Chapter 2: Pro Tools System

Configurations

There are three types of Pro Tools systems: TDM,

LE, and M-Powered. These refer to both the

Pro Tools software and its associated hardware, as follows:

• TDM = Pro Tools TDM software for

Pro Tools|HD-series hardware.

• LE = Pro Tools LE software for Digi 002,

Digi 002 Rack, or Mbox hardware.

• M-Powered = Pro Tools M-Powered software for Digidesign-qualified M-Audio interfaces.

Pro Tools TDM Systems

Pro Tools TDM systems are available in the configurations shown below. Each system requires at least one Digidesign audio interface (sold separately). TDM systems can be expanded by adding Digidesign cards to increase track count, add to the amount of possible plug-in and mixer processing, and connect additional audio interfaces.

Pro Tools system performance depends on factors such as computer processor speed, amount of system memory, and hard drive performance. Contact your Digidesign dealer or visit Digidesign’s Web site for the latest system requirements and compatibility information.

Chapter 2: Pro Tools System Configurations 5

Pro Tools|HD-Series Systems

Pro Tools|HD 1

Includes:

• HD Core card

• Pro Tools TDM software

Pro Tools|HD 2 Accel

Includes:

• HD Core card

• HD Accel card

• Pro Tools TDM software

Pro Tools|HD 3 Accel

Includes:

• HD Core card

• Two HD Accel cards

• Pro Tools TDM software

Pro Tools|HD 2

Includes:

• HD Core card

• HD Process card

• Pro Tools TDM software

Pro Tools|HD 3

Includes:

• HD Core card

• Two HD Process cards

• Pro Tools TDM software

Supported Audio Interfaces

(Pro Tools|HD-Series Systems Only)

The following audio interfaces are compatible with Pro Tools|HD-series systems:

• 192 I/O

• 192 Digital I/O

• 96 I/O

• 96i I/O

Pro Tools|HD-series systems require the use of at least one 192 I/O, 192 Digital I/O,

96 I/O, or 96i I/O.

The following “Legacy” Digidesign audio interfaces are supported with Pro Tools|HD-series systems:

• 888|24 I/O and 882|20 I/O

• 1622 I/O

• 24-bit ADAT Bridge I/O or original ADAT

Bridge I/O

6 Pro Tools Reference Guide

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TDM System Playback, Recording and Voice Limits

The following table lists the audio playback, recording, and voiceable track limits of each type of

Pro Tools TDM system. Playback and recording voices refer to the number of unique simultaneous playback and record tracks on your system. Total voiceable tracks refers to the maximum number of audio tracks that can share the available voices on your system. (Mono tracks take up one voice. Stereo and multichannel tracks take up one voice per channel.) Voice limits are dependent on the session sample rate and the number of DSP chips dedicated to the system’s Playback Engine. Pro Tools

TDM systems can open sessions with up to 256 audio tracks, but any audio tracks beyond that system’s voiceable track limit will be automatically set to Voice Off.

Pro Tools TDM 6.9 systems provide up to 160 Auxiliary Input tracks (auxiliary tracks) and a total of

128 internal mix busses. Pro Tools TDM 6.7.x and lower systems provide up to 128 Auxiliary Input tracks (aux tracks) and a total of 64 internal mix busses. All TDM-equipped Pro Tools systems also provide up to 5 inserts and 5 sends per track (depending on the DSP capacity of your system). In addition,

Pro Tools TDM systems support up to 256 MIDI tracks.

Table 3. Pro Tools TDM system audio playback, recording and voice limits

Core System Type

Sample

Rate

(kHz)

Playback Voices

(Mono Tracks of

Simultaneous

Playback)

Pro Tools|HD 1

Pro Tools|HD Accel 2,

Pro Tools|HD Accel 3

Expanded Pro Tools|HD 1,

Pro Tools|HD 2,

Pro Tools|HD 3

44.1/48

88.2/96

176.4/192

44.1/48

88.2/96

176.4/192

44.1/48

88.2/96

176.4/192

96

36

128

64

24

96

48

12

192

12

192

96

36

Recording

Voices

(Mono Tracks of

Simultaneous

Recording)

96

48

128

64

24

Total

Voiceable

Tracks

120

36

224

80

24

112

48

12

224

Chapter 2: Pro Tools System Configurations 7

Audio Interfaces for TDM Systems

Table 4 lists the input and output capabilities of the various audio interfaces for Pro Tools TDM systems. In expanded Pro Tools|HD systems, audio interfaces can be combined for up to 96 audio inputs and outputs (for example, with one HD Core card, two HD Accel or HD Process cards, and six I/Os).

