Pinnacle Systems Pro Tools TDM - 5.0 Installation Manual
Pro Tools
TDM Hardware Installation Guide
Version 5.0 for Macintosh and Windows
Digidesign Inc.
3401-A Hillview Avenue
Palo Alto, CA 94304 USA
tel: 650·842·7900
fax: 650·842·7999
Technical Support (USA)
650·842·6699
650·856·4275
Product Information
650·842·6602
800·333·2137
Fax on Demand
1-888-USE-DIGI (873-3444)
World Wide Web
www.digidesign.com
Digidesign FTP Site
ftp.digidesign.com
Copyright
This User’s Guide is copyrighted ©1999 by Digidesign, a
division of Avid Technology, Inc. (hereafter “Digidesign”), with
all rights reserved. Under copyright laws, this manual may not
be duplicated in whole or in part without the written consent of
Digidesign.
DIGIDESIGN, AVID and PRO TOOLS are trademarks or
registered trademarks of Digidesign and/or Avid Technology,
Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective
owners.
All features and specifications subject to change without
notice.
PN 932707440-00 REV A 9/99
contents
Chapter 1. Pro Tools TDM System Requirements
System Requirements
Additional Requirements for Blue & White G3 Macintosh Computers
Audio Requirements
Compatibility Information
Chapter 2. Installing Pro Tools Hardware
The Pro Tools Cards
Installing the Pro Tools Cards
Connecting an Audio Interface
Chapter 3. Connecting SCSI Drives
Audio Storage Guidelines
SCSI Requirements
Formatting Drives for Macintosh-based Systems
Formatting Drives for Windows-based Systems
Improving System Performance
Connecting SCSI Drives to Pro Tools MIX and Pro Tools 24 Systems
Connecting SCSI Drives To Pro Tools III Systems
Preparing SCSI Drives on Windows-based Systems
Using Macintosh Drives on Windows Systems
Using The Mt. Digi Utility
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Chapter 4. Connecting Your Studio
Choosing an Output Mode
The 888/24 I/O Interface
Changing Operating Levels of Individual 888/24 I/O Channels
Making Signal Connections to the 888/24 I/O
Using the 888/24 I/O Interface as Stand-Alone Audio Converter
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Contents
iii
The 882/20 I/O Interface
Making Signal Connections to the 882/20 I/O
Using the 882/20 I/O Interface as Stand-Alone Audio Converter
The 1622 I/O Interface
Making Signal Connections to the 1622 I/O Interface
Using the 1622 I/O Interface as Stand-Alone Audio Converter
Connecting Equipment with Digital Audio Ins and Outs
Connecting Effects Units
MIDI Connections
Connecting SMPTE Synchronization Devices
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Chapter 5. Making Sure Your System Is Working
Configuring Expanded Pro Tools Systems
Starting Up Your System
Installing the Demo Session
Opening the Demo Session
Choosing an Output Mode
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Appendix A. Determining Slot Order On Macintosh Computers
Card Order Guidelines for Each Pro Tools System
Appendix B. Calibrating the 888/24 I/O
About Calibration
Calibrating The 888/24 I/O
Appendix C. Hard Drive Maintanance
Tuning Up Hard Drives
Using Iomega Jaz Drives
Index
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Pro Tools TDM Hardware Installation Guide
iv
chapter 1
Pro Tools TDM System Requirements
Pro Tools software runs on a variety of
TDM system hardware configurations including:
Pro Tools 24 MIX™/MIXplus™
Pro Tools MIX card (two MIX cards in the
case of a MIXplus system), and your choice
of the 888/24 I/O, 882/20 I/O, 1622 I/O, or
ADAT Bridge I/O. A core system provides:
• Up to 64 tracks of recording/playback of
24-bit and 16-bit audio files
• TDM digital mixing and DSP Plug-In environment
• Non-linear, random-access editing and
mix automation
• MIDI recording, playback and editing
Pro Tools 24™
DSP Farm, and your choice of the
888/24 I/O, 882/20 I/O, 1622 I/O, or ADAT
Bridge I/O. A core system provides:
• Up to 32 tracks of recording/playback of
24-bit and 16-bit audio files
• TDM digital mixing and DSP Plug-In environment
• Non-linear, random-access editing and
mix automation
• MIDI recording, playback and editing
Includes a d24 audio card, a
Include a
Pro Tools III™
DSP Farm, and your choice of the
888/24 I/O or 882/20 I/O. A core system
provides:
• 16 tracks of recording/playback of 16-bit
audio files.
• TDM digital mixing and DSP Plug-In environment
• Non-linear, random-access editing and
mix automation
• MIDI recording, playback and editing
Includes a Disk I/O card, a
System Requirements
The CPU, hard disk, monitoring and MIDI
requirements for Pro Tools differ depending your system configuration and computer platform (Macintosh or Windows).
The requirements for each configuration
are listed below.
