Pinnacle Systems Pro Tools LE - 8.0 User Manual

Upgrading to Pro Tools LE 8.0

Version 8.0

Legal Notices

This guide is copyrighted ©2008 by Digidesign, a division of
Avid Technology, Inc. (hereafter “Digidesign”), with all rights
reserved. Under copyright laws, this guide may not be
duplicated in whole or in part without the written consent of
Digidesign.

003, 96 I/O, 96i I/O, 192 Digital I/O, 192 I/O, 888|24 I/O,
882|20 I/O, 1622 I/O, 24-Bit ADAT Bridge I/O, AudioSuite,
Avid, Avid DNA, Avid Mojo, Avid Unity, Avid Unity ISIS,
Avid Xpress, AVoption, Axiom, Beat Detective, Bomb Factory,
Bruno, C|24, Command|8, Control|24, D-Command, D-Control,
D-Fi, D-fx, D-Show, D-Verb, DAE, Digi 002, DigiBase,
DigiDelivery, Digidesign, Digidesign Audio Engine, Digidesign
Intelligent Noise Reduction, Digidesign TDM Bus, DigiDrive,
DigiRack, DigiTest, DigiTranslator, DINR, D-Show, DV Toolkit,
EditPack, Eleven, HD Core, HD Process, Hybrid, Impact,
Interplay, LoFi, M-Audio, MachineControl, Maxim, Mbox,
MediaComposer, MIDI I/O, MIX, MultiShell, Nitris, OMF,
OMF Interchange, PRE, ProControl, Pro Tools M-Powered,
Pro Tools, Pro Tools|HD, Pro Tools LE, QuickPunch, Recti-Fi,
Reel Tape, Reso, Reverb One, ReVibe, RTAS, Sibelius,
Smack!, SoundReplacer, Sound Designer II, Strike, Structure,
SYNC HD, SYNC I/O, Synchronic, TL Aggro, TL AutoPan, TL
Drum Rehab, TL Everyphase, TL Fauxlder, TL In Tune, TL
MasterMeter, TL Metro, TL Space, TL Utilities, Transfuser,
Trillium Lane Labs, Vari-Fi Velvet, X-Form, and XMON are
trademarks or registered trademarks of Digidesign and/or Avid
Technology, Inc. Xpand! is Registered in the U.S. Patent and
Trademark Office. All other trademarks are the property of their
respective owners.

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

Guide Part Number 9329-60789-00 REV A 11/08

Documentation Feedback

At Digidesign, we're always looking for ways to improve our
documentation. If you have comments, corrections, or
suggestions regarding our documentation, email us at
[e-mail].

contents

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

System Requirements and Compatibility Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Chapter 2. Installing Pro Tools on Mac . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Installation Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Authorizing Pro Tools Upgrades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Installing Pro Tools LE Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Launching Pro Tools LE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Configuring Pro Tools. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Additional Software on the Pro Tools Installer Disc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Uninstalling Pro Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Chapter 3. Installing Pro Tools on Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Installation Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Authorizing Pro Tools Upgrades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Installing Pro Tools LE Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Installing QuickTime . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Launching Pro Tools LE Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Configuring Your System for Improved Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Additional Software on the Pro Tools Installer Disc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Uninstalling Pro Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Appendix A. Noting Your Preferences. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Taking Screenshots of Your Preferences Pages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Preferences Tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Contents iii

Upgrading to Pro Tools LE 8.0iv

chapter 1

Introduction

This guide documents how to upgrade to
Pro Tools
Digidesign
puter.

®

8.0 for Pro Tools LE™ systems on a

®

-qualified Windows or Mac com-

If you are installing Pro Tools on a Mac
computer, see Chapter 2, “Installing
Pro Tools on Mac.”

If you are installing Pro Tools on a Win­dows computer, see Chapter 3, “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.

If you are configuring a new Pro Tools sys­tem, follow the complete hardware and soft­ware installation steps in the

that came with your system.

Setup Guide

System Requirements and Compatibility Information

Pro Tools LE software can be used on a
Pro Tools LE system on a Digidesign-qualified
Windows or Mac computer.

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

For complete system requirements and a list of
Digidesign-qualified computers, operating sys­tems, hard drives, and third-party devices, refer
to the latest information on the Digidesign web­site:

www.digidesign.com/compatibility

Internet Access

Upgrading to any version of Pro Tools requires
access to the Internet for software activation and
registration purposes.

DVD Drive

The Pro Tools Installer disc requires a DVD drive
for installation.

Chapter 1: Introduction 1

Upgrading to Pro Tools LE 8.02

chapter 2

Installing Pro Tools on Mac

This chapter explains how to install and config­ure Pro Tools for Pro Tools LE systems on a
Digidesign-qualified Mac computer.

