Pinnacle Systems Pro Tools HD - 7.4 Getting Started
Getting Started
Pro Tools|HD
Version 7.4
®
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declare under our sole responsibility that the product
HD Core, HD Process, or HD Accel
complies with Part 15 of FCC Rules.
Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) this
device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this
device must accept any interference received, including
interference that may cause undesired operation.
Communication Statement
NOTE: This equipment has been tested and found to comply
with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part
15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide
reasonable protection against harmful interference in a
residential installation. This equipment generates, uses,
and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed
and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause
harmful interference to radio communications. However,
there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a
particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful
interference to radio or television reception, which can be
determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is
encouraged to try and correct the interference by one or
more of the following measures:
• Reorient or locate the receiving antenna.
• Increase the separation between the equipment and
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• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit
different from that to which the receiver is connected.
• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician
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Any modifications to the unit, unless expressly approved by
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contents
Chapter 1. Welcome to Pro Tools|HD
Pro Tools|HD Systems
Pro Tools|HD System Packages
Pro Tools HD Capabilities
Pro Tools Hardware Overview
System Requirements
Digidesign Registration
About the Pro Tools Guides
About www.digidesign.com
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Chapter 2. Installing Pro Tools on Windows
Installation Overview
Installing Pro Tools Hardware
Installing Pro Tools HD Software
Launching Pro Tools
Additional Software on the Pro Tools Installer Disc
Uninstalling Pro Tools
Chapter 3. Installing Pro Tools on Mac
Installation Overview
Installing Pro Tools Hardware
Installing Pro Tools HD Software
Launching Pro Tools
Additional Software on the Pro Tools Installer Disc
Uninstalling Pro Tools
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Contents
v
Chapter 4. Configuring Your Pro Tools System
Starting Up or Shutting Down Your System
Checking the System
Configuring Pro Tools Software
Optimizing a Windows System for Pro Tools
Optimizing a Mac System for Pro Tools
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Chapter 5. Making Studio Connections
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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Appendix A. Connecting SCSI Drives
SCSI Requirements
Connecting SCSI Drives
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Appendix B. Hard Drive Configuration and Maintenance
Avoid Recording to the System Drive
Supported Drive Formats and Drive Types
Formatting an Audio Drive
Partitioning Drives
Defragmenting an Audio Drive
Using Mac Drives on Windows Systems
Hard Disk Storage Space
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Appendix C. Configuring MIDI Studio Setup (Windows Only)
MIDI Studio Setup
MIDI Patch Name Support
Pro Tools|HD Getting Started Guide
vi
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Appendix D. Configuring AMS (Mac OS X Only)
Audio MIDI Setup
MIDI Patch Name Support
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Appendix E. DSP-Induced Delays in Mixing
Introduction to DSP-Induced Delay
Automatically Compensating for Delays
Delay Factors
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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
Appendix G. Troubleshooting
Backing Up Your Work
Common Issues
Using DigiTest as a Diagnostic Tool
Performance Factors
Before You Call Digidesign Technical Support
Index
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Contents
vii
Pro Tools|HD Getting Started Guide
viii
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 Mac platforms.
Pro Tools|HD Systems
Pro Tools software supports the following systems:
Pro Tools|HD (for PCIe) Systems
(Mac 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 2 Accel (for PCIe)
• Accel Core (for PCIe) card
• HD Accel (for PCIe) card
Pro Tools|HD (for PCI) Systems
(Windows and Mac)
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
• Two HD Accel (for PCI) cards
Pro Tools 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 supports more than three HD
cards in certain system configurations. For
more information, see the Expanded Systems Guide.
Pro Tools|HD 3 Accel (for PCIe)
• Accel Core (for PCIe) card
• Two HD Accel (for PCIe) cards
Chapter 1: Welcome to Pro Tools|HD
1
Pro Tools|HD System Packages
All Pro Tools|HD systems include the following:
• Pro Tools|HD card(s)
• Pro Tools Installer disc containing
Pro Tools software, DigiRack RTAS (RealTime AudioSuite) and AudioSuite plug-ins,
and electronic PDF guides
• Pre-authorized iLok for running Pro Tools
HD
• This
Getting Started Guide
tion and configuration of Pro Tools|HD
systems
•
Pro Tools Reference Guide
mentation
• DigiLink cable for connecting the primary
card to an audio interface
• TDM FlexCables (multi-card systems only)
to connect the cards to each other
• Digidesign Registration Information Card
All Pro Tools|HD systems also require at least
one Digidesign audio interface (sold separately).
