Pinnacle Systems Pro Tools HD - 7.1 Getting Started
Getting Started
Pro Tools|HD
Version 7.1
®
Copyright
©2005 Digidesign, a division of Avid Technology, Inc.
All rights reserved. This guide may not be duplicated in whole
or in part without the written consent of Digidesign.
Avid, Digidesign, and Pro Tools are either trademarks or
registered trademarks of Avid Technology, Inc. in the US and
other countries. All other trademarks contained herein are the
property of their respective owners.
Product features, specifications, system requirements, and
availability are subject to change without notice.
PN 9106-18596-00 REV A 11/05
contents
Chapter 1. Welcome to Pro Tools|HD
Pro Tools|HD Systems
Included with Pro Tools|HD Systems
Pro Tools HD Capabilities
Pro Tools Hardware Overview
System Requirements
Digidesign Registration
About the Pro Tools Guides
About www.digidesign.com
Chapter 2. Windows Installation
Installation Overview
Configuring Your Computer
Windows System Optimization
Hard Drive Configuration and Maintenance
Installing Pro Tools Hardware
Installing Pro Tools HD Software
Optional Software on the Pro Tools Installer CD
Removing Pro Tools
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Chapter 3. Macintosh Installation
Installation Overview
Macintosh System Optimization
Hard Drive Configuration and Maintenance
Installing Pro Tools Hardware
Installing Pro Tools HD Software
Optional Software on the Pro Tools Installer CD
Removing Pro Tools
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Contents
iii
Chapter 4. Launching and Configuring Pro Tools
Checking the System
Launching Pro Tools
Configuring Pro Tools
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Chapter 5. Connecting Your Studio
Setting Up Your Studio
Example Studio Setup with a Mixing Console
Example Studio Setup without a Mixing Console
Connecting Equipment with Digital Audio Ins and Outs
Connecting Effects Units
Connecting MIDI Devices
Connecting SMPTE Synchronization Devices
Connecting Ethernet Control Surfaces
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Chapter 6. Working with Pro Tools
Session Basics
Transport Controls
Tracks
Region List
Navigating in a Session
Importing Data into Pro Tools Sessions
Basic Recording
Editing
Mixing
Plug-Ins
Mix Automation
Final Mixdown
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Appendix A. Connecting SCSI Drives
SCSI Requirements
Connecting SCSI Drives
Quick Formatting SCSI Drives
General Hard Drive Maintenance
Using Macintosh Drives on Windows Systems
Pro Tools|HD Getting Started Guide
iv
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Appendix B. DigiTest Error Codes
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Appendix C. Configuring MIDI Studio Setup (Windows Only)
MIDI Studio Setup
MIDI Patch Name Support
Appendix D. Configuring AMS (Mac OS X Only)
Audio MIDI Setup
MIDI Patch Name Support
Appendix E. DSP-Induced Delays in Mixing
Introduction to DSP-Induced Delay
Automatically Compensating for Delays
Manually Compensating for Delays
Delay Factors
Appendix F. TDM Mixing and DSP Usage
Benefits of TDM II
DSP Allocation
DSP Usage and Mixer Plug-Ins
DSP Usage with TDM Plug-Ins
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Appendix G. Troubleshooting
Index
Backing Up Your Work
Common Issues
Using DigiTest as a Diagnostic Tool
Performance Factors
Before You Call Digidesign Technical Support
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Contents
v
Pro Tools|HD Getting Started Guide
vi
chapter 1
Welcome to Pro Tools|HD
Welcome to Pro Tools|HD. Pro Tools|HD audio
cards and interfaces bring high-definition digital audio recording, editing, signal processing,
mixing, and I/O capabilities to Pro Tools.
This guide covers installation and configuration
of Pro Tools|HD hardware and Pro Tools software on Windows and Macintosh platforms.
Pro Tools|HD Systems
Pro Tools 7.1 software supports the following
systems:
Pro Tools|HD (for PCIe) Systems
(Macintosh Only)
Pro Tools|HD (for PCIe) systems are available in
the following configurations:
Pro Tools|HD 1 (for PCIe)
• Accel Core (for PCIe) card
Pro Tools|HD (for PCI) Systems
(Windows and Macintosh)
Pro Tools|HD (for PCI) systems are available in
the following configurations:
Pro Tools|HD 1 (for PCI)
• HD Core (for PCI) card
Pro Tools|HD 2 Accel (for PCI)
• HD Core (for PCI) card
• HD Accel (for PCI) card
Pro Tools|HD 3 Accel (for PCI)
• HD Core (for PCI) card
• (2) HD Accel (for PCI) cards
Pro Tools 7.1 also supports earlier
Pro Tools|HD 2 (for PCI) and Pro Tools|HD 3
(for PCI) systems. These systems shipped with
HD Process cards instead of HD Accel cards
Pro Tools|HD 2 Accel (for PCIe)
• Accel Core (for PCIe) card
• HD Accel (for PCIe) card
Pro Tools|HD 3 Accel (for PCIe)
• Accel Core (for PCIe) card
• (2) HD Accel (for PCIe) cards
Chapter 1: Welcome to Pro Tools|HD
1
Included with Pro Tools|HD Systems
All Pro Tools|HD systems include the following:
• Pro Tools|HD card(s)
• Pro Tools HD software
• DigiLink cable (to connect the primary
card to an audio interface)
• Multi-card systems include TDM FlexCables to connect the cards to each other
Audio Recording and Playback Capabilities
Pro Tools|HD 1 (for PCIe and PCI)
Pro Tools|HD 1 systems provide recording and
playback of 24-bit or 16-bit audio files with the
following track counts:
• Up to 96 tracks at 44.1 kHz or 48 kHz
• Up to 48 tracks at 88.2 kHz or 96 kHz
• Up to 12 tracks at 176.4 kHz or 192 kHz
All Pro Tools|HD systems also require at least
one Digidesign audio interface (sold separately).
