• Sessions can include up to 32 audio tracks,
128 MIDI tracks, 64 Auxiliary Input tracks,
and 64 Master Fader tracks.
.
All Systems
• 16-bit or 24-bit audio resolution, at sample
rates up to 48 kHz
• Nonlinear, random-access editing and mix automation
• Audio processing with up to 5 RTAS plug-ins
per track, depending on your computer’s capabilities
• Up to 5 inserts and 5 sends per track
• Up to 16 internal mix busses
Getting Started with Mbox
2
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
Mbox can be used with a Digidesign-qualified
Windows or Macintosh computer running
Pro Tools LE software.
Digidesign can only assure compatibility and
provide support for hardware and software it
has tested and approved. For a list of Digidesignqualified computers, operating systems, hard
drives, and third-party devices, refer to the latest
compatibility information on the Digidesign
Web site (www.digidesign.com/compato).
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.
Table 2. Required hard drive space for audio tracks
Number of tracks and length 16-bit at
44.1 kHz
For a list of qualified hard drives and SCSI host
bus adapters, visit the Digidesign Web site
(www.digidesign.com/compato).
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
hard drives results in lower track counts and
fewer plug-ins.
Hard Drive 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. Table 2 lists
the required drive space for certain track numbers and track lengths, to help you estimate
your hard disk usage.
16-bit at
48 kHz
24-bit at
44.1 kHz
24-bit at
48 kHz
1 mono track, 1 minute 5 MB 5.5 MB 7.5 MB 8.2 MB
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
Chapter 1: Welcome to Mbox
3
Digidesign Registration
Make sure to complete and return the registration card included with your Pro Tools Mbox
system. Registered users will receive periodic
software update and upgrade notices. Refer to
the registration card for information on technical support.
About the Pro Tools Guides
This
Getting Started with Mbox Guide
how to install and use Mbox to record, edit, and
mix audio and MIDI tracks in Pro Tools LE. For
additional information, see the following online guides:
•
Pro Tools Reference Guide
explains Pro Tools LE
software in detail.
•
DigiRack Plug-Ins Guide
explains how to use
the RTAS and AudioSuite plug-ins included
with Pro Tools LE.
•
MIDI Control Surfaces Guide
MIDI control surfaces (such as MotorMix
from CM Labs) with Pro Tools LE.
•
Keyboard Shortcuts
lists keyboard 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 menu (Mac OS X)
or the Pro Tools Help menu (Windows XP and
Mac OS 9). To view or print the PDF guides, you
can install Acrobat Reader (included on the
Pro Tools LE Installer CD-ROM).
explains
covers the use of
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 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.
Printed copies of the Pro Tools LE Manual
set (including the Pro Tools Reference
Guide) can be purchased separately from
the DigiStore (www.digidesign.com).
Getting Started with Mbox
4
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.
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
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
products; download demo software; learn about
our Development Partners and their plug-ins,
applications, and hardware.
News and Events
Digidesign; sign up for a Pro Tools demo.
To learn more about these and other resources
available from Digidesign, visit our Web site
(www.digidesign.com).
Contact Digidesign Technical Support
Become a certified
Learn about Digidesign
Get the latest news from
Chapter 1: Welcome to Mbox
5
Getting Started with Mbox
6
chapter 2
Windows Configuration
Installation of the Mbox on a Windows computer includes the following steps:
1
Configuring Windows System Software settings. (See “Windows System Settings” on
page 7.)
2
Connecting the Mbox unit to your computer.
and installing Pro Tools LE software (See “Installing Pro Tools LE and Mbox” on page 10.)
3
Restarting your computer.
4
Configuring your Pro Tools system (See “Configuring Pro Tools LE” on page 14.)
5
Making audio connections to the Mbox. (See
Chapter 4, “Connecting Your Studio” for details.)
Windows System Settings
Configure your Window system settings, as follows:
Required Settings These instructions must be
followed before installing Pro Tools.
Recommended Settings These instructions
should be followed to optimize your system’s
capabilities, or to let older computers run
Pro Tools LE.
If problems occur after configuring all required and suggested 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.
When finished updating required Windows
system settings, power down your computer.
Disable Hyper-Threading
For Pentium IV computers with Hyper-Threading, disable Hyper-Threading in the BIOS.
Enable DMA
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 XP detects and activates
DMA mode by default.
Chapter 2: Windows Configuration
7
Enable DMA for any IDE hard drives:
1 Right-click My Computer and choose Man-
age.