See “Audio Interfaces” on page 6.
, covering installa-
and other docu-
Pro Tools HD Capabilities
Pro Tools HD on Windows or Mac provides the
following capabilities:
• Up to a total of 256 audio tracks,
160 Auxiliary Input tracks, 64 Master Fader
tracks, 128 VCA Master tracks, 256 MIDI
tracks, 128 Instrument tracks, and 64 video
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
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
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 18 tracks (for PCIe) or 12 tracks (for
PCI) at 176.4 kHz or 192 kHz
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
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)
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.
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.
card.
The DigiSerial port on an Accel Core
(for PCIe) card does not support MachineControl connections.
Chapter 1: Welcome to Pro Tools|HD
3
HD Accel (for PCIe) Card
Pro Tools|HD (for PCI) Hardware
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.
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.
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
HD Accel (for PCI) Card
TDM FlexCable
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.
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
DigiSerial Port The DigiSerial port on the HD Accel (for PCI) card does not offer any functionality.
Chapter 1: Welcome to Pro Tools|HD 5
Audio Interfaces
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).
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).
Pro Tools|HD Getting Started Guide6
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
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.
Chapter 1: Welcome to Pro Tools|HD 7
System Requirements
Pro Tools|HD system hardware and supported
audio interfaces can be used with a Digidesignqualified Windows or Mac computer running
Pro Tools HD software.
A DVD drive is required to use the Pro Tools Installer disc.
For complete system requirements, visit the
Digidesign website (www.digidesign.com).
Hard Drive Requirements
For optimal audio recording and playback, all
Pro Tools|HD systems require one or more
Digidesign-qualified drives.
For general hard drive maintenance and
configuration information, see Appendix B,
“Hard Drive Configuration and Maintenance.”
If you are using one or more SCSI drives, refer to
Appendix A, “Connecting SCSI Drives.”
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 Digidesign website
(www.digidesign.com).
MIDI Requirements
USB MIDI interfaces work effectively with
Pro Tools systems on Windows or Mac. Serial
MIDI interfaces are supported on Windows systems only.
Only USB MIDI interfaces are compatible
with Pro Tools systems on 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 website (www.digidesign.com).
If you are using an ATA/IDE or FireWire hard
drive, initialize your drive with Windows Disk
Management (Windows) or the Disk Utility application included with Apple System software
(Mac).
For more information, see Appendix B, “Hard
Drive Configuration and Maintenance.”
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.
Pro Tools|HD Getting Started Guide8
Digidesign Registration
About the Pro Tools Guides
Review the enclosed Digidesign Registration Information Card and follow the instructions on it
to quickly register your purchase online. This is
one of the most important steps you can take as
a new user. Registering your purchase is the only
way you can be eligible to receive:
• Complimentary technical support
• An update to the latest version of Pro Tools
at no charge if you bought a system with
older software in the box
• Future upgrade offers.
In addition to any printed guides or documentation included with your system, PDF versions of
Pro Tools guides and Read Mes are installed automatically during Pro Tools installation to the
Digidesign/Documentation folder.
To view or print PDF guides, you can use Adobe
Reader or Apple Preview (Mac only).
Printed copies of the Pro Tools Reference
Guide and other guides in the Pro Tools
guide set can be purchased separately from
the DigiStore (www.digidesign.com).
Guides Accessible in Pro Tools
The main Pro Tools guides are accessible from
the Pro Tools Help menu. These include:
• Pro Tools Reference Guide explains Pro Tools
software in detail.
• Pro Tools Menus Guide covers all the Pro Tools
on-screen menus.
• DigiRack Plug-ins Guide explains how to use
Digidesign
for both real-time and file-based audio processing.
• Pro Tools Shortcuts for your operating system,
lists keyboard and Right-click shortcuts for
Pro Tools, including those shown in Pro Tools
menus.
®
plug-ins included with Pro Tools
Chapter 1: Welcome to Pro Tools|HD 9
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 www.digidesign.com
The Digidesign website (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.