CPU Requirements
Macintosh
◆
A Digidesign-qualified, PCI-based Power
Macintosh computer with:
• At least 128 MB RAM. For 64-voice per-
formance, 192 MB of RAM is required.
Chapter 1: Pro Tools TDM System Requirements
1
• Additional RAM is highly recommended if you plan to use other audio
or MIDI applications concurrently
with Pro Tools. Virtual memory is not
supported.
Apple System software version 8.6 or
◆
higher.
Apple QuickTime System Extension ver-
◆
sion 4.0 or higher (included with Pro Tools)
OMS (Open Music System) software (in-
◆
cluded with Pro Tools)
A 17-inch or larger color monitor. Black
◆
and white monitors are not supported.
Windows NT
A Digidesign-qualified, uniprocessor
◆
Pentium II or Pentium III-based computer
running at 233 MHz or faster with:
• At least 192 MB of RAM. For 64-voice
performance, 256 MB of RAM is required.
• 1 unused PCI slot for Pro Tools 24 MIX
systems. 2 unused adjacent PCI slots
for Pro Tools 24 or Pro Tools 24 MIXplus systems. Expanded systems require additional unused adjacent PCI
slots or an expansion chassis.
• Intel 440LX or 440BX chip set
• Phoenix or Award BIOS
• a CD-ROM drive
• an AGP display card is strongly recommended
Windows NT, Workstation Edition, ver-
◆
sion 4.0 with Service Pack 4 or higher.
A 17-inch or larger color monitor. Black
◆
and white monitors are not supported.
Hard Drive Requirements
Macintosh
Pro Tools 24 MIX and MIXplus
or more Digidesign-approved SCSI drives
attached to a qualified PCI SCSI accelerator
card for audio recording and storage. For
best 64-track, 24-bit performance, use at
least 4 hard drives, with audio files distributed among them.
Pro Tools 24
Requires one or more
Digidesign-approved SCSI drives attached
to the internal or external Macintosh SCSI
chain or a qualified PCI SCSI accelerator
card for audio recording and storage. For
best 32-track, 24-bit performance, use at
least 2 hard drives, with audio files distributed among them.
Pro Tools III
Requires one or more
Digidesign-approved external SCSI drives
attached to the Pro Tools Disk I/O for audio recording and storage. An external SCSI
drive cannot be used as a Startup drive.
Windows
Pro Tools 24 MIX and MIXplus
or more Digidesign-approved SCSI drives
attached to a qualified PCI SCSI accelerator
card or the embedded SCSI connector on
the motherboard for audio recording and
storage. For best 64-track, 24-bit performance, use at least 4 hard drives, with audio files distributed among them.
Pro Tools 24 systems
Require one or more
Digidesign-approved SCSI drives attached
to a qualified PCI SCSI accelerator card or
embedded SCSI connector on the motherboard for audio recording and storage. For
best 32-track, 24-bit performance, use at
Require one
Require one
Pro Tools TDM Hardware Installation Guide
2
least 2 hard drives, with audio files distributed among them.
Pro Tools 24 MIX/MIXplus and
Pro Tools 24
▲
EIDE drives are not supported for use as audio drives on Windows-based Pro Tools systems. If you wish to use an EIDE drive as a
system drive, or an IDE based CD-ROM drive,
the Intel PIIX IDE driver for Windows NT 4.0 is
required. This driver is provided on the
Pro Tools Installer CD-ROM. See the
Software Installation Guide
▲
If you are using an Expansion Chassis with
a Windows-based Pro Tools system, IDE drives
and drivers must be removed from your system. For more information, see the
Expanded System Installation Guide
for details.
Pro Tools
Pro Tools
.
MIDI Requirements
Macintosh
OMS software (included with Pro Tools)
◆
A Macintosh-compatible MIDI Interface
◆
A MIDI controller and/or sound modules
◆
Windows
A Windows-compatible MIDI Interface
◆
◆
A MIDI controller and/or sound modules
External Diskette Drive
drive, along with the appropriate driver
software (included on the Pro Tools Installer CD-ROM), is required to authorize
Pro Tools software and Digidesign Plug-Ins.
SCSI Accelerator card
celerator card is required to connect audio
drives to Blue & White G3 computers.
ATA system drive
standard ATA system drive and
tional Apple SCSI drive for Blue & White
G3 computers.
A qualified floppy
A qualified SCSI Ac-
Pro Tools requires the
not
the op-
Pro Tools III
External Diskette Drive
drive, along with the appropriate driver
software (included on the Pro Tools Installer CD-ROM), is required to authorize
Pro Tools software.
ATA system drive
standard ATA system drive and
tional Apple SCSI drive for Blue & White
G3 computers.
A qualified floppy
Pro Tools requires the
not
the op-
MIDI Connectivity
Additional Requirements
for Blue & White G3
Macintosh Computers
The Apple Power Macintosh G3, also
known as the
ditional hardware to run Pro Tools. The requirements are given below for each type
of Pro Tools system.
