Pinnacle Systems Pro Tools - 11.2 User's Guide

MachineControl™ Guide

Version 11.2

Legal Notices

© 2014 Avid Technology, Inc., (“Avid”), all rights reserved.
This guide may not be duplicated in whole or in part without
the written consent of Avid.

003, 192 Digital I/O, 192 I/O, 96 I/O, 96i I/O, Adrenaline,
AirSpeed, ALEX, Alienbrain, AME, AniMatte, Archive,
Archive II, Assistant Station, AudioPages, AudioStation,
AutoLoop, AutoSync, Avid, Avid Active, Avid Advanced
Response, Avid DNA, Avid DNxcel, Avid DNxHD, Avid DS
Assist Station, Avid Ignite, Avid Liquid, Avid Media Engine,
Avid Media Processor, Avid MEDIArray, Avid Mojo,
Avid Remote Response, Avid Unity, Avid Unity ISIS,
Avid VideoRAID, AvidRAID, AvidShare, AVIDstripe, AVX,
Beat Detective, Beauty Without The Bandwidth,
Beyond Reality, BF Essentials, Bomb Factory, Bruno, C|24,
CaptureManager, ChromaCurve, ChromaWheel,
Cineractive Engine, Cineractive Player, Cineractive Viewer,
Color Conductor, Command|8, Control|24, Cosmonaut Voice,
CountDown, d2, d3, AAE, D-Command, D-Control, Deko,
DekoCast, D-Fi, D-fx, Digi 002, Digi 003, DigiBase,
Digidesign, Digidesign Audio Engine, Digidesign
Development Partners, Digidesign Intelligent Noise
Reduction, Digidesign TDM Bus, DigiLink, DigiMeter,
DigiPanner, DigiProNet, DigiRack, DigiSerial, DigiSnake,
DigiSystem, Digital Choreography, Digital Nonlinear
Accelerator, DigiTest, DigiTranslator, DigiWear, DINR,
DNxchange, Do More, DPP-1, D-Show, DSP Manager,
DS-StorageCalc, DV Toolkit, DVD Complete, D-Verb, Eleven,
EM, Euphonix, EUCON, EveryPhase, Expander,
ExpertRender, Fairchild, FastBreak, Fast Track, Film Cutter,
FilmScribe, Flexevent, FluidMotion, Frame Chase, FXDeko,
HD Core, HD Process, HDpack, Home-to-Hollywood,
HyperSPACE, HyperSPACE HDCAM, iKnowledge, Impact,
Improv, iNEWS, iNEWS Assign, iNEWS ControlAir, InGame,
Instantwrite, Instinct, Intelligent Content Management,
Intelligent Digital Actor Technology, IntelliRender, Intelli-Sat,
Intelli-Sat Broadcasting Recording Manager, InterFX,
Interplay, inTONE, Intraframe, iS Expander, iS9, iS18, iS23,
iS36, ISIS, IsoSync, LaunchPad, LeaderPlus, LFX, Lightning,
Link & Sync, ListSync, LKT-200, Lo-Fi, MachineControl,
Magic Mask, Make Anything Hollywood,
make manage move|media, Marquee, MassivePack,
MassivePack Pro, Maxim, Mbox, Media Composer,
MediaFlow, MediaLog, MediaMix, Media Reader,
Media Recorder, MEDIArray, MediaServer, MediaShare,
MetaFuze, MetaSync, MIDI I/O, Mix Rack, Moviestar,
MultiShell, NaturalMatch, NewsCutter, NewsView,
NewsVision, Nitris, NL3D, NLP, NSDOS, NSWIN, OMF,
OMF Interchange, OMM, OnDVD, Open Media Framework,
Open Media Management, Painterly Effects, Palladiium,
Personal Q, PET, Podcast Factory, PowerSwap, PRE,
ProControl, ProEncode, Profiler, Pro Tools, Pro Tools|HD,
Pro Tools LE, Pro Tools M-Powered, Pro Transfer,
QuickPunch, QuietDrive, Realtime Motion Synthesis,
Recti-Fi, Reel Tape Delay, Reel Tape Flanger,
Reel Tape Saturation, Reprise, Res Rocket Surfer, Reso,
RetroLoop, Reverb One, ReVibe, Revolution, rS9, rS18,
RTAS, Salesview, Sci-Fi, Scorch, ScriptSync,
SecureProductionEnvironment, Shape-to-Shape,
ShuttleCase, Sibelius, SimulPlay, SimulRecord,
Slightly Rude Compressor, Smack!, Soft SampleCell,
Soft-Clip Limiter, SoundReplacer, SPACE, SPACEShift,
SpectraGraph, SpectraMatte, SteadyGlide, Streamfactory,
Streamgenie, StreamRAID, SubCap, Sundance,

Sundance Digital, SurroundScope, Symphony, SYNC HD,
SYNC I/O, Synchronic, SynchroScope, Syntax,
TDM FlexCable, TechFlix, Tel-Ray, Thunder, TimeLiner,
Titansync, Titan, TL Aggro, TL AutoPan, TL Drum Rehab,
TL Everyphase, TL Fauxlder, TL In Tune, TL MasterMeter,
TL Metro, TL Space, TL Utilities, tools for storytellers, Transit,
TransJammer, Trillium Lane Labs, TruTouch, UnityRAID,
Vari-Fi, Video the Web Way, VideoRAID, VideoSPACE,
VTEM, Work-N-Play, Xdeck, X-Form, and XMON are either
registered trademarks or trademarks of Avid Technology, Inc.
in the United States and/or other countries.

Bonjour, the Bonjour logo, and the Bonjour symbol are
trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc.

Thunderbolt and the Thunderbolt logo are trademarks of Intel
Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries.

This product may be protected by one or more U.S. and non­U.S. patents. Details are available at www.avid.com/patents.

Product features, specifications, system requirements, and
availability are subject to change without notice.

Guide Part Number 9329-65434-00 REV A 05/14

Contents

Chapter 1. Introduction .........................................................1

MachineControl Version 2.0 for Pro Tools | HD Software 11 ..........................1

MachineControl Components ................................................1

System Requirements and Compatibility ........................................2

Registration .............................................................2

Conventions Used in This Guide ..............................................3

About www.avid.com ......................................................3

Chapter 2. Installing MachineControl..............................................5

Cables and Connections ...................................................5

Connecting Machines......................................................7

Authorizing MachineControl .................................................8

Removing MachineControl ..................................................9

Starting Up Your System ...................................................9

Chapter 3. MachineControl Communication Modes .................................11

Serial Deck Control Mode..................................................11

Remote 9-Pin Deck Emulation Mode..........................................12

Chapter 4. Setting Up Machine Control ...........................................13

Online and Offline Operation ...............................................13

Transport Controls .......................................................13

Remote Mode ..........................................................15

Chapter 5. Serial Deck Control Mode .............................................17

Configuring Pro Tools | Software for Serial Deck Control (Overview)...................17

Configuring a MachineControl Device for Deck Control ............................17

Preferences for Serial Deck Control Mode ......................................19

Session Setup Window and MachineControl ....................................21

Additional Pro Tools Commands .............................................24

Selecting Pro Tools or the Machine as the Transport Master ........................25

Contents iii

Playback in Serial Deck Control Mode ........................................ 26

Remote Track Arming .................................................... 28

Configuring Track Arming ................................................. 28

Creating a Track Arming Profile ............................................. 29

Arming Tracks Remotely for Layback ......................................... 32

Chapter 6. Remote 9-Pin Deck Emulation Mode.................................... 33

Configuring Remote 9-Pin Deck Emulation Mode ................................ 33

Preferences for Remote 9-Pin Deck Emulation Mode ............................. 36

Playback in Remote 9-Pin Deck Emulation Mode ................................ 37

Recording in Remote 9-Pin Deck Emulation Mode ............................... 37

Track Arming in Remote 9-Pin Deck Emulation Mode ............................. 38

Chapter 7. Using a Paddle Device in Local Mode................................... 39

Connecting a Supported Third-Party Paddle Device to Your Pro Tools System........... 39

Allow Track Arm Commands in Local Mode Preference ........................... 39

Configuring Ports for a Deck and a Supported Third-Party Paddle Device .............. 40

Appendix A. Deck Control Key Commands ....................................... 41

Appendix B. Troubleshooting .................................................. 43

Appendix C. Machine IDs ...................................................... 45

Appendix D. 9-Pin Cable Pinouts................................................ 47

MachineControl Guideiv

Chapter 1: Introduction

MachineControl™software option for
Pro Tools
tion with Sony
and video or audio machines.

®

| Software enables serial communica-

®

9-pin compatible synchronizers,

MachineControl Version 2.0 for Pro Tools | HD Software 11

This guide provides installation and operational in­structions for MachineControl version 2.0 for
Pro Tools
systems running Pro Tools

If you require documentation for other system con­figurations, refer to earlier versions of this guide,
available in the Knowledge Base. You can reach
the Knowledge Base by clicking

Pro Tools Knowledge Base

visiting www.avid.com/support.

®

| HDX and Pro Tools®| HD Native

®

| HD Software 11.

Help >

in Pro Tools, or by

MachineControl Components

Your MachineControl package includes the
following, based on your operating system:

Mac Systems

• MachineControl Installer disc

• Serial Deck Control cable: Male 8-pin
mini-DIN to male 9-pin cable

• Remote 9-pin Deck Emulation cable: Male 8­pin mini-DIN to female 9-pin cable

• MachineControl iLok Activation Card

Windows Systems

• MachineControl Installer disc

• Serial Deck Control cable: RS-232 to RS-422

• 9-pin Turnaround adapter (for Remote 9-pin
Deck Emulation mode)

• MachineControl iLok Activation Card

Chapter 1: Introduction 1

System Requirements and Compatibility

MachineControl requires a qualified
Pro Tools | HDX and Pro Tools | HD Native
systems.

Avid can only assure compatibility and provide
support for hardware and software it has tested and
approved.

For complete system requirements and a list of
qualified computers, operating systems, hard
drives, and third-party devices, visit:

www.avid.com/compatibility

Serial Deck Control Mode
Requirements

Remote 9-Pin Deck Emulation
Requirements

A SYNC peripheral is required when running
MachineControl 9-Pin Remote Deck Emulation
mode, as it provides frame-accurate LTC.

Remote 9-Pin Deck Emulation does not work
using the serial ports on a SYNC peripheral or
using the Serial port on an HDX card,
HD Native card, or HD Native Thunderbolt.
Instead, you must connect the remote control­ler to your Pro Tools system using one of the
methods detailed in “Connecting Machines
for Remote 9-Pin Deck Emulation Mode” on
page 7.