2 In Classic view, choose Start > Control Panel >
System > Hardware.
– or –
In Category view, choose Start > Control panel >
Performance and Maintenance > System > Hardware.
3 Under System Tools, choose Device Manager.
4 In the Device Manager window, double-click
IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers, then double-click
the Primary IDE Channel for your IDE hard
drive.
5 Click the Advanced Settings tab.
6 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.
7 Repeat steps 4–6 for any additional IDE Chan-
nels.
8 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 In Classic View, double-click the Power Op-
tions Control Panel, then click the Power
Schemes tab.
– or –
In Category view, click Performance and Maintenance, then click Power Options, then click
the Power Scheme tab.
3 From the Power Schemes pop-up menu, select
Always On.
4 Click OK.
This sets System Standby, System Hibernate,
and “Turn off hard disks” to Never.
Disable ClearType Font Smoothing
Disable Virus Protection Software
Avoid running virus protection software while
using Mbox since it adversely affects system performance (as do all background processes). If
you are using virus protection software, you
must turn it off or remove it and restart your
computer.
Getting Started with Mbox8
When using Pro Tools, the Effects “Clear Type”
setting must be disabled.
To disable ClearType font smoothing:
1 Choose Start > Control Panel.
2 In Classic view, double-click Display.
– or –
In Category view, click Appearance and Themes,
then click 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.
Completing Windows System Settings
When finished updating required Windows
system settings, power down your computer.
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 LE.
•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 using Mbox
• 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.
Hard Drive Configuration and
Maintenance
Formatting an Audio Drive
On Windows, it is recommended that you start
with newly formatted drives dedicated for audio. For optimum performance, audio drives
should be formatted with the FAT32 or NTFS file
system.
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 For optimal disk performance, select 32K from
the Allocation unit size pull-down. This increases how efficiently audio data is written to
and read from the drive.
5 Make sure the Quick Format option is dese-
lected, then click Start, and follow the on-screen
instructions.
Pro Tools only supports Basic drive Types.
6 When formatting is complete, close the For-
mat window.
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 use Disk Cleanup (or an equivalent utility)
to asses the condition of drives and, if necessary,
delete temporary files and other unused data.
Chapter 2: Windows Configuration 9
To use Disk Cleanup:
1 Choose Start > Control Panels.
2 In Classic view, double-click Administrative
Tools.
– or –
In Category View, click Performance and Maintenance, then click Administrative Tools.
3 Select Computer Management, then select
Storage.
4 Choose Disk Management.
5 Select the desired volume in the list, then
choose File > Options.
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.
Defragmenting an Audio Drive
Periodically defragment audio drives to maintain
system performance.
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 system has just one hard drive).
Installing Pro Tools LE and Mbox
To install Pro Tools LE on Windows:
1 Make sure you have configured all the re-
quired Windows system settings, and rebooted
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.
To defragment an audio drive:
1 Right-click My Computer and choose Man-
age.
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.
5 When defragmenting is complete, close the
Computer Management Window.
Getting Started with Mbox10
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 press Next.
Mbox 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 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.
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.
8 Wait for the installer to finish installing all
software components, drivers, and PACE System
files before proceeding to the next step.
9 Click Quit when prompted to install Quick-
Time (you will install QuickTime later).
10 Restart your computer.
If the USB LED on the front panel of the
Mbox does not illuminate after installation,
try unplugging the USB cable from the
Mbox USB port, and plugging it back in. If
the USB LED still does not illuminate, shut
down the computer, disconnect Mbox and
start the computer. Once the computer has
fully restarted, reconnect Mbox.
Installing QuickTime
2 When installation is complete, click Finish to
restart your computer. See “Installing Optional
Software for Pro Tools LE” on page 12.
If your computer does not start up after installing QuickTime, use Add/Remove Programs to remove Pro Tools LE and QuickTime, then repeat the installation process in
“Installing Pro Tools LE and Mbox” on
page 10.
If your computer won’t startup after installing QuickTime, use Add/Remove Programs
to remove Pro Tools LE and QuickTime,
then repeat the installation process in “Installing Pro Tools LE and Mbox” on
page 10.
Updating Mbox Firmware
Firmware version 2.0 or later is required to use
Mbox on Windows XP.
Before you update Mbox firmware,
Pro Tools LE software must be installed
and Mbox connected to your computer.