See “Audio Interfaces” on page 5.
Pro Tools HD Capabilities
Pro Tools HD 7.1 on Windows or Macintosh
provides the following capabilities:
• Up to a total of 256 Audio tracks,
160 Auxiliary Input tracks, 64 Master Fader
tracks, 256 MIDI tracks, and 128 Instrument tracks per session
• 16-bit or 24-bit audio resolution, at sample
rates up to 192 kHz
• Non-destructive, random-access editing
and mix automation
• Audio processing with up to 5 TDM or
RTAS plug-ins per track, depending on your
computer’s capabilities
• Up to 5 hardware inserts per track
• Up to 10 sends per track
• Up to 128 internal busses for routing and
mixing
Pro Tools|HD 2 Accel and HD 3 Accel
(for PCIe and PCI)
Pro Tools|HD 2 Accel and HD 3 Accel systems
provide recording and playback of 24-bit or
16-bit audio files with the following track
counts:
• Up to 192 tracks at 44.1 kHz or 48 kHz
• Up to 96 tracks at 88.2 kHz or 96 kHz
• Up to 36 tracks at 176.4 kHz or 192 kHz
Non-HD Accel Systems
(for PCI)
Pro Tools|HD 2 and HD 3 systems (original
Pro Tools|HD systems with no HD Accel cards)
provide recording and playback of 24-bit or
16-bit audio files with the following track
counts:
• Up to 128 tracks at 44.1 kHz or 48 kHz
• Up to 64 tracks at 88.2 kHz or 96 kHz
• Up to 24 tracks at 176.4 kHz or 192 kHz
The number of simultaneous tracks of audio recording or playback depends on the type of
Pro Tools|HD system.
Pro Tools|HD Getting Started Guide
2
Pro Tools Hardware Overview
This section describes each hardware component of a Pro Tools|HD system. The number of
Pro Tools|HD cards in your system will differ depending on your system configuration.
Pro Tools|HD (for PCIe) Hardware
Accel Core (for PCIe) Card
All Pro Tools|HD (for PCIe) systems include an
Accel Core (for PCIe) card.
The Accel Core (for PCIe) card provides up to 96
tracks of direct-to-disk recording and playback,
as well as DSP power for mixing and plug-in processing. The Accel Core (for PCIe) card supports
up to 24-bit and up to 192 kHz sessions.
DigiLink
DigiSerial
Accel Core (for PCIe) card
DigiLink Port The Accel Core (for PCIe) card includes a single DigiLink port for connecting up
to 32 channels of audio input and output to
your Pro Tools|HD system.
HD Accel (for PCIe) Card
The HD Accel (for PCIe) card is included in
Pro Tools|HD 2 Accel (for PCIe) and
Pro Tools|HD 3 Accel (for PCIe) systems. The
HD Accel (for PCIe) card is an expansion card,
and requires the presence of at least one Accel
Core (for PCIe) card.
The HD Accel (for PCIe) card provides additional channels of direct-to-disk recording and
playback, as well as additional DSP power for
mixing and plug-in processing. The HD Accel
(for PCIe) card supports sessions up to 24-bit
and up to 192 kHz.
DigiLink
HD Accel (for PCIe) card
DigiLink Port The HD Accel (for PCIe) card includes a single DigiLink port for connecting up
to 32 channels of audio input and output to
your Pro Tools|HD system.
DigiSerial Port The DigiSerial port on the HD Accel (for PCIe) card does not offer any functionality.
DigiSerial Port The DigiSerial port on the
Accel Core (for PCIe) card is for connecting a
Digidesign SYNC I/O. This connector is an 8-pin
mini-DIN.
The DigiSerial port on an Accel Core
(for PCIe) card does not support MachineControl connections.
Chapter 1: Welcome to Pro Tools|HD 3
Pro Tools|HD (for PCI) Hardware
HD Accel (for PCI) Card
HD Core (for PCI) Card
All Pro Tools|HD (for PCI) systems include an
HD Core (for PCI) card.
The HD Core (for PCI) card provides up to 96
tracks of direct-to-disk recording and playback,
as well as DSP power for mixing and plug-in processing. The HD Core (for PCI) card supports up
to 24-bit and up to 192 kHz sessions.
DigiLink
DigiSerial
HD Core (for PCI) card
DigiLink Port The HD Core (for PCI) card includes a single DigiLink port for connecting up
to 32 channels of audio input and output to
your Pro Tools|HD system.
DigiSerial Port The DigiSerial port on the HD
Core (for PCI) card is for connecting a Digidesign SYNC I/O. This connector is an 8-pin miniDIN.
The DigiSerial port on an HD Core (for PCI)
card does not support MachineControl connections.
The HD Accel (for PCI) card is included in
Pro Tools|HD 2 Accel (for PCI) and
Pro Tools|HD 3 Accel (for PCI) systems. The
HD Accel (for PCI) card is an expansion card,
and requires the presence of at least one
HD Core (for PCI) card.
The HD Accel (for PCI) card provides additional
tracks of direct-to-disk recording and playback,
as well as additional DSP power for mixing and
plug-in processing. The HD Accel (for PCI) card
supports sessions up to 24-bit and up to
192 kHz.
DigiLink
HD Accel (for PCI) card
DigiLink Port The HD Accel (for PCI) card includes a single DigiLink port for connecting up
to 32 channels of audio input and output to
your Pro Tools|HD system.
DigiSerial Port The DigiSerial port on the HD Accel (for PCI) card does not offer any functionality.
If your HD Core (for PCI) card has two
DigiSerial ports, use the DigiSerial port closest to the DigiLink connector.
