Mbox 2 Pro Getting Started Digidesign Guide Mbox2Pro V74 42161

Mbox 2 Pro - 7.4 - Getting Started Mbox_2_Pro_7.4_qsg Free User Guide for M-Audio Mbox Software, Manual

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Getting Started
Mbox® 2 Pro
Version 7.4

Legal Notices
This guide is copyrighted ©2007 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, 003 Rack, 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 Unity MediaNetwork, Avid Xpress, AVoption,
AVoption|V10, Beat Detective, Bruno, Command|8, Control|24,
D-Command, D-Control, D-Fi, D-fx, D-Show, DAE, Digi 002,
Digi 002 Rack, DigiBase, DigiDelivery, Digidesign, Digidesign
Audio Engine, Digidesign Intelligent Noise Reduction,
Digidesign TDM Bus, DigiDrive, DigiRack, DigiTest,
DigiTranslator, DINR, DV Toolkit, EditPack, Impact, Interplay,
M-Audio, MachineControl, Maxim, Mbox, MediaComposer,
MIDI I/O, MIX, MultiShell, OMF, OMF Interchange, PRE,
ProControl, Pro Tools M-Powered, Pro Tools, Pro Tools|HD,
Pro Tools LE, QuickPunch, Reel Tape, Reso, Reverb One,
ReVibe, RTAS, Smack!, SoundReplacer, Sound Designer II,
Strike, Structure, SYNC HD, SYNC I/O, Synchronic, TL Space,
Velvet, and X-Form are trademarks or registered trademarks of
Digidesign and/or Avid Technology, Inc. All other trademarks
are the property of their respective owners.
Product features, specifications, system requirements, and
availability are subject to change without notice.
PN 9320-56828-00 REV A 7/07
Comments or suggestions regarding our documentation?
email: techpubs@digidesign.com

Communications and Safety Regulation Information
Compliance Statement
This model Digidesign Mbox 2 Pro complies with the following
standards regulating interference and EMC:
• FCC Part 15 Class B
• EN 55022 Class B
• EN 55204 Class B
• AS/NZS 3548 Class B
• CISPR 22 Class B

Radio and Television Interference
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the
limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the
FCC Rules.

DECLARATION OF CONFORMITY
We Digidesign,
2001 Junipero Serra Boulevard, Suite 200
Daly City, CA 94014 USA
tel: 650-731-6300
declare under our sole responsibility that the product
Mbox 2 Pro
complies with Part 15 of FCC Rules.
Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) this
device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this
device must accept any interference received, including
interference that may cause undesired operation.

Communication Statement
NOTE: This equipment has been tested and found to comply
with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part
15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide
reasonable protection against harmful interference in a
residential installation. This equipment generates, uses,
and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed
and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause
harmful interference to radio communications. However,
there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a
particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful
interference to radio or television reception, which can be
determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is
encouraged to try and correct the interference by one or
more of the following measures:
• Reorient or locate the receiving antenna.
• Increase the separation between the equipment and
receiver.
• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit
different from that to which the receiver is connected.
• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician
for help.

Safety Statement

Mbox 2 Pro

This equipment has been tested to comply with USA and
Canadian safety certification in accordance with the
specifications of UL Standards: UL60065 7th /IEC 60065 7th
and Canadian CAN/CSA C22.2 60065:03. Digidesign Inc., has
been authorized to apply the appropriate UL & CUL mark on its
compliant equipment.
Warning

Any modifications to the unit, unless expressly approved by
Digidesign, could void the user's authority to operate the
equipment.

Canadian Compliance Statement:
This Class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES003.
Cet appareil numérique de la classe B est conforme à la norme
NMB-003 du Canada.

Australian Compliance

European Compliance

Digidesign is authorized to apply the CE (Conformité
Europénne) mark on this compliant equipment thereby
declaring conformity to EMC Directive 89/336/EEC and Low
Voltage Directive 73/23/EEC.

Important Safety Instructions
1) Read these instructions.
2) Keep these instructions.
3) Heed all warnings.
4) Follow all instructions.
5) Do not use this apparatus near water.
6) Clean only with dry cloth.
7) Do not block any ventilation openings. Install in accordance
with the manufacturer’s instructions.
8) Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators, heat
registers, stoves, or other apparatus (including amplifiers) that
produce heat.
9) Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized or
grounding-type plug. A polarized plug has two blades with one
wider than the other. A grounding type plug has two blades and
a third grounding prong. The wide blade or the third prong are
provided for your safety. If the provided plug does not fit into
your outlet, consult an electrician for replacement of the
obsolete outlet.
10) Protect the power cord from being walked on or pinched
particularly at plugs, convenience receptacles, and the point
where they exit from the apparatus.
11) Only use attachments/accessories specified by the
manufacturer.
12) Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms or when
unused for long periods of time.
13) Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel. Servicing
is required when the apparatus has been damaged in any way,
such as power-supply cord or plug is damaged, liquid has been
spilled or objects have fallen into the apparatus, the apparatus
has been exposed to rain or moisture, does not operate
normally, or has been dropped.
14) The apparatus shall not be exposed to dripping or
splashing and no objects filed with liquids (such as vases)
shall be placed on the apparatus.
Warning! To reduce the risk of fire or electric shock, do not
expose this apparatus to rain or mositure.