If you are installing Pro Tools on a Win­dows computer, see Chapter 3, “Installing
Pro Tools on Windows.”

For complete system requirements and compat­ibility information, visit the Digidesign website

(www.digidesign.com/compatibility).

Before You Upgrade

Retaining Your Pro Tools Preferences

When you upgrade your Pro Tools LE software,
Pro Tools Preferences settings are reset to their
default settings. These default settings may dif­fer from your previous settings. Therefore, you
may want to note your current Preferences set­tings before upgrading. See for tips on noting
your current Pro Tools Preferences settings.

Read Mes

Before installing this version of Pro Tools, refer
to the Read Me information included on the
Pro Tools Installer disc.

Important Information about Structure and
Xpand! Plug-ins

If the full version of Structure® or Str u cture L E is
already installed on your system, Structure Free
will not be installed.

If Xpand!
installing Xpand!
Xpand! presets are copied to the Xpand!
Presets folder and will be available in Xpand!

®

is already installed on your system,

2

will overwrite Xpand! All

2

Plug-in

2

Installation Overview

Installation of Pro Tools software on a Mac com­puter includes the following steps:

1 Authorizing Pro Tools software. See “Autho-

rizing Pro Tools Upgrades” on page 4.

2 Installing Pro Tools LE software. See “Install-

ing Pro Tools LE Software” on page 4.

3 Launching Pro Tools. See “Launching

Pro Tools LE” on page 5.

4 Configuring your system for improved perfor-

mance. (See your system’s Setup Guide.)

.

Chapter 2: Installing Pro Tools on Mac 3

Authorizing Pro Tools Upgrades

Before you install your Pro Tools upgrade, you
must first authorize it. The process for getting
authorization depends on how you purchased
it.

 If you purchased a software upgrade online,

follow the instructions provided online.

 If you purchased a boxed Pro Tools software

upgrade, you need to authorize the software us­ing an Activation Code (located on the Activa­tion Card). See “Authorizing Boxed Pro Tools LE
Upgrades” on page 4.

Authorizing Boxed Pro Tools LE
Upgrades

3 After you are logged in, take note of your

Pro Tools LE Authorization Code. You will need
this code the first time you launch your software
upgrade.

Your Authorization Code will be stored in
your My Digi account.

4 Proceed to “Installing Pro Tools LE Software”

on page 4.

Installing Pro Tools LE Software

(003®, 003 Rack, 003 Rack+, Digi 002®,

®

Digi 002 Rack, Mbox
Mbox 2 Mini, Mbox 2 Micro, and Mbox
Systems Only)

2 Pro, Mbox 2,

The authorization procedure on the Activation
Card will help you go online and retrieve the
Authorization Code required to launch
Pro Tools following software installation.

If you have not already completed authorizing
your software by following the instructions on
the Activation Card, complete the following
steps for your Pro Tools system.

To authorize a boxed Pro Tools LE upgrade using
an Activation Code:

1 Locate the enclosed Activation Card. The

unique code on this card will allow you to re­trieve your Authorization Code.

2 Visit www.digidesign.com/activation, enter

your activation code, and click Continue. If
you’re not already logged in to your Digidesign
(My Digi) account, you will be asked to log in us­ing the email address you used to set up the ac­count. If you don’t already have an account,
click Create Profile to create one.

To install Pro Tools LE on Mac OS X:

1 Make sure you are logged in as an Administra-

tor for the account where you want to install
Pro Tools. For details on Administrator privi­leges in Mac OS X, refer to your Apple Mac OS X
documentation.

2 Do one of the following:

• If you purchased a software upgrade online,
follow the instructions provided with it to ex­pand and launch the installer.

– or –

• If you purchased a boxed version Pro Tools
upgrade, do all of the following:

• Insert the Pro Tools Installer disc for Win­dows in your DVD drive.

• Locate and double-click the Install
Pro Tools LE.mpkg file.

3 Follow the on-screen instructions to proceed

with installation.

Upgrading to Pro Tools LE 8.04

4 When prompted to select features to install,

leave the default options selected.

• Locate and double-click the Pro Tools LE
application on your hard drive.

5 You can also select from a list of optional

items to install along with Pro Tools:

®

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.

MIDI I/O™ Driver The MIDI I/O Driver is re­quired if you are using the Digidesign MIDI I/O.

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 6.

6 Click Install.

7 If prompted, enter your Administrator pass-

word and click OK to authenticate the installa­tion.

8 Follow the remaining on-screen instructions.

9 When installation is complete, click Restart.

If you get a warning dialog about updating
the firmware for your hardware, follow the
on-screen instructions to perform the
firmware update.

3 Enter the Authorization Code in the dialog

when prompted (making sure to type it exactly
as printed, and observing any spaces and capi­talization).