Pro Tools|HD Getting Started Guide4
TDM FlexCable
Audio Interfaces
The TDM FlexCable is used to connect a pair of
cards in your Pro Tools system so they can share
data along the TDM bus. One FlexCable comes
with each expansion card.
The TDM FlexCable is a flexible printed
circuit board with delicate traces. Do not
overbend, twist, or pinch the cable. Doing
so may cause unpredictable behavior in
Pro Tools as well as harm to your system.
TDM FlexCable
To record and play audio you must have at least
one of the following Digidesign audio interfaces:
192 I/O Audio Interface
• Supports sample rates up to 192 kHz. (At least
one 192 I/O or 192 Digital I/O must be connected to your Pro Tools|HD system for
192 kHz recording, processing, and playback.)
• Supports both analog and digital connections, including AES/EBU, S/PDIF, TDIF, and
ADAT Optical:
• Digital (Digital I/O Card): 8 channels, DB25 (AES/EBU and TDIF), or one pair of
Lightpipe (ADAT Optical) connectors. Expandable up to 16 channels digital I/O
with the addition of the 192 Digital expansion card.
• Analog: 8 channels, DB-25 (balanced) connectors, inputs selectable between +4 dBu
or –10 dBV, outputs +4 dBu only. Expandable up to 16 analog inputs or 16 outputs
using an optional 192 AD or 192 DA expansion card, respectively.
• Digital (Enclosure): 2 channels, XLR
(AES/EBU) connectors; 2 channels RCA
(S/PDIF) connectors.
• Optical (Enclosure): 8 channels, one pair of
Lightpipe (ADAT Optical) connectors (switchable to 2 channels, S/PDIF).
• Loop Sync In and Out for connecting
Pro Tools|HD interfaces and peripherals
• External Clock In and Out receive or send 1x
Word clock (configurable to 256x for Legacy
support, see “Optional Legacy I/O Audio Interfaces” on page 7).
Chapter 1: Welcome to Pro Tools|HD 5
192 Digital I/O Audio Interface
• Supports sample rates up to 192 kHz. (At least
one 192 I/O or 192 Digital I/O must be connected to your Pro Tools|HD system for
192 kHz recording, processing, and playback.)
• Supports digital connections, including
AES/EBU, S/PDIF, TDIF, and ADAT Optical:
• Digital (2 Digital I/O Cards): 16 channels,
DB-25 (AES/EBU and TDIF), or two pairs of
Lightpipe (ADAT Optical) connectors.
• Digital (Enclosure): 2 channels, XLR
(AES/EBU) connectors; 2 channels RCA
(S/PDIF) connectors.
• Optical (Enclosure): 8 channels, one pair of
Lightpipe (ADAT Optical) connectors (selectable to 2 channels, S/PDIF).
• Loop Sync In and Out for connecting
Pro Tools|HD interfaces and peripherals
• External Clock In and Out receive or send 1x
Word clock (configurable to 256x for Legacy
support, see “Optional Legacy I/O Audio Interfaces” on page 7).
96 I/O Audio Interface
• Supports sample rates up to 96 kHz.
• Supports analog and digital connections, including AES/EBU, S/PDIF, and ADAT optical:
• Analog: 8 channels, 1/4-inch TRS (balanced or unbalanced) connectors, +4 dBu
or –10 dBV
• Digital: 2 channels, XLR (AES/EBU) connectors; 2 channels, RCA (S/PDIF) connectors
• Optical: 8 channels, one pair of Lightpipe
(ADAT Optical) connectors (switchable to 2
channels, S/PDIF)
• External Clock In and Out receive or send
1x Word clock (configurable to 256x for
Legacy support, see “Optional Legacy I/O
Audio Interfaces” on page 7)
96i I/O Audio Interface
• Supports sample rates up to 96 kHz
• 16 discrete channels of input, and 2 channels
of output, with 4-segment LED meters on
each channel. Audio inputs and outputs include:
• 16 channels of 24-bit, 96-kHz capable analog input, with adjustable input sensitivity
•2 channels of 24-bit, 96-kHz capable analog output, with selectable operating level
•2 channels of 24-bit, 96 kHz-capable digital
S/PDIF RCA input and output
• Loop Sync In and Out for connecting
Pro Tools|HD interfaces and peripherals
• External Clock In and Out receive or send 1x
Word clock
Pro Tools|HD Getting Started Guide6
Optional Legacy I/O Audio Interfaces
For additional input and output channels, older
Digidesign audio interfaces (or Legacy I/Os) can
be connected to the 192 I/O, 192 Digital I/O, or
96 I/O (the 96i I/O does not support Legacy interfaces). The following supported legacy interfaces can only be used with 44.1 kHz or 48 kHz
sessions:
888|24 I/O Audio Interface
• Analog: 8 channels, XLR (balanced or unbalanced) connectors, selectable between +4 dBu
or –10 dBV
• Digital: 8 channels, XLR (AES/EBU) connectors; 2 channels, RCA (S/PDIF) connectors
882|20 I/O Audio Interface
• Analog: 8 channels, 1/4-inch TRS (balanced or
unbalanced) connectors, selectable between
+4 dBu and –10 dBV
• Digital: 2 channels, RCA (S/PDIF) connectors
1622 I/O Audio Interface
• Analog: 16 input channels and 2 output channels, 1/4-inch TRS (balanced or unbalanced)
connectors. Inputs are selectable from +4 dBu
to –10 dBV line levels and higher in 2 dB gain
steps; outputs are selectable between +4 dBu
or –10 dBV.
• Digital: 2 channels, RCA (S/PDIF) connectors.
Digidesign 24-bit ADAT Bridge I/O
• Optical: 16 channels, a pair of Lightpipe
(ADAT) connectors.