contents

Chapter 1. Installation QuickStart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Windows Installation Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Mac Installation Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Chapter 2. Welcome to Mbox 2 Pro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Mbox 2 Pro Package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Mbox 2 Pro Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Pro Tools LE Capabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
System Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Digidesign Registration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
About the Pro Tools Guides . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
About www.digidesign.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Chapter 3. Installing Pro Tools on Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Installation Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Connecting Mbox 2 Pro and Installing Pro Tools LE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Launching Pro Tools LE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Additional Software on the Pro Tools Installer Disc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Uninstalling Pro Tools LE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Chapter 4. Installing Pro Tools on Mac . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Installation Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Installing Pro Tools LE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Connecting Mbox 2 Pro to the Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Launching Pro Tools LE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Additional Software on the Pro Tools Installer Disc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Uninstalling Pro Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Contents

vii

Chapter 5. Configuring Your Pro Tools System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Starting Up or Shutting Down Your System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Configuring Pro Tools LE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Optimizing a Windows System for Pro Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Optimizing a Mac System for Pro Tools. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Chapter 6. Hardware Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Mbox 2 Pro Front Panel Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Mbox 2 Pro Back Panel Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Chapter 7. Making Studio Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Connecting Headphones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Connecting a Sound System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Connecting Audio Inputs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Connecting a Microphone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Connecting Instruments to the Mbox 2 Pro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
MIDI Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Word Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Using a Footswitch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Chapter 8. Common Tasks with Pro Tools LE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Recording a Pro Tools Session . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Importing Audio from a CD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Creating an Audio CD from a Pro Tools Session . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Recording MIDI in a Pro Tools Session . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Appendix A. Configuring MIDI Studio Setup (Windows Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
MIDI Studio Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
MIDI Patch Name Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

Appendix B. Configuring AMS (Mac OS X Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Audio MIDI Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
MIDI Patch Name Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

viii

Mbox 2 Pro Getting Started

Appendix C. Hard Drive Configuration and Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Avoid Recording to the System Drive. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Supported Drive Formats and Drive Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Formatting an Audio Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Partitioning Drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Defragmenting an Audio Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Using Mac Drives on Windows Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Hard Disk Storage Space . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

Appendix D. Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Backing Up Your Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Common Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Performance Factors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Before You Call Digidesign Technical Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Contents

Mbox 2 Pro Getting Started

chapter 1

Installation QuickStart

Windows Installation
Overview
(Windows Systems Only)
Installing Pro Tools LE™ for Mbox® 2 Pro on a
Windows computer includes the following
steps:
1 “Connecting Mbox 2 Pro and Installing

Pro Tools LE” on page 9.
2 “Launching Pro Tools LE” on page 11.

Your authorization code is located on the
inside cover of this guide.
3 Configuring your system for improved perfor-

mance. (See Chapter 5, “Configuring Your
Pro Tools System.”)
4 “Making Studio Connections” on page 35.

Mac Installation Overview
(Mac OS X Systems Only)
Installation of Pro Tools LE for Mbox 2 Pro on a
Mac includes the following steps:
1 “Connecting Mbox 2 Pro to the Computer”

on page 14.
2 “Installing Pro Tools LE” on page 13.
3 “Launching Pro Tools LE” on page 14.

Your authorization code is located on the
inside cover of this guide.
4 Configuring your system for improved perfor-

mance. (See Chapter 5, “Configuring Your
Pro Tools System.”)
5 “Making Studio Connections” on page 35.

Chapter 1: Installation QuickStart

Mbox 2 Pro Getting Started

chapter 2

Welcome to Mbox 2 Pro
Welcome to the Mbox® 2 Pro portable
Pro Tools® micro-studio from Digidesign®.
Mbox 2 Pro provides your Firewire-equipped
computer with four channels of analog audio input, six channels of analog audio output, two
channels of digital audio input and output,
MIDI In and Out ports, two channels of analog
monitor output, and two headphone outputs
with front panel level control. Mbox 2 Pro provides professional-quality mic preamps and 24bit analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog converters.

Mbox 2 Pro Package
The Mbox 2 Pro package includes the following:
• Mbox 2 Pro desktop audio interface and
power adapter
• Pro Tools Installer disc containing
Pro Tools LE™ software, DigiRack RTAS (RealTime AudioSuite) and AudioSuite plug-ins,
optional software, and electronic PDF guides
• This Getting Started Guide, covering installation, configuration, and common tasks for
your Pro Tools system.
• Firewire connector cable (six-pin 1394)
• Power supply

Mbox 2 Pro Features
The Mbox 2 Pro provides the following:

Audio Inputs and Outputs
Mbox 2 Pro lets your Pro Tools LE sessions utilize up to six discrete channels of input and up
to eight discrete channels of output, using the
following analog and digital I/O:

Analog Inputs
• Two channels of analog audio input with
microphone preamps and switchable 48V
phantom power. These analog input jacks
include one XLR/TRS combo connector on
the back panel, and two 1/4-inch DI connectors with switchable Mic and DI source
selection and LEDs on the front panel. A
–20 dB pad is also available separately on
each analog input channel
• Two additional channels of analog audio
input for Line and Phono sources (RIAA)

Analog Outputs
• Two 1/4-inch TRS analog Monitor outputs
• Four additional 1/4-inch balanced analog
line outputs
• Two additional channels of unbalanced
outputs on a single 1/4-inch TRS connector

• Digidesign Registration Information Card

Chapter 2: Welcome to Mbox 2 Pro

Digital I/O
• Two channels of S/PDIF digital input and output. S/PDIF inputs are available independent
of, and in addition to, analog inputs 1–4
when clocking to S/PDIF. S/PDIF outputs are
always available in Pro Tools

MIDI
• One MIDI In and one MIDI Out port, providing 16 MIDI input channels and 16 MIDI output channels

Other Capabilities and Specifications
• 24-bit A/D and D/A converters, supporting
sample rates of 44.1 kHz, 48 kHz, 88.2 kHz
and 96 kHz
• Low latency analog record monitoring
• Two 1/4-inch (TRS) stereo headphone outputs
(A and B) with adjustable level controls. Headphones B can mirror A (output channels 1–2)
or be switched to output channels 3–4
• Footswitch jack for starting or stopping playback or punching in and out while recording.

