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Guide Part Number 9329-65539-00 REV A 3/15
Contents
Chapter 1. Installing Pro Tools | First..............................................1
Pro Tools | First Software Capabilities ..........................................1
System Requirements and Compatibility ........................................1
Creating Your Avid Account .................................................2
Creating an iLok Account ...................................................2
Downloading Pro Tools | First ................................................2
Installing Hardware Drivers..................................................2
Installing Pro Tools | First Software ............................................3
Avid Application Manager ...................................................3
Starting Up or Shutting Down Your System ......................................3
Launching Pro Tools | First ..................................................4
Configuring Pro Tools | First .................................................4
Uninstalling Pro Tools | First .................................................6
Optimizing a Mac System for Pro Tools | First ....................................6
Optimizing a Windows System for Pro Tools | First ................................7
Backing Up Your System ...................................................9
Contents iii
Installing Pro Tools | First
Welcome to Pro Tools®| First from Avid®. This
guide documents how to install and authorize your
Pro Tools | First software on Mac and Windows
systems.
For detailed information on configuring your
system, and for complete information about
Pro Tools First software capabilities and
functionality, see the
(available from the Help menu in
Pro Tools | First).
Pro Tools | First Help
Pro Tools | First Software
Capabilities
Pro Tools | First software provides the following
capabilities, depending on your hardware
configuration:
• Support for up to four channels of audio input
and output (depending on audio hardware)
• Up to a total of 16 audio tracks (mono or stereo)
per session
• Up to 16 Auxiliary Input tracks (mono or stereo)
• Up to 4 Master Fader tracks (mono or stereo)
• Up to 16 MIDI tracks
• Up to 16 Instrument tracks (mono or stereo)
• 32-bit floating point audio resolution, at sample
rates up to 96 kHz (depending on your
hardware)
• Non-destructive,random-access editing and mix
automation
• Audio processing with up to 4 real-time plug-ins
per track, depending on your computer’s
capabilities
• Up to 4 sends per track
• Up to 24 internal mix busses (mono or stereo)
for routing and mixing
For information about the I/O capabilities of
your audio interface, see the documentation
that came with your audio interface.
System Requirements and
Compatibility
Pro Tools | First can only be used with any
qualified audio interface running on a qualified
Windows or Mac computer.
An internet connection is required to download the
Pro Tools | First installer, and to log in and create
projects.
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
MIDI Requirements
USB, FireWire, and PCI MIDI interfaces work
effectively with Pro Tools | First systems on Mac
or Windows.
For a list of supported MIDI interfaces and
controllers, visit www.avid.com/support.
Installing Pro Tools | First 1