QuickTime 5 or later is required for video playback with Pro Tools LE if you plan to include
movie files in your sessions. Installing the latest
version of QuickTime for Windows is highly recommended (available from www.apple.com). Be
sure to install the “Recommended” install of
QuickTime or Pro Tools will not handle QuickTime video correctly.
To install QuickTime:
1 Locate the QuickTime Installer on your
Pro Tools LE Installer CD-ROM (located in the
Additional Files folder). Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the QuickTime installation process.
To Update the firmware on Mbox:
1 Make sure Pro Tools is installed and the Mbox
is connected to the computer.
2 Double-click on MboxFirmwareUpdater.exe.
In Local Disk (C):\ Program Files\Digidesign\
Pro Tools\Pro Tools Utilities.)
3 To check the firmware version currently on
Mbox, click the Start button in the Mbox Firmware Update window.
4 To update the firmware version on the Mbox,
click the Start button in the Mbox Firmware Update window.
Chapter 2: Windows Configuration 11
5 Click Start to check the current firmware ver-
sion on Mbox and begin the firmware upgrade
process.
6 Follow the on-screen instructions:
• Disconnect Mbox from the USB port of the
computer.
• Reconnect Mbox to the USB port of the
computer. The new firmware will be uploaded to the Mbox.
• Disconnect and reconnect Mbox.
7 Click OK.
Installing Optional Software for Pro Tools LE
Your Pro Tools Installer CD-ROM includes several software options (as available for your system).
Installing Digidesign ASIO Driver
The Digidesign ASIO (Audio Sound Input Output) Driver is a multichannel, multimedia
sound driver that lets third-party audio applications record and play back through channels
1–2 of Mbox. The Digidesign ASIO Driver is not
required to use Pro Tools LE with Mbox.
For information on installing, using, and
removing the Digidesign ASIO Driver, see
Appendix C, “Digidesign ASIO Driver”.
Installing the 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 9.
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.
Installing MacOpener
With MacOpener you can open and transfer
Pro Tools sessions created on HFS and HFS Plusformatted hard drives (Macintosh) to NTFS or
FAT32-formatted hard drives (Windows).
On Windows-based Pro Tools systems,
avoid recording or playing audio on hard
drives formatted for Macintosh (the HFS or
HFS Plus file system). Use the Save Session
Copy In command in Pro Tools to copy the
session material to a Windows audio drive
formatted using NTFS or FAT32.
To share Pro Tools sessions between Macintosh
and Windows system, select the “Enforce
Mac/PC Compatibility” option when creating
the session, or when saving a session copy.
While SDII files can be exported or converted on import, they cannot be used
within Pro Tools sessions on Windows.
Getting Started with Mbox12
To install and configure the MacOpener demo
included with Pro Tools:
1 Insert the Pro T ools Installer CD into your CD-
ROM drive.
2 Locate and double-click the MacOpener in-
staller file in the MacOpener Demo folder located at D (CD-ROM drive):\Additional
Files\MacOpener Demo Installer. Follow the onscreen instructions to install the MacOpener. After installation is complete, restart your computer.
3 Choose Start > Programs > MacOpener >
MacOpener Driver Preferences.
4 Verify that the MacOpener Driver is enabled.
Under Driver Settings, select “Enable MacOpener Driver.”
5 Under Extension Mapping, select “Do not add
the PC extension to the Mac file name.”
6 Click OK to quit the MacOpener Driver Pref-
erences.
7 Choose Start > Programs > MacOpener >
Mac Lic.exe. When installation is complete,
close the installer.
All formatting and maintenance of
HFS/HFS+ drives should be carried out
when the drive is connected to a Macintosh.
For more information about MacOpener
and its performance limitations, see the
Pro Tools Reference Guide.
Removing Pro Tools LE
If you need to remove Pro Tools LE from your
computer use the Add or Remove Programs
command.
To remove Pro Tools LE:
1 Choose Start > Control Panel.
2 In Classic view, double-click the Add or Re-
move Programs icon.
– or –
In Category view, click Administrative Tools,
then 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 Select Remove, then click Next.
6 Click OK to remove Pro Tools LE.
Launching Pro Tools LE
When launching Pro Tools the first time, you
are prompted to enter an authorization code to
validate your software.
With new Mbox systems, the authorization
code is located on the inside cover of the Getting
Started with Mbox Guide. With software upgrades, the authorization code is located on the
inside cover of the Upgrading Guide.