Registration

For Tighter Lockups

 For Serial Deck Control, use of a SYNC periph-

eral (Pro Tools

 For near sample accurate Serial Deck Control, a

®

| SYNC HD) is recommended.

SYNC peripheral is required.

 If you are not using a SYNC peripheral with

Pro Tools, some features of MachineControl can
be used by connecting the deck to the computer
with the proper cable and adapter configuration.

See “Connecting Machines for
Serial Control Mode” on page 7.

Review the enclosed Registration Information
Card and follow the instructions on it to quickly
register your purchase online. By registering, you
become eligible to receive the following:

• Technical support information

• Software update and upgrade notices

• Hardware warranty information

MachineControl Guide2

Conventions Used in This Guide

All of our guides use the following conventions to
indicate menu choices and key commands:

:

Convention Action

File > Save Choose Save from the

File menu

Control+N Hold down the Control key

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

About www.avid.com

The Avid website (www.avid.com) is your best
online source for information to help you get the
most out of your Pro Tools system. The following
are just a few of the services and features available.

Product Registration

online.

Support and Downloads

Success (technical support); download software
updates and the latest online manuals; browse the
Compatibility documents for system requirements;
search the online Knowledge Base or join the
worldwide Pro Tools community on the User Con­ference.

Register your purchase

Contact Avid Customer

The names of Commands, Options, and Settings
that appear on-screen are in a different font.

The following symbols are used to highlight
important information:

User Tips are helpful hints for getting the
most from your system.

Important Notices include information that
could affect your data or the performance of
your system.

Shortcuts show you useful keyboard or mouse
shortcuts.

Cross References point to related sections in
this guide and other Pro Tools guides.

Training and Education

Study on your own using
courses available online or find out how you can
learn in a classroom setting at a certified Pro Tools
training center.

Products and Developers

Learn about Avid
products; download demo software or learn about
our Development Partners and their plug-ins, ap­plications, and hardware.

News and Events

Get the latest news from Avid or

sign up for a Pro Tools demo.

Chapter 1: Introduction 3

MachineControl Guide4

Chapter 2: Installing MachineControl

Before you install MachineControl, make sure that
you have already connected and verified operation
of your Pro Tools system. If you are using a
SYNC HD, refer to the

SYNC HD Guide to make

sure your equipment is installed and operating cor­rectly.

Cables and Connections

MachineControl requires its own connections be­tween Pro Tools hardware, the computer, and ex­ternal machines. Connections differ depending on
your Pro Tools audio interface, operating system,
and on which of the two MachineControl opera­tional modes you want to use: Serial Deck Control
mode or Remote 9-Pin Deck Emulation mode.

When using a supported third-party paddle
device with Pro Tools, you can use both
Serial Deck Control mode and Remote 9-Pin
Deck Emulation mode simultaneously. See
Chapter 7, “Using a Paddle Device in Local
Mode” for more information.

Cables

MachineControl comes with the following cables
and adapters, depending on your computer plat­form:

Mac Systems

Serial Deck Control Cable

to male 9-pin cable, for Deck Control.

Remote Deck Emulation Mode Cable

mini-DIN to female 9-pin cable, required for
Remote 9-Pin Deck Emulation.

Windows Systems

Serial Deck Control Cable

cable, for serial timecode and all other
MachineControl functions.

Turnaround Adapter

RS-232 to RS-422 cable, for Remote 9-Pin Deck
Emulation.

Do not substitute 9-pin or serial adapters for
either MachineControl cable. Each cable is
specifically wired for one operation mode.

Male 8-pin mini-DIN

Male 8-pin

RS-232 to RS-422

9-pin adapter, used with

Chapter 2: Installing MachineControl 5

Serial Deck Control Mode

Serial Deck Control mode supports bi-directional
communication between Pro Tools and a compati­ble external machine. With this feature you can:

• Synchronize to serial timecode

• Arm tracks on the machine remotely

• Control a transport from Pro Tools

• Configure machine settings and options.

For computers that do not have serial ports, a
supported USB serial adapter (not provided)
is required to make the MachineControl
connection. For a list of qualified USB serial
adapters, visit www.avid.com/compatibility.

Pro Tools HDX and HD Native Systems

With Pro Tools | HD Software and
Pro Tools | HDX or Pro Tools | HD Native hard­ware, you can use a Serial to 9-pin connection or a
9-pin to 9-pin connection for Serial Deck Control
mode.

Remote 9-Pin Deck Emulation
Mode

This mode enables a form of deck emulation in
Pro Tools. When the Remote 9-Pin Deck Emula­tion Mode cable is used on a supported system,
Pro Tools can respond to record-arming, transport,
and other standard 9-pin commands from an exter­nal machine.

While in Remote 9-Pin Deck Emulation mode,
Pro Tools always generates timecode, and can be
either the timecode master or a slave device.

 On Mac systems, use the Remote 9-Pin Emula-

tion Mode cable. This mode requires a supported
serial adapter connected to a computer USB port,
and a properly wired configuration. See Chapter 6,
“Remote 9-Pin Deck Emulation Mode” for details.

 On Windows systems, Remote 9-pin Deck Em-

ulation mode uses an RS-232 to RS-422 cable and
a Turnaround adapter connected to an available se­rial or COM port on the computer.

CPU to Deck Connection

This type of connection
yields the best performance, especially with linear
decks. Use the included Serial Deck Control cable
for this type of connection.

SYNC Peripheral to Deck Connection

This type
of connection is suitable for non-linear decks. If
you are using a SYNC peripheral, as many as two
machines can be connected to the two 9-pin Out
ports on the SYNC peripheral. You can control
one machine at a time, and switch between them
from within Pro Tools. These ports support all
MachineControl modes except Remote 9-Pin Deck
Emulation mode. For Remote Deck Emulation
mode on Mac systems, a supported USB serial
adapter is required.

MachineControl Guide6

Connecting Machines

This section describes how to connect machines
for Serial Control Mode or Remote 9-Pin Deck
Emulation Mode.

Connecting Machines for

Serial Control Mode

For Best Serial Deck Control

For best serial deck control, connect your
deck as follows:

To connect a deck to a Mac computer:

1 Connect a supported USB serial adapter (not

provided) to a USB port on the computer.

2 Connect the provided male mini DIN-8 serial to

male 9-pin D-sub Deck Control cable to the end
of the adapter.

3 Connect the end of the cable to the machine.

To connect a deck to a Windows computer:

 Do one of the following:

• Connect the computer’s COM port to the ma­chine, using the provided 9-pin RS-322 to
RS-422 cable.

• Use a supported USB serial adapter (not pro­vided) for computers that do not have a 9-pin se­rial connector to connect the machine to any
available USB port on the computer.

Connecting Machines for Remote 9-Pin
Deck Emulation Mode

To connect a machine for Remote 9-Pin Deck

Emulation mode (Mac Systems):

1 Connect a supported USB serial adapter (not

provided) to a USB port on the computer.

2 Connect the provided male mini DIN-8 serial to

female 9-pin Deck Emulation cable to the end
of the adapter.

3 Connect the end of the cable to the machine.

To connect a machine for Remote 9-Pin Deck

Emulation mode (Windows Systems):

 Connect the Turnaround adapter to the RS-322

to RS-422 cable, and connect them from an
available serial or COM port on your computer
to the 9-pin output of the machine.

Do not use the Serial port on your
Pro Tools | HDX card, HD | Native card,
HD | Native Thunderbolt, or the 9-pin ports on the
SYNC peripheral for Remote 9-Pin Deck Emula­tion mode. The Serial port should only be used for
SYNC peripheral connections.

For Limited Serial Deck Control (Non-Linear
Decks Only)

• Connect a standard 9-pin cable from one of the
9-pin Out ports on the SYNC peripheral to the 9­pin input of the machine. Due to performance
limitations, this configuration should be used
primarily with non-linear decks.

Chapter 2: Installing MachineControl 7

Using a Rosetta Stone Adapter
with MachineControl

(Windows Only)

Using the Rosetta Stone adapter with Machine­Control on Windows lets you increase reliability
for long cable runs for Serial Deck Control mode
or Remote mode.

A Rosetta Stone RS-232 to RS-422 adapter
(model 2/8 or 2/9) and additional RS-232 and
RS-422 cables are required.

Toincrease reliability in long cable runs in Remote

mode:

 Follow the instructions as described above

for setting up a Rosetta Stone converter for
an edit controller.

Authorizing MachineControl

MachineControl is automatically installed with
Pro Tools, but requires a valid MachineControl
option authorization in order to be enabled in
Pro Tools. The MachineControl feature set for
Pro Tools is automatically enabled if a valid
MachineControl authorization is detected on your
iLok.

Software is authorized using the iLok USB Smart
Key (iLok), manufactured by PACE Anti-Piracy.

iLok USB Smart Key

To increase reliability in long cable runs in Serial

Deck Control mode:

1 Connect the RS-232 cable from your com-

puter’s COM port into the RS-232 side of the
Rosetta Stone adapter.

2 Connect the RS-422 cable from the RS-422 side

of the Rosetta Stone to the deck or 9-pin patch
bay. If a longer run is needed, add more 9-pin
cable on the RS-422 end.

You can use either the new version of the iLok
(shown above) or the previous version of the
iLok to hold your authorizations.

An iLok can hold over 100 licenses for all of your
iLok-enabled software. Once a license for a given
piece of software is placed on an iLok, you can use
the iLok to authorize that software on any com­puter.

An iLok USB Smart Key is not supplied with
plug-ins or software options. You can use the
iLok included with certain Pro Tools systems
or purchase one separately.

MachineControl Guide8

To authorize MachineControl:

1 If you do not have an iLok.com account, visit

www.iLok.com and sign up for an account.

• Transfer the license for your software to your
iLok.com account by doing the following:

• Visit www.avid.com/activation.

• Input your Activation Code (listed on your Acti­vation Card) and your iLok.com User ID. Your
iLok.com User ID is the name you create for
your iLok.com account.

2 Transfer the licenses from your iLok.com

account to your iLok USB Smart Key by do­ing the following:

• Insert the iLok into an available USB port on
your computer.

• Go to www.iLok.com and log in.

• Follow the on-screen instructions for
transferring your licenses to your iLok.

For more information, visit the iLok website
(www.iLok.com).

3 Launch Pro Tools.

4 If you have any unauthorized software

installed, you are prompted to authorize it.
Follow the on-screen instructions to complete
the authorization process.

Starting Up Your System

To ensure that the components of your Pro Tools
system communicate properly with each other and
your external machines, start them in a particular
order.