4 Click Validate.

All letters are case sensitive. All “0” charac­ters are zeros. You must include both
spaces. The spaces separate 3 sets of 8 char­acters.

5 Use the Quick Start dialog to do one of the fol-

lowing:

• Create a new session from a template.

• Create a new blank session.

• Open a session.

Launching Pro Tools LE

When launching Pro Tools LE the first time, you
are prompted to enter an Authorization Code to
validate your software.

To launch Pro Tools LE software:

1 Make sure your LE interface is connected to

your computer and powered on if it has a power
switch.

2 Do one of the following:

• Double-click the Pro Tools LE shortcut on
the desktop.

– or –

Quick Start dialog

For more information on the Quick Start di­alog and session templates, see the
Pro Tools Reference Guide.

Chapter 2: Installing Pro Tools on Mac 5

Configuring Pro Tools

You can adjust the performance of your system
by changing certain Pro Tools system settings
that affect its capacity for processing, playback,
and recording.

In most cases, the default settings for your sys­tem provide optimum performance, but you
may want to adjust them to accommodate large
or processing-intensive Pro Tools sessions.

Refer to the electronic PDF version of the Setup
Guide that was installed with your software for
instructions on configuring Pro Tools settings.

Additional Software on the Pro Tools Installer Disc

The Pro Tools Installer disc provides additional
software for your system, including third-party
applications and plug-ins, audio drivers (for
playing other audio applications through your
Digidesign hardware), and a Pro Tools demo ses­sion.

Check your Pro Tools Installer disc for addi­tional software and installers.

Digidesign CoreAudio Driver

(Pro Tools|HD, 003, 003 Rack, 003 Rack+,
Digi 002, Digi 002 Rack, and Mbox Systems
Only)

The Digidesign CoreAudio Driver lets you use
your Digidesign-qualified audio interfaces with
third-party applications that support the Core­Audio Driver standard.

The following Pro Tools system interfaces are
supported:

• Pro Tools|HD

•003

•003 Rack

•003Rack+

• Digi 002

• Digi 002 Rack

•Mbox

The Digidesign CoreAudio Driver for your
Digidesign hardware is automatically installed
when you install Pro Tools.

For information on configuring the Digide­sign CoreAudio Driver, see the CoreAudio
Drivers Guide

Standalone Digidesign CoreAudio Drivers

®

.

Third-Party Applications and
Plug-ins

Your Pro Tools package includes several free ap­plications and plug-ins from selected Digidesign
Third Party developers. Once you've completed
your Pro Tools installation, you can install these
separately.

Installers are located on your Pro Tools Installer
disc in the Additional Files\3rd Party Content
folder.

Upgrading to Pro Tools LE 8.06

Digidesign CoreAudio Drivers can be installed
on Mac systems that do not have Pro Tools soft­ware installed.

For information on installing and configur­ing the standalone version of the Digidesign
CoreAudio Driver, see the CoreAudio Driv­ers Guide.

If you uninstall Pro Tools, CoreAudio
Driver is automatically uninstalled at that
time.

Mbox 2 Family CoreAudio Drivers

(Mbox 2 Pro, Mbox 2, Mbox 2 Mini, and
Mbox 2 Micro Systems Only)

Digidesign Mbox 2 family CoreAudio Drivers let
you use your Digidesign-qualified Mbox 2 fam­ily audio interfaces with third-party applications
that support the CoreAudio Driver standard.

The following Pro Tools Mbox 2 family system
interfaces are supported:

•Mbox 2 Pro

•Mbox 2

• Mbox 2 Mini

• Mbox 2 Micro

The Mbox 2 CoreAudio Driver is a multi-client,
multichannel sound driver that allows Core­Audio compatible applications to record and
play back through Digidesign hardware.

The Mbox 2 CoreAudio Driver is installed by de­fault when you install Pro Tools.

For information on configuring the Mbox 2
CoreAudio Driver, see the CoreAudio Driv­ers Guide

.

Pro Tools Demo Session

The Pro Tools Installer disc includes a demo ses­sion, which you can use to verify that your sys­tem is working properly. The demo session is
not installed automatically. The demo session is
called Filtered Dream.

To install the demo session:

1 Insert the Pro Tools Installer disc into your

DVD drive.

2 On the installer disc, in the Additional Files

folder, locate and open the Pro Tools Demo Ses­sion Installer folder.

3 Double-click the LE Demo Session.pkg file.

4 Follow the onscreen instructions to proceed

with installation.

5 When prompted, select your audio drive as

the install location and click Next to begin the
install.

6 Click Install.

7 When installation is complete, click Close.

The demo session can be opened by double­clicking the Filtered Dream.ptf file located in the
Pro Tools LE Demo Session folder.