Blue & White G3
, requires ad-
To use a MIDI Interface with Pro Tools on
the Blue & White G3, the interface must be
USB compatible. Alternatively, you can use
a card such as the Griffin Technologies
™
which connects to the internal mo-
gPort
dem port and provides a serial port connection suitable for most MIDI applications.
Chapter 1: Pro Tools TDM System Requirements
3
USD Connectivity
To use a Digidesign Universal Slave Driver
with the Blue & White G3, it must be connected to the DigiSerial port on a Digidesign card. Only Pro Tools 24 and
Pro Tools 24 MIX/MIXplus systems have
DigiSerial ports.
MachineControl
To use MachineControl with the
Blue & White G3, use the DigiSerial port
on the Pro Tools d24 or MIX card, or add a
qualified external USB-to-Serial port convertor to use the Apple USB port on the
computer.
Audio Requirements
To record and play audio you must have:
◆
An audio amplifier and speakers, or self-
powered speakers
◆
Optionally, a mixing console and sound
source. Depending on which system and
Audio Interface you are using, this device
must be equipped with the appropriate
connections. The connections and operating levels for Digidesign Audio Interfaces
are as follows:
888/24 I/O
Analog: XLR (balanced or unbalanced)
◆
connectors, +4 dBu or –10 dBV
Digital: XLR (AES/EBU) or RCA (S/PDIF)
◆
connectors
882/20 I/O
◆
Analog: 1/4" TRS (balanced or unbal-
anced) connectors, +4 dBu or –10 dBV
◆
Digital: RCA (S/PDIF) connectors
1622 I/O
Analog: 1/4" TRS (balanced or unbal-
◆
anced) connectors. Inputs are variable from
+4 dBu to –10 dBV; outputs are selectable
between +4 dBu or –10 dBV.
◆
Digital: RCA (S/PDIF) connectors
Digidesign ADAT Bridge I/O
◆
Analog: 1/4" TRS (balanced) connectors,
+4 dBu or –10 dBV
◆
Digital: XLR (AES/EBU) or RCA (S/PDIF)
connectors
◆
Optical: Two pairs of EIAJ fiber optic con-
nectors
Compatibility Information
Digidesign can only assure compatibility
and provide support for devices it has
tested and approved.
For a list of qualified computers, diskette
drives, SCSI accelerators, serial port convertors and hard drives, refer to the latest
Digidesign compatibility documents, available from Digidesign by fax or on the
Digidesign website.
☞
See the title page of this guide for
Digidesign’s contact information.
Pro Tools TDM Hardware Installation Guide
4
chapter 2
Installing Pro Tools Hardware
The order in which you install Pro Tools
software and hardware depends on which
computer platform you are using.
Macintosh
On Macintosh systems, install Pro Tools
software first, so you can use the DigiTest
utility to determine proper card order in
your computer. Refer to the
ware Installation Guide
Pro Tools hardware. Finish by installing
Pro Tools hardware.
Pro Tools Soft-
before installing
Windows NT
On Windows NT systems, run the InstallO-Rator utility first, to configure your system to properly recognize Pro Tools hardware. Refer to the
lation Guide
hardware. Install Pro Tools hardware next,
and finish by installing Pro Tools software.
Pro Tools Software Instal-
before installing Pro Tools
The Pro Tools Cards
Your Pro Tools cards will differ depending
on your system configuration. Card components for each configuration are listed
below.
Pro Tools 24 MIX Hardware
Pro Tools 24 MIX hardware comes in two
configurations:
Pro Tools 24 MIX
Core card and a 5-node TDM ribbon cable
for connecting it with other optional TDMequipped cards.
Pro Tools 24 MIXplus
card, a MIX Farm card, and a 5-node TDM
ribbon cable for connecting the MIX Core
to the MIX Farm and other optional TDMequipped cards.
Includes a single MIX
Includes a MIX Core
Expanded Pro Tools Systems
If you are installing an expanded system in
your computer, or using an Expansion
Chassis to add additional cards to your system, refer to the
tion Guide
system.
included with your Pro Tools
Expanded System Installa-
Chapter 2: Installing Pro Tools Hardware
5
The MIX Core Card
The MIX Core card provides 24-bit, 64track, 16-channel I/O, direct-to-disk recording and playback to your Pro Tools 24
MIX system, as well as DSP power for its
mixing and processing capabilities.
audio interface
port
DigiSerial port
MIX Farm card
Pro Tools 24 Hardware
audio interface
port
DigiSerial port
MIX Core card
This card includes a connector for attaching a single 888/24 I/O, 882/20 I/O, or
1622 I/O Audio Interface. If you purchase
the optional 16-channel peripheral cable
adapter, you can attach two 8-channel Audio Interfaces. The DigiSerial port is for
connecting a Digidesign Universal Slave
Driver, or a 9-pin device for use with the
Pro Tools MachineControl option.