Start up your Pro Tools system in this order:

1 For systems with an expansion chassis, turn on

the chassis.

2 Turn on any external hard drives. Wait approx-

imately ten seconds for them to come up to
speed.

3 Turn on any external machines (VTR, ATR,

synchronizer, and monitors).

4 Turn on any MIDI interfaces, MIDI devices and

synchronization peripherals.

5 Lower the volume of all output devices in your

system.

6 Turn on Pro Tools audio interfaces. Wait at

least fifteen seconds for your system hardware
to initialize.

7 Turn on your computer.

8 Launch Pro Tools.

Machine Local and Remote
Modes

Removing MachineControl

The MachineControl feature set for Pro Tools is
automatically enabled if a valid MachineControl
authorization is detected on your iLok. To disable
the MachineControl option on your system, trans­fer your MachineControl option authorization to
another iLok (or simply remove the authorized
iLok from your system).

Be sure to set your machine-controllable device to
“remote” or “ext” mode to receive the 9-pin infor­mation (not “local” or front-panel mode). With
some supported machines, if all other communica­tion is established and the machine is not in remote
mode, Pro Tools will indicate machine “local”
mode.

Chapter 2: Installing MachineControl 9

MachineControl Guide10

Chapter 3: MachineControl Communication Modes

MachineControl supports two machine communi­cation modes: Serial Deck Control mode and Re­mote 9-Pin Deck Emulation mode.

Serial Deck Control Mode

With Serial Deck Control mode, you can use the
Pro Tools Transport window to control an
external deck.

Online button, Right-click to set Transport Master

Transport

The setting of the Transport Master determines the
type of Serial Deck Control, as follows:

Transport = Pro Tools

controls the Pro Tools Timeline. When online, the
deck locates relative to actions taken in the
Pro Tools Timeline.

The Transport window

Transport = MMC

MIDI Machine Control (MMC). When Pro Tools
is Online, the Pro Tools Timeline chases MMC.

The Transport window controls

Cueing and Pre-Roll

Pro Tools Preference settings let you optimize
MachineControl operation, including adjustable
machine pre-roll, selectable edit and memory loca­tion chasing.

Pro Tools sessions can be as long as 24
hours. MachineControl features are dis­abled for the final minutes of the 24-hour
period, to allow for pre-roll to be used at
the beginning of the session without un­wanted machine shuttling.

Track Arming

When the Transport Master is set to Transport =
Machine, you can arm tracks of external machines
from within Pro Tools for layback and transfer.
Features include individual record enables for up
to 48 external tracks, with selectable record proto­col and mode. Machine profiles included with the
software let you pre-configure track arming for
many machine types.

Transport = Machine

trols the machine. When Pro Tools is Online, the
Pro Tools Timeline chases the machine.

The Transport window con-

Chapter 3: MachineControl Communication Modes 11

Serial Timecode

When the Positional Reference is set to Serial

Timecode

can control an external machine via the Serial
Deck Control cable. This setting also enables
Pro Tools to receive timecode directly using only
the Serial Deck Control cable.

(This mode requires that the 9-pin device be capa­ble of transmitting serial timecode. It also requires
that the Pro Tools and the device receive a com­mon video reference.)

in the Session Setup window, Pro Tools

Remote 9-Pin Deck Emulation Mode

With Remote 9-Pin Deck Emulation mode (also
called Remote 9-Pin mode), an external synchro­nizer can take control over Pro Tools transport and
recording functions.

Pro Tools responds to commands sent by the mas­ter 9-pin machine controller, but because
Pro Tools is in Remote mode, many of its transport
commands are locked out.

Using a Paddle Device in Local
Mode

When using MachineControl in Local mode with
or without an external synchronizer, you can use a
supported third-party paddle device to issue the
following Pro Tools track commands:

• Input monitoring

• Record Enable

• Record Safe

• Solo

• Solo Mute

See Chapter 7, “Using a Paddle Device in
Local Mode.”

Remote and Remote/LTC Chase
Modes

When using an external machine controller to con­trol Pro Tools, you can configure Pro Tools to em­ulate a 9-pin deck in either of the following modes:

Remote mode

can be the timecode master or timecode slave.

Remote/LTC Chase mode

device that receives track and transport arming
commands, while chasing incoming LTC.

Pro Tools emulates a device that

Pro Tools emulates a

Track Arming

In Remote Deck Emulation mode, you can arm
Pro Tools tracks from an external machine.

Features include remote control of individual re­cord enables for up to 48 tracks, with selectable re­cord protocol and mode. Included factory and user
programmable profiles let you configure track
arming for any machine type.

For arming tracks during playback, refer to
the TrackPunch and DestructivePunch fea­ture description in the Pro Tools Reference
Guide.

MachineControl Guide12

Chapter 4: Setting Up Machine Control

Online and Offline Operation

Pro Tools can remotely control, or be controlled
by, any approved enabled external device. You can
select a device by using the Transport Master se­lector in the Transport window.

Transport online, Transport = Machine

(9-pin Deck Control)

To trigger Pro Tools playback or recording from
an external source, the Pro Tools Transport needs
to be online. There are four ways to put the
Pro Tools Transport online:

• Click the Online button in the Transport win­dow.

• Choose

• Press Command+J (Mac) or Control+J (Win­dows).

• Press Option+Spacebar (Mac) or Alt+Spacebar
(Windows).

Options > Transport Online.

The Online button in the Transport window
indicates online status. It flashes while enabled and
waiting for synchronization, and stays lit when
lock is achieved.

Transport Controls

With MachineControl, the Pro Tools Transport
window becomes a multi-function controller.

Counter Display

The Pro Tools Edit window counter displays the
current machine (9-pin) or session timecode loca­tion, depending on which device is the Transport
Master, plus any current Session Start Time Off­sets being applied. (See “External Timecode Off­sets” on page 23 for more information.)

The Incoming Time display in the Session Setup
window always shows absolute incoming time­code, without any offsets.

Pro Tools can generate LTC while the
Transport is online, but only when Posi­tional Reference is set to Serial Timecode.

Chapter 4: Setting Up Machine Control 13

Transport Master

Transport = Machine

To selecting the Transport Master:

 Right-click the Online button in the Transport

and select

Machine

Selecting the Transport Master

Transport = Pro Tools

Transport > Pro Tools or Transport >

.

You can also press Control+backslash (\) to
toggle between Pro Tools, the Machine,
and Remote transport (or, on a Pro Tools
control surface, press EXT TRANS).

In this mode, the controls in the Transport
window are focused on Pro Tools playback and re­cording.

When the transport is online, the machine slaves to
Pro Tools, and the session locks to the machine’s
timecode. The machine follows Preferences for
Machine Chase and Online Record.

When the transport is offline, the Pro Tools Trans­port window controls Pro Tools only.

In this mode, the controls in the Transport window
are focused on the machine connected and enabled
for Serial Deck Control mode. Record commands
are sent to the machine only.

When the transport is online, Pro Tools slaves to
the machine. The Transport window controls the
machine, and Pro Tools chases and locks to it.

In addition, when -Spot is turned on, clips are spot­ted to the current machine time, and the Trim tool
trims to the current machine time.

See the Pro Tools Reference Guide
for details on Auto-Spotting.

When the transport is offline, the Pro Tools Trans­port window controls the machine only.

Toggling the Transport while
Online

When the Transport window is online, toggling the
Transport Master between Pro Tools and your ma­chine will also toggle their master/slave relation­ship.

Toggling the Online Status of a
Device

Use the Online pop-up menu in the Transport Mas­ter selector to toggle the online status of a Machine
device.

To put a device online (or offline):

 Right-click the Online button in the Transport

and select (or deselect)

Online > Machine.

MachineControl Guide14

Online > Pro Tools or

Device choices depend on the current Transport
Master and which devices have been set up in
Pro Tools.

Online menu in Transport window

The Online pop-up menu will only display de­vices that have been properly set up in
Pro Tools.

To set up machine devices, see Chapter 5,
“Serial Deck Control Mode.”

To set up MIDI devices, see the Pro Tools
Reference Guide.

Online Display Information

Several display elements of the Edit and Transport
windows provide machine status information
during MachineControl use, as follows:

• When Pro Tools is online, the Transport Online
button flashes. “Waiting for Sync” will be dis­played in the status box in the lower left corner
of the Edit window.

• The Transport Online button continues to flash
until you click Play and timecode lock occurs
(all devices locked and responding in sync).

• The Timecode display in the Edit window shows
the Machine Time when the machine is Master.

• Upon lockup, the Timecode display switches to
show the session time.

• When set to 9-pin Deck mode, the Online button
icon updates to show a 9-pin icon.

Remote Mode

In Remote 9-Pin Deck Emulation mode, you put
Pro Tools in Remote mode to enable Machine
Control operation.

When you put Pro Tools in Remote mode, it re­sponds to commands sent by the master 9-Pin ma­chine. Many Pro Tools commands, including
transport controls, are inactive in the Transport
window.

When you take Pro Tools out of Remote mode, it
operates in Local mode and ignores commands
from the 9-pin machine controller. Pro Tools re­sponds only to requests from the 9-pin machine
controller for machine type and status, and returns
that it is in Local mode.

To put Pro Tools in Remote mode:

1 Choose View > Transport > Synchronization.

2 Click the Remote button in the Transport

window.

Remote button in the Transport window

For more information on Remote mode in
Pro Tools, see Chapter 6, “Remote 9-Pin Deck
Emulation Mode.”

Chapter 4: Setting Up Machine Control 15

MachineControl Guide16

Chapter 5: Serial Deck Control Mode

Serial Deck Control mode is available whenever
MachineControl is connected using the Serial
Deck Control cable. For more information about
connecting Pro Tools for Serial Deck Control
mode, see Chapter 2, “Installing MachineCon­trol.”

When connected for Serial Deck Control mode,
MachineControl enables all Pro Tools track arm­ing, synchronization, and Transport features, as
available on your system. Serial Deck Control
mode also supports 9-pin serial timecode (see “Us­ing Serial Timecode for Positional Reference” on
page 19). Some features require a SYNC periph­eral, as noted throughout this chapter.

For information on track arming, see “Re­mote Track Arming” on page 28.

Configuring Pro Tools | Software for Serial Deck Control (Overview)

To configure Pro Tools for Serial Deck Control, do

the following:

1 Open an existing session or create a new

session.

2 Set up a MachineControl device. (See “Config-

uring a MachineControl Device for Deck Con­trol” on page 17.)

3 Configure Pro Tools Machine Control prefer-

ences and Online Options in the Preferences di­alog. (See“Preferences for Serial Deck Control
Mode” on page 19.)