• Analog output: 2 channels, 1/4-inch TRS (balanced) connectors, selectable between +4 dBu
and –10 dBV.
• Digital: 2 channels, XLR (AES/EBU); 2 channels RCA (S/PDIF) connectors.
System Requirements
Pro Tools|HD system hardware and supported
audio interfaces can be used with a Digidesignqualified Windows or Macintosh computer running Pro Tools HD software.
For complete system requirements, visit the
compatibility page of the Digidesign Web site
(www.digidesign.com/compato).
Compatibility Information
Digidesign can only assure compatibility and
provide support for hardware and software it
has tested and approved.
For a list of Digidesign-qualified computers, operating systems, hard drives, and third-party devices, refer to the latest compatibility information on the Digidesign Web site
(www.digidesign.com/compato).
MIDI Requirements
USB MIDI interfaces work effectively with
Pro Tools systems on Windows or Macintosh.
Serial MIDI interfaces are supported on Windows systems only.
Only USB MIDI interfaces are compatible
with Pro Tools systems for Mac OS X.
Modem-to-serial port adapters and serial
MIDI devices are not supported.
For a list of supported adapters, refer to the
Digidesign Web site (www.digidesign.com).
Chapter 1: Welcome to Pro Tools|HD 7
Hard Drive Requirements
SCSI Hard Drives
For optimal audio recording and playback, all
Pro Tools|HD systems require one or more Digidesign-qualified drives.
Avoid Recording to the System Drive
Recording to your system drive is not recommended. Recording and playback on a system
drive may result in lower track counts and fewer
plug-ins.
Digidesign does not recommend recording
to a system drive. Record to a system drive
only when necessary.
Drive Formats
Windows Windows XP systems should use drives
formatted with as NTFS or FAT32 (NTFS preferred).
Macintosh Macintosh systems should use drives
formatted with HFS or HFS+ file system only.
The UNIX File System (UFS) is not supported with Pro Tools on Mac OS X.
Hard drive performance depends on factors including system configuration, number of tracks,
session sample rate, density of edits, and the use
of crossfades and other processes such as Beat
Detective in a session.
Be sure to check the latest compatibility information on the Digidesign Web site for drive requirements (www.digidesign.com/compato).
Digidesign recommends qualified SCSI hard
drives and a qualified SCSI host bus adapter
(HBA) card or (on Windows systems) a qualified
built-in SCSI HBA connector on the motherboard.
For complete information on track count and
the supported number and configuration of
SCSI drives, refer to the Digidesign Web site
(www.digidesign.com/compato).
FireWire Hard Drives
Digidesign recommends qualified FireWire
drives and (on Windows systems) a qualified
FireWire host adapter.
For complete information on track count and
the supported number and configuration of
FireWire drives, refer to the Digidesign Web site
(www.digidesign.com/compato).
IDE/ATA/SATA Hard Drives
A qualified internal IDE/ATA/SATA drive may be
used as a dedicated audio drive.
For complete information on track count with
internal drives, refer to the Digidesign Web site
(www.digidesign.com/compato).
IDE/ATA/SATA hard drives provide limited
track count performance and are not supported when an Expansion Chassis is used.
For more information regarding Expansion
Chassis operating procedures, see the
Pro Tools Expanded Systems Guide.
Pro Tools|HD Getting Started Guide8
Hard Disk Storage Space
Mono audio tracks recorded with 16-bit resolution at 44.1 kHz (CD quality) require approximately
5 MB of hard disk space per minute. The same tracks recorded with 24-bit resolution require about
7.5 MB per minute.
Table 2 lists the required disk space for certain track numbers and track lengths, to help you estimate
your hard disk usage.
Table 2. Required hard drive space for audio tracks
Number of
tracks and
length
16-bit at
44.1 kHz
16-bit at
48 kHz
24-bit at
44.1 kHz
24-bit at
48 kHz
16-bit at
88.2 kHz
16-bit at
96 kHz
24-bit at
88.2 kHz
24-bit at
96 kHz
1 mono track
1 minute
1 stereo track
5 minutes
1 stereo track
60 minutes
32 mono tracks
5 minutes
32 mono tracks
60 minutes
5 MB 5.5 MB 7.5 MB 8.2 MB 10 MB 11 MB 15 MB 16.4 MB
50 MB 55 MB 75 MB 83 MB 100 MB 110 MB 150 MB 164 MB
600 MB 662 MB 900 MB 991 MB 1.2 GB 1.3 GB 1.8 GB 2 GB
800 MB 883 MB 1.2 GB 1.4 GB 1.6 GB 1.8 GB 2.4 GB 2.8 GB
9.4 GB 10.4 GB 14 GB 15.5 GB 18.8 GB 20.8 GB 28 GB 31 GB
Chapter 1: Welcome to Pro Tools|HD 9
Digidesign Registration
Review the enclosed registration information
card and follow the instructions on it to quickly
register your purchase online. Registering your
purchase is the only way you can be eligible to
receive complimentary technical support and
future upgrade offers. It is one of the most important steps you can take as a new user.
Conventions Used in This Guide
Digidesign guides use the following conventions to indicate menu choices and key commands:
:
Convention Action
File > Save Choose Save from the File
menu
Control+N Hold down the Control key
and press the N key
About the Pro Tools Guides
In addition to the printed guides included with
your system, PDF versions of the Pro Tools
guides are installed automatically with
Pro Tools. The main guides (such as the Reference Guide and the Menus Guide) are accessible
from the Pro Tools Help menu. To view or print
the PDF guides, you can use Adobe Reader or Apple Preview.
Control-click Hold down the Control key
and click the mouse button
Right-click (Windows) Click with the right mouse
button
The following symbols are used to highlight important information:
User Tips are helpful hints for getting the
most from your system.