Pro Tools LE Capabilities
Pro Tools LE on Windows or Mac provides the
following capabilities with Mbox 2 Pro:
• Playback of up to 32 mono (or 16 stereo)
digital audio tracks, or a combination of
playing back and recording up to 32 mono
(or 16 stereo) digital audio tracks, depending on your computer’s capabilities
• Up to 128 audio tracks (with 32 voiceable
tracks maximum), 128 Auxiliary Input
tracks, 64 Master Fader tracks, 256 MIDI
tracks, and 32 Instrument tracks per session
• 16-bit or 24-bit audio resolution, at sample
rates up to 96 kHz
• Nondestructive, random-access editing and
mix automation
• Audio processing with up to 5 RTAS plugins per track, depending on your computer’s capabilities
• Up to 5 hardware inserts per track
• Up to 10 sends per track
• Up to 32 internal mix busses

Pro Tools LE uses your computer’s CPU to
mix and process audio tracks (host processing). Computers with faster clock speeds
yield higher track counts and more plug-in
processing.

Mbox 2 Pro Getting Started

System Requirements
Mbox 2 Pro can be used with a Digidesign-qualified Windows or Mac computer.
A DVD drive is required to use the Pro Tools Installer disc.
For complete system requirements, visit the
Digidesign website (www.digidesign.com).

Compatibility Information
Digidesign can only assure compatibility and
provide support for hardware and software it has
tested and approved.
For a list of Digidesign-qualified computers, operating systems, hard drives, and third-party devices, visit the Digidesign website
(www.digidesign.com).

MIDI Requirements
Mbox 2 Pro includes one MIDI In port and one
MIDI Out port, providing 16 channels of MIDI
input and 16 channels of MIDI output.
If you require additional MIDI ports, add a MIDI
interface to your system. USB MIDI interfaces
work effectively with Pro Tools systems on Windows or Mac. Serial MIDI interfaces are supported on Windows systems only.

Only USB MIDI interfaces are compatible
with Pro Tools systems for Mac OS X.
Modem-to-serial port adapters and serial
MIDI devices are not supported.
For a list of supported adapters, visit the Digidesign website (www.digidesign.com).

Hard Drive Requirements
For optimal audio recording and playback, all
Pro Tools systems require one or more Digidesign-qualified drives.
For a list of Digidesign-qualified hard drives,
visit the Digidesign website
(www.digidesign.com).
If you are using an ATA/IDE or FireWire hard
drive, initialize your drive with Windows Disk
Management (Windows) or the Disk Utility application included with Apple System software
(Mac).

For more information, see Appendix C,
“Hard Drive Configuration and Maintenance.”

Avoid Recording to the System Drive
Recording to your system drive is not recommended. Recording and playback on a system
drive may result in lower track counts and fewer
plug-ins.

Digidesign does not recommend recording
to the system drive. Record to a system drive
only when necessary.

Digidesign Registration
Review the enclosed Digidesign Registration Information Card and follow the instructions on it
to quickly register your purchase online. This is
one of the most important steps you can take as
a new user. Registering your purchase is the only
way you can be eligible to receive:
• Complimentary technical support
• An update to the latest version of Pro Tools
at no charge if you bought a system with
older software in the box
• Future upgrade offers
Chapter 2: Welcome to Mbox 2 Pro

About the Pro Tools Guides
This Getting Started guide explains how to install Pro Tools LE software, make basic connections to your Mbox 2 Pro interface (to get sound
in and out of your interface), and do common
tasks (such as recording in Pro Tools).
In addition to any printed guides or documentation included with your system, PDF versions of
Pro Tools guides and Read Mes are installed automatically with Pro Tools.
The main guides (such as the Pro Tools Reference
Guide and the Pro Tools Menus Guide) are accessible from the Pro Tools Help menu.
• Pro Tools Reference Guide explains Pro Tools
software in detail.
• Pro Tools Menus Guide covers all the Pro Tools
on-screen menus.
• DigiRack Plug-ins Guide explains how to use
the RTAS and AudioSuite plug-ins included
with Pro Tools.
• Digidesign Plug-ins Guide explains how to use
optional Digidesign plug-ins.
• Pro Tools Shortcuts lists keyboard and Rightclick shortcuts for Pro Tools.
These guides and other guides are installed on
your startup drive during installation. To view
or print PDF guides, you can use Adobe Reader
or Apple Preview (Mac only).

Printed copies of the Pro Tools Reference
Guide and other guides in the Pro Tools
guide set can be purchased separately from
the DigiStore (www.digidesign.com).

Mbox 2 Pro Getting Started

Conventions Used in This Guide
Digidesign guides use the following conventions to indicate menu choices and key commands:
:

Convention

Action

File > Save

Choose Save from the File
menu

Control+N

Hold down the Control key
and press the N key

Control-click

Hold down the Control key
and click the mouse button

Right-click

Click with the right mouse
button

The following symbols are used to highlight important information:

User Tips are helpful hints for getting the
most from your Pro Tools system.
Important Notices include information that
could affect your data or the performance of
your system.
Shortcuts show you useful keyboard or
mouse shortcuts.
Cross References point to related sections in
other guides.