4 Configure Pro Tools session settings in the Ses-

sion Setup window. (See“Session Setup Win­dow and MachineControl” on page 21.)

5 In the Pro Tools Transport window, select

Pro Tools or Machine as the Transport Master.
(See “Selecting Pro Tools or the Machine as the
Transport Master” on page 25.)

6 Use the Transport window to play back mate-

rial. (See “Playback in Serial Deck Control
Mode” on page 26.)

Configuring a MachineControl Device for Deck Control

To set up a MachineControl device:

1 In Pro Tools, choose Setup > Peripherals.

2 If you are using a SYNC peripheral, click the

Synchronization tab and select Enable
SYNC HD

3 Click the Machine Control tab in the Peripherals

dialog.

.

Chapter 5: Serial Deck Control Mode 17

4 In the 9-pin Machine Control (Deck Control)

section, select

Configuring MachineControl for Serial Deck Control

5 Select the 9-pin MachineControl port from the

Port pop-up menu.

Enable.

Do not use the designated machine serial
port for any other function (such as timecode
or MIDI metronome). Make sure that 9-pin is
the only communication on the selected port.

6 Choose the appropriate machine profile from

Machine Type pop-up menu.

the

Pro Tools lets you define and save custom
machine profiles. See “Remote Track Arm­ing” on page 28 for more information.

7 Set machine pre-roll for use when the Transport

Master is set to Pro Tools. (See “Machine Pre­Roll” on page 18 for more information.)

Machine pre-roll is different from the main
Transport pre-roll that is set in the Transport
window.

If you are using a SYNC peripheral and your
machine has timecode reader capability, you
can use serial timecode for Positional Refer­ence.

8 Click OK to close the Peripherals dialog.

Machine Pre-Roll

You can set a variable amount of machine pre-roll
to account for the time it may take the machine to
achieve servo lock. Shorter pre-roll values are usu­ally better for non-linear machines. Longer pre-roll
values are usually better for older tape transports.

The Machine pre-roll value is added to any pre-roll

specified in the Pro Tools Transport window.

To set MachineControl pre-roll:

1 In Pro Tools, choose Setup > Peripherals, and

click the

2 In the 9-pin Machine Control (Deck Control)

Machine Control tab.

section, type the number of frames of pre-roll in

Preroll box.

the

3 Click OK.

Selecting Machines in Serial
Deck Control Mode

When using a SYNC HD with machines connected
to each of its two 9-pin ports, or to serial ports on
the computer, use the Peripherals dialog to choose
which machine to control.

To select a machine for Serial Deck Control mode:

1 In Pro Tools, choose Setup > Peripherals and

click the

2 In the 9-pin Machine Control (Deck Control)

section select

3 Choose SYNC 9-Pin Out 1 or SYNC 9-Pin

Out 2,

pop-up menu.

Machine Control tab.

Enable.

or an available serial port from the Port

4 Choose the appropriate machine profile from

Machine Type pop-up menu.

the

5 Click OK to close the Peripherals dialog.

MachineControl Guide18

Using Serial Timecode for
Positional Reference

If you are using a SYNC HD and your machine has
9-pin serial timecode capability, you can use serial
timecode for positional reference. This improves
lockup times.

To use serial timecode for positional reference, a
Video Reference signal must be present, as indi­cated by the Ref Present indicator in the Session
Setup and Edit windows. Both the SYNC periph­eral and the external machine should be locked to
the same video reference signal.

3 In the Transport window, click the Gen LTC

button.

Gen LTC button in Transport window

Preferences for Serial Deck Control Mode

When using Serial Timecode for positional refer­ence, you can regenerate LTC.

To enable Serial Timecode:

1 Choose Setup > Session.

2 Choose Serial Timecode from the Positional

Reference

Choosing Serial timecode in the Session Setup
window

To regenerate LTC when locking to Serial
Timecode:

1 Choose Setup > Session.

2 Choose Serial Timecode from the Positional

Reference

pop-up menu.

pop-up menu.

You can configure preferences for Machine­Control playback and recording in Pro Tools.

Playback Options

Machine Control Section

Machine Chases Memory Location

lected, navigating to a specific location in a session
with a Memory Location causes a connected trans­port to chase to that location.

Machine Follows Edit Insertion/Scrub

lected, navigating to a specific location in a session
by moving the selection point or by scrubbing a
track will cause a connected transport to chase to
that location.

 When the connected device is a linear device

(such as a tape deck), select

Linear Devices (jog) to

set Pro Tools to send jog commands.

 When the connected device is a non-linear de-

vice (such as a random-access video recorder or
another Pro Tools system), select

vices (cue)

to set Pro Tools to send cue commands.

When se-

When se-

Non-Linear De-

Machine Cues Intelligently

When selected, if you
navigate to a cue point that is more than 10 seconds
from the current location, Pro Tools will command
a connected transport to fast wind to the new loca-

Chapter 5: Serial Deck Control Mode 19

tion at full speed to within 10 seconds of the cue
point. Cueing will then slow to normal speed until
the point is reached. This can significantly speed
up tape cueing with certain video transports.

Stop at Shuttle Speed Zero

Causes Pro Tools to
send a Stop command whenever you stop shut­tling. This is useful if you have a machine that re­quires an explicit stop command to park
correctly.

Non-Linear Transport Error Suppression

When
Transport = Pro Tools, keeps Pro Tools from send­ing a Stop command when taken offline. This pre­vents Pro Tools from stopping any other 9-pin de­vices connected to the system.

Synchronization Section

Minimum Sync Delay

Sets the amount of time (in
frames) for devices to achieve synchronization
“lock.” This amount varies for each device.
Pro Tools lock up delay is set by entering a value

Minimum Sync Delay in the Synchronization

for
page of the Preferences dialog. The lowest value
available is 15 frames. Find the shortest possible
lock-up time that your equipment can operate at
consistently, and set this as the delay value.

Delay Before Locking to Longitudinal Timecode

Sets the amount of time (in frames) for Pro Tools
to lock to incoming LTC. Use this option when
locking Pro Tools to a stable timecode source
(such as a non-linear machine or LTC generator)
and not a linear tape machine.

To set Machine Control playback options:

1 Choose Setup > Preferences, and click the Syn-

chronization

2 Select or set Machine Control options.

3 Click OK to close the Preferences dialog.

tab.

Recording Options

Record Online at Timecode (or ADAT)

When selected, online recording begins as

Lock

soon as Pro Tools receives and locks to incoming
timecode.

Record Online at Insertion/Selection

lected, online recording begins at the edit cursor
location. Recording continues until Pro Tools
stops receiving timecode. If you make a selection,
Pro Tools records online for the length of the se­lection.

To set Serial Deck Control mode recording

options:

1 Choose Setup > Preferences, and click the

Operation tab.

2 Select or set the above Online options in the Re-

cord section.

3 Click OK to close the Preferences dialog.

When se-

Delay Before Locking to Serial Timecode

Sets
the amount of time (in frames) for Pro Tools to
wait before attempting to lock to machines that is­sue servo lock messages. This setting allows time
for the servo mechanisms to achieve stable lock.

MachineControl Guide20

Session Setup Window and MachineControl

Clock Source

Session Format

and settings

Show/Hide button

SYNC Setup

External
Timecode
Offsets

Show/Hide button

Timecode
Settings

Freewheel settings

Figure 1. Session Setup window

The Session Setup window has three sections.

Format

Includes displays and controls for time­code-related settings on your system, as well as
certain session format settings (such as bit depth,
pan depth, audio format, and interleaved).

SYNC Setup & Timecode Offsets

Lets you set
Clock Reference and Positional Reference, Video
Reference format, and Video Input format.

Timecode Settings

Lets you configure Timecode
Freewheel settings and Audio and Video Pull
Up/Down amounts.

Sample
offset

Pull Up/
Pull Down
settings

To show SYNC Setup and Timecode Offsets:

 Click the SYNC Setup and Timecode Offsets

show/hide button.

To show Timecode settings:

 Click the Timecode Settings show/hide but-

ton.

Chapter 5: Serial Deck Control Mode 21

Session Settings for
MachineControl

Clock Source, Clock and Positional
Reference Settings

Use the steps in this section to quickly configure
the basic session settings for MachineControl.

Basic Session Settings

Confirm the following settings for each session.

To configure a session for MachineControl:

1 Open an existing session or create a new one.

2 Choose Setup > Session.

3 In the Format section, do the following:

• Set a

Session start time.

• Set the session

Feet+Frames Rate.

Basic session settings in the Session Setup window

Timecode Rate and

Session Start Time

Timecode Rate
Feet+Frames Rate

The Session Setup window provides selectors for
the system Clock Source, as well as Clock Refer­ence and Positional Reference. These settings must
be configured based on the signal connections be­tween Pro Tools, the SYNC peripheral, and exter­nal devices.

To configure Clock Source and Reference

settings:

1 Choose Setup > Session.

2 In the Format section, select a Clock Source (a

SYNC peripheral or an Avid HD audio inter­face) from the

3 In the SYNC Setup section, select a Clock Ref-

erence

4 In the SYNC Setup section, set the appropriate

Video Reference and Video In formats.

Video Ref format

Video In format

Clock Source pop-up menu.

and Positional Reference.

Video Ref and Video In format selectors

See the SYNC HD Guide for more information
on setting Clock Reference, Positional Refer­ence, Video Reference, and Video In formats.

MachineControl Guide22

Testing Session Settings

Sample Offset

To check your session and MachineControl set­tings, place the machine in Local mode and manu­ally start playback on the external machine. If
Pro Tools is receiving timecode, the current loca­tion will be shown in the Incoming Time display.
Be sure to reset the machine to Remote mode when
finished.

Incoming Time display

External Timecode Offsets

In the External Timecode Offsets section,
Pro Tools lets you compensate for devices that are
consistently offset by a fixed number of frames
(such as some color–corrected video masters), or
for material that starts at a different time than the
session.

Pro Tools provides four different External Time­code Offset settings:

• MMC (MIDI Machine Control)

• 9-Pin (Deck Control)

• Synchronization peripherals such as the

SYNC HD or other peripherals (such as MIDI
interfaces that provide MIDI Timecode).

• Satellite (Pro Tools with Satellite Link or Video

Satellite)

Unique values can be defined for each of these
types of offsets, or you can link all to adjust in uni­son.

This field lets you set an offset value for incoming
timecode (up to the equivalent of plus or minus one
frame at the current session sample rate). This lets
you create a permanent offset to fine-tune the point
at which Pro Tools synchronizes relative to incom­ing timecode. For example, a value of –50 makes
an event in Pro Tools occur 50 samples before the
same event in the incoming timecode. Use this to
compensate for timing differences between vari­ous SMPTE-to-MIDI Timecode converters or ana­log-to-digital/digital-to-analog converters.