Important Notices include information that
could affect your data or the performance of
your system.
Shortcuts show you useful keyboard or
mouse shortcuts.
Cross References point to related sections in
Digidesign guides.
Pro Tools|HD Getting Started Guide10
About www.digidesign.com
The Digidesign Web site (www.digidesign.com)
is your best source for information to help you
get the most out of your Pro Tools system. The
following are just a few of the services and features available.
Registration Register your purchase online. See
the enclosed registration form for instructions.
Support Contact Digidesign Technical Support
or Customer Service; download software updates and the latest online manuals; browse the
Compatibility documents for system requirements; search the online Answerbase; join the
worldwide Pro Tools community on the Digidesign User Conference.
Training and Education Become a certified
Pro Tools Operator or Expert; study on your
own using courses available online, or find out
how you can learn in a classroom setting at a
certified Pro Tools Training Center.
Products and Developers Learn about Digidesign
products; download demo software; learn about
our Development Partners and their plug-ins,
applications, and hardware.
News and Events Get the latest news from
Digidesign; sign up for a Pro Tools demo.
To learn more about these and other resources
available from Digidesign, visit the Digidesign
Web site (www.digidesign.com).
Chapter 1: Welcome to Pro Tools|HD 11
Pro Tools|HD Getting Started Guide12
chapter 2
Windows Installation
This chapter contains information for Windows
systems only. If you are installing Pro Tools on a
Macintosh computer, see Chapter 3, “Macintosh Installation.”
Before installing this version of Pro Tools,
refer to the Read Me information included
on the Pro Tools Installer CD.
Installation Overview
Installation of a Pro Tools|HD system on a Windows computer includes the following steps:
1 “Configuring Your Computer” on page 13.
2 “Windows System Optimization” on page 15.
3 “Installing Pro Tools Hardware” on page 20.
4 “Installing Pro Tools HD Software” on
page 26.
5 “Connecting Audio Interfaces” on page 22.
Configuring Your Computer
To ensure optimum performance with
Pro Tools|HD, configure your computer before
installing Pro Tools hardware and software.
Before you make any changes to your computer’s system settings, make a backup copy
of your registry (where many of these essential settings are stored). By doing so, you
will be able to restore your system’s original
settings if problems arise. Consider using a
disk recovery utility such as Norton Ghost
for additional security. See your
Windows XP documentation for details.
Configuring the System BIOS
BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) parameters
vary depending on the make and model of the
computer. Refer to the documentation that
came with your computer for details.
6 “Launching and Configuring Pro Tools” on
page 43.
7 “Connecting Your Studio” on page 59.
The names and options that appear in your
computer’s system BIOS may differ slightly from
those described in this section.
If your computer does not have the BIOS
configuration options included in this section, or if you do not feel comfortable
changing system BIOS parameters, consult
a Windows system administrator, computer
dealer, or manufacturer for assistance.
Chapter 2: Windows Installation 13
To modify your computer’s system BIOS:
1 Start or restart the computer.
2 While the computer is starting up, enter BIOS
Setup by pressing the appropriate key (usually
indicated in the startup message) on the computer keyboard. The F1, F2, or the Delete keys
are commonly used.
3 In the appropriate page of the BIOS Setup, dis-
able PCI Parity. If the PCI Parity option isn’t
available on your computer, skip this step.
4 If you will be using SCSI drives or devices, and
your computer is equipped with built-in SCSI
hardware, enable SCSI support. SCSI support parameters are typically found on the Devices &
I/O Options page of the BIOS setup utility. If you
do not have built-in SCSI hardware and are using a SCSI host bus adapter (HBA) card instead,
you do not need to enable SCSI support.
5 Disable Power Management, if present.
6 Enable PCI Dynamic Bursting, if present.
7 Save the new BIOS settings.
Modifying the Computer’s SCSI BIOS
To modify your computer’s SCSI BIOS:
1 Start or restart the computer.
2 While the computer is starting up, when the
text message regarding the SCSI BIOS appears,
press the key combination listed on the screen
to enter the SCSI BIOS setup utility.
3 Refer to your SCSI host bus adapter card doc-
umentation to set the following parameters:
• For each SCSI ID and SCSI channel connected to your audio drives, set the Maximum Sync Transfer Rate parameter to
20 MB/sec for the ATTO EPCI-DC, or to Ultra 160 for Ultra 160 cards.
• If you are using an ATTO host bus adapter
card, change the PCI Burst Size to 128 Bytes
and the Burst Length Selection Timeout to
16 ms (UL3D only).
4 Save the new SCSI BIOS settings.
5 Exit SCSI BIOS setup and restart the computer.
8 Exit BIOS setup and restart the computer.
Configuring the SCSI BIOS
If you are using SCSI drives or devices, you must
modify the settings of your built-in SCSI hardware or SCSI host bus adapter card. This allows
SCSI hard drives and devices to work properly
with Pro Tools. This procedure varies on different computers. Refer to the documentation that
came with your computer.
Pro Tools|HD Getting Started Guide14
Updating the ATTO SCSI BIOS
(ATTO SCSI HBA Cards Only)
If you are using an ATTO SCSI HBA card, you
may need to update its SCSI BIOS. When starting your computer, you will see the version
number of the currently installed ATTO SCSI
BIOS. If it is not version 1.68 or higher, you
must update the SCSI BIOS.
The following procedure uses a floppy disk
as a DOS boot disk. You can use another
type of bootable media if available.
To update the BIOS on the ATTO SCSI card:
1 Insert a PC-formatted floppy disk in your
floppy drive (this needs to be a DOS boot disk).
2 Copy the DOS folder from the ATTO folder on
the Pro Tools Installer CD-ROM to the floppy
disk.