Chapter 2: Installing Pro Tools on Mac 7

Uninstalling Pro Tools

If you need to uninstall Pro Tools software from
your computer, use the Uninstall Pro Tools ap­plication.

To uninstall Pro Tools from your computer:

1 Make sure you are logged in as an Administra-

tor for the account where Pro Tools is installed.

For details on Administrator privileges in
Mac OS X, see your Apple OS X documen­tation.

2 Go to Applications/Digidesign/Pro Tools/

Pro Tools Utilities and double-click the
“Uninstall Pro Tools” file.

3 Click Continue to proceed with the uninstall.

4 Choose the type of uninstall you want to per-

form:

Safe Uninstall Leaves certain plug-ins and sys­tem files needed for compatibility with some
Avid products. Use Safe Uninstall if you are us­ing an Avid application or preparing to update
to a .cs release.

Clean Uninstall Removes all Pro Tools files, in­cluding system files, Digidesign plug-ins, and
MIDI patch names. Use Clean Uninstall when­ever you are preparing to upgrade, or to trouble­shoot from a clean system.

5 Click Uninstall.

6 Enter your Administrator password and click

OK.

7 Click Finish to close the Installer window.

Upgrading to Pro Tools LE 8.08

chapter 3

Installing Pro Tools on Windows

This chapter explains how to install Pro Tools
for Pro Tools LE on a Digidesign-qualified Win­dows computer.

If you are installing Pro Tools on a Mac
computer, see Chapter 2, “Installing
Pro Tools on Mac.”

For complete system requirements and compat­ibility information, visit the Digidesign website

(www.digidesign.com/compatibility).

Before You Upgrade

Retaining Your Pro Tools Preferences

When you upgrade your Pro Tools LE software,
Pro Tools Preferences settings are reset to their
default settings. These default settings may dif­fer from your previous settings. Therefore, you
may want to note your current Preferences set­tings before upgrading. See Appendix A, “Not­ing Your Preferences” for tips on noting your
current Pro Tools Preferences settings.

Important Information about Structure and
Xpand! Plug-ins

If the full version of Structure or Structure LE is
already installed on your system, Structure Free
will not be installed.

If Xpand! is already installed on your system, in­stalling Xpand!
Xpand! presets are copied to the Xpand!
Presets folder and will be available in Xpand!

2

will overwrite Xpand! All

2

Plug-in

2

Installation Overview

Installation of Pro Tools software on a Windows
computer includes the following steps:

1 Authorizing Pro Tools software. See “Autho-

rizing Pro Tools Upgrades” on page 10.

2 Installing Pro Tools software. See “Installing

Pro Tools LE Software” on page 10.

3 Installing QuickTime software. (See “Install-

ing QuickTime” on page 11)

.

Read Mes

Before installing this version of Pro Tools, refer
to the Read Me information included on the
Pro Tools Installer disc.

4 Launching Pro Tools. See “Launching Pro

Tools LE Software” on page 12.

5 Configuring your system for improved perfor-

mance. (See your system’s Setup Guide.)

Chapter 3: Installing Pro Tools on Windows 9

Authorizing Pro Tools Upgrades

Before you install your Pro Tools upgrade, you
must first authorize it. The process for getting
authorization depends on how you purchased
it.

 If you purchased a software upgrade online,

follow the instructions provided online.

 If you purchased a boxed Pro Tools software

upgrade, you need to authorize the software us­ing an Activation Code (located on the Activa­tion Card). See “Authorizing Boxed Pro Tools LE
Upgrades” on page 10.

Authorizing Boxed Pro Tools LE
Upgrades

The authorization procedure on the Activation
Card will help you go online and retrieve the
Authorization Code required to launch
Pro Tools following software installation.

If you have not already completed authorizing
your software by following the instructions on
the Activation Card, complete the following
steps for your Pro Tools system.

3 After you are logged in, take note of your

Pro Tools LE Authorization Code. You will need
this code the first time you launch your software
upgrade.

Your Authorization Code will be stored in
your My Digi account.

4 Proceed to “Installing Pro Tools LE Software”

on page 10.

Installing Pro Tools LE Software

Before you install your Pro Tools software up­grade, you should uninstall the version of
Pro Tools currently installed on your system.
Use the Uninstall Pro Tools application located
on your Pro Tools upgrade disk or download.

To install Pro Tools LE:

1 Start Windows, logging in with Administrator

privileges. For details on Administrator privi­leges, refer to your Windows documentation.

2 Uninstall your older version of Pro Tools. See

“Uninstalling Pro Tools” on page 15 for more
information on uninstalling Pro Tools.