Offsets and SYNC Timecode Display

The timecode display on the front panel of the
SYNC peripheral continues to display actual in­coming timecode, regardless of any External
Timecode Offset applied in Pro Tools.

To apply an offset to an external timecode source:

 In the Session Setup window, enter an offset

value time in an offset field.

External Timecode Offsets in the Session Setup
window

To apply the same timecode offset to all devices:

 In the Session Setup window, select Link to ap-

ply the same offset value to all devices.

Positive and negative offset values can be entered
to offset Pro Tools timecode display later or ear­lier, respectively.

Chapter 5: Serial Deck Control Mode 23

Timecode Settings

The Timecode settings control timecode genera­tion, Freewheel, and session Pull Up and Pull
Down options.

To redefine the current timecode location:

1 Enable Link Edit/Timeline.

2 Click the Grid mode selector. This ensures that

your selection is on a frame boundary.

Configure these settings as appropriate for the cur­rent project and situation. (For complete instruc­tions, refer to the Pro Tools Reference Guide
and the SYNC HD Guide.)

Additional Pro Tools Commands

The following commands are available in all
MachineControl operating modes.

Current Timecode Position

Use this command to redefine the current timecode
position and session start time. By creating an in­sertion point (or Edit selection), and then entering
the desired new timecode position for that loca­tion, the session start time will be recalculated
based on the new, relative timecode
location.

For example, if you place an insertion point at
01:02:04:11, choose

Position

, and enter 01:00:08:00 to correspond to
the first frame of film, this adjusts the session start
time such that the insertion point location is now
01:00:08:00.

Setup > Current Timecode

3 Locate Pro Tools to the beginning of the rele-

vant material (usually the first audio of a scene,
a 2 pop, or similar).

4 If appropriate, cue the external timecode source

to the location where you want to align the cur­rent Pro Tools insertion point. Note the time­code location, or copy it to the clipboard.

5 Choose Setup > Current Timecode Position.

6 Type the new timecode position in the Desired

Timecode Position

text box, or paste the time­code position into the text box, if you copied it
to the clipboard.

7 Click OK.

Current Feet+Frames Position

Use this command to redefine the Feet+Frames po­sition at the current insertion point (or the Timeline
Selection In Point).

Redefining Feet+Frames does not redefine
the session start time.

MachineControl Guide24

Typically, this command is used for integrating
test tones, pre-roll, and similar pre-program mate­rial into the Pro Tools session ahead of the first
hour timecode position on the Timeline. In most
cases when working on reels of film, the user will
want to set the first hour mark in the session to
equal 0+0 feet and frames, to line up properly with
the start of the Academy leader for each reel of
film.

To set a relative frame position for a session

(Feet+Frames):

1 Enable Link Edit/Timeline.

2 Click the Grid mode selector. This ensures that

your selection is on a frame boundary.

3 With the Selector tool, click in a track (or make

a selection) where you want to redefine the po­sition.

4 Choose Setup > Current Feet+Frames Position.

5 Enter a Feet+Frame position in the Desired

Feet+Frames Position

6 Click OK.

Create Machine Track Arming Profile

text box.

The Create Machine Track Arming Profile com­mand lets you create and save machine descrip­tions as Machine Profiles. Profiles are provided for
an ever-increasing list of common machines, or
you can customize profiles for specific situations
and requirements. Options include the ability to
emulate a different machine type, remap and re­name audio tracks, and choose to include or ex­clude the video and timecode tracks, when avail­able. For more information, see “Creating a Track
Arming Profile” on page 29.

Selecting Pro Tools or the Machine as the Transport Master

In Serial Deck Control mode, the deck is always
the timecode master. However, the start of ma­chine playback changes based on the Transport
Master mode you are using.

The setting of the Transport Master (located in the
Pro Tools Transport window) determines where
the deck will start playback when the Pro Tools
Transport sends a play command to the deck Con­trol, as follows:

Transport = Pro Tools

In this mode, the Transport window controls the
Pro Tools Timeline position (playback and record­ing). When you click Play in the Transport window
while it is online, the deck locates relative to the
current Pro Tools Timeline.

 When the Transport window is online, the ma-

chine locates to a position ahead of the current

Timeline insertion point. This location ahead is

equal to the sum of the machine pre-roll and the

Transport pre-roll. Once the machine has located

to this total pre-roll position, it plays, sending
timecode to Pro Tools, which chases that incoming
timecode. The machine follows the Preferences
settings for Serial Deck Control. (See “Preferences
for Serial Deck Control Mode” on page 19.)

 When the Transport window is offline, the

Pro Tools Transport window controls Pro Tools
only.

 All record commands are sent to Pro Tools, not

the machine.

Chapter 5: Serial Deck Control Mode 25

Transport = Machine

In this mode, the Transport window controls the
machine connected and enabled for Serial Deck
Control mode. Record commands are sent to the
machine only. When online and a Play command is
given, the machine plays from its current location,
feeding timecode to Pro Tools, which chases that
incoming timecode from the deck.

2 From the Transport Master pop-up menu, select

Pro Tools or Machine.

Press Control+backslash (\) (Windows) or
Command+backslash (\) (Mac) to toggle
between available Transport Master
choices.

Toggling the Transport while Online

 When the Transport window is online,

Pro Tools chases the timecode coming from the
machine. The Transport window controls the ma­chine, and Pro Tools chases and locks to it.

 All record commands in this mode are directed

to the deck only.

 When Auto-Spot is turned on, clips are spotted

to the current machine time, and the Trim tool
trims to the current machine time.

For details on Auto-Spotting, see the

Pro Tools Reference Guide

 When the Transport is offline, the Pro Tools

Transport window controls the machine only.

To select a Transport Master:

1 In Pro Tools, Right-click the Online button in

the Transport to display the Transport Master
pop-up menu.

Online button in the Pro Tools Transport window

When the Online button is highlighted, toggling
the Transport Master between Pro Tools and Ma­chine also toggles their master/slave relationship.

Playback in Serial Deck Control Mode

To play or cue your machine independently of

Pro Tools:

1 Make sure Pro Tools is not online (the Online

button in the Transport window is not flashing).

2 Right-click the Online button in the Pro Tools

Transport and select

3 Click any of the buttons in the Pro Tools Trans-

port window to control your machine.

Pro Tools always displays incoming LTC or 9-pin
time in the incoming time field in the Session
Setup window during fast-wind, and switches
during playback to display the current positional
reference.

To automatically locate your deck to pre-roll into

your current Timeline insertion time each time you
play back:

1 Make sure Pro Tools is not online (the Online

button in the Transport window is not flashing).

2 Right-click the Online button in the Pro Tools

Transport and select

Transport > Machine.

Transport > Pro Tools.

3 Put Pro Tools online.

4 Click Play in the Transport window.

MachineControl Guide26

If the tape in the machine is striped with timecode
that matches your Session time, the machine will
locate to the total pre-roll position ahead of the
Pro Tools on-screen selection/insertion point or
memory location, and begin playing back.
Pro Tools will chase its timecode output.

Machine Remote Setting

To fast forward and rewind in Search mode:

1 Right-click the Online button in the Pro Tools

Transport and select

2 Click Play in the Transport window or press the

Transport > Machine.

Spacebar to begin machine playback, then press
the Spacebar again to pause the machine (this is
to ensure that the tape is laced).

If the Transport Master selector will not stay set to
Machine, or if it switches to Pro Tools from Ma­chine, check your machine’s Local/Remote set­ting. It should be set to Remote to receive com­mands from the Pro Tools Transport.

Machine Cueing

MachineControl provides two Cue modes for re­mote machine operation: Search and Hi-speed.

 In Search mode, the tape remains laced during

Fast Forward or Rewind.

 In Hi-speed mode, the tape is unlaced before

fast-forward/rewind. The Transport window indi­cates the status of the tape as described below.

Search Mode

In Search mode, the tape is laced against the heads
when the machine is paused or searching, and the
Stop button stays lit (it does not flash) and the Play
button flashes. When cueing in this mode, the Fast
Forward or Rewind button also lights when search­ing in either direction.

3 Click Fast Forward or Rewind in the Transport

window to search the tape.

Some devices, including several popular
VHS decks, do not support a shuttle mode in
which the tape stays laced. These decks un­lace the tape before shuttling. Refer to your
tape machine’s guide for more information.

Hi-Speed Mode

In Hi-speed mode, the tape is unlaced, and all
Transport window buttons are dark. When you cue
in this mode, only the selected Fast Forward or Re­wind button lights.

To fast forward and rewind in Hi-speed mode:

1 Right-click the Online button in the Pro Tools

Transport and select

2 To unlace the tape, click Stop in the Transport

Transport > Machine.

window or press Command+period(.).

3 Click Fast Forward or Rewind in the Transport

window. The Pro Tools cursor indicates the cur­rent machine location.

4 Press the Spacebar to pause the machine.

Some devices may not support all shuttle
modes, and may not accept the above shuttle
commands. In these cases, the Fast Forward
and Rewind buttons in the Pro Tools Trans­port window flash, and clicking them places
the device in true Fast Forward /
Rewind mode.

Chapter 5: Serial Deck Control Mode 27

Spotting to the Machine

To spot clips to the machine’s current location, use
Pro Tools Spot mode or Auto-Spot (if using
VITC).

See the Pro Tools Reference Guide for informa­tion on using Spot and Auto-Spot mode to spot
clips to incoming SMPTE timecode locations.

Auto-Spot mode uses incoming VITC for loca­tion information. Therefore, Auto-Spot mode
will force the clip to be spotted to the current
incoming machine timecode location, not the
current insertion cursor location. To spot your
elements directly to the current cursor loca­tion, Control-drag (Mac) or Right-click and
drag (Windows) the elements.

Remote Track Arming

Pro Tools with MachineControl provides the abil­ity to record-arm audio, video, or timecode tracks
on external decks, and rehearse an edit.

Even if your machine is not directly supported, the
Track Arming window lets you arm tracks, set the
Record Protocol and configure the Record mode
for the machine.

You can also define, save, and load customized de­vice profiles. (See “Creating a Track Arming Pro­file” on page 29.)

Not all machines support independent arming
of their audio tracks locally or remotely, and
some machines require a separate utility
menu selection. Pro Tools remote track arm­ing cannot operate in these situations.

Identifying Your Machine

When you configure Pro Tools for Machine­Control, it automatically loads the track arming
profile for the identified machines.

For more information on basic Pro Tools
settings for MachineControl, see “Config­uring a MachineControl Device for Deck
Control” on page 17.