The MIX Farm Card
The MIX Farm card provides more DSP
power for mixing, processing, and DSP
software such as the DigiRack Plug-Ins included with Pro Tools. It also provides a
connector for attaching a single
888/24 I/O, 882/20 I/O, or 1622 I/O Audio
Interface. If you purchase the optional 16channel peripheral cable adapter, you can
attach two 8-channel Audio Interfaces.
Pro Tools 24 Core System hardware consists of a d24 audio card, a DSP Farm card,
and a 5-node TDM ribbon cable for connecting them together.
The d24 Audio Card
The d24 audio card provides 24-bit, 32track, 16-channel I/O, direct-to-disk recording and playback capabilities to your
Pro Tools 24 system. It also provides a connector for attaching a single 888/24 I/O,
882/20 I/O, or 1622 I/O Audio Interface. If
you purchase the optional 16-channel peripheral cable adapter, you can attach two
8-channel Audio Interfaces.
audio interface
port
DigiSerial port
d24 card
The DigiSerial port is for connecting an optional Digidesign Universal Slave Driver, or
a 9-pin device for use with the Pro Tools
MachineControl option.
Pro Tools TDM Hardware Installation Guide
6
The DSP Farm
The DSP Farm provides the power for the
Pro Tools 24 system’s mixing and processing capabilities. It powers DSP software
such as the DigiRack Plug-Ins included
with Pro Tools. It also provides a connector
for attaching an 8-channel Audio Interface.
audio interface
port
DSP Farm card
▲ The 1622 I/O Audio Interface is not sup-
ported by the DSP Farm. It must be connected
to a MIX Core, MIX Farm, or d24 card. Only one
1622 I/O can be connected to any of these
cards. The optional 16-channel peripheral cable adapter is not supported by the 1622 I/O.
Pro Tools III Hardware
A Pro Tools III Core System consists of a
Disk I/O card, a DSP Farm card, a 5-node
TDM cable for connecting the two, and a
custom SCSI cable for connecting SCSI
drives directly to the Disk I/O card.
SCSI port
audio interface
port
Disk I/O card
The DSP Farm
The DSP Farm provides the DSP power for
the Pro Tools III system’s mixing and processing capabilities. It powers DSP software
such as the DigiRack Plug-Ins included
with Pro Tools. It also provides a connector
for attaching an 8-channel Audio Interface.
audio interface
port
DSP Farm card
The TDM Ribbon Cable
The TDM ribbon cable is used to connect
multiple cards in your Pro Tools system so
they can share data along the TDM Bus.
The Disk I/O Card
The Disk I/O card provides the 16-bit, 16track, 8-channel I/O, direct-to-disk recording and playback capabilities of your system. It also provides a connector for attaching a SCSI hard drive and an I/O connector
for attaching an 8-channel Audio Interface.
TDM Ribbon Cable
A 5-node cable comes with your system. If
you plan to use your system with an expansion chassis, you can order a TDM cable
with more nodes from your Digidesign
dealer.
Chapter 2: Installing Pro Tools Hardware 7
Installing the Pro Tools
Cards
The first step in your hardware installation
is installing the Pro Tools cards.
Macintosh Systems
On Macintosh systems, Pro Tools cards
must be installed in a specific order that is
dependent on the slot numbering of the
model of Macintosh you are using.
☞ See Appendix A: Determining Slot Order
On Macintosh Computers
mining slot order in your system.
for details on deter-
tective antistatic bag. Align the card with
the appropriate expansion slot and push
the card into the PCI connector until it is
fully inserted in the slot. Avoid flexing the
card or putting undue pressure on your
computer’s motherboard.
To install the Pro Tools cards:
1 Turn off your computer. Leave it plugged
in so that it is grounded.
2 Open the computer case. The illustra-
tions in this section show a Blue & White
Macintosh G3 and a Macintosh 9600 computer. If you are using a different model,
your installation should be similar. For additional details on installing a card in your
computer, refer to its User’s Guide.
▲ Before handling any card, discharge any
static electricity that may be on your clothes or
body by touching a grounded metal surface,
such as the power supply case inside your
computer.
3 Remove the metal access port cover be-
hind the expansion slot you wish to use by
removing the screw (if present) and sliding
the cover out from the access port.
4 Remove the Core Pro Tools card
(MIX Core, d24, or Disk I/O) from its pro-
Installing a Pro Tools card in a Macintosh G3
Installing a Pro Tools card in a Macintosh 9600
5 Unpack any additional Pro Tools cards
and remove their antistatic bags, observing
the same precautions as before.
6 Plug the additional cards into subsequent
slots beginning with the slot adjacent to
Pro Tools TDM Hardware Installation Guide8
the primary Pro Tools card. Group similar
cards together (put all MIX Farm cards next
to each other, for example).
7 Connect all TDM-equipped cards with
the TDM ribbon cable.