To authorize a boxed Pro Tools LE upgrade using
an Activation Code:

1 Locate the enclosed Activation Card. The

unique code on this card will allow you to re­trieve your Authorization Code.

2 Visit www.digidesign.com/activation, enter

your activation code, and click Continue. If
you’re not already logged in to your Digidesign
(My Digi) account, you will be asked to log in us­ing the email address you used to set up the ac­count.If you don’t already have an account,
click Create Profile to create one.

Upgrading to Pro Tools LE 8.010

3 Do one of the following:

• If you purchased a software upgrade online,
follow the instructions provided with it to ex­pand the installer.

– or –

• If you purchased a boxed version Pro Tools
upgrade, do all of the following:

• Insert the Pro Tools Installer disc for Win­dows in your DVD drive.

• Locate and double-click the Setup icon.

4 When prompted to select features to install,

leave the default options selected.

5 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.

Command|8

®

Controller and Driver The Com­mand|8 Driver is required if you are using the
Digidesign Command|8 control surface.

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 13.

6 Click Next.

9 When installation is complete, click Finish.

10 If QuickTime is not installed, proceed to “In-

stalling QuickTime” on page 11.

Installing QuickTime

A Digidesign-qualified version of 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
(www.apple.com).

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 go to the Quick-

Time page.

7 Click Install.

In Windows XP, a series Software Installa­tion dialogs about the driver not passing
Windows Logo testing may appear. Click
Continue Anyway on each one until they go
away.

If any other dialogs appear (such as the
“Found New Hardware” dialog) leave them
open and do not click on them. These dia­logs will close on their own.

In Windows Vista, a series of Windows Se­curity dialogs may appear. Click “Install”
on each one until they go away.

8 Wait for the installer to finish installing all

software components, drivers, and PACE System
files before proceeding to the next step.

2 Download the QuickTime installer applica-

tion to your computer.

3 Double-click the QuickTime installer applica-

tion and follow the on-screen installation in­structions.

4 Restart your computer.

If the USB LED on the front panel of the
Mbox 2 does not illuminate after installa­tion, try unplugging the USB cable from the
Mbox 2 USB port, and plugging it back in. If
the USB LED still does not illuminate, shut
down the computer, disconnect Mbox 2 and
start the computer. Once the computer has
fully restarted, reconnect Mbox 2.

5 Proceed to “Launching Pro Tools LE Software”

on page 12.

Chapter 3: Installing Pro Tools on Windows 11

Launching Pro Tools LE Software

When launching Pro Tools the first time, you
are prompted to enter an Authorization Code to
validate your software.

To authorize Pro Tools LE software:

1 Make sure your LE interface is connected to

your computer and powered on if it has a power
switch.

2 Do one of the following:

• Double-click the Pro Tools LE shortcut on
the desktop.

– or –

• Locate and double-click the Pro Tools LE
application on your hard drive.

If you get a warning dialog about updating
the firmware for your hardware, follow the
on-screen instructions to perform the
firmware update.

3 Enter the Authorization Code in the dialog

(making sure to type it exactly as printed, and
observing any spaces and capitalization).

All letters are case sensitive. All “0” charac­ters are zeros. You must include both
spaces. The spaces separate 3 sets of 8 char­acters.

4 Click Validate.

5 Use the Quick Start dialog to do one of the fol-

lowing:

• Create a new session from a template.

• Create a new blank session.

• Open a session.

Quick Start dialog

For more information on the Quick Start di­alog and session templates, see the
Pro Tools Reference Guide.

Configuring Your System for Improved Performance

You can adjust the performance of your system
by changing certain Pro Tools system settings
that affect its capacity for processing, playback,
and recording.

In most cases, the default settings for your sys­tem provide optimum performance, but you
may want to adjust them to accommodate large
or processing-intensive Pro Tools sessions.

In addition, you can configure your Windows
system settings to ensure optimum performance
with Pro Tools.

Refer to the electronic PDF version of the Setup
Guide that was installed with your software for
instructions on configuring Pro Tools and Win­dows system settings.

Upgrading to Pro Tools LE 8.012

Additional Software on the Pro Tools Installer Disc

The Pro Tools Installer disc provides additional
software for your system, including third-party
applications and plug-ins, audio drivers (for
playing other audio applications through your
Digidesign hardware) and a Pro Tools demo ses­sion.

Check your Pro Tools Installer disc for addi­tional software and installers.

Third-Party Applications and
Plug-ins

Your Pro Tools package includes several free ap­plications and plug-ins from selected Digidesign
Third Party developers. Once you've completed
your Pro Tools installation, you can install these
separately.

Installers are located on your Pro Tools Installer
disc in the Additional Files\3rd Party Content
folder.