About www.digidesign.com
The Digidesign website (www.digidesign.com) is
your best source for information to help you get
the most out of your Pro Tools system. The following are just a few of the services and features
available.
Product Registration Register your purchase online. See the enclosed Digidesign Registration
Information Card for instructions.
Support and Downloads Contact Digidesign
Technical Support or Customer Service; download software updates and the latest online
manuals; browse the Compatibility documents
for system requirements; search the online Answerbase; join the worldwide Pro Tools community on the Digidesign User Conference.
Training and Education Become a certified
Pro Tools Operator or Expert; study on your
own using courses available online, or find out
how you can learn in a classroom setting at a
certified Pro Tools Training Center.
Products and Developers Learn about Digidesign
products; download demo software; learn about
our Development Partners and their plug-ins,
applications, and hardware.
News and Events Get the latest news from
Digidesign; sign up for a Pro Tools demo.
To learn more about these and other resources
available from Digidesign, visit the Digidesign
website (www.digidesign.com).

Chapter 2: Welcome to Mbox 2 Pro

Mbox 2 Pro Getting Started

chapter 3

Installing Pro Tools on Windows
This chapter contains information for Windows
systems only. If you are installing Pro Tools on a
Mac computer, see Chapter 4, “Installing
Pro Tools on Mac.”

Connecting Mbox 2 Pro and
Installing Pro Tools LE
To install Pro Tools LE and Mbox 2 Pro:

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

1 Start Windows, logging in with Administrator
privileges. For details on Administrator privileges, refer to your Windows documentation.
2 Connect one end of the included Firewire ca-

Installation Overview

ble to one of the Firewire ports on Mbox 2 Pro.

Installing the Mbox 2 Pro on a Windows computer includes the following steps:

3 Connect the other end of the cable to any

1 “Connecting Mbox 2 Pro and Installing

Pro Tools LE” on page 9.
2 “Launching Pro Tools LE” on page 11.
3 Configuring your system for improved perfor-

mance. (See Chapter 5, “Configuring Your
Pro Tools System.”)

available Firewire (6-pin 1394) port on your
computer. Wait for the Found New Hardware
Wizard dialog to appear and leave it open: Do
not click Next. If the Wizard begins to install
drivers automatically, press Cancel.

Throughout the installation, you should ignore all Found New Hardware Wizard dialogs. Do not click Next.

4 Making audio and MIDI connections to the

4 Insert the Pro Tools LE Installer disc for Win-

Mbox 2 Pro. (See Chapter 7, “Making Studio
Connections” for details.)

dows in your CD/DVD drive.
5 On the Installer disc, locate and open the

Pro Tools Installer folder.
6 Double-click the Setup icon.
7 Follow the on-screen instructions to proceed

with installation.
8 Select the install location. For maximum reli-

ability, install Pro Tools on your startup drive.
Chapter 3: Installing Pro Tools on Windows

9 Click Next.
10 Select the Pro Tools application for installation.
11 You can also select from a list of optional
items to install along with Pro Tools.

Mac HFS+ Disk Support Option This option lets
your Pro Tools system read, write, record, and
play back using Mac-formatted HFS+ disks. HFS+
disks are commonly referred to as Mac OS Extended disks.
DigiTranslator DigiTranslator™ is a software option for Pro Tools that lets you convert and exchange OMF and AAF sequences and MXF files
directly in the Pro Tools application. This option is purchased separately.
Command|8 Controller and Driver The Command|8 Driver is required if you are using the
Digidesign Command|8 control surface.
MP3 Export Option The MP3 Export Option lets
you export MP3 files from Pro Tools. This option is purchased separately.

The Pro Tools Installer disc includes additional software for your system. For more
information, see “Additional Software on
the Pro Tools Installer Disc” on page 11.
12 Click Next.

13 Click Install.

On Windows XP, several messages are displayed during installation that can be ignored, including multiple “Found New
Hardware” dialogs and “A Problem Occurred During Hardware Installation.”
Additionally, if you get a warning dialog
about the driver not passing Windows Logo
testing, click Continue Anyway.
On Windows Vista, if you get a warning dialog about the driver, click “Install this
Driver Anyway!”
14 Wait for the installer to finish installing all
software components, drivers, and PACE System
files before proceeding to the next step.
15 When installation is complete, click Finish.

Installing QuickTime
QuickTime is required for Pro Tools if you plan
to include movie files, or import MP3 or MP4
(AAC) files in your sessions. QuickTime for Windows XP 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.
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.
10

Mbox 2 Pro Getting Started

4 Restart your computer.

Disabling Screen Saver
(Windows Vista Only)
To avoid errors during recording and playback
of Pro Tools sessions, you must set your Windows Vista screen saver to “None.”
To set your Windows Vista screen saver to “None”:
1 Right-click on the desktop.
2 Choose Personalize.
3 Click Screen Save.
4 Set the Screen saver to None.
5 Click Apply.

Launching Pro Tools LE
When launching Pro Tools LE the first time, you
are prompted to enter an authorization code.

Additional Software on the
Pro Tools Installer Disc
The Pro Tools Installer disc provides additional
software for your system, including audio drivers (for playing other audio applications
through your Digidesign hardware) and a
Pro Tools demo session.

Refer to your Pro Tools Installer disc for additional software and installers.

Windows Audio Drivers
The Mbox 2 Pro ASIO Driver and DirectSound
Window System Audio Driver let you use your
Digidesign Mbox 2 Pro hardware interface with
third-party applications that support the ASIO
Driver or DirectSound Driver standard.
The Mbox 2 Pro ASIO Driver and DirectSound
Driver for Mbox 2 Pro are automatically installed when you install Pro Tools.