Product Registration Register your purchase online. See the enclosed Digidesign Registration
Information Card for instructions.
Control-click Hold down the Control key
and click the mouse button
Right-click 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
this guide and other Digidesign guides.
Support and Downloads 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
website (www.digidesign.com).
Pro Tools|HD Getting Started Guide10
chapter 2
Installing Pro Tools on Windows
This chapter contains information for Windows
systems only. If you are installing Pro Tools on a
Mac computer, see Chapter 3, “Installing
Pro Tools on Mac.”
Installing Pro Tools Hardware
Disabling Driver Signing Warnings
Before installing this version of Pro Tools,
refer to the Read Me information included
on the Pro Tools Installer disc.
Installation Overview
Installation of a Pro Tools|HD system on a Windows computer includes the following steps:
1 “Installing Pro Tools Hardware” on page 11.
This step includes:
• Disabling Driver Signing warnings.
• Installing and connecting Pro Tools|HD
cards.
• Connecting audio interfaces
2 “Installing Pro Tools HD Software” on
page 17.
3 “Launching Pro Tools” on page 18.
4 Configuring your system for improved perfor-
mance. (See Chapter 4, “Configuring Your
Pro Tools System.”)
5 Chapter 5, “Making Studio Connections.”
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.
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 12.
Chapter 2: Installing Pro Tools on Windows 11
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.
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
• Accel Core (for PCIe) or HD Core (for PCI)
card
• HD Accel cards
• HD Process cards
• SCSI host bus adapter (HBA) card
12 Secure each card in place with the slot access
port screws you removed earlier.
5 Depending on your system, do one of the fol-
lowing:
• Install the Accel Core (for PCIe) card in the
first PCIe slot.
– or –
• Install the HD Core (for PCI) card in the
first PCI slot.
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 13.
Pro Tools|HD Getting Started Guide12
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.
Preparing TDM FlexCable for installation
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.
Top view of two cards connected with TDM FlexCable
4 Verify the connection. Make sure the Flex-
Cable 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.)
6 Close the computer case.
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.
Inserting TDM FlexCable
3 Connect the Port A connector of the Flex-
Cable 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.
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.
Chapter 2: Installing Pro Tools on Windows 13
For examples of connecting multiple I/Os, see
Figure 1 and Figure 2 on page 15.
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 I/Os can also be connected to
Pro Tools|HD interfaces. See “Connecting an
Additional 16 Channels of Audio with Legacy
I/Os” on page 16.
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 Accel Core (for PCIe) or HD
Core (for PCI) 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 Accel Core
(for PCIe) or HD Core (for PCI) card as 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 Accel Core (for PCIe) or
HD Core (for PCI) 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.
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.)
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.
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).
Pro Tools|HD Getting Started Guide14
Connecting Legacy I/Os
If you are connecting a Digidesign Legacy I/O,
continue with “Connecting an Additional 16
Channels of Audio with Legacy I/Os” on
page 16.
The 96i I/O does not support Legacy I/O.
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)
HD Accel card
or HD Process card
Chapter 2: Installing Pro Tools on Windows 15
Connecting an Additional 16 Channels of Audio with Legacy I/Os
Each 192 I/O, 192 Digital I/O, and 96 I/O can
support 16 channels of audio to and from Digidesign Legacy I/Os. (The 96i I/O does not support Legacy I/O.) Legacy I/Os include the
888|24 I/O™, 882|20 I/O™, 1622 I/O™, and the
24-bit ADAT Bridge I/O™.
The original 888 I/O and 882 I/O interfaces
are not supported with Pro Tools|HD.
To connect Digidesign Legacy I/Os:
1 Connect the “MIX card” end of the peripheral
cable that came with your Legacy I/O (60-pin
side) to the Legacy Port on the primary
Pro Tools|HD audio interface. Connect the
other end to the Computer Port on the Legacy
I/O.
2 Do one of the following:
• Connect any additional Legacy I/Os in the
same manner, to Pro Tools|HD audio interfaces connected directly to HD cards.
– or –
• If you are using a Y cable (Legacy 16-channel peripheral cable adapter), connect this
to the Legacy port first, then connect the
audio interface peripheral cables to Port A
and Port B of the Y cable.