3 Shut down the computer.
4 Disconnect any hard drives connected to the
SCSI card.
5 Start the computer with the floppy disk in the
floppy drive.
6 From within DOS, change directory to the
DOS/UTILITY folder and run flash.bat.
7 When prompted with the Update MAC, PC
Setup Program message, type Y for Yes and press
Enter.
The SCSI BIOS update may take a few
minutes.Do not interrupt this process or
your system may be damaged.
For more information, see the flash.txt in
the DOS/UTILITY folder.
Installing the ATTO SCSI Driver
The full name of the ATTO driver is:
■ ATTO ExpressPCI
To install the ATTO SCSI driver:
1 Start or restart the computer.
2 Insert the Pro Tools Installer CD-ROM in your
CD-ROM drive.
3 In the Additional Files\ATTO\Driver 1.68
folder, locate and click Setup.exe.
4 Follow the on-screen instructions to update
the driver on your SCSI Host Bus Adapter.
5 When Setup is finished, restart the computer.
Windows System Optimization
Before configuring your computer, make sure
you are logged in as an Administrator for the account where you want to install Pro Tools. For
details on Administrator privileges, refer to your
Windows documentation.
8 When updating is finished, remove the floppy
disk and restart the computer.
Installing SCSI Drivers
For Pro Tools to run at maximum efficiency
with SCSI Host Bus Adapters and SCSI drives, install a Digidesign approved SCSI driver.
For a list of Digidesign approved computers
and supported SCSI driver versions, refer to
to the latest compatibility information on
the Digidesign Web site
(www.digidesign.com/compato).
Required Optimizations
To ensure optimum performance with
Pro Tools, configure the following settings before you install Pro Tools software.
When you are finished changing Windows
system settings, restart your computer.
Chapter 2: Windows Installation 15
Enabling DMA
Enabling your computer's DMA (Direct Memory
Access) frees up CPU bandwidth so the computer can do other Pro Tools tasks.
In most cases the DMA option will already be set
correctly, as Windows XP detects and activates
DMA mode by default.
To enable DMA for any IDE hard drives:
1 Choose Start > Control Panel.
2 In Classic View, double-click System.
3 Click the Hardware tab.
4 Under Device Manager, choose Device Man-
ager.
5 In the Device Manager window, double-click
IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers, then double-click
the Primary IDE Channel for your IDE hard
drive.
6 Click the Advanced Settings tab.
To configure Windows Power Management:
1 Choose Start > Control Panel.
2 Double-click Power Options.
3 Click the Power Schemes tab.
4 From the Power Schemes pop-up menu, select
Always On.
5 Click OK.
This sets System Standby, System Hibernate,
and “Turn off hard disks” to Never.
On AMD processors, be sure to check and
disable Cool N’Quiet in the System BIOS (in
the Cool & Quiet Configuration section).
Refer to the manufacturer’s documentation
for instructions on disabling this power option, if necessary.
Disabling ClearType Font Smoothing
When using Pro Tools, the Effects “Clear Type”
setting must be disabled.
7 For each device, set the Transfer Mode to
“DMA if available,” and click OK.
8 Repeat steps 5–7 for any additional IDE Chan-
nels.
9 Close the Computer Management window.
Disabling System Standby and Power Management
When using Pro Tools, the Windows System
Standby power scheme must be set to Always
On. This helps prevent long record or playback
passes from stopping due to system resources
powering down.
Pro Tools|HD Getting Started Guide16
To disable ClearType font smoothing:
1 Choose Start > Control Panel.
2 Double-click Display.
3 Click the Appearance tab.
4 Click Effects.
5 Deselect “Use the following method to
smooth edges of screen fonts.”
6 Click OK to save your settings and close the
Effects dialog.
7 Click OK.
8 Restart the computer.
Recommended Optimizations
Pro Tools can also be affected by other software
and hardware drivers installed on your computer. It is recommended (but not required) that
you do the following:
•Avoid running any unneeded programs at
the same time as Pro Tools.
•Turn off any software utilities that run in
the background, such as Windows Messenger, calendars, and disk maintenance programs.
•Turn off any nonessential USB devices
while running Pro Tools.
• If your video display card supports it, enable Bus Mastering in the manufacturer’s
Control Panel. Refer to the manufacturer’s
instructions for details.
• If your computer is connected to a network, make sure that all mapped network
drives are available. If necessary, unmap
any network drives that are not available.
Optional Optimizations
The following system optimizations may help
Pro Tools perform better on some systems. It is
recommended that you only try these optimizations if necessary, as they may disable or adversely affect the functionality of other programs on your system.
To disable a network card:
1 Right-click My Computer and choose Man-
age.
2 Under System Tools, select Device Manager.
3 In the Device Manager window, double-click
Network adapters, then double-click the Network Adapter card you want to disable.
4 Under the General tab, choose “Do not use
this device (disable)” from the Device Usage
pop-up menu, and click OK.
5 Close the Computer Management window.
Adjusting Processor Scheduling
To Adjust Processor Scheduling Performance:
1 Choose Start > Control Panel.
2 In Classic View, double-click System.
3 Click the Advanced tab.
4 Under the Performance section, click the Set-
tings button.
5 In the Performance Options window, click the
Advanced tab.
6 Under the Processor scheduling section, select
the Background Services option.
7 Under the Memory Usage section, select the
System cache option.
Disabling Network Cards
If applicable, disable any networking cards
(other than a 1394 “FireWire” card that you
might use to connect an external drive to your
system).
8 Click OK to close the Performance Options
window.
9 Click OK to close the System Properties win-
dow.
10 Restart the computer for the changes to take
effect.
Chapter 2: Windows Installation 17
Disabling Hyper-Threading
Pro Tools 7.0 takes advantage of the added processing power of computers that have multiple
processors, or that feature multi-core processing
or Hyper-Threading, for RTAS processing.