On MachineControl-equipped systems, the Ma­chine Track Arming command is available in the
Pro Tools Window menu. The Machine Track
Arming window lets you configure track arming
during sessions using the settings appropriate for
the current Track Arming Profile. (See “Identify­ing Your Machine” on page 28.)

To display the Machine Track Arming window:

 Choose Window > Machine Track Arming.

Configuring Track Arming

Pro Tools provides automatic, direct support for
track configuration of most common video decks.
If your deck is supported, MachineControl identi­fies and displays your machine’s track layout.

MachineControl Guide28

If Pro Tools does not recognize your machine, or if
you want your machine to emulate a different type
of device (for example, to use a different track lay­out), you can load a generic machine profile.

If you are using a generic machine profile,
be sure to double-check record behavior
using non-essential tapes before using
MachineControl’s remote track arming
functions.

For maximum flexibility, use Track Arming Pro­files to create, customize, and manage multiple
machine descriptions (see “Creating a Track Arm­ing Profile” on page 29).

Creating a Track Arming Profile

The Create Track Arming Profile dialog provides
extensive control over Pro Tools track arming.
You can customize arming, track naming, and
mapping, and save configurations for different ma­chines as Track Arming Profile files. These Pro­files can be imported to quickly reconfigure Track
Arming as needed for future projects. You can also
test track mapping, and remap tracks if needed.

Use the Create Track Arming Profile feature to
create profiles for machines that may not be in­cluded with Pro Tools, and to manage multiple
profiles.

To create a machine Track Arming Profile:

1 Choose Setup > Machine Track Arming Profiles.

Configuring a Profile

The Create Track Arming window lets you specify
track names and track mapping.

Customizing Names for Track Arming
Buttons

You can rename the Track Arm buttons displayed
in each Track Arming Profile to better describes
the recording taking place. For example, an eight
track profile might be easier to use with tracks
named Dx-L, Dx-R, FX-L, FX-R, Mx-L, Mx-R,
Lt, and Rt, for eight tracks comprised of stereo Di­alog, stereo FX, stereo Music, and an Lt-Rt mix.

To edit the name of a track arming button:

1 In the Create Machine Track Arming Profile di-

alog, double-click the Track Arm button you
want to rename.

When you create a new Track Arming
Profile, a Stop command is sent to any
connected machine to protect elements on
tape.

Choosing a Machine ID

To recognize your machine:

 In the Create Machine Track Arming Profile di-

alog, click

MachineControl queries the connected machine
for its machine ID, which is then displayed below
the Identify Machine button.

You can edit or replace the ID manually if needed.
See “Entering a New Byte Code” on page 30 for
more information.

Identify Machine.

2 Enter a new track name in the dialog, and click

OK.

Remapping Tracks

You can remap track buttons to target different
tracks on the machine.

To remap tracks:

1 In the Create Machine Track Arming Profile di-

alog, click the Track button you want to remap
to display its remap pop-up menu.

2 Do one of the following:

• Choose a new target track.

• Choose a different machine profile from the
Load Configuration selector.

Chapter 5: Serial Deck Control Mode 29

Reassigning the Byte Value for a Track

In a remote machine’s firmware, each record track
on the machine has a unique hexadecimal byte
code that tells the machine which track should be
armed when an arm command is received from a
remote master. The standard profile (the default
setup) corresponds to the Sony P-2 protocol, but
many decks have their own unique mapping of
byte codes to track numbers for a particular deck.

If an audio or video track, or the deck timecode
track do not arm when you click its corresponding
track arming button, you may need to assign a dif­ferent hex value to the button.

In Auto Edit mode, the record in/out points are
downloaded to the target deck (along with any pre­or post-roll), and the deck is responsible for per­forming the insert punch in/out at the specified
times (see “Rules for On-Screen Selections” on
page 31 for details).

Because this protocol removes the vagaries of
CPU timing from the remote recording process,
Auto Edit is frame-accurate. It is also the best way
to ensure that your machine will punch out cor­rectly and avoid accidental erasure of audio, even
in the event of a CPU error.

Punch In/Out

To select a different hex value for an individual

track arm button:

 Select another hex value byte code from the

Byte Code sub-menu for the appropriate track
arm button.

Entering a New Byte Code

As the Sony P2 protocol continues to expand, more
manufacturers add specific byte code commands
that may be listed in the current byte code list.
Pro Tools lets you create entirely new, custom byte
codes. This lets you enter additional byte com­mands as needed to support new features as they
are added to decks.

Choosing a Record Protocol

The Machine Track Arming window provides
the following two choices for configuring the
recording protocol of the target deck:

Auto Edit

This mode is a highly accurate way to ensure that
the target deck will record only within the bound­aries of an on-screen selection. (If your deck does
not support Auto Edit, use Punch In/Punch Out, as
explained below.)

This mode uses Pro Tools to control the process of
punch in/out. Instead of downloading the punch
points (as in Auto Edit), Pro Tools actually per­forms them during the record pass. Because serial
communication has inherent delays, timing with
Punch In/Punch Out mode cannot guarantee
frame-accuracy (though it will almost always be
within 2 to 3 frames).

Choosing a Record Mode

The Machine Track Arming window provides two
choices for Record mode:

Insert

Insert mode is used to perform insert editing
(punching in individual tracks) where one or more
audio tracks is replaced by new material and the
video material is retained.

Assemble

Use Assemble mode when you want to:

• Begin recording program onto a completely
blank tape (unformatted)

• Append program to the remainder of a tape
which already has program you want to keep

MachineControl Guide30

Assemble mode is not appropriate for audio lay­backs to video masters.

Assemble mode should be used carefully because
it arms all tracks on the target deck for recording—
including the video track, timecode track and con­trol track. When performing an Assemble edit, all
material on all tracks after the edit in point will be
replaced. Because a break in the control track will
result at the edit out point, any remaining program
material after an Assemble edit may be unusable.

To avoid accidentally recording over program ma­terial, experiment with Assemble and Insert modes
on a dispensable tape to familiarize yourself with
the edit capabilities of your deck.

Assemble mode replaces all the elements on
the target tape deck—audio, video and time­code. Use this mode with caution.

Rules for On-Screen Selections

The Record Protocol buttons allow you to choose
between the two different record protocol choices
described above (Auto Edit and Punch In/Punch
Out). Regardless of which choice is used, how­ever, Pro Tools follows these rules for record se­lection:

• If there is an on-screen selection, recording will
take place over the period of the selection and
punch out at the out point of the selection.

• If pre- or post-roll is enabled, recording takes
place only in the selection area, not during pre­or post-roll.

• If there is no selection (only a start location), re­cording will continue until it is manually
stopped.

• If you make a selection in Pro Tools that crosses
the “midnight” boundary (00:00:00:00), make
sure your deck can handle this situation. Exper­iment with a dispensable tape to familiarize
yourself with the crossover capabilities of your
deck.

Rehearsing a Layback to an
External Device

Before laying back audio to an external device,
you can rehearse the layback using Edit Preview
(Rehearse) mode. In Edit Preview mode, instead of
performing an edit insert (recording) on armed re­mote tracks, the input is monitored without record­ing.

While in Edit Preview mode, the Transport Record
button flashes yellow when armed and lights solid
yellow when rehearsing. Armed tracks are indi­cated by yellow track buttons in the Track Arming
window.

To rehearse a layback:

1 In Pro Tools, select the audio you want to re-

hearse for layback, or place the playback cursor
at a start point.

2 Choose Window > Machine Track Arming.

3 In the Track Arming window, select Edit Pre-

.

view

4 In the Track Arming window, arm the tracks

you want to rehearse by clicking the corre­sponding buttons. The buttons light yellow to
indicate armed status.

5 Right-click the Online button in the Pro Tools

Transport and select

Transport > Machine.

6 In the Pro Tools Transport window, click the

Online button to put Pro Tools online.

7 In the Pro Tools Transport window, click Re-

cord. The button flashes yellow to indicate Edit
Preview (Rehearse) mode.

Chapter 5: Serial Deck Control Mode 31

8 In the Pro Tools Transport window, click Play.

The machine cues to the selection in point or in­sert point and starts playing back. Pro Tools
then syncs to the deck, and the deck records as
determined by the settings for Record Protocol
and Record mode in the Track Arming window.

Arming Tracks Remotely for Layback

To arm tracks remotely for layback, you need to
first configure Track Arming for your machine.

To configure Track Arming:

1 Make sure your machine is properly connected

and configured to slave to Pro Tools.

2 Open the Track Arming window.

3 Select a Record Protocol (Auto Edit or Punch

In/Out).

4 Select a Record mode (Insert or Assemble).

Once the Track Arming options are
configured, you can change the Track
Arming window to “small view” and
still see the track arm buttons.

Your machine will cue to the selection start minus
all relevant pre-roll, then begin to play back.
Pro Tools will then sync to the deck, and the target
deck will record as determined by your settings for
Record Protocol and Record mode. If you did not
create an on-screen selection, deck recording will
continue until you manually stop playback.

To perform a layback:

1 In Pro Tools, select the audio to lay back, or

place the playback cursor at a start point.

2 In the Remote Track Arming window, arm the

appropriate tracks on the machine.

3 Right-click the Online button in the Pro Tools

Transport and select

4 Make sure the Pro Tools Transport is online.

5 Click Record in the Transport window to arm

Transport > Machine.

recording.

6 Click Play in the Transport window.

MachineControl Guide32

Chapter 6: Remote 9-Pin Deck Emulation Mode

Remote 9-Pin Deck Emulation mode makes
Pro Tools operate as a virtual tape deck, support­ing most standard Sony P2 9-pin commands. For a
list of supported commands, see “9-Pin Com­mands” on page 38.

By default, Pro Tools emulates a Sony BVW-75
model video deck. You can also configure
Pro Tools to emulate other machines. For more in­formation, see “Alternate Machine Types” on
page 35.

For instructions on connecting Pro Tools for
Remote 9-Pin Deck Emulation mode, see
Chapter 2, “Installing MachineControl.”

Generating Timecode in Remote 9-Pin
Deck Emulation Mode

Pro Tools with MachineControl and a SYNC
peripheral can generate frame-edge aligned time­code at 1x play speed while in Remote 9-Pin Deck
Emulation mode.

Configuring Remote 9-Pin Deck Emulation Mode

To configure Pro Tools for Remote 9-Pin Deck

Emulation mode:

1 Choose Setup > Peripherals, and click the

Synchronization tab.

2 Choose SYNC from the Device pop-up menu.

3 Click the Machine Control tab in the Peripherals

dialog.