Connect the first node of the cable to the
first card, then attach the remaining nodes
on the cable to subsequent cards.
There are white triangles on the plugs of
the TDM ribbon cable and on your
Pro Tools cards. Match these triangles to
make sure the TDM ribbon cable is turned
the right direction.
Push down gently but firmly until the node
is fully connected to the card. When the
plug is properly seated, the two tabs on the
side of the cable’s TDM connector will click
shut. To detach the ribbon cable, squeeze
the tabs on the TDM connector inward.
✽ It is OK to have ribbon connectors that go
unused. They should reside after the last TDMequipped card.
Attaching the TDM ribbon cable to MIX Core and
MIX Farm cards
8 Secure the cards in place with the slot ac-
cess port screws you removed earlier and
close your computer.
Windows Systems
To install the Pro Tools cards:
1 Make sure your computer is turned off.
Leave it plugged in so that it is grounded.
2 Remove the computer’s cover. The illus-
tration depicts installation in a standard 4slot, ATX motherboard-based PCI computer. Your installation should be very similar.
3 Look at the available PCI slots in the
computer. Pro Tools 24 MIXplus and
Pro Tools 24-based systems require a minimum of two adjacent PCI slots. These two
adjacent slots should be located closest to
the AGP port or power supply of the computer.
▲ Before handling any card, discharge any
static electricity that may be on your clothes or
body by touching a grounded metal surface,
such as the power supply case inside your
computer.
4 If you already have one or more PCI cards
(such as a modem or SCSI accelerator) in either of the two slots closest to the power
supply, remove the rear-panel screw that
holds each card in place and place the cards
in the slots farthest away from the power
supply to make room for the Pro Tools
cards.
5 After reordering your existing PCI cards,
restart your computer and make sure that
the cards are still recognized in their new
slot locations. The best way to do this is to
watch for error messages during startup
and to open and use any software which
accesses the cards to confirm proper operation.
Chapter 2: Installing Pro Tools Hardware 9
6 If the cards are recognized, shut down
your computer, secure the cards with the
screws you removed earlier, and proceed
with the Pro Tools card installation.
7 Remove the metal access port cover be-
hind the expansion slots you wish to use
by removing the screw and sliding the
cover out from the access port.
8 Remove the MIX Core or d24 card from
its protective antistatic bag. Align the card
with the appropriate expansion slot and
push the card into the PCI connector until
it is fully inserted in the slot. Avoid flexing
the card or putting undue pressure on your
computer’s motherboard.
11 Connect all TDM-equipped cards with
the TDM ribbon cable.
Connect the first node of the cable to the
first card, and attach the remaining nodes
on the cable to subsequent cards.
There are white triangles on the plugs of
the TDM ribbon cable and on your
Pro Tools cards. Match these triangles to
make sure the TDM ribbon cable is turned
the right direction.
Push down gently but firmly until the node
is fully connected to the card. When the
plug is properly seated, the two tabs on the
side of the cable’s TDM connector will click
shut. To detach the ribbon cable, squeeze
the tabs on the TDM connector inward.
Installing a Pro Tools card in a PC
9 If you have a Pro Tools 24 MIXplus sys-
tem, unpack the MIX Farm card and remove it from its antistatic bag, observing
the same precautions as before.
10 Plug the MIX Farm card into the PCI
slot adjacent to your MIX Core card. If you
have additional MIX Farm, DSP Farm, or
MIX I/O cards, install them in subsequent
slots. Group similar cards together (put all
MIX Farm cards next to each other, for example).
Pro Tools TDM Hardware Installation Guide10
Attaching the TDM ribbon cable to the Mix Core and
Mix Farm cards
✽ It is OK to have ribbon connectors that go
unused. They should reside after the last TDMequipped card.
12 Secure the cards in place with the slot
access port screws you removed earlier and
close your computer.
Connecting an Audio Interface
Pro Tools provides you with a choice of the
888/24 I/O, 882/20 I/O, 1622 I/O, or ADAT
Bridge I/O Interfaces. These devices supply
the inputs and outputs for your system.
The 1622 I/O Audio Interface
☞ For instructions on connecting an ADAT
Bridge I/O, see the
ADAT Bridge I/O Installa-
tion Guide.
The appropriate I/O peripheral cable for
connecting an Audio Interface to your
Pro Tools card is included with your Audio
Interface. If you wish to connect a second
Audio Interface to a MIX or d24 card, you
can purchase the optional 16-channel peripheral cable adapter from your authorized Digidesign reseller.
✽ The 1622 I/O is a 16-channel audio inter-
face. Its supplied cable carries all 16 channels, and does not require an adapter.
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Using Multiple Pro Tools Cards
and Interfaces
If you have multiple Pro Tools cards and
Audio Interfaces, the Audio Interface that
you want to function as clock master for
your system must be connected to your
core Pro Tools card.