Mbox 2 Pro ASIO Driver
To authorize Pro Tools LE software:
1 Make sure Mbox 2 Pro is connected to your

computer and powered on.
2 Double-click the Pro Tools LE shortcut on

your desktop (or the application icon in the
Pro Tools folder inside the Digidesign folder).
3 Enter the authorization code in the dialog

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

The Mbox 2 Pro ASIO (Audio Sound Input Output) Driver is a single-client multichannel
sound driver that allows third-party audio programs that support the ASIO Driver standard to
record and play back through Mbox 2 Pro.

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

Your authorization code is located on the inside
front cover of this guide.

Chapter 3: Installing Pro Tools on Windows

DirectSound Windows System Audio 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 Windows Audio Drivers
Digidesign Windows Audio Drivers can be installed on Windows systems that do not have
Pro Tools software installed. Use the standalone
version of the Digidesign Windows Audio Drivers installer (Digidesign Audio Drivers
Setup.exe), which is available on the Pro Tools
Installer disc.

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

Pro Tools Demo Session
The Pro Tools LE Installer disc includes a demo
session that you can use to verify that your system is working.
The demo session for Pro Tool LE is named “Filtered Dreams.”

Before installing the demo session to your
audio drive, make sure the drive is configured as described in “Formatting an Audio
Drive” on page 64.

2 From your CD/DVD drive, locate and open

the Additional Files/Pro Tools LE Demo Session
Installer folder.
3 Double-click Setup.exe.
4 Select your audio drive as the install location
and click Install.
5 When installation is complete, click OK.

The demo session can be opened by doubleclicking the Filtered Dream.ptf file (located
in the Filtered Dream Demo Session folder).

Uninstalling Pro Tools LE
If you need to uninstall Pro Tools software from
your computer, you can use Windows commands for uninstalling programs.
To uninstall Pro Tools from your computer
(Windows Vista):
1 Choose Start > Control Panel.
2 Under Programs, click “Uninstall a program.”
3 Select Pro Tools.
4 Click Uninstall.
5 Follow the on-screen instructions to remove

Pro Tools.
To uninstall Pro Tools from your computer
(Windows XP):
1 Choose Start > Control Panel.
2 Double-click Add or Remove Programs.
3 From the Currently Installed Programs list, select Digidesign Pro Tools.

To install the demo session:
4 Click the Remove button.
1 Insert the Pro Tools LE Installer disc into your

CD/DVD drive.

5 Follow the on-screen instructions to remove

Pro Tools.

Mbox 2 Pro Getting Started

chapter 4

Installing Pro Tools on Mac
This chapter contains information for Mac systems only. If you are installing Pro Tools on a
Windows computer, see Chapter 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.

Installation Overview
Installation of the Mbox 2 Pro on a Mac includes the following steps:

Installing Pro Tools LE
After the Apple System software settings are configured, you are ready to install Pro Tools LE.
To install Pro Tools LE on Mac OS X:
1 Make sure you are logged in as an Administrator 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 Insert the Pro Tools LE Installer disc in your

CD/DVD drive.
1 “Installing Pro Tools LE” on page 13.
3 On the Installer disc, locate and double-click
2 “Connecting Mbox 2 Pro to the Computer”

“Install Pro Tools.”

on page 14.
4 Follow the on-screen instructions to proceed
3 “Launching Pro Tools LE” on page 14.

with installation.

4 Configuring your system for improved perfor-

5 Select the install location. For maximum reli-

mance. (See Chapter 5, “Configuring Your
Pro Tools System.”)

ability, install Pro Tools on your startup drive.
6 Click Continue.

5 Making audio connections to the Mbox 2.

(See Chapter 7, “Making Studio Connections”
for details.)

7 Select the Pro Tools application for installa-

tion.

Chapter 4: Installing Pro Tools on Mac

8 You can also select from a list of optional
items to install along with Pro Tools:

DigiTranslator DigiTranslator™ is a software option for Pro Tools that lets you convert and exchange OMF and AAF sequences and MXF files
directly in the Pro Tools application. This option is purchased separately.
MIDI I/O Driver The MIDI I/O Driver is required
if you are using the Digidesign MIDI I/O interface.
MP3 Export Option The MP3 Export Option lets
you export MP3 files from Pro Tools. This option is purchased separately.

The Pro Tools Installer disc includes additional software for your system. For more information, see “Additional Software on the
Pro Tools Installer Disc” on page 15.
9 Click Install.
10 If prompted, enter your Administrator password and click OK to authenticate the installation.
11 Follow the remaining on-screen instructions.
12 When installation is complete, click Restart.

Connecting Mbox 2 Pro to the
Computer
Before launching Pro Tools LE software, connect Mbox 2 Pro to your computer.
To connect Mbox 2 Pro to your computer:
1 Connect the small end of the included

Firewire cable to the FireWire port on
Mbox 2 Pro.
2 With your computer on, connect the other

end of the cable to any available FireWire port
on your computer.

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 authorize Pro Tools LE software:
1 Make sure Mbox 2 Pro is connected to your

computer and powered on.
2 Click the Pro Tools LE icon in the Dock (or

double-click the application icon in the
Pro Tools folder inside the Digidesign folder).
3 Enter the authorization code in the dialog

when prompted (making sure to type it exactly
as printed, and observing any spaces and capitalization), then click Validate.
Your authorization code is located on the inside
front cover of this guide.