Windows Audio Drivers for Most
Pro Tools Interfaces

(Pro Tools|HD, 003, 003 Rack, Digi 002,
Digi 002 Rack, Mbox 2, Mbox 2 Mini,
Mbox 2 Micro and Mbox Only)

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 following Pro Tools system interfaces are
supported:

• Pro Tools|HD

•003

•003 Rack

•003 Rack+

• Digi 002

• Digi 002 Rack

•Mbox 2

• Mbox 2 Mini

• Mbox 2 Micro

•Mbox

The Digidesi gn ASIO D river and WaveD river fo r
your Digidesign hardware are automatically in­stalled when you install Pro Tools.

For specifications and configuration infor­mation specific to each driver, see the Win­dows Audio Drivers Guide.

Chapter 3: Installing Pro Tools on Windows 13

Digidesign ASIO Driver

The Digidesign ASIO Driver is a single-client,
multichannel sound driver that allows third­party audio programs that support the ASIO
Driver standard to record and play back through
Digidesign-qualified Pro Tools audio interfaces.

The Digidesign ASIO Driver and DirectSound
Driver for Mbox 2 Pro are automatically in­stalled when you install Pro Tools.

For specifications and configuration infor­mation specific to each driver, see the Win­dows Audio Drivers Guide.

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, multichannel
sound driver that allows third-party audio pro­grams that support the WaveDriver MME (Mul­timedia Extensions) standard to play back
through Digidesign-qualified Pro Tools audio
interfaces.

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 or download.

Windows Audio Drivers for
Mbox 2 Pro

The Digidesign ASIO Driver and DirectSound
Driver let you use your Digidesign Mbox 2 Pro
hardware interface with third-party applications
that support the ASIO Driver or DirectSound
Driver standard.

Digidesign ASIO Driver

The Digidesign ASIO Driver is a single-client,
multichannel sound driver that allows third­party audio programs that support the ASIO
Driver standard to record and play back through
the Mbox 2 Pro audio interfaces.

For detailed information on configuring the
Digidesign ASIO Driver, see the Windows
Audio Drivers Guide.

Digidesign DirectSound Driver

The DirectSound Windows System Audio Driver
is a multi-client, multichannel sound driver that
allows third-party audio programs that support
the DirectSound standard to play back and
record through Mbox 2 Pro.

For detailed information on configuring the
Digidesign DirectSound Driver, see the
Windows Audio Drivers Guide.

Standalone Digidesign 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.

Upgrading to Pro Tools LE 8.014

Pro Tools Demo Session

The Pro Tools Installer disc includes a demo ses­sion, which you can use to verify that your sys­tem is working properly. The demo session is
not installed automatically.

To install the demo session:

1 Insert the Pro Tools Installer disc into your

DVD drive.

2 On the installer disc, in the Additional Files

folder, locate and open the Pro Tools Demo Ses­sion Installer folder.

3 Double-click the LE Demo Session Setup.exe

file.

4 Follow the onscreen instructions to proceed

with installation.

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 Filtered Dream.ptf file located in the
Pro Tools LE Demo Session folder.

Uninstalling Pro Tools

Use the Uninstall Pro Tools application to unin­stall Pro Tools software from your computer

To uninstall Pro Tools from your computer:

1 Start Windows, logging in with Administrator

privileges. For details on Administrator privi­leges, refer to your Windows documentation.

2 Do one of the following:

• Insert the Pro Tools Installer disc for Win­dows in your DVD drive and double-click
“Uninstall Pro Tools.exe.”

– or –

• If you have already installed the Pro Tools
upgrade, go to Program Files\Digide­sign\Pro Tools\Pro Tools Utilities, and
double-click the “Uninstall Pro Tools.exe”
file.

3 Click Next.

4 Click Uninstall to proceed with the uninstalla-

tion.

5 When the uninstall has completed, restart

your computer.

Chapter 3: Installing Pro Tools on Windows 15

Upgrading to Pro Tools LE 8.016

appendix a

Noting Your Preferences

When you upgrade your Pro Tools LE software,
Pro Tools Preferences settings are reset to their
default settings. These default settings may dif­fer from your previous settings. Therefore, you
may want to note your current Preferences set­tings before upgrading.

To note your current Preferences settings, you can
do one the following:

 Take a picture, a screenshot, of the existing

tabbed pages in the Preferences dialog. See “Tak­ing Screenshots of Your Preferences Pages” on
page 17.

– or –

 Note your preference settings using the tables

provided in this chapter. See “Preferences Ta­bles” on page 19.

Taking Screenshots of Your Preferences Pages

Mac and Windows both offer the capability of
taking a screenshot of whatever appears on your
computer screen. Follow the instructions below
for your computer platform.

Taking Screenshots on a Mac

Use Mac’s Grab application to take and save
your screenshots.