“A” to first
Legacy I/O
“B” to second
Legacy I/O
To Legacy Port on
Pro Tools|HD audio interface
3 To properly clock the Legacy I/O, connect the
Ext. Clock output port on the Pro Tools|HD I/O
to the Slave Clock IN on the Legacy I/O. The
Legacy I/O will switch to Slave mode once the
proper clock is outputting from the
Pro Tools|HD I/O. Always use the Ext. Clock Out
port of the same I/O to which the Legacy I/O is
attached.
If you are using the Y cable to connect multiple
MIX audio interfaces, you must also connect the
Slave Clock Out of the first Legacy interface to
the Slave Clock In of the second Legacy interface with the provided BNC cable. You cannot
clock more than two MIX audio interfaces from
a single Pro Tools|HD audio interface. If you
have a third MIX audio interface, supply its
256x clock from the Pro Tools|HD I/O to which
its 60-pin cable is attached (either your second
audio interface, or directly to an HD Accel or
HD Process card).
To ensure the proper functioning of Legacy
I/Os (such as an 888|24 I/O or
882|20 I/O), launch Pro Tools and initialize the Legacy I/Os in the Hardware Setup
dialog before turning them on (See “Configuring Legacy I/Os” on page 50). Then quit
Pro Tools and shut down your computer.
When relaunching your Pro Tools system,
turn on your Legacy I/Os first and allow
them to finish booting before turning on
your Pro Tools|HD audio interfaces, and
then your computer.
Optional 16-channel peripheral cable adapter
Pro Tools|HD Getting Started Guide16
Before you turn on and configure your Legacy I/Os, turn down the volume of output
devices. Very loud digital noise may be
emitted before the Legacy I/O is initialized.
Installing Pro Tools HD Software
After your Pro Tools|HD hardware is installed
and connected, you are ready to install
Pro Tools software.
Make sure you have disabled Driver Signing
warnings before beginning software installation. This will reduce the number of
warning messages you see during installation. See “Disabling Driver Signing Warnings” on page 11.
To install Pro Tools HD software:
1 If you have Media Station|PT or Media Sta-
tion|V10 installed on your system, uninstall it
before proceeding.
For details on uninstalling Media Station|PT or Media Station|V10, see the Avid
Video Peripherals Guide.
2 Start Windows, logging in with Administrator
privileges. For details on Administrator privileges, refer to your Windows documentation.
3 Wait for the Found New Hardware Wizard di-
alog to appear and leave it open: Do not click
Next.
4 Insert the Pro Tools Installer disc in your
CD/DVD drive.
5 On the Installer disc, locate and open the
Pro Tools Installer folder.
6 Double-click the Setup icon.
7 Follow the on-screen instructions to proceed
with installation.
10 Select the Pro Tools application for installa-
tion.
11 You can also select from a list of optional
items to install along with Pro Tools.
Mac HFS+ Disk Support Option This option lets
your Pro Tools system read, write, record, and
play back using Mac-formatted HFS+ disks. HFS+
disks are commonly referred to as Mac OS Extended disks.
Avid Video Engine The Avid Video Engine is required to use Pro Tools with Avid video peripherals such as the Avid Mojo or the Digidesign
AVoption|V10.
DigiTranslator DigiTranslator™ is a software option for Pro Tools that lets you convert and exchange OMF and AAF sequences and MXF files
directly in the Pro Tools application. This option is purchased separately.
MachineControl Digidesign MachineControl™
is a software option that lets you control external audio/video devices from Pro Tools using serial 9-pin protocols. This option is purchased
separately.
Command|8 Controller and Driver The Command|8 Driver is required if you are using the
Digidesign Command|8 control surface.
MP3 Export Option The MP3 Export Option lets
you export MP3 files from Pro Tools. This option is purchased separately.
The Pro Tools Installer disc includes additional software for your system. For more information, see “Additional Software on the
Pro Tools Installer Disc” on page 19.
8 Select the install location. For maximum reli-
ability, install Pro Tools on your startup drive.
9 Click Next.
12 Click Next.
Chapter 2: Installing Pro Tools on Windows 17
13 Select your work environment. This loads an
initial set of Pro Tools Preferences that include
some of the more popular settings for post production, audio, or audio with MIDI.
