Pinnacle Systems Mbox - 6.4 Quick Start Guide
Getting Started with Mbox
Version 6.4 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
This guide is copyrighted ©2004 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.
Product features, specifications, system requirements, and
availability are subject to change without notice.
PN 932013288-00 REV A 04/04
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 Package
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
Installing Pro Tools LE and Mbox
Installing Optional Software for Pro Tools LE
Launching Pro Tools LE
Configuring Pro Tools LE
Hard Drive Configuration and Maintenance
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Chapter 3. Macintosh Configuration
Apple System Settings for Mac OS X
Installing Pro Tools LE
Installing the Demo Session
Connecting Mbox to the Computer
Launching Pro Tools LE
Configuring Pro Tools LE
Hard Drive Configuration and Maintenance
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Chapter 4. Mbox Hardware and Connections
Mbox Front Panel Features
Mbox Back 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
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. Digidesign ASIO Driver (Windows Only)
Introduction
Compatible Software
Installing the ASIO Driver
Changing ASIO Driver Settings
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Appendix C. Digidesign WaveDriver (Windows Only)
Introduction
Compatible Software
Installing the WaveDriver
Configuring WaveDriver for QuickTime Player (Required for Using iTunes)
Configuring WaveDriver for Windows Media Player and Other Third-Party WaveDriver Programs
Getting Started with Mbox
iv
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Appendix D. Digidesign CoreAudio Driver (Macintosh Only)
Introduction
Compatible Software
Installing the CoreAudio Driver
Configuring the Digidesign CoreAudio Driver
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Appendix E. Configuring AMS (Mac OS X Only)
Index
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Contents
v
Getting Started with Mbox
vi
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.
Mbox Package
The Mbox package includes the following:
• Mbox 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 Guide
cludes instructions for installing and configuring Mbox, and an introduction to
Pro Tools LE software
• The
Mbox Basics Guide
users specific methods for accomplishing
common tasks (such as getting sound in and
out of your Mbox, connecting a mic or instrument, and recording a session)
• USB connector cable
• Digidesign registration card
, designed to give new
, which in-
Chapter 1: Welcome to Mbox
1
Mbox Features
Pro Tools LE Capabilities
The Mbox desktop audio interface provides the
following:
•Two analog audio inputs with Focusrite microphone preamps and switchable 48V phantom power
• Analog input jacks that accept both XLR and
1/4-inch (TRS) connectors, and are switchable
between Mic, Line, and Instrument levels
•Two channels of S/PDIF digital input and output
•Two 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.
Pro Tools LE software provides the following capabilities with Mbox:
•Playback up to 32 mono digital audio
tracks, and playback 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.
•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 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.
Getting Started with Mbox
2
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 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).
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, 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
drives results in lower track counts and fewer
plug-ins.
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. 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
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
16-bit at
48 kHz
24-bit at
44.1 kHz
Chapter 1: Welcome to Mbox
24-bit at
48 kHz
3
MIDI Requirements
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.
Refer to the Digidesign Web site
(www.digidesign.com) for a list of supported
adapters.
Digidesign Registration
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
The
Getting Started with Mbox Guide
how to install and use Mbox 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
Basics Guide.
tion on a number of topics, including how to get
sound in and out of your Mbox, connect a mic
or instrument, and record a performance.
For additional information, see the following
online guides:
•
Pro Tools Reference Guide
software in detail.
•
Pr 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 provides details on using
Pro Tools DigiBase databasing and browsers
for data and media management.
• Pro Tools Keyboard Shortcuts lists keyboard
shortcuts for Pro Tools LE.
This guide provides basic informa-
explains Pro Tools LE
covers all the Pro Tools
explains how to use
explains how to use
explains
Mbox
Getting Started with Mbox
4
PDF versions of the Pro Tools guides are installed automatically with Pro Tools LE, and are
accessible from the Pro Tools Help menu (Windows), or the Pro Tools menu (Macintosh). To
view or print the PDF guides, you can install Acrobat Reader (included on the Pro Tools LE Installer CD-ROM).
Printed copies of the Pro Tools LE Guide set
(including the Pro Tools Reference Guide)
can be purchased separately from the
DigiStore (www.digidesign.com).
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.
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 our Web site
(www.digidesign.com).
Chapter 1: Welcome to Mbox 5
Getting Started with Mbox6
chapter 2
Windows Configuration
Installing the Mbox on a Windows computer includes the following steps:
1 Configure Windows System Software settings.
(See “Windows System Settings” on page 7.)
2 Connect the Mbox unit to your computer and
install Pro Tools LE software. (See “Installing
Pro Tools LE and Mbox” on page 9.)
3 Restart your computer.
4 Configure your Pro Tools system. (See “Con-
figuring Pro Tools LE” on page 13.)
5 Make audio connections to the Mbox. (See
Chapter 4, “Mbox 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.
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
To enable DMA for any IDE hard drives:
1 Choose Start > Control Panel.
To configure Windows Power Management:
1 Choose Start > Control Panel.
2 In Classic View, 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
2 In Classic View, 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.
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 In Classic View, launch Display.
3 Click the Appearance tab.
4 Click Effects.
5 Deselect “Use the following methods to
smooth edges of screen fonts.”
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.
Getting Started with Mbox8
6 Click OK to save your settings and close the
Effects dialog.
7 Click OK.
Completing Required Windows System Settings
When finished updating required Windows system settings, restart 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.
•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 57.
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 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.
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 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.
9 Click Quit 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 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.
Chapter 2: Windows Configuration 9
Installing QuickTime
(Optional)
QuickTime 6.5 or later is required for Pro Tools
LE 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).
If all the lights stay on after you update the
firmware, run the firmware update again. If
the lights will not go out, contact Digidesign Technical Support. (Refer to the registration card for information on technical
support.)