Mbox 2 Pro Getting Started

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

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

Pro Tools Demo Session
The Pro Tools Installer disc includes a separate
demo session installer. You can use this session
to verify that your system is working.
The demo session for Pro Tool LE is named “Filtered Dreams.”

Before installing the demo session to your
audio drive, make sure the drive is configured as described in “Formatting an Audio
Drive” on page 64.
To install the demo session:
1 Insert the Pro Tools LE Installer disc into your

DVD drive.
2 From your DVD drive, locate and open the Additional Files/LE Demo Session Installer folder.
3 Double-click LE Demo Session Setup.exe.
4 Follow the onscreen instructions.

For information on configuring the Mbox 2
Pro CoreAudio Driver, see the CoreAudio
Drivers guide.

Standalone Mbox 2 Pro CoreAudio Driver

5 When prompted, select your audio drive as

the install location and click Next to begin the
install.
6 When installation is complete, click Close.

The Mbox 2 Pro CoreAudio Driver can be installed as a standalone driver on Mac systems
that do not have Pro Tools software installed.
The standalone version of this driver is available
on the Pro Tools Installer disc (in the Additional
Files Folder).

For information on installing and configuring the standalone version of the Mbox 2
Pro CoreAudio Driver, see the CoreAudio
Drivers Guide.

Chapter 4: Installing Pro Tools on Mac

Pro Tools Session Templates
The Pro Tools LE Installer disc includes factory
session templates that are pre-configured to
common track and mixer setups. Using these
templates will save you the trouble of having to
create your studio setup from scratch every time
you start a new session.
See the Pro Tools Reference Guide for information on using or customizing session templates.

Uninstalling Pro Tools
If you need to uninstall Pro Tools software from
your computer, use the Uninstaller application.
To remove Pro Tools from your computer:
1 Make sure you are logged in as an Administrator for the account where Pro Tools is installed.

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

To install factory session templates:
1 Insert the Pro Tools Installer disc into your
DVD drive.
2 From your DVD drive, locate and open the Ad-

ditional Files/LE Session Templates Installer
folder.
3 Double-click LE Session Templates Setup.exe.
4 Follow the onscreen instructions.
5 When prompted, select your audio drive as

the install location and click Next to begin the
install.
6 When installation is complete, click Close.

The demo session can be opened by doubleclicking the Filtered Dream.ptf file (located
in the Filtered Dream Demo Session folder).

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.
Clean Uninstall Removes all Pro Tools files, including system files, Digidesign plug-ins, and
MIDI patch names.
5 Click Uninstall.
6 Enter your Administrator password and click

OK.
7 Click Finish to close the Installer window.

Mbox 2 Pro Getting Started

chapter 5

Configuring Your Pro Tools System
After you have connected your system and installed Pro Tools software, you are ready to start
up and configure your Pro Tools system.

Starting Up or Shutting Down
Your System
To ensure that the components of your
Pro Tools system communicate properly with
each other, you need to start them in a particular order.

Shut down your Pro Tools system in this order:
1 Quit Pro Tools and any other running applications.

To quit Pro Tools, choose File > Exit
(Windows) or Pro Tools > Quit (Mac).
2 Turn off or lower the volume of all output de-

vices in your system.
3 Turn off your computer.
4 Turn off any MIDI interfaces, MIDI devices, or
synchronization peripherals.

Start up your Pro Tools system in this order:

5 Turn off any control surfaces.

1 Lower the volume of all output devices in

6 Turn off any external hard drives.

your system.
2 Turn on any external hard drives. Wait ap-

proximately ten seconds for them to spin up to
speed.
3 Turn on any control surfaces (such as Com-

mand|8).
4 Turn on any MIDI interfaces, MIDI devices, or
synchronization peripherals.
5 Turn on your computer.
6 Launch Pro Tools or any third-party audio or
MIDI applications.

Chapter 5: Configuring Your Pro Tools System

Configuring Pro Tools LE
Pro Tools System Settings
In the Playback Engine dialog, Pro Tools LE lets
you adjust the performance of your system by
changing 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.

Hardware Buffer Size
The Hardware Buffer Size (H/W Buffer Size) controls the size of the buffer used to handle host
processing tasks such as Real-Time AudioSuite
(RTAS) plug-ins. The H/W Buffer setting can also
be used to manage monitoring latency.
Lower Hardware Buffer Size settings reduce
monitoring latency, and are useful when you are
recording live input.
Higher Hardware Buffer Size settings allow for
more audio processing and effects, and are useful when you are mixing and using more RTAS
plug-ins.

Playback Engine dialog for Mbox 2 Pro (Structure plugin not installed)

In addition to causing slower screen response and monitoring latency, higher
Hardware Buffer Size settings can increase
the latency caused by RTAS plug-ins, and
affect the accuracy of plug-in automation,
mute data, and MIDI track timing.
To change the Hardware Buffer Size:
1 Choose Setup > Playback Engine.
2 From the H/W Buffer Size pop-up menu, select
the audio buffer size, in samples.
3 Click OK.

Playback Engine dialog for Mbox 2 Pro (Structure plugin installed)

Mbox 2 Pro Getting Started

RTAS Processors

To set the number of RTAS Processors:

The RTAS Processors setting determines the
number of processors in your computer allocated for RTAS (Real-Time AudioSuite) plug-in
processing.