Preference settings can be customized at any
time in Pro Tools. See the
ence Guide
14 Click Next.
15 Select whether to install the Surround Mixer
for more information.
Pro Tools Refer-
plug-in. This plug-in is required for mixing,
mastering, and monitoring in surround.
• Select “Yes – Monitor in Pro Tools Film Format” if your monitoring is configured for
Film Format surround.
• Select “Yes – Monitor in ProControl (DTS
Format)” if you are using a ProControl dedicated controller.
• Select “No – Stereo mixing only” if your
monitoring is configured for Stereo.
AFL/PFL Solo modes require the Surround
Mixer plug-in. See the Pro Tools Reference
Guide for more information.
16 Click Next.
17 Click Install.
Installing QuickTime
QuickTime is required for Pro Tools if you plan
to include movie files, or import MP3 or MP4
(AAC) files in your sessions. QuickTime for Windows is available as a free download from the
Apple website.
For information on which version of QuickTime is compatible with your version of
Pro Tools, visit the compatibility pages of
the Digidesign website
(www.digidesign.com).
To install QuickTime:
1 Visit www.apple.com and download the
QuickTime for Windows installer application to
your computer.
2 Double-click the QuickTime installer applica-
tion and follow the on-screen installation instructions.
3 Restart your computer.
If you turned off Driver Signing Warning on
your computer, be sure to enable it once
Pro Tools hardware and software have been
installed.
Several messages are displayed during installation that can be ignored, including
multiple “Found New Hardware” dialogs
and “A Problem Occurred During Hardware
Installation.”
Additionally, if you get a warning dialog
about the driver not passing Windows Logo
testing, click Continue Anyway.
18 Wait for the installer to finish installing all
software components, drivers, and PACE System
files before proceeding to the next step.
19 When installation is complete, click Finish.
Pro Tools|HD Getting Started Guide18
Launching Pro Tools
To use Pro Tools HD, you must always have an
inserted iLok with an authorization for
Pro Tools HD. One pre-authorized iLok is included with your Pro Tools HD system.
To authorize Pro Tools HD software:
1 Make sure HD hardware is connected to your
computer.
2 Insert the pre-authorized iLok into an avail-
able USB port on your computer.
3 Do one of the following:
• Double-click the Pro Tools HD shortcut on
the desktop.
– or –
• Locate and double-click the Pro Tools HD
application on your hard drive.
Digidesign ASIO Driver
The Digidesign ASIO (Audio Sound Input Output) Driver is a single-client multichannel
sound driver that allows third-party audio programs that support the ASIO standard to record
and play back through Digidesign hardware.
Do not remove the iLok during Pro Tools
launch or use.
Additional Software on the Pro Tools Installer Disc
The Pro Tools Installer disc provides additional
software for your system, including audio drivers (for playing other audio applications
through your Digidesign hardware) and a
Pro Tools demo session.
Refer to your Pro Tools Installer disc for additional software and installers.
Windows Audio Drivers
The Digidesign ASIO Driver and WaveDriver
Windows System Audio Driver let you use your
Digidesign hardware interface with third-party
applications that support the ASIO Driver or
WaveDriver MME (Multimedia Extension).
The Digidesign ASIO Driver and WaveDriver for
your Digidesign hardware are automatically installed when you install Pro Tools.
For detailed information on configuring the
Digidesign ASIO Driver, see the Windows
Audio Drivers Guide.
Digidesign WaveDriver
(Windows XP Only)
The Digidesign WaveDriver Windows System
Audio Driver is a single-client, stereo sound
driver that allows third-party audio programs
that support the WaveDriver MME (Multimedia
Extension) standard to play back through Digidesign hardware.
For detailed information on configuring the
Digidesign WaveDriver, see the Windows
Audio Drivers Guide.
Standalone Windows Audio Drivers
Digidesign Windows Audio Drivers can be installed on Windows systems that do not have
Pro Tools software installed. Use the standalone
version of the Digidesign Windows Audio Drivers installer (Digidesign Audio Drivers
Setup.exe), which is available on the Pro Tools
Installer disc.
For information on installing and configuring the standalone version of the Digidesign
Windows Audio Drivers, see the Windows
Audio Drivers Guide.