4 In the 9-Pin Remote (Deck Emulation) section,

Enable.

select

Remote 9-Pin Deck Emulation mode settings

5 Select the 9-pin MachineControl port from the

Port pop-up menu.

6 Choose the appropriate machine profile from

Machine Type pop-up menu.

the

7 If you want Pro Tools to ignore transport com-

mands and just chase LTC, enable

8 Click OK to close the Peripherals dialog.

Chapter 6: Remote 9-Pin Deck Emulation Mode 33

Chase LTC.

9 In the Transport window, click the Remote but-

ton to put Pro Tools in Remote mode.

Remote button in Transport window

Selecting Full Remote Mode or
Remote/LTC Chase Mode

Remote 9-Pin Deck Emulation mode lets a master
device control Pro Tools track and transport arm­ing.

When Pro Tools is in Remote mode, Remote 9-pin
Deck Emulation operates in Full Remote mode or
in Remote/LTC Chase mode.

10 Choose Setup > Session, and ensure that the

following settings are configured:

• The

Clock Source should be set to SYNC.

• The

Clock Reference should be set to Video Ref-

.

erence

• If you did not enable

Reference

should be set to Generate. This is re-

Chase LTC, the Positional

quired for Pro Tools to lock to the video refer­ence with frame edge accuracy.

• If you enabled
should be set to LTC.

ence

11 If you will be recording, select a Record mode

Chase LTC, the Positional Refer-

by right-clicking (Windows or Mac) or Control­clicking (Mac) the Record button in the Trans­port window.

12 Begin machine playback.

See also “Optimizing Playback in Remote 9­Pin Deck Emulation Mode” on page 37.

When Pro Tools is not in Remote mode, it ignores
commands from the 9-pin machine controller.
Pro Tools responds only to requests from the 9-pin
machine controller for machine type and status,
and responds that it is in Local mode.

Full Remote Mode

In Remote 9-Pin Deck Emulation mode, when
Pro Tools is in Remote mode and Chase LTC is not
enabled, Pro Tools is in one of the two following
states:

• When the

Delay after Play Command preference

is set to zero, Pro Tools is set to function as the
timecode master. Pro Tools locates, then plays
when it gets a play command.

• When the

Delay after Play Command preference

is set towards 30 frames, another machine is the
timecode master. Pro Tools locates, sends time­code position responses, and when its timecode
lines up with the timecode master device, goes
into play in sync with the timecode master de­vice.

MachineControl Guide34

To set the timecode master in Full Remote mode:

1 Choose Setup > Preferences, and click the

Synchronization tab.

2 In the Remote Mode section, do one of the

following:

• Set the

Delay after Play Command preference to

zero, to set Pro Tools to behave as the timecode
master.

• Set the

Delay after Play Command preference

towards 30 frames, to set Pro Tools to behave as
a timecode slave device, by delaying playback
until its timecode can properly synchronize.

Generally, delay should only be added if
Pro Tools is having problems starting and
locking to a machine during playback or re­cord. For example, if Pro Tools tries to lock,
and the Transport window lights go from play
to shuttle or fast-forward to rewind many
times before locking, you should increase the
Delay After Play setting by a few frames.

Remote/LTC Chase Mode

When Chase LTC is enabled, Pro Tools can still
respond to track arming and record commands.
However, Pro Tools will chase incoming LTC in­stead of behaving as a master or slave device with
the machine controller. By slaving Pro Tools to the
LTC source instead of slaving the machine to
Pro Tools timecode, you can avoid the waiting
(and tape wear) that occurs while a machine trans­port locates and bumps tape to the cue point.

In Remote 9-Pin Deck Emulation mode, when
Pro Tools is in Remote Mode and Chase LTC is
enabled, it communicates record status to the ma­chine.

Receiving Commands While Chase LTC is
Enabled or Disabled

When Chase LTC is enabled, Pro Tools waits until
it receives only specific transport record and track
record commands from the machine.

Chase LTC is not enabled, Pro Tools listens

When
to all transport commands coming through the se­rial connection, including bump and crawl com­mands necessary for a tape machine to locate.

Scrubbing and Chase LTC

The Chase LTC option does not affect scrubbing.
Pro Tools video playback will always respond to
locate and scrubbing command, even if

Chase LTC

is enabled.

Alternate Machine Types

By default, MachineControl lets Pro Tools emu­late a Sony BVW-75. If you use a machine that fol­lows a different 9-pin command set, you can con­figure Pro Tools for that machine’s description.

To configure Pro Tools for an alternate machine:

1 Choose Setup > Peripherals, and click the

Machine Control tab.

2 In the 9-Pin Remote (Deck Emulation) section,

choose a machine profile from the

pop-up menu.

Type

3 Click OK.

Special settings have been created for specific ma­chine controllers (such as the Soundmaster ION).
When under the control of a specific machine con­troller, first check if there is a specific setting for
that machine controller.

Machine

Chapter 6: Remote 9-Pin Deck Emulation Mode 35

Preferences for Remote 9-Pin Deck Emulation Mode

Pro Tools provides the following preference set­tings to configure Remote 9-Pin Deck Emulation
Mode options.

Punch In Frame Offset

Sets an offset in frames to
compensate for punch-in timing advances or de­lays.

Punch Out Frame Offset

Sets an offset in frames
to compensate for punch-out timing advances or
delays.

Remote Mode Section

Ignore Track Arming

Sets Pro Tools to ignore in­coming track arming (record enable) commands.
This is useful if you are using a master controller to
arm tracks on other machines, but you do not want
to arm tracks in Pro Tools.

Set Servo Lock Bit At Play

Enable this option
when using a synchronizer to control Pro Tools in
Remote mode to minimize lock-up times during
recording.

Allow Track Arm Commands in Local Mode

En­ables a supported third-party paddle device to issue
the following Pro Tools track commands while in
Local mode:

• Input monitoring

• Record Enable

• Record Safe

• Solo

• Solo Mute

See “Using a Paddle Device in Local Mode”
on page 39.

Delay After Play Command

Sets the amount of
time (in frames) for Pro Tools to wait after receiv­ing a Play command before starting the audio en­gine. This can prevent false starts when locking to
synchronizers that are not fully supported by
Pro Tools.

See “Selecting Full Remote Mode or
Remote/LTC Chase Mode” on page 34
for more information.

To set Remote 9-Pin Deck Emulation mode

preferences:

1 Choose Setup > Preferences, and click the

Synchronization tab.

2 Select or set Machine Control options in the Re-

mote mode section:

3 Click OK to close the Preferences dialog.

MachineControl Guide36

Playback in Remote 9-Pin Deck Emulation Mode

Recording in Remote 9-Pin Deck Emulation Mode

Pro Tools plays back audio only when the received
command requires audio playback at 1X speed in
the forward direction. Reverse playback and vari­speed playback are not supported in Pro Tools.

Optimizing Playback in Remote 9-Pin
Deck Emulation Mode

When using Remote 9-Pin Deck Emulation mode
with an unsupported synchronizer, clicking Play
may display multiple nudge and bump messages
caused by Pro Tools attempting to achieve lock be­fore the master device has stabilized.

Delay After Play Command preference lets

The
you configure a short delay before Pro Tools at­tempts to lock with the master device. This allows
the master device to stabilize before Pro Tools
locks with it in order to avoid nudge and bump
messages.

See “Preferences for Remote 9-Pin Deck Emula­tion Mode” on page 36 for more information.

MachineControl lets Pro Tools support Auto Edit
(selection-based) and Punch-in/Punch-Out
(QuickPunch) commands.

Pro Tools must have QuickPunch or TrackPunch
with tracks enabled when recording in Remote 9­Pin Deck Emulation mode with an edit controller.

Preview Edit and Rehearse modes are not
supported by Pro Tools.

Auto Edit Recording

When a machine sends Auto Edit commands to
Pro Tools in Remote 9-Pin Deck Emulation mode,
the edit in and out points are converted to a
Pro Tools Timeline selection. This selection, with
offsets options, will then be used to record on all
armed tracks when Pro Tools receives the Perform
Auto Edit Record command.

Punch In/Out Recording

Punch-In/Punch-Out Recording supports punch­on-the-fly, with Pro Tools in QuickPunch mode. In
this mode, tracks are armed before the record pass,
and recording begins and ends when Punch-In and
Punch-Out commands are received form the mas­ter machine.

QuickPunch must be enabled and the required
voices must be available in Pro Tools for Punch­In/Punch-Out recording commands to work. This
mode must be set manually in Pro Tools.

Chapter 6: Remote 9-Pin Deck Emulation Mode 37

Track Arming in Remote 9-Pin Deck Emulation Mode

In Remote 9-Pin Deck Emulation mode, Pro Tools
can be configured to either respond to, or ignore,
track arming (record enabling) commands.
Pro Tools communicates track record status back
to the control machine.

Ignore Track Arming Commands

You can set Pro Tools to ignore incoming track
arming (record-enable) commands. Use this to re­cord-safe Pro Tools if, for example, you are using
a master 9-pin transport controller to arm tracks on
several other machines, but not Pro Tools tracks.
You can still manually arm Pro Tools audio tracks,
as needed.

9-Pin Commands

In Remote 9-Pin Deck Emulation Mode, Pro Tools
with MachineControl can respond to the following
9-pin commands from compatible workstations,
synchronizers, and other devices:

• Play

• Stop

• Pause

• Rewind

• Forward

• Cue To

• Poll Timecode

• Record Arm Track

• Set In/Out Point (for Auto Edit)

• Set Pre/Post Roll (for Auto Edit)

• Perform Auto Edit Record

• Perform Punch-In/Punch-Out Record
(requires QuickPunch mode and voices)

• Return Status-Online, State, Tracks Armed

• Servo Lock

• Clear “In” Point

To have Pro Tools ignore remote track arming

commands:

1 Choose Setup > Preferences, and click the

Synchronization tab.

2 In the Remote Mode section, select Ignore

Track Arming

.

MachineControl Guide38

Chapter 7: Using a Paddle Device in Local Mode

When using MachineControl in Local mode (with
or without an external synchronizer), you can use a
supported third-party paddle device to issue the
following Pro Tools track commands:

• Input monitoring

• Record Enable

• Record Safe

• Solo

• Solo Mute

Using these features involve the following steps:

1 Connect the supported third-party paddle de-

vice to your system.

2 Make sure the Allow Track Arm Commands in

Local Mode preference is enabled.

3 Serial Deck Control and Remote 9-Pin Deck

Emulation ports must be configured simultane­ously.

Connecting a Supported Third-Party Paddle Device to Your Pro Tools System

To connect a supported third-party paddle
device to your Pro Tools system, use the same
method you would use to connect a deck for
Remote 9-Pin Deck Emulation mode.