Table 4. Pro Tools TDM system audio interface channel capabilities

Interface Type

Number of I/O

Channels

Sample Rates

(kHz)

A/D

Conversion

192 I/O 16 in/16 out 24-bit

192 Digital I/O 16 in/16 out

44.1, 48, 88.2,

96, 176.4, 192

44.1, 48, 88.2,

96, 176.4, 192

None

96 I/O 16 in/16 out 24-bit

96i I/O

888|24 I/O

16 in/2 out

8 in/8 out

44.1, 48, 88.2,

96

44.1, 48, 88.2,

96

44.1, 48

24-bit

24-bit

882|20 I/O

1622 I/O

24-bit ADAT

Bridge I/O

Original ADAT

Bridge I/O

8 in/8 out

16 in/2 out

16 in/16 out

16 in/16 out

44.1, 48

44.1, 48

44.1, 48

44.1, 48

20-bit

20-bit

None

None

D/A

Conversion

24-bit

None

24-bit

24-bit

24-bit (or

20-bit, on older I/O)

20-bit

24-bit

24-bit

20-bit

Digital I/O

24-bit

24-bit

24-bit

24-bit

24-bit

24-bit

24-bit

24-bit

24-bit (AES or S/PDIF), or 20-bit

(Optical)

8 Pro Tools Reference Guide

Pro Tools LE Systems

Pro Tools LE-based systems are available in the following configurations:

Digi 002

A Digi 002 system includes:

• Digi 002 combined audio interface and controller

• Pro Tools LE software

Digi 002 Rack

A Digi 002 Rack system includes:

• Digi 002 audio interface

• Pro Tools LE software

Mbox

An Mbox system includes:

• Mbox audio interface

• Pro Tools LE software

The total processing capacity of a

Pro Tools LE-based system depends on the processing power of your computer. Contact your Digidesign dealer or visit Digidesign’s

Web site for the latest system requirements and compatibility information.

Chapter 2: Pro Tools System Configurations 9

Pro Tools LE System Capabilities

Table 5 lists the playback, recording, and input and output capabilities of each Pro Tools LE system.

All Pro Tools LE systems support up to 32 audio tracks, as noted in Table 5. (Mono tracks take up a single audio track, while stereo tracks take up two tracks.) If you open a Pro Tools session created on a TDM system containing more than the number of tracks supported on the LE-based system, audio tracks beyond the LE system’s voiceable track limit will be automatically set to inactive.

Pro Tools LE systems provide up to 128 Auxiliary tracks (Auxiliary Inputs), a total of 16 internal mix busses, and up to 5 inserts and 5 sends per track (depending on your computer’s processing capacity).

In addition, Pro Tools LE systems support up to 256 MIDI tracks.

Table 5. Pro Tools LE system audio playback, recording, and channel capabilities

System Type

Mono Tracks of

Simultaneous Playback

Number of I/O

Channels

A/D

Conversion

D/A

Conversion

Digital

I/O

Digi 002

Digi 002 Rack

Mbox

32

32 up to 18 in/18 out

(48 kHz or lower) up to 10 in/10 out

(88.2 or 96 kHz) up to 2 in/2 out

24-bit

24-bit

24-bit

24-bit

24-bit

24-bit

For details on transferring session material between Pro Tools TDM and Pro Tools LE systems, see

“Sharing Sessions Between Pro Tools TDM Systems and Pro Tools LE Systems” on page 53.

Pro Tools M-Powered

(Pro Tools 6.8.x Only)

A Pro Tools M-Powered system includes:

• Pro Tools M-Powered software

• Digidesign-qualified M-Audio interface (not supplied with M-Powered software)

The Pro Tools Reference Guide refers to Pro Tools LE and TDM systems. References to Pro Tools LE are usually interchangeable with Pro Tools M-Powered, except as documented differently in the

Getting Started with Pro Tools M-Powered Guide.

For a list of Digidesign-qualified M-Audio interfaces, refer to the latest compatibility information on the Digidesign Web site (www.digidesign.com/compato)

.

10 Pro Tools Reference Guide