Tascam US-428 User Manual 3

Setting up and Using the US-428 with Pro Tools®

The US-428 can control Digidesign's Pro Tools software application on both the MacOS and the PC.
Digidesign offers a free version, ProTools Free, that is an attractive application for use with the US-428.
On the Macintosh it uses SoundManager for audio, and Windows Multimedia (MME) on the PC. You can
see compatibility details and can order a free CD-ROM of Pro Tools Free at www.digidesign.com.

Note: At the time of this writing, the downloadable MacOS version (5.0.1) supports the use of remote
control hardware, but the Windows version does not. The CD-ROM version of ProTools Free, however,
contains control hardware support in both MacOS and Windows versions, and thus should be quite
compatible with the US-428. If you have the downloaded Windows version, you can download the
additional files necessary for control hardware support. As of this writing, this file is located at:

http://download.digidesign.com/support/digi/windows/pt/MIDIControllers501.zip .

Pro Tools Free: This free software application offers eight tracks of digital audio and 48 tracks of MIDI.
You can record up to two inputs simultaneously, and use the US-428 control surface to control mixing,
plug-ins, automation, and more.

Before using the set-up information provided in this document, first install Pro Tools Free (and OMS if
you’re on a Mac) as described in the ProTools document "PT FREE Quick Start Guide.pdf" that comes
with the Pro Tools Free download. Make sure that Pro Tools Free is working using your computer's built­in speaker before proceeding further. You can use the sample project provided with Pro Tools Free to test
it.

To use the US-428 in this set-up, you must have version 2.00 or later of the US-428 driver installed on
your system. Before using this set-up document, first read the documentation on installing the US-428
drivers.

Setting Up the US-428

Pro Tools Free can only use Sound Manager input and output on the Mac or Windows MME input and
output on the PC. Note that this is not required though. For example, you can use the US -428 to control
Pro Tools while sending Pro Tools’ audio I/O through a different device, even the Mac’s built-in sound
system.

Version 2.00 and later of the US-428 driver includes special emulation software to let the US -428 act like
a JL Cooper CS-10™ attached to Pro Tools. This is different than the normal CS-10 emulation mode
since Pro Tools uses it in some special ways. In the US -428 control panel, select “Pro Tools® CS-10” for
the control protocol.

You might need to adjust the audio latency for your system. Do this in the System tab of the US-428
control panel. Using a smaller setting will reduce the audio input to output latency through Pro Tools Free,
but also increases the chance of audio drop outs. A setting of 1024 works well on many computers. If you
get an error message when playing that says “You’re running out of CPU power. Take out some plug-ins

Page 1 of 5

to free up CPU power” then you should first try increasing your latency setting. You might also adjust your
CPU usage limit under the Setups/Hardware… menu item. For advice on low-latency input monitoring,
see the Input Monitoring section below.

Setting Pro Tools to use the US-428 Control Surface

Start Pro Tools and load or start a new session, then do the following:

• Under MIDI/Input Devices… make sure that “US -428 Control Port” is checked

• Choose Setups/Peripherals and select the “MIDI Controllers” button

• On line #1 select “CS -10” under “Type”

• Select “US -428 Control Port” under “Receive From” and “Send To”

• Select “8” under “# Ch’s”

• Click “OK” in the Peripherals window

To test the set -up, you should be able to move a fader or press a transport key and see that Pro Tools is
responding.

How to Use the US-428 with Pro Tools

The original CS -10 has 8 faders, a row of 8 keys and LEDs above these keys, a data wheel with a button
on each side of it, left/right keys, up/down keys with LEDs, transport keys, 6 potentiometer knobs, and 10
general purpose keys. The Pro Tools interface for this device maps all these controls onto Pro Tools
features. Since the US-428 has a different (but similar) set of controls, the “Pro Tools CS-10” protocol
emulates a CS -10 while communicating with Pro Tools.

Input Monitoring

With Pro Tools Free, you can monitor your inputs using on-screen controls, including listening to plug-in
effects applied to input in real time. As an engineer, this can be quite handy, but as a performer it is less
than ideal since the input to output latency (time delay from input to output signal) is tens of milliseconds
long. That's long enough to ruin your timing if you are trying to record while listening to previously
recorded tracks (overdubbing).

For ultra-low latency monitoring (< 1.5msec), you can instead use the US-428's hardware input
monitoring feature. Using this technique, you won't hear plug-in effects being applied to your inputs, but
your timing will be rock solid. Here's how to do it:

1. For record enabled tracks, assign their output to an unused bus. This way, you won't hear Pro
Tools’ high latency monitor output.

2. Push the "INPUT MONITOR" key on the US-428. Now the first 4 channel strips control the input
monitor level of the 4 inputs.

3. Adjust the mute, level, and pan settings for the 4 inputs.

4. Push "INPUT MONITOR" again to exit this mode.

You can adjust your hardware input monitor settings at any time, even in the middle of a recording pass.

Modifier Keys

Modifier keys are held down to alter the action of a knob or other key. The Shift, Control, Option, Alt
and/or Command keys found on your keyboard are also mapped to US -428 keys, and either the keyboard
or US-428 key gives the same behavior. In the key summary on the last page, a listing like “SET+PLAY”
means hold down the SET key and then press the PLAY key. This is the same as holding the keyboard
SHIFT and pressing PLAY.

Transport Controls

The five transport keys on the US-428 operate exactly like the on-screen transport buttons. This includes
some special behaviors. You can hold the SET key and press PLAY to play in half-speed mode. You can
hold the ASGN key and press RECORD to cycle through the different record modes (Normal, Destructive,
Loop, QuickPunch).

Page 2 of 5