However, if you set the number of processors
available for RTAS processing to 1 (in the
Pro Tools Playback Engine dialog), some computers with hyperthreading capability may experience decreased performance.
If this occurs, you can increase the number of
RTAS processors in the Playback Engine dialog,
or you can disable hyper-threading on the computer.
Refer to your computer’s documentation for
steps on how to enter the computer’s BIOS and
disable Hyper-Threading.
Disabling System Startup Items
The fewer items in use by your computer, the
more resources are available for Pro Tools. Some
startup applications may be consuming unnecessary CPU resources, and should be turned off.
To disable System Startup Items:
1 From the Start menu, choose Run.
2 Type “msconfig” and click OK. The System
Configuration Utility opens.
3 Under the General tab, choose Selective Star-
tup.
4 Deselect Load Startup Items and click OK.
5 Click Restart to restart the computer.
6 After restarting, the computer displays a Sys-
tem Configuration message. Check to see if
Pro Tools performance has increased before you
deselect the “Don't show this message again”
option. If performance has not changed, run
“msconfig” and return your computer Selective
Startup back to Normal Startup. Alternatively,
try disabling Startup items and non-essential
processes individually.
If you disable any of the following startup items,
do so carefully:
• Portable media serial number (required for
applications that utilize a copy protection
key)
• Plug and play
• Event log
•Cryptographic services
• DHCP Client, TCP/IP Net BIOS, and other
networking-related items (unless the computer has no network or internet connection, in which case these items can be
disabled)
Pro Tools|HD Getting Started Guide18
Hard Drive Configuration and
Maintenance
5 Choose a file system. For optimum perfor-
mance, audio drives should be formatted as
NTFS. (FAT32 is also supported.)
It is recommended that you start with a newly
initialized audio drive. You should also periodically defragment your audio drive to ensure
continued system performance.
Always back up any important data on
your drive before initializing it, as it will
erase all data on the drive.
Avoid Recording to the System Drive
Recording to your system drive is not recommended. Recording and playback on a system
drive may result in lower track counts or fewer
plug-ins.
Formatting an Audio Drive
To format an audio drive:
1 Right-click My Computer and choose Man-
age.
2 Under Storage, choose Disk Management.
6 Select “Perform a quick format.”
7 Make sure “Enable file and folder compres-
sion” is not selected.
8 Set the Allocation unit size to Default.
9 Click OK.
Pro Tools only supports Basic drive types.
Do not convert the drive to a Dynamic type.
10 When formatting is complete, close the For-
mat window.
Defragmenting an Audio Drive
Periodically defragment audio drives to maintain
system performance.
To defragment an audio drive:
1 Right-click My Computer and choose Man-
age.
2 Under Storage, choose Disk Defragmenter.
3 In the Disk Defragmenter window, choose the
drive you want to defragment
Disk Management window
3 In the Disk Management window, right-click
the hard drive you will use for audio and choose
Format.
4 In the Format window, name the volume.
4 Click the Defragment button and follow the
on-screen instructions.
5 When defragmenting is complete, close the
Computer Management Window.
Chapter 2: Windows Installation 19
Installing Pro Tools Hardware
Disabling Driver Signing Warnings
Before you install Pro Tools|HD cards, temporarily disable the Driver Signing warning option.
This expedites and automates much of the installation process. If you do not temporarily disable this option, warning messages (that you are
installing an unsigned driver) will appear for
each DSP chip detected during software installation.
To disable the warning option:
1 Choose Start > Control Panel.
2 Double-click System.
3 Click the Hardware tab in the System Control
Panel.
4 Click the Driver Signing button.
5 Select “Ignore—Install the software anyway
and don’t ask for my approval.”
6 Click OK to close the Driver Signing Options
window.
Installing Pro Tools|HD Cards
This section shows how to install Pro Tools|HD
cards into a Windows computer. To install cards
into an expansion chassis, see the Expanded Sys-
tems Guide.
To install Pro Tools cards:
1 Turn off your computer and any peripherals.
Leave your computer’s power cable plugged in
so the computer is grounded.
2 Disconnect all cables attached to the com-
puter (such as hard drives, displays, USB and
FireWire devices) except for the power cable.
3 Open the computer case.
4 Remove the metal access port cover behind
the slot you want to use by removing the screw
and sliding the cover out from the access port.
Before handling any card, discharge static
electricity from your clothes or body by
touching a grounded metal surface, such as
the power supply case inside your computer.
5 Install the HD Core card in the first PCI slot.
7 Click OK to close the System Properties win-
dow.
8 Turn the computer off.
9 Proceed to “Installing Pro Tools|HD Cards” on
page 20.
Pro Tools|HD Getting Started Guide20
6 If you are installing additional Pro Tools cards
(or other cards), skip to the next step. If you
have no additional cards to install, do the following:
• Secure the card in place with the slot access
port screw you removed earlier.
• Close the computer case.
• Skip to “Connecting Audio Interfaces” on
page 22.
7 Install the first HD Accel card (if any) in the
second PCI slot.
8 Install any remaining HD Accel cards in the
remaining consecutive PCI slots.
9 Install any HD Process cards in the remaining
consecutive PCI slots (64-bit or 32-bit).
10 If you are installing a SCSI host bus adapter
(HBA) card, install it in the highest-numbered
remaining slot.
11 Check to be sure that your cards are installed
in the proper order for your system, starting
with the lowest numeric slot:
• Display card for your computer monitor
• HD Core card
• HD Accel cards
• HD Process cards
• SCSI host bus adapter (HBA) card
Connecting Pro Tools|HD Cards
In systems that include more than one card, you
must connect all the Pro Tools|HD cards to each
other with TDM FlexCables.