On Macintosh computers, the core
Pro Tools card is the card in the lowestnumbered PCI slot inside the CPU—typically the one nearest the computer’s power
supply. (Subsequent PCI slots are numbered sequentially in ascending order.)
On Intel-based computers, PCI slots are not
numbered sequentially according to their
physical location inside the CPU. For this
reason, you must launch the DigiTest
ity before running Pro Tools to determine
the slot numbering for installed cards.
For more information on using DigiTest to
confirm card/slot order, see “Configuring
Expanded Pro Tools Systems” on page 51.
To connect the Audio Interface:
1 Carefully unpack the Audio Interface.
Depending on how your studio is set up,
you may wish to make audio and power
connections before you mount the Audio
Interface in your rack.
™
util-
The 882/20 I/O Audio Interface
Chapter 2: Installing Pro Tools Hardware 11
2 If you are using two or more Audio Inter-
faces with your Pro Tools system, connect
them together at the Slave Clock In/Out
ports using the enclosed BNC cables as
shown in the illustration that follows.
The “master” Audio Interface should be
connected to the core Pro Tools card. On
Macintosh computer’s this is typically the
card nearest the computer’s power supply.
If you connect two Audio Interfaces to a
MIX Core or d24 card using the optional
16-channel peripheral cable adapter, the
master interface is the one connected to
the cable labeled “Interface A.”)
Connecting the interface cable to a MIX Core card
78563412785634125/6
ANALOG OUTPUT ANALOG INPUT AES/EBU OUTPUT AES/EBU INPUT
78563412785634125/6
ANALOG OUTPUT ANALOG INPUT AES/EBU OUTPUT AES/EBU INPUT
ANALOG OUTPUTSANALOG INPUTS
1234567812345678
ANALOG OUTPUTSANALOG INPUTS
1234567812345678
1/2
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3/4
1/2
7/8
3/4
IN
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IN
OUT
IN
SLAVE CLOCK
SLAVE CLOCKINS/PDIF
COMPUTER
5/6
1/2
7/8
3/4
S/PDIFINS/PDIF
SLAVE CLOCKINSLAVE CLOCK
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COMPUTER
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3/4
S/PDIFINS/PDIF
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OUT
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Connecting multiple Audio Interfaces together
3 Connect the interface cable to your core
Pro Tools card as shown in the illustrations.
Gently push the cable’s connector into the
card’s interface port and secure the connector in place with its thumbscrews.
to Pro Tools cardto Audio Interface
Connecting the interface cable to a d24 card
Connecting the interface cable to a Disk I/O card
4 If you have two 8-channel Audio Inter-
faces and wish to connect both of them to
a MIX Core or d24 card, you may do so by
purchasing Digidesign’s 16-channel peripheral cable adapter. Connect the single
end of the Y-cable to the MIX Core or d24
card as shown in the illustration that follows. Gently push the cable’s connector
into the card’s interface port and secure the
connector in place with its thumbscrews.
The Audio Interface cable
Pro Tools TDM Hardware Installation Guide12
▲ Because the 1622 I/O is a 16-channel de-
vice, it uses all 16-channels of I/O on a
Pro Tools MIX or d24 card. A second interface
cannot be connected.
to Audio
Interface
cable
to Audio
Interface
cable
to Pro Tools card
to audio interface to audio interface
Connecting the 16-channel peripheral cable adapter
to the Audio Interface cables
The optional 16-channel peripheral cable adapter
Y-cable to audio interface cable
Connecting the 16-channel peripheral cable adapter
to a MIX Core card
5 Connect the other ends of the Y-cable to
the Audio Interface cables. (The Y portion
of the cable is labeled “Interface A” and
“Interface B” for reference.)
6 Connect the Audio Interface cable to the
back of the Audio Interface. (If you have
two interfaces and the optional 16-channel
peripheral cable adapter, connect each cable to an interface.) To do this, pinch the
tabs on either side of the connector and
push it into the port labeled “Computer”
on the rear of the Audio Interface. Release
pressure on the metal tab to lock the connector into place.
Computer
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Connecting the Interface cable to the 888/24 I/O
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Connecting the interface cable to the 882/20 I/O
Connecting the interface cable to the 1622 I/O
Chapter 2: Installing Pro Tools Hardware 13
7 If you have additional Audio Interfaces
and Pro Tools cards, connect the Audio Interfaces to corresponding cards with the interface cables.
▲ The 1622 I/O Audio Interface is not sup-
ported by the DSP Farm. It must be connected
to a MIX Core, MIX Farm, or d24 card.
If you are connecting both 888/24 and
882/20 or 1622 I/O Audio Interfaces to
your system, for best system performance,
connect the 888/24 to your core Pro Tools
card, followed by any additional 888/24 Interfaces to the next highest-priority cards.
Then connect the 882/20 or 1622 I/O interfaces to subsequent cards.
☞ If you have an ADAT Bridge I/O, see the
ADAT Bridge I/O Installation Guide for spe-
cial installation guidelines.