1 Choose Setup > Playback Engine.

With multiprocessor computers, this setting lets
you manage multi-processor support for RTAS
processing. With multiple processor computers
that support Hyper-Threading (and have it enabled), you must disable Hyper-Threading for
this setting to become available. See your computer’s documentation for steps on how to enter
the computer’s BIOS and disable Hyper-Threading.
Used in combination with the CPU Usage Limit
setting, the RTAS Processors setting lets you control the way RTAS processing and other
Pro Tools tasks are carried out by the system. For
example:
• For sessions with large numbers of RTAS plugins, you can allocate 2 or more processors to
RTAS processing and set a high CPU Usage
Limit.
• For sessions with few RTAS plug-ins, you can
allocate fewer processors to RTAS and set a low
CPU Usage Limit to leave more CPU resources
available for automation accuracy, screen response, and video.
• Depending on the importance of video and
overall screen response, and on the density of
automation being employed, try different
combinations of RTAS Processing and CPU
Usage Limit settings to achieve the best results. For example, to improve screen response in a medium-sized session using a
moderate number of RTAS plug-ins, try reducing the number of RTAS plug-ins, but keep the
CPU Usage Limit set to its maximum on a single processor system.

2 From the RTAS Processors pop-up menu, select

the number of available processors you want to
allocate for RTAS plug-in processing. The number of processors available varies depending on
how many processors are available on your
computer:
• Choose 1 Processor to limit RTAS processing to one CPU in the system.
• Choose 2 Processors to enable load balancing across two available processors.
• On systems running four or more processors, choose the desired number of RTAS
processors as needed.
3 Click OK.

CPU Usage Limit
The CPU Usage Limit controls the percentage of
CPU resources allocated to Pro Tools host processing tasks. Used in combination with the
RTAS Processors setting, the CPU Usage Limit
setting lets you control the way Pro Tools tasks
are carried out by the system.
Lower CPU Usage Limit settings limit the effect of Pro Tools processing on other CPU-intensive tasks, such as screen redraws, and are useful
when you are experiencing slow system response, or when running other applications at
the same time as Pro Tools.
Higher CPU Usage Limit settings allocate
more processing power to Pro Tools, and are
useful for playing back large sessions or using
more real-time plug-ins.

Chapter 5: Configuring Your Pro Tools System

The maximum available CPU Usage Limit depends on the number of processors in your computer and on the number of processors you
specify with the RTAS Processor setting. This
value can be up 99 percent for single-processor
computers or 90 percent for multi-processor
computers.

Increasing the CPU Usage Limit may slow
down screen response on slower computers.
To change the CPU Usage Limit:
1 Choose Setup > Playback Engine.
2 From the CPU Usage Limit pop-up menu, select the percentage of CPU processing you want
to allocate to Pro Tools.
3 Click OK.

RTAS Engine (RTAS Error Suppression)
The RTAS Engine options determine RTAS error
reporting during playback and recording. This is
especially useful when working with instrument
plug-ins.
You should only enable RTAS error suppression
if you are experiencing frequent RTAS errors
that are interrupting your creative workflow.
When RTAS error suppression is enabled, you
can experience a degradation of audio quality.
However, this may be acceptable in order to
avoid interrupting playback and recording
when working with instrument plug-ins. Be sure
to disable RTAS error suppression when you
need to ensure the highest possible audio quality, such as for a final mix.

Mbox 2 Pro Getting Started

There are two RTAS Engine options:
Ignore Errors During Playback/Record When enabled, Pro Tools continues to play and record
even if the RTAS processing requirements exceed the selected CPU Usage Limit. This can result in pops and clicks in the audio, but does not
stop the transport.
Minimize Additional I/O Latency When enabled,
any additional latency due to suppressing RTAS
errors during playback and record is minimized
to 128 samples. Suppressing RTAS errors requires at least 128 samples of additional buffering on some systems. If this option is disabled,
the buffer is half the H/W Buffer Size, or at least
128 samples (which ever is greater). If you are on
an older, slower computer, you may not want to
enable this option since doing so can adversely
affect performance.
The Minimize Additional I/O Latency option is
only available if the Ignore Errors During Playback/Record option is enabled.
To enable RTAS error suppression:
1 Choose Setup > Playback Engine.
2 Select Ignore Errors During Playback/Record.
3 If available, you can also select Minimize Ad-

ditional I/O Latency.
4 Click OK.

DAE Playback Buffer Size
The DAE Playback Buffer Size determines the
amount of memory DAE allocates for disk buffers. The buffer size is shown in milliseconds,
which indicates the amount of audio buffered
when the system reads from disk.
The optimum DAE Playback Buffer Size for most
disk operations is 1500 msec (Level 2).
• DAE Playback Buffer Size settings lower than
1500 msec (Level 2) may improve playback and
recording initiation speed. However, a lower setting may make it difficult to play or record
tracks reliably with sessions containing a large
number of tracks or a high density of edits, or
with systems that have slower or heavily fragmented hard drives.
• DAE Playback Buffer Size settings higher than
1500 msec (Level 2) allow higher track count,
higher density of edits in a session, or the use of
slower hard drives. However, a higher setting
may increase the time lag when starting playback or recording, or cause a longer audible time
lag while editing during playback.

Using a larger DAE Playback Buffer Size
leaves less system memory for other tasks.
The default setting of 1500 msec (Level 2) is
recommended unless you are encountering
-9073 (“Disk too slow or fragmented”)
errors.

If Pro Tools needs more system memory for the
DAE Playback Buffer, it will prompt you to restart your computer.