To take screenshots of your Preferences pages on
a Mac:

1 Open Pro Tools and choose Setup > Prefer-

ences.

2 Open the Grab application on your Mac.

3 In Grab, choose Capture > Window.

4 When the Window Grab dialog opens, click

Choose Window.

5 Click the Preference dialog to take the screen-

shot.

6 In Grab, choose File > Save As to name and

save the screenshot.

7 Repeat this procedure for each tabbed page in

the Preferences dialog.

Appendix A: Noting Your Preferences 17

Taking Screenshots in Windows

Use the Print Screen key on your keyboard to
take your screenshots, and use the Paint applica­tion to save them.

To take and save screenshots of your Preferences
pages in Windows:

1 Open Pro Tools and choose Setup > Prefer-

ences.

2 Press the Print Screen key on your computer’s

keyboard.

3 Open the Paint application.

4 In Paint, choose Edit > Paste.

5 After the screenshot appears in Paint, choose

File > Save As to name and save the screenshot.

6 Repeat this procedure for each tabbed page in

the Preferences dialog.

Upgrading to Pro Tools LE 8.018

Preferences Tables

Display Preferences

Preference Setting

Basics

Track Position Numbers
Stay with Hidden Tracks

Tools Tips

Function

Details

Edit Window Default Length

Organize Plug-in Menus By

Flat List

Category

Manufacturer

Category and Manufactur-

er

Language

Default Auto-naming to
English (ASCII)

Meters

Preference Setting

Color Coding

Always Display Marker Col­ors

Midi Note Color Shows
Velocity

Default Track Color Coding;

None

Tracks and MIDI Channels

Tracks and MIDI Devices

Groups

Track Type

Default Region Color Coding

Tracks and MIDI Channels

Tracks and MIDI Devices

Trac k C olo r

Groups

Marker Locations

Region List Color

Peak Hold

3 Seconds

Infinite

None

Clip Indication

3 Seconds

Infinite

None

Appendix A: Noting Your Preferences 19

Operation Preferences

Preference Setting

Transport

Timeline Insertion/Play
Start Marker Follows Play­back

Edit Insertion Follows
Scrub/Shuttle

Audio During Fast
Forward/Rewind

Latch Forward/Rewind

Play Start Marker Follows
Timeline Selection

Reserve Voices for Preview
in Context (Pro Tools HD)

Custom Shuttle Lock Speed

Back/Forward Amount
(Pro Tools HD)

2 seconds

5 Seconds

10 Seconds

15 Seconds

20 Seconds

30 Seconds

Bars|Beats

Min:Secs

Time Code

Feet+Frames

Samples

Preference Setting

Classic

Transpor t

Shuttle

Use Separate Play and Stop
Keys

Auto Backup

Enable Session File Auto
Backup

Keep

Every

Video

Quick Time Playback Priority

Normal

Medium

Highest

High Quality QuickTime
Image

Avid Video Errors Stop Play­back (Pro Tools HD with
Avid Video Engine Only)

Avid Video NTSC Has Setup
(NTSC-J) (Pro Tools HD with
Avid Video Engine Only)

Record

Latch Record Enable But­tons

Link Record and Play Faders

Audio Track RecordLock
(Pro Tools HD)

Follow Main Time Scale

Numeric Keypad

Upgrading to Pro Tools LE 8.020

Transpor t RecordLock
(Pro Tools HD)

Preference Setting

Disable “Input” When Dis­arming Track (In “Stop”)
(Pro Tools HD)

Mute Record-Armed Tracks
While Stopped
(Pro Tools HD)

PEC/Direct Style Input Mon­itoring (Pro Tools HD)

Automatically Create New
Playlists When Loop
Recording

Online Options

Record Online at Time

Code (or ADAT) Lock

Record Online at Inser-

tion/Selection

Open-Ended Record Alloca­tion

Use All Available Space

Limit to

Destructive Punch File
Length

Misc.

Show Quick Start dialog
when Pro Tools Starts

Auto Region Fade In/Out
Length

Calibration Reference Level

Delay Compensation Time
Mode

Samples

Seconds

Appendix A: Noting Your Preferences 21

Editing Preferences

Preference Setting

Regions

Region List Selection Fol­lows Edit Selections

Edit Selection Follows
Region List Selection

Auto-Name Separated
Regions

Preference Setting

Zoom Toggle

Vertical Midi Zoom

selection

last used

Horizontal Zoom

selection

last used

“Separate Region” Opera­tions on All Related Takes

Track s

New Tracks Default to Tick
Timebase

Memory Locations

Auto-Name Memory Loca­tions when Playing

Fades

Crossfade Preview Pre-Roll

Crossfade Preview Post-Roll

QuickPunch/TrackPunch
Crossfade Length

Preserve Fades when Edit­ing

Default Fade Settings

Fade In...