To authorize Pro Tools software:
1 Double-click the Pro Tools LE shortcut on
your desktop (or the application in the Pro Tools
folder inside the Digidesign folder).
Chapter 2: Windows Configuration 13
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.
Configuring Pro Tools LE
Pro Tools System Settings
To change the Hardware Buffer Size:
1 Choose Setups > Playback Engine.
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.
◆ 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.
Playback Engine dialog for Mbox
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.
◆ 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.
◆ 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 responses on slower computers.
◆ With Pro Tools 6.x, 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.)
Getting Started with Mbox14
To change the CPU Usage Limit:
1 Choose Setups > 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.
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.
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.
◆ 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.
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.
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
for details.)
To change the default Sample Rate:
1 Make sure that no Pro Tools is session open.
2 Choose Setups > Hardware Setup.
Hardware Setup dialog for Mbox
3 Select the sample rate from the Sample Rate
pop-up menu.
the Pro Tools Reference Guide
4 Click OK.
Chapter 2: Windows Configuration 15
Channel 1–2 Input Source
3 Click OK.
The Pro Tools Hardware Setup dialog allows you
to configure the two inputs on Mbox to receive
analog or digital signals.
To select the Channel 1–2 input format for Mbox:
1 Choose Setups > Hardware Setup.
2 Choose the Channel 1–2 Input format by do-
ing one of the following:
• Choose Analog if you are sending a microphone, line, or instrument signal through
the 1/4” TRS or XLR connectors on Mbox.
– or –
• Choose S/PDIF if you are sending signal
from a digital device to the S/PDIF input on
Mbox.
Clock Source
Using the Hardware Setup dialog, you can select
the clock source for the system.
Internal If you are recording an analog signal directly into Mbox, you will usually use the
Pro Tools Internal clock source. The clock
source automatically changes to Internal when
you change the Ch. 1–2 Input to Analog.
SPDIF If you are transferring material into
Pro Tools from an external digital device, you
will usually synchronize Pro Tools to that digital
device. The clock source automatically changes
to SPDIF when you change the Ch. 1–2 Input to
SPDIF.
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.
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.
T
Refer to the
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.
Pro Tools Reference Guide (or
To select the clock source:
1 Choose Setups > Hardware Setup.
2 Choose the clock source from the Clock
Source pop-up menu.
Getting Started with Mbox16
chapter 3
Macintosh Configuration
Installation of the Mbox on a Macintosh includes the following steps:
Apple System Settings
1 Configuring Apple System Software settings
(See “Apple System Settings” on page 17.)
2 Installing Pro Tools LE software (See “Install-
ing Pro Tools LE” on page 19.)
3 Restarting your computer
4 Connecting the Mbox interface to your com-
puter (See “Connecting Mbox to the Computer”
on page 21.)
5 Configuring your system (See “Configuring
Pro Tools LE” on page 22.)
6 Making audio connections to Mbox (See
Chapter 4, “Connecting Your Studio” for details.)
To ensure optimum performance with
Pro Tools LE, configure the following settings
for your version of Mac OS before you install
Pro Tools software.
System Settings for Mac OS X
The following settings ensure optimum performance and compatibility for systems running
Mac OS X.
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).
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.
Chapter 3: Macintosh Configuration 17
4 Return to the System Preferences and click
Software Update.
5 Deselect “Automatically check for updates
when you have a network connection.”
6 Close the Software Update dialog box.
7 Proceed to “Installing Pro Tools on Mac OS X”
on page 19.
System Settings for Mac OS 9
The following settings ensure optimum performance and compatibility for systems running
Mac OS 9.
To configure Mac OS 9 for Pro Tools LE:
1 In the Memory Control Panel, do the follow-
ing:
• Set Virtual Memory to Off.
• Set the RAM Disk to Off.
• Set the Disk Cache to a Custom Setting of
512K.
2 In the Energy Saver Control Panel, set the “in-
active” time to Never.
3 If you are installing Pro Tools on a Macintosh
PowerBook, click the Advanced Settings tab in
the Energy Saver Control Panel, and turn off
Processor Cycling.
4 In the Appearance Control Panel, do the fol-
lowing:
• Click the Fonts tab and set the Large System Font to Chicago. In addition, deselect
“Smooth all fonts on screen.”
• Click the Sound tab and select None from
the Sound Track pop-up menu.