See Chapter 6, “Remote 9-Pin Deck Emula­tion Mode” for detailed information on con­necting a machine to Pro Tools.

Allow Track Arm Commands in Local Mode Preference

The Allow Track Arm Commands in Local Mode
preference must be enabled in order to control
Pro Tools with a paddle device in Local mode.

To enable the Allow Track Arm Commands in

Local Mode preference:

1 Choose Setup > Preferences, and click the

Synchronization tab.

2 Select Allow Track Arm Commands in Local

.

Mode

Chapter 7: Using a Paddle Device in Local Mode 39

Configuring Ports for a Deck and a Supported Third-Party Paddle Device

Before connecting a paddle device and a deck to
Pro Tools simultaneously, both the Serial Deck
Control port and the Remote 9-Pin Deck Emula­tion port may be configured.

To configure Serial Deck Control and Remote 9-

Pin Deck Emulation ports to operate
simultaneously:

1 Choose Setup > Peripherals, and click the

Synchronization tab.

2 Choose SYNC from the Device pop-up menu.

3 Click the Machine Control tab.

4 In the 9-pin Machine Control (Deck Control)

section, select

Configuring MachineControl for Serial Deck Control

Enable.

8 Select the 9-pin MachineControl port from the

Port pop-up menu.

9 Choose the appropriate machine profile from

Machine Type pop-up menu.

the

10 Make sure Chase LTC is not selected.

11 Click OK to close the Peripherals dialog.

To set Pro Tools to Local mode:

 Right-click the Online button in the Pro Tools

Transport and select

Setting Transport to Pro Tools

Transport > Machine.

5 Select the 9-pin MachineControl port from the

Port pop-up menu.

6 Choose the appropriate machine profile from

Machine Type pop-up menu.

the

See Chapter 5, “Serial Deck Control Mode”
for detailed information about configuring
and using Serial Deck Control mode.

7 In the 9-Pin Remote (Deck Emulation) section,

Enable.

select

Remote 9-Pin Deck Emulation mode settings

MachineControl Guide40

Appendix A: Deck Control Key Commands

Command Mac Windows

Rewind Shift+< Shift+<

Fast Forward Shift+> Shift+>

Shuttle Backward Option+comma Start+comma

Shuttle Forward Option+period Start+period

Toggle Transport Master Command+\ Control+\

All Transport Buttons Off/Unthread Tape Command+period Control+period

Search Mode Toggle (Play-Pause/Stop) Spacebar/

Command+period

When Transport = Machine:

Cue to Selection In Point Command+Left Arrow Control+Left Arrow

Cue to Selection Out Point Command+Right Arrow Control+Right Arrow

Cue to Selection In Point Minus Preroll Option+Left Arrow Alt+Left Arrow

Cue to Selection Out Point Minus Preroll Option+Right Arrow Alt+Right Arrow

Appendix A: Deck Control Key Commands 41

Spacebar/Ctrl+period

MachineControl Guide42

Appendix B: Troubleshooting

Installation

Problem:

MachineControl options are not available in
Pro Tools.

Possible Solution:

Make sure MachineControl is installed and autho­rized correctly (see Chapter 2, “Installing Ma­chineControl.”)

Machine Not Recognized

Problem:

The session was saved with MachineControl, but
now opens without it being selected in the Trans­port window. When opening a session saved with
MachineControl, a dialog warns that there were
“problems initializing MachineControl.” When
spotting a clip, the “Capture Machine Time” but­ton is grayed out.

Possible Solutions:

Pro Tools Transport Not
Controlling Machine

Problem:

Though the MachineControl dialog indicates that
Pro Tools recognizes the machine, nothing hap­pens when you use the Transport in Pro Tools (the
machine doesn’t respond to commands). When
spotting a clip using the “Capture Machine Time”
button, an incorrect time is entered.

Possible Solutions:

 Most controllable transports need to be placed

in a “Remote” or “Ext” mode to allow them to be
slaved to other devices. Verify that the device is in
this mode. Refer to the documentation that came
with your device for more information on Remote
and Local modes.

 In the Transport window,Right-click the Online

button to check the status of the Transport setting:

Transport > Pro Tools or Transport > Machine.

 Choose Setup > Peripherals, click the Machine

tab, and confirm that the correct 9-Pin Se-

Control

rial port is chosen for your MachineControl oper­ating mode. Make certain that all cables are
securely connected at both ends.

 Verify that the machine is powered on. Choose

Setup > Peripherals, and click the Machine Control

tab. Reset the 9-Pin Serial port, and close the dia­log. This causes Pro Tools to scan the serial port
for 9-pin devices.

Appendix B: Troubleshooting 43

Timecode Inaccuracy

Problem:

The timecode locations shown in the Selection and
Position Indicator boxes do not match machine
timecode.

Possible Solutions:

 For best performance with Serial Deck Control

mode, connect the machine to an available serial or
COM port (or serial adapter connected to a port)
on the host computer. Use the 9-pin ports on a
SYNC peripheral for non-linear video decks only.

 In some cases, the timecode values reported by

machines are not in sync with the timecode that is
played from their timecode ports. (One example of
this is when the machine's timecode reader is look­ing at VITC while Pro Tools is chasing LTC.)

 If the values get progressively farther and far-

ther apart, check the frame rate. Make sure you
have set Pro Tools to the same frame rate as the
movie/machine frame rate. Also check the frame
format (drop or non-drop).

a session that starts at 00:59:00:00 will change the
session’s start time to 00:59:00:02 (due to the
method by which frames are dropped in each rate
and format).

Every event in the Timeline is moved back two
frames, maintaining each event’s relative timecode
location (relative to the start of the session).

Drop Changed to Non-drop

When going from
drop to non-drop, no compensation is applied to
the session start time. This is done because all
frames in drop exist in a non-drop Timeline (a drop
rate Timeline is a subset of its corresponding non­drop rate Timeline). So, when changing from a
drop rate to a non-drop rate, Pro Tools keeps
events at the same location relative to the start of
the session.

 If the values differ by a significant margin (such

as an hour or more), the Start Frame number may
be set incorrectly. Open the Session Setup window
and check the Session Start Frame number.

Changing Session Start Time, Dropped
Frames, and Drop Frame Timecode

When you change the session frame rate from a
non-drop to drop rate, or from drop to non-drop,
the session start time and material in the Timeline
may be affected.

Non-drop Changed to Drop:

The Session Start
Time is changed to the next possible supported
frame if the current one is not supported in DF. For
example, changing from non-drop to drop frame in

MachineControl Guide44

Appendix C: Machine IDs

The following table lists the machine profiles sup­ported in MachineControl by their Pro Tools hexa­decimal ID.

For special IDs to support 48-track arming, see “48
Track Profiles” on page 46.

Machines and Hex ID Numbers

The first 0x signifies hex value. The next four
numbers signify the machine ID. The name of the
associated machine follows.

Machines, by ID number

ID number Machine

0x0000 Generic 1

0x0001 Generic 2

0x1000 BVU-800

0x101C BVU-950

0x1019 BVU-920

0x1080 BVU-900

0x104C VO-9850

0x1048 VO-9800

0x102C SVO-9600

0x2000 BVW-10

0x2001 BVW-40

0x2002 BVW-11

0x2003 BVW-15

0x2010 BVW-35

0x2020 BVW-60

0x2021 BVW-65

Machines, by ID number

ID number Machine

0x2022 BVW-95

0x2023 BVW-96

0x2024 BVW-70

0x2025 BVW-75

0x2125 BVW-75P

0x4000 DVR-10

0x4003 DVR-18

0x4002 DVRC-10

0x4020 DVR-20

0x4022 DVR-28

0xF019 AJ-D350 (D3)

0x3011 DVR-2100

0x3000 DVR-1000

0x0010 BVH-2000

0x0011 BVH-2000

0x0110 BVH-2000 PS

0x0111 BVH-2000 PS

0x0018 BVH-2180

0x0020 BVH-2500

0x0120 BVH-2500 PS (UI wrong)

0x0030 BVH-2700

0x0040 BVH-2800

0x0048 BVH-2830

0x0050 BVH-3000

Appendix C: Machine IDs 45

Machines, by ID number

ID number Machine

0x0060 BVH-3100

0x0150 BVH-3000 PS

0x0160 BVH-3100 PS

0x2041 PVW-2800

0x1211 ASC Virtual Recorder

0x1011 Fostex D-10

0xF027 Otari R-DAT

0x7001 PCM-7030

0x7001 TASCAM DA-88

0x7003 PCM-800

0x7000 PCM-7000

0xA088 AG-DS555

0xA084 AG-DS770

0x0001 AG-DS7750

0xF033 AJ D640

0x2051 UVW-1800

0xB000 DVW-500

0xB010 DVW-500

0xA050 V1

0x1021 SVP-5600

0x2124 BCB-70

0x2101 BVW-40P

0x8017 DSR-1500A

0x6007 3348HR

0x6005 3348HRV

0x6003 3324

0xA0A1 SoundMaster ATOM

0xD0E1 Pro Tools

0x20E0 HDW-500

0x20A0 SRW-5000

Tascam DA-88 and other decks can be set to
emulate other machines. If a deck is set to em­ulate another type of machine, the machine
type being emulated will be displayed.

48 Track Profiles

The following are special IDs to support 48-track
arming.

Machines

IDs for 48-Track Capable Machines

ID Machine

0x6007 3348HR

0x6005 3348HRV

0x6003 3324

Pro Tools

IDs for 64-Track Pro Tools Arming

ID Machine

DX01 Pro Tools

MachineControl Guide46

Appendix D: 9-Pin Cable Pinouts

Serial Deck Control Mode Cable:
D Sub 9-Pin Male to D Sub 9-Pin Female (Windows Only)

Appendix D: 9-Pin Cable Pinouts 47

MachineControl Master/Slave Adapter

MachineControl Guide48

Serial Deck Control Cable:
Mini DIN 8 Male to D Sub 9-Pin Male (Mac Only)

Appendix D: 9-Pin Cable Pinouts 49

Remote 9-Pin Deck Emulation Cable:
Mini DIN 8-Pin to D Sub 9-Pin Female (Mac Only)

Shielding

The outside shielding of the D-Sub 9-pin (female) should be wired to the outside shielding of the Mini DIN
8-pin (male).

MachineControl Guide50

Avid

2001 Junipero Serra Boulevard
Daly City, CA 94014-3886 USA

Technical Support (USA)

Visit the Online Support Center at
www.avid.com/support

Product Information

For company and product information,
visit us on the web at www.avid.com