8 Connect the power cable to the rear of
each Audio Interface. The Audio Interface
automatically selects the power setting for
use with the standard voltage and frequency in any country. Simply connect the
power cable appropriate to your local
power standard and the Audio Interface
will function normally.
Pro Tools TDM Hardware Installation Guide14
chapter 3
Connecting SCSI Drives
Pro Tools is a disk-based recording system.
As such, SCSI hard drives function as the
recording media and it is there that
Pro Tools sessions and audio files are kept.
Audio Storage Guidelines
Audio tracks recorded at 24-bit resolution
at a CD-fidelity sampling rate of 44.1 kHz
require about 7.5 MB of hard disk space per
minute. The same tracks recorded at 16-bit
resolution require about 5 MB per minute.
Using these guidelines:
• 64 tracks of 24-bit audio takes up about
480 MB of hard disk space per minute.
• 64 tracks of 16-bit audio takes up about
320 MB of hard disk space per minute.
• 32 tracks of 24-bit audio takes up about
240 MB of hard disk space per minute.
• 32 tracks of 16-bit audio takes up about
160 MB per minute.
A 9-gigabyte drive holds:
• 18 minutes of 64 track, 24-bit audio
• 28 minutes of 64 track, 16-bit audio
• 37 minutes of 32 track, 24-bit audio
• 56 minutes of 32 track, 16-bit audio
▲ Digidesign can guarantee optimum and reli-
able performance only when Digidesign-qualified hard drives and SCSI accelerators are
used. Contact your Digidesign dealer or visit
Digidesign’s website for a list of approved hard
drives and SCSI accelerator cards.
SCSI Requirements
Each Pro Tools configuration has specific
SCSI requirements:
Pro Tools 24 MIX and MIXplus These sys-
tems require one or more Digidesignapproved SCSI drives attached to a qualified PCI SCSI accelerator card, or on Macintosh computers, the internal or external
Macintosh SCSI chain. For best 64-track,
24-bit performance, use at least 4 hard
drives, with audio files distributed among
them.
Pro Tools 24 These systems require one or
more Digidesign-approved SCSI drives attached to a qualified PCI SCSI accelerator
card, or on Macintosh computers, the internal or external Macintosh SCSI chain.
For best 32-track, 24-bit performance, use
at least 2 hard drives, with audio files distributed among them.
Chapter 3: Connecting SCSI Drives 15
Pro Tools III
more Digidesign-approved external SCSI
drives attached to the Pro Tools Disk I/O
card for audio recording and storage. A
drive connected to the Disk I/O cannot be
used as a Startup drive.
These systems require one or
SCSI on Power Macintosh Computers
Pro Tools 24 MIX and Pro Tools 24
Pro Tools 24 MIX and Pro Tools 24 systems
require that you use FWB Software’s Hard
Disk ToolKit
maintenance. This software is included
with Pro Tools. See the Hard Disk ToolKit
documentation for instructions.
™
PE for drive formatting and
Pro Tools III Systems
All Macintosh G3 computers currently require a SCSI accelerator for use with
Pro Tools.
Some older Power Macintosh models such
as the 9600 have two SCSI busses: an internal fast SCSI bus and an external slow SCSI
bus. Each bus allows you to connect up to 7
SCSI devices. For optimum Pro Tools performance (without a SCSI accelerator), use
the internal/fast SCSI bus.
✽ While the internal and external SCSI busses
on older Power Macintosh models yield reasonable performance on sessions with low
track counts, a SCSI accelerator card is required on sessions with high track counts and
high edit density.
Formatting Drives for Macintosh-based Systems
SCSI hard drives used for audio recording
on Pro Tools for Macintosh systems must
be formatted for either the HFS or HFS plus
file system. Drive partitions of up to
2 terabytes (2000 gigabytes) can be used.
On Pro Tools III systems, hard drives cannot be initialized while they are connected
to the Disk I/O Card. Drives must be connected to the Macintosh, initialized, then
reconnected to the Disk I/O card.
Formatting Drives for Windows-based Systems
SCSI hard drives used for audio recording
on Pro Tools for Windows systems must be
formatted for the FAT16 or NTFS file system. Drive partitions of up to 4095 MB can
be used.
See “Preparing SCSI Drives on Windowsbased Systems” on page 20 for instructions
on using Windows Disk Administrator to
format and partition each drive.
▲ The FAT32 specification is not supported by
Pro Tools. If you try to record audio to FAT32
partitions, errors and data loss may occur.
☞ Pro Tools for Windows NT allows you to con-
nect Macintosh-formatted hard drives and play
sessions created on Pro Tools for Macintosh.
See “Using Macintosh Drives on Windows Systems” on page 22.
Pro Tools TDM Hardware Installation Guide16
Hard Drives Larger than 4 Gigabytes
The FAT16 file system only recognizes partitions up to 4 gigabytes in size (4095
megabytes) or smaller. The maximum size
for a single audio file is also 4095 MB.