5 In the Extensions Manager Control Panel,
choose the “Mac OS 9.2.2 Base” set from the Selected Set pop-up menu.
Extensions Manager Control Panel
6 Click Duplicate Set, name the new set
“Pro Tools,” and click OK.
7 Click Restart to restart your computer.
8 Proceed to “Installing Pro T ools on Mac OS 9”
on page 20.
Be sure to create your Pro Tools extension
set before installing Pro Tools LE. After you
install Pro Tools, a number of Digidesign
extensions will be added to the new
“Pro Tools” Extension Set. Be sure this
“Pro Tools” Extension Set is activated
whenever you use Pro Tools.
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.
If you are using a SCSI hard drive, you can initialize your drive with the utility software
named ExpressStripe (Mac OS X) or ExpressPro-
Tools (Mac OS 9) from ATTO, included on the
Pro Tools LE Installer CD-ROM. If you are using
an ATA/IDE or FireWire hard drive, initialize
your drive with the utility named Disk Utility
(Mac OS X) or Drive Setup (Mac OS 9), included
with your Apple System software.
Getting Started with Mbox18
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 system has just one hard drive.
Installing Pro Tools LE
5 When installation is complete, click Restart.
– or –
Click Continue to install any additional software or documentation, and restart your computer when you are finished.
If you plan to use any MIDI devices with
Pro Tools, configure your MIDI setup with
the Apple Audio MIDI Setup (AMS) utility.
See Appendix B, “Configuring AMS
(Mac OS X Only)” for details.
After the Apple System software settings are configured, you’re ready to install Pro Tools LE.
Installing Pro Tools on Mac OS X
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 Select your Startup hard drive as the install lo-
cation and click Install.
Removing Pro Tools LE on Mac OS X
If you need to remove Pro Tools LE from your
computer, you can use the Installer CD-ROM.
To remove Pro Tools LE from your computer:
1 Make sure you are logged in as an Administra-
tor for the account where Pro Tools LE is installed. For details on Administrator privileges
in Mac OS X, refer to your 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 In the Installer window, choose Uninstall
from the pop-up menu, and click Uninstall.
5 Click Quit to close the Installer window.
Chapter 3: Macintosh Configuration 19
Installing Pro Tools on Mac OS 9
To install Pro Tools LE on Mac OS 9:
1 Insert the Pro Tools LE 5.2.1 Installer CD-
ROM in your CD-ROM drive. Double-click “Install Pro Tools LE 5.2.1.”
2 In the Installer window, select
“Pro Tools LE 5.2.1 for Mbox,” and make sure
the Install Location is on your startup drive.
3 If you want to use Mbox with Apple Sound
Manager-compatible applications, select the
Digidesign Control Panel option. See
Appendix E, “Digidesign Control Panel
(Mac OS 9 Only).”
4 Click Install.
Pro Tools installs the Rocket Plug-in to your
Web browser's plug-ins folder. Be sure to select your Web browser's application folder
when prompted.
2 In the Installer window, choose Uninstall
from the pop-up menu, and click Uninstall.
3 Click Quit to close the Installer window.
Installing OMS
Mac OS 9 Only
To use Pro Tools LE on Mac OS 9, you must first
install and configure the Open Music System
(OMS), which is included on the Pro Tools Installer CD-ROM.
Even if you don't intend to use MIDI in your
Pro Tools sessions, you still need to install
OMS. The Pro Tools application will not
launch without it.
To install OMS:
1 Insert the Pro Tools LE 5.2.1 Installer CD-
ROM in your CD-ROM drive.
5 When installation is complete, do one of the
following:
• Click Quit and install OMS (see “Installing
OMS” on page 20) if it is not already installed on your system.
– or –
• Click Restart.
Removing Pro Tools LE on Mac OS 9
If you need to remove Pro Tools LE from your
computer, you can use the Installer CD-ROM.
To remove Pro Tools LE from your computer:
1 Insert the Pro Tools LE 5.2.1 Installer CD-
ROM in your CD-ROM drive. Double-click “Install Pro Tools LE 5.2.1.”
Getting Started with Mbox20
2 Open the OMS Installer folder and double-
click the OMS installer.
3 At the Install window, select the Easy Install
option, and set the Install Location to your
Startup hard drive. Click Install.
4 Follow the on-screen installation instructions.
5 When installation is complete, click Restart.
For more information on configuring OMS,
see Appendix D, “Configuring OMS
(Mac OS 9 Only).”
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