Updating Mbox Firmware
Firmware version 2.0 or later is required to use
Mbox on Windows XP.
Before Mbox firmware can be updated,
Pro Tools LE software must be installed
and Mbox must be connected to your computer.
To check and 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. The window displays the
version number of the firmware that the Mbox
is currently using.
4 Click Start to begin the firmware upgrade pro-
cess.
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 from your computer:
1 Choose Start > Control Panel.
2 In Classic View, launch Add or Remove Pro-
grams.
3 From the Currently Installed Programs list, se-
lect Digidesign Pro Tools LE.
4 Click the Change/Remove button.
5 Follow the onscreen instructions to remove
Pro Tools.
5 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.
6 Click OK.
Getting Started with Mbox10
Installing Optional Software for Pro Tools LE
Your Pro Tools Installer CD-ROM includes several software options (as available for your system).
Stand-Alone WaveDriver Installer
Digidesign WaveDriver 6.4 can be installed on
Digidesign-qualified Windows XP systems with
Pro Tools 6.4 (for example, if the WaveDriver
was uninstalled), or it can be installed as a standalone driver on systems that do not have any
version of Pro Tools installed.
Digidesign ASIO Driver 6.4
Digidesign ASIO Driver 6.4 is a single-client,
multichannel sound driver that allows ASIOcompatible programs to record and play back
through Digidesign hardware.
ASIO Driver 6.4 is automatically installed when
you install Pro Tools 6.4.
Stand-Alone ASIO Driver Installer
Digidesign ASIO Driver 6.4 can be installed on
Digidesign-qualified Windows XP systems with
Pro Tools 6.4 (for example, if the ASIO Driver
was uninstalled), or it can be installed as a standalone driver on systems that do not have any
version of Pro Tools installed.
For detailed information on installing and
using the Digidesign ASIO Driver, see
Appendix B, “Digidesign ASIO Driver
(Windows Only).”
Digidesign WaveDriver 6.4
Digidesign WaveDriver 6.4 is a single-client,
multichannel sound driver that allows
WaveDriver compatible programs to play back
through Digidesign hardware.
For detailed information on installing and
using the Digidesign WaveDriver, see
Appendix C, “Digidesign WaveDriver
(Windows Only).”
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 16.
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.
WaveDriver 6.4 is automatically installed when
you install Pro Tools 6.4.
Chapter 2: Windows Configuration 11
Installing MacOpener
MacOpener 6.0.5 and higher lets you mount
HFS/HFS+ drives on a Windows-based Pro Tools
system, as a Transfer drive.
Transfer drives can be used for storage, but
not for playback or recording.
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.”
The MacDrive utility can be used instead of
MacOpener. Refer to the MacDrive Web site
(www.macdrive.com).
To share Pro Tools sessions between Macintosh
and Windows systems, select the “Enforce
Mac/PC Compatibility” option when creating
the session, or when saving a session copy to a
Windows audio drive formatted using NTFS or
FAT32.
Avoid using MacOpener on HFS-formatted
drives. It is recommended that you use MacOpener on NTFS or FAT32 drives instead.
To move material from HFS-formatted
drives to NTFS or FAT32 drives, use the
Save Session Copy In command in
Pro Tools.
While SDII files can be exported or converted on import, they cannot be used
within Pro Tools sessions on Windows.
To install and configure the MacOpener demo
included with Pro Tools:
1 Insert the Pro Tools 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.
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.
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.
Getting Started with Mbox12
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
To change the Hardware Buffer Size:
1 Choose Setups > Playback Engine.
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.
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.
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.
◆ 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.)
Chapter 2: Windows Configuration 13
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 session is 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.
Getting Started with Mbox14
Channel 1–2 Input Source
The Pro Tools Hardware Setup dialog allows you
to configure the two inputs on Mbox to receive
analog or digital signals.
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.
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-inch 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.
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.
To rename I/O paths in I/O Setup:
1 Choose Setups > I/O Setup.
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.
To select the clock source:
1 Choose Setups > Hardware Setup.
2 Choose the clock source from the Clock
Source pop-up menu.
3 Click OK.
I/O Setup dialog for Mbox, Input page
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 Return.
4 Click OK.
Chapter 2: Windows Configuration 15
T
Refer to the Pro Tools Reference Guide (or
choose Help > Pro Tools Reference Guide)
for more information on renaming I/O
paths.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Getting Started with Mbox16
Defragmenting an Audio Drive
Periodically defragment audio drives to maintain
system performance.
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.
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).
Chapter 2: Windows Configuration 17
Getting Started with Mbox18
chapter 3
Macintosh Configuration
Installation of the Mbox on a Macintosh includes the following steps:
1 Configure Apple System Software settings.
(See “Apple System Settings for Mac OS X” on
page 19.)
2 Install Pro Tools LE software. (See “Installing
Pro Tools LE” on page 20.)
3 Restart your computer.
4 Connect the Mbox interface to your com-
puter. (See “Connecting Mbox to the Computer” on page 21.)
5 Configure your system. (See “Configuring
Pro Tools LE” on page 21.)
6 Make audio connections to Mbox. (See
Chapter 4, “Mbox 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.
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).
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.
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 19
6 Close the Software Update dialog box.
7 Proceed to “Installing Pro Tools LE” on
page 20.
Installing Pro Tools LE
After the Apple System software settings are configured, you’re 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.
Removing Pro Tools LE from 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.
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.
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 E, “Configuring AMS
(Mac OS X Only)” for details.
4 In the Installer window, choose Uninstall
from the pop-up menu, and click Uninstall.
5 Click Quit to close the Installer window.
Installing the Demo Session
(Optional)
The Pro Tools LE 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.
Getting Started with Mbox20
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