If you have a hard drive that is larger than
4095 MB, you must partition the drive into
segments that are 4095 MB or smaller in order to make use of the entire drive.
Later in this chapter you will learn how to
partition and format hard drives using the
Windows NT Disk Administrator software.
Improving System Performance
The recording and playback performance
of Pro Tools 24 MIX and Pro Tools 24 systems depends largely on the speed and efficiency of your SCSI devices. In particular,
sessions with high track counts and highdensity edits demand maximum SCSI performance. Following the guidelines below
will help you get the most out of your system.
Use High-Performance SCSI Drives
The faster a hard drive’s access time, the
better its performance. For 64 track, 24-bit
recording and playback, your SCSI hard
drives must provide a data transfer rate of
at least 9 MB per second of sustained
throughput.
Use a SCSI Accelerator
SCSI accelerator cards significantly improve SCSI throughput. If you use a dualchannel SCSI accelerator card, equally allocate audio files to drives connected to each
of the two busses on the card for optimal
performance.
Distribute Audio Across Multiple Drives
For best recording and playback performance, don’t record and playback all audio
files in a session from the same drive. Instead, use Pro Tools disk allocation features
to distribute audio files between multiple
SCSI drives. See the Pro Tools Reference
Guide for details.
Minimize SCSI Cable Length
Using short SCSI cables improves reliability. Table 1 provides guidelines for maximum cable lengths according to SCSI type.
Separate Video and Audio Files
If you are working with imported movies,
movie files must reside on a different SCSI
bus than audio files. If audio files reside on
disks connected to a SCSI accelerator card,
video data should reside on drives connected to a different SCSI bus.
Chapter 3: Connecting SCSI Drives 17
Table 1: Maximum cable length and number of drives
supported according to SCSI type
SCSI type and
transfer rate
Fast SCSI
10 MB/sec
Wide SCSI
20 MB/sec
Ultra SCSI
20 MB/sec
(8-bit narrow)
maximum
cable length
3 meters 8
3 meters 16
3 meters 5
maximum #
of drives
3 Secure the cable’s connectors to the hard
drive and computer. Loose cables can cause
data loss.
4 Connect additional drives by daisy-
chaining from one drive to another. Keep
cable lengths to a minimum (see Table 1).
5 Verify that the last SCSI device connected
is properly terminated. (See “Proper
SCSI Chain Termination” on page 19.)
6 Attach power cables to the hard drives.
Ultra SCSI
40 MB/sec
(16-bit wide)
Ultra SCSI
20 MB/sec
(8-bit narrow)
Ultra SCSI
40 MB/sec
(16-bit wide)
Ultra2 SCSI
Low Voltage Differential (LVD)
80 MB/sec
3 meters 5
1.5 meters 6–8
1.5 meters 6–8
12 meters 16
Connecting SCSI Drives to
Pro Tools MIX and
Pro Tools 24 Systems
To connect an external SCSI drive:
1 Turn off power to both the computer and
the hard drive.
2 Attach a SCSI cable from the SCSI port of
the hard drive to the SCSI port of the computer or SCSI accelerator card depending
on your system’s SCSI requirements.
SCSI accelerator card
to SCSI hard drive
Connecting a SCSI cable to a SCSI accelerator card
to SCSI accelerator card
Connecting an external SCSI hard drive
Pro Tools TDM Hardware Installation Guide18
Proper SCSI Chain Termination
Your computer’s SCSI chain must be properly terminated or your system will not
function correctly. Only the last device on
the chain should be terminated using the
termination type recommended by the
hard drive manufacturer.
The drive should use either an external terminator plug or have its internal terminators enabled. If you are using a terminator
plug, Digidesign recommends that you
purchase and use an active terminator.
▲ Do not enable internal termination and in-
stall an external terminator plug on the same
drive! This will cause SCSI errors. See your
hard drive’s documentation for information regarding which type of termination it uses.
Connecting SCSI Drives To
Pro Tools III Systems
SCSI port on the Pro Tools card and secure
it in place with its connectors.
The Disk I/O SCSI cable
Disk I/O card
(Macintosh Only)
On Pro Tools III systems, audio drives must
be connected to the Disk I/O card. When
properly connected, they will appear on
the desktop like any other external SCSI device. A maximum of 5 hard drives can be
connected (by daisy-chaining) to a single
Pro Tools III Disk I/O card.
To connect an external SCSI drive:
1 Turn off power to both the computer and
the hard drive.
2 Connect the included SCSI cable to your
Pro Tools Disk I/O card as shown in the illustration. Push the connector into the
to SCSI hard drive
Connecting the SCSI cable to the Disk I/O card
to Disk I/O card
Connecting an external SCSI hard drive
3 Attach the other end of the SCSI cable to
one of the SCSI connectors on the back of
the external SCSI drive. Secure it in place
with its connectors.
Chapter 3: Connecting SCSI Drives 19
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