Chapter 2: Installing Pro Tools on Windows 19
Pro Tools Demo Session
The Pro Tools HD Installer disc includes a demo
session that you can use to verify that your system is working.
The demo session for Pro Tool HD is named
Meant To Be.
Before installing the demo session to your
audio drive, make sure the drive is configured as described in “Formatting an Audio
Drive” on page 70.
To install the demo session:
1 Insert the Pro Tools HD Installer disc into
your DVD drive.
To install factory session templates:
1 Insert the Pro Tools Installer disc into your
DVD drive.
2 From your DVD drive, locate and open the Ad-
ditional Files/HD Session Templates Installer
folder.
3 Double-click HD Session Templates Setup.exe.
4 Follow the onscreen instructions.
5 When prompted, select your audio drive as
the install location and click Next to begin the
install.
6 When installation is complete, click Finish.
2 From your DVD drive, locate and open the Ad-
ditional Files/HD Demo Session Installer folder.
3 Double-click HD Demo Session Setup.exe.
4 Follow the onscreen instructions.
5 When prompted, select your audio drive as
the install location and click Next to begin the
install.
6 When installation is complete, click Finish.
The demo session can be opened by doubleclicking the Meant To Be.ptf file (located in
the Meant To Be Demo Session folder).
Pro Tools Session Templates
The Pro Tools HD Installer disc includes factory
session templates that are pre-configured to
common track and mixer setups. Using these
templates will save you the trouble of having to
create your studio setup from scratch every time
you start a new session.
See the Pro Tools Reference Guide for information on using or customizing session templates.
Uninstalling Pro Tools
If you need to uninstall Pro Tools software from
your computer, you can use Windows commands for uninstalling programs.
To uninstall Pro Tools from your computer:
1 Choose Start > Control Panel.
2 Double-click Add or Remove Programs.
3 From the Currently Installed Programs list, se-
lect Digidesign Pro Tools.
4 Click the Remove button.
5 Follow the on-screen instructions to remove
Pro Tools.
Pro Tools|HD Getting Started Guide20
chapter 3
Installing Pro Tools on Mac
This chapter contains information for Mac systems only. If you are installing Pro Tools on a
Windows computer, see Chapter 2, “Installing
Pro Tools on Windows.”
Before installing this version of Pro Tools,
refer to the Read Me information included
on the Pro Tools Installer disc.
Installation Overview
Installation of a Pro Tools|HD system on a Mac
includes the following steps:
1 “Installing Pro Tools Hardware” on page 22.
This step includes:
• Installing and connecting Pro Tools|HD
cards.
• Connecting audio interfaces
2 “Installing Pro Tools HD Software” on
page 28.
3 “Launching Pro Tools” on page 29.
4 Configuring your system for improved perfor-
mance. (See Chapter 4, “Configuring Your
Pro Tools System.”)
5 Chapter 5, “Making Studio Connections.”
Chapter 3: Installing Pro Tools on Mac 21
Installing Pro Tools Hardware
To install Pro Tools|HD hardware, you first install Pro Tools|HD cards, then for systems with
more than one card, connect the cards with a
TDM FlexCable.
Mac Pro and Power Mac G5 (PCI Express) The
PCI Express-equipped Mac Pro and Power Mac
G5 have three PCI Express (PCIe) slots (named
slots 2, 3, and 4). The PCI Express slot numbers
increase from bottom to top as you face the open
computer case from the side. Install the
Accel Core (for PCIe) card into PCI slot 2.
Installing Pro Tools|HD Cards
This section shows how to install Pro Tools|HD
cards into a Mac computer. To install cards into
an expansion chassis, see the Expanded Systems
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.
Mac Pro
PCIe slot 4
(hidden)
PCIe slot 3
PCIe slot 2
AGP slot 1
(video card)
PCIe slot 4
PCIe slot 3
PCIe slot 2
AGP slot 1
(video card)
5 Install the Accel Core (for PCIe) or HD Core
(for PCI) card into the lowest-numbered slot in
the computer. This will be the slot closest to the
graphics card, as shown in the following examples:
Pro Tools|HD Getting Started Guide22
Power Mac G5 (PCI Express equipped)
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