Each Pro Tools|HD card has two ports along the
top of the card, labeled Port A and Port B. The
FlexCable has two connectors, also labeled
Port A and Port B, to ensure proper connection.
Data communication across multiple cards is
achieved by connecting Port B of the first card
to Port A of the next card with a TDM FlexCable.
The first FlexCable always goes from Port B
on the core card to Port A on the first
expansion card, as described in the following steps.
To connect Pro Tools|HD cards:
1 Shape the FlexCable before installing it on the
card by holding the cable with its printed side
facing you, and moving the Port B portion of
the cable straight towards you and inwards, as
shown below. Do not bend the cable more than
you need to, as you may damage the traces in
the cable.
12 Secure each card in place with the slot access
port screws you removed earlier.
Preparing TDM FlexCable for installation
Chapter 2: Windows Installation 21
2 Slide the FlexCable into the notch of the first
card, so that the Port B connector of the FlexCable can be aligned with Port B of the first card;
and the Port A connector of the FlexCable can
be aligned with Port A of the second card, as
shown below.
Inserting TDM FlexCable
3 Connect the Port A connector of the FlexCa-
ble to Port A on the second card. Push gently but
firmly until the cable is fully connected to the
card. Attach the other end of the FlexCable (labeled Port B) to Port B on the first card.
Top view of two cards connected with TDM FlexCable
4 Verify the connection. Make sure the FlexCa-
ble ports seat flat against the sockets on the
cards, and are firmly attached.
5 For systems with more than two cards, con-
nect each additional card to its preceding card.
Use FlexCables to connect card pairs together, as
described above, until all cards are connected.
(Each HD Accel or HD Process card is packaged
with a FlexCable.)
Connecting Audio Interfaces
Each Pro Tools|HD audio interface supplies up
to 16 channels of input and output to your system. Audio interfaces are connected directly to
Pro Tools|HD cards, or through the Expansion
ports on other Pro Tools|HD interfaces.
Each Pro Tools|HD card supports up to 32 channels. To get a full 32 channels of I/O from one
card, you can connect, or daisy-chain, a second
16-channel Pro Tools|HD I/O to the first
Pro Tools|HD I/O that is connected directly to
the Pro Tools|HD card.
Pro Tools|HD supports up to a maximum of ten
192 I/Os, 192 Digital I/Os, or 96 I/Os. Up to five
96i I/Os can be used simultaneously.
For examples of connecting multiple I/Os, see
Figure 1 and Figure 2 on page 24.
Pro Tools|HD audio interfaces need room at
their sides to maintain proper air flow for
cooling. Do not block the sides of the unit or
disconnect the internal fan. If the units are
rack-mounted in a case, remove the case
lids or doors before operating the system.
Failure to do so can result in the units overheating very quickly, which can permanently damage sensitive components.
Legacy audio interfaces can also be connected to
Pro Tools|HD interfaces. See “Connecting an
Additional 16 Channels of Audio with Legacy
Audio Interfaces” on page 25.
6 Close the computer case.
7 Proceed to “Connecting Audio Interfaces” on
page 22.
Pro Tools|HD Getting Started Guide22
To connect Pro Tools|HD audio interfaces:
1 If you are using a single 192 I/O,
192 Digital I/O, 96 I/O, or 96i I/O, connect its
Primary Port to the HD Core card with the DigiLink cable provided with the card. You must attach at least one 192 I/O, 192 Digital I/O,
96 I/O, or 96i I/O to your system in order for
Pro Tools to launch.
If you have at least one 192 I/O or
192 Digital I/O in your system configuration, it must be connected to the HD Core
card as the primary interface.
2 Connect additional Pro Tools|HD audio inter-
faces to subsequent Digidesign audio cards, or
daisy-chain the interfaces (by connecting the
Primary Port of the secondary interface to the
Expansion Port of the primary interface).
If you are connecting both 192 I/O (or
192 Digital I/O) and 96 I/O audio interfaces to
your system, connect the 192 I/O (or
192 Digital I/O) to your HD Core card, followed
by any additional 192 I/O (or 192 Digital I/O)
interfaces connected to subsequent cards. Then
connect 96 I/O interfaces to subsequent cards,
or to other interfaces, then connect 96i I/O interfaces.
Connecting Loop Sync
If you are using two or more Pro Tools|HD audio
interfaces or a SYNC I/O peripheral, Loop Sync
must be connected to maintain proper clock
among the devices.
To make Loop Sync connections:
1 Connect the Loop Sync Out of each interface
to the Loop Sync In of the next interface with
the BNC cables included in your I/O packaging.
2 Connect the Loop Sync Out of the last inter-
face to the Loop Sync In of the primary interface
or SYNC I/O peripheral.
Connecting Legacy Audio Interfaces
If you are connecting a Digidesign Legacy audio
interface, continue with “Connecting an Additional 16 Channels of Audio with Legacy Audio
Interfaces” on page 25. (The 96i I/O does not
support Legacy I/O.)
You can also connect a single Pro Tools|HD interface to each Pro Tools|HD card in your system
using the provided DigiLink cables. (However,
there is no advantage to this configuration over
daisy-chaining interfaces.)
Chapter 2: Windows Installation 23
12-foot DigiLink cable
HD Core or
Accel Core card
18-inch DigiLink cable
Figure 1. Two 96 I/Os (32-channel system)
18-inch DigiLink cable
Loop Sync cables
Loop Sync cables
12-foot DigiLink cable
Loop Sync cables
HD Core or
Accel Core card
TDM FlexCable
12-foot DigiLink cable
Figure 2. Three 96 I/Os (48-channel system)
Pro Tools|HD Getting Started Guide24
HD Accel card
or HD Process card
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