Fade Out...

Crossfade...

REX...

Remove Range Selection
After Zooming In

Tack H e i g h t

last used

medium

large

jumbo

extreme

fit to window

Track V i ew

waveform/notes

warp/notes

last used

no change

Separate Grid Settings
When Zoomed In

Zoom Toggle Follows Edit
Selection

Levels of Undo

Upgrading to Pro Tools LE 8.022

Mixing Preferences

Preference Setting

Preference Setting

Setup

Sends Default to “–INF”

Send Pans Default to Follow
Main Pan

Link Mix/Edit Groups
Enables

Use Absolute Pan Linking

Default EQ

none

TDM plug-in

RTAS plug-in

Default Dynamics

none

TDM plug-in

RTAS plug-in

Automation

Smooth and Thin Data After
Pass

Degree of Thinning

none

Latching Behavior for
Switch Controls in “Touch”

Allow Latch Prime in Shop

Coalesce when Removing
Slaves from VCA Group

Standard VCA Logic for
Group Attributes

Include Sends in Trim Mode

Include Control Changes in
Undo Queue

AutoMatch Time

AutoGlide Time

After Write Pass, Switch To

Touch

Latch

No Change

Coalesce Trim Automation

After Every Pass

On Existing Trim Mode

Controllers

Edit WIndow Follows Bank
Selection

little

some

more

most

Plug-in Controls Default to
Auto-Enabled

Suppress Automation
“Write To...” Warnings

Mix Window Follows Bank
Selection

“Scroll to Track” Banks Con­trollers

Always Fill Channel Strips
when Banking

Touch Timeout

Appendix A: Noting Your Preferences 23

Processing Preferences

Preference Setting

AudioSuite

Use AudioSuite Dither

Plug-in

Bit Depth

16 Bits

18 Bits

20 Bits

24 Bits

Import

Convert Imported “.wav”
Files to AES31/Broadcast
Wave

Automatically Copy Files on
Import

Import REX Files as Region
Groups

Automatically Create

Fades

Drag and Drop from Desk­top Conforms to Session
Tem pl at e

No Files

Preference Setting

Elastic Audio

Default Plug-in

Polyphonic

Rhythmic

Monophonic

Varispe ed

Default Input Gain

Enable Elastic Audio on
New Tracks

REX and ACID Files Only

All Files

Sample Rate Conversion
Quality

TC/E

TC/E Plug-in

Default Settings

Upgrading to Pro Tools LE 8.024

MIDI Preferences

Preference Setting

Basics

Remove Range Selection
After Opening the
MIDI/Score Editor

Use MIDI to Tap Tempo

Display Events as Modified
by Real-Time Properties

Use F11 Key for Wait for
Note

Automatically Create Click
Track in New Sessions

Default Thru Instrument

Pencil Tool Resolution when
Drawing Controller Data

Global MIDI Playback Offset
(-10,000 to 10,000)

Double-clicking a MIDI
Region Opens

MIDI Editor

Preference Setting

Delay Compensation for

External Devices

MIDI Time Code

MIDI Beat Clock

MIDI/Score Editor Display

Additional Empty Bars in

the Score Editor

Score Editor

MIDI Event List

Name Dialog

Note Display

Standard Pitch Middle

Alternate Pitch Middle

MIDI Note Number

Appendix A: Noting Your Preferences 25

Synchronization Preferences

Preference Setting

Machine Control

Machine CHases Memory
Locations

Machine Follows Edit/Inser­tion Scrub

Linear Devices (jog)

Non-Linear Devices (cue)

Machine Cues Intelligently

Stop at Shuttle Speed Zero

Non-Linear Transport Error
Suppression

Synchronization

Minimum Sync Delay

Delay before Locking to Lon­gitudinal Time Code

Delay before Locking to
Serial Time Code

Remote Mode

Preference Setting

Satellites

Transmit Solos

Receive Solos

Solo Independent Of Linked

State

DAE Errors Stop All Linked

Systems

Transmit Play Selections

Receive Play Selections

Ignore Track Arming

Set Servo Lock Bit at Play

Allow Track Arm Commands
in Local Mode

Punch in Frame Offset

Punch Out Frame Offset

Delay after Play Command

Upgrading to Pro Tools LE 8.026

www.digidesign.com

DIGIDESIGN

2001 Junipero Serra Boulevard
Daly City, CA 94014-3886 USA
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

TECHNICAL SUPPORT (USA)

Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

PRODUCT INFORMATION (USA)

Tel: [phone]

INTERNATIONAL OFFICES

Visit the Digidesign website
for contact information