Cache Size
The Cache Size determines the amount of memory DAE allocates to pre-buffer audio for playback and looping when using Elastic Audio.
The optimum Cache Size for most sessions is
Normal.
• A Cache Size setting of Minimum reduces the
amount of system memory used for disk operations and frees up memory for other system
tasks. However, performance when using Elastic
Audio features may decrease.
• A Cache Size of Large improves performance
when using Elastic Audio features, but it also decreases the amount of memory available for
other system tasks, such as RTAS processing.

Using a larger Cache Size leaves less system
memory for other tasks. The default setting
of Normal is recommended unless you are
encountering -9500 (“Cache too small”)
errors.
To change the Cache Size:
1 Choose Setup > Playback Engine.
2 From the Cache Size pop-up menu, select a

disk cache size.
To change the DAE Playback Buffer Size:

3 Click OK.

1 Choose Setup > Playback Engine.
2 From the DAE Playback Buffer pop-up menu,

select a buffer size. Memory requirements for
each setting are shown at the bottom of the
Playback Engine dialog.
3 Click OK.

System Memory Allocation
When you start your computer, Pro Tools automatically reserves a portion of system memory
for the DAE Playback Buffer. This reserved memory is unavailable to other applications, even if
Pro Tools is not running.

Chapter 5: Configuring Your Pro Tools System

You can set Pro Tools to reserve only the minimum amount of required memory, so that more
system memory is available to other applications.
To minimize system memory allocation:
1 Choose Setup > Playback Engine.
2 Select the “Minimize System Memory Allocation”

Using a larger Plug-in Streaming Buffer Size
leaves less system memory for other tasks.
The default setting of 250 ms (Level 2) is
recommended unless you are experiencing
problems with the audio quality of sample
playback.
To change the Plug-in Streaming Buffer Size:

option.

1 Choose Setup > Playback Engine.

3 Click OK.

2 From the Plug-in Streaming Buffer Size pop-up
menu, select a buffer size.

4 Restart your computer.

3 Click OK.

Plug-in Streaming Buffer Size
(Structure Plug-in Only)
This setting appears in the Playback Engine dialog only if the Structure sampler instrument
plug-in is installed on your system. The Plug-in
Streaming Buffer Size determines the amount of
memory DAE allocates for streaming playback
from disk with the Structure plug-in. This setting only affects playback if disk streaming is activated in Structure’s plug-in controls (see the
Structure Plug-in Guide for more information).
The optimum Plug-in Streaming Buffer Size for
most sessions is 250 ms (Level 2).
• Plug-in Streaming Buffer Size settings lower
than 250 msec (Level 2) reduce the amount of
system memory used for sample playback and
frees up memory for other system tasks. However, audio quality of sample playback may decrease.
• Plug-in Streaming Buffer Size settings higher
than 250 msec (Level 2) improve the audio quality of sample playback, but they also decrease
the amount of memory available for other system tasks, such as RTAS processing.

Mbox 2 Pro Getting Started

Optimizing the Plug-in Streaming Buffer
Size
(Structure Plug-in Only)
This option appears in the Playback Engine dialog only if the Structure sampler instrument
plug-in is installed on your system. This option
is useful when you are playing samples from the
same drive that contains audio for the current
session. When this option is selected, Pro Tools
automatically optimizes the size of the Plug-in
Streaming Buffer to facilitate disk access from
both Pro Tools and Structure. The Plug-in
Streaming Buffer Size pop-up menu is unavailable when this option is selected.
To set Pro Tools to optimize the Plug-in Streaming
Buffer Size:
1 Choose Setup > Playback Engine.
2 Select the “Optimize for Streaming Content” option.
3 Click OK.

Pro Tools Hardware Settings
In the Hardware Settings dialog, Pro Tools lets
you set the default sample rate and clock source
for your system, as well as a range of controls
specific to each type of audio interface.

Default Sample Rate
The Sample Rate setting appears as the default
sample rate when you create a new session.
(This setting is available in the Hardware Setup
dialog only when no session is open.)

You can change the sample rate when creating a new Pro Tools session by selecting a
different sample rate in the New Session
dialog. (Refer to the Pro Tools Reference
Guide for details.)

Internal Use this setting if you are recording analog signals directly into Mbox 2 Pro. When set
to internal, Mbox 2 Pro provides four channels
of input (analog only).
S/PDIF Use this setting to record or listen to
Mbox 2 Pro S/PDIF inputs connected to an external digital device. This setting will synchronize Pro Tools to that digital device.

S/PDIF input is only available when S/PDIF
is the Clock Source.
Word Clock Use this setting to clock Pro Tools LE
to a Word clock source connected to the
Mbox 2 Pro Word Clock In port.
To select the Clock Source:
1 Choose Setup > Hardware.

To change the default Sample Rate:

2 Choose the clock source from the Clock

1 Choose Setup > Hardware.

Source pop-up menu.
3 Click OK.

Your digital input device must be connected
and powered on for Pro Tools to synchronize to it. If your input device is not powered
on, leave the Clock Source set to Internal.

Configuring I/O Setup
Hardware Setup dialog for Mbox 2 Pro
2 Select the sample rate from the Sample Rate

pop-up menu.
3 Click OK.

Clock Source
The Pro Tools Hardware Setup dialog lets you select the Clock Source for the system.

Using the I/O Setup dialog, you can label
Pro Tools LE input, output, insert, and bus signal paths. The I/O Setup dialog provides a graphical representation of the inputs, outputs, and
signal routing of the Mbox 2.
Pro Tools LE has default I/O Setup settings that
will get you started. Use the I/O Setup dialog
only if you want to rename the default I/O
paths.

Chapter 5: Configuring Your Pro Tools System

To rename I/O paths in I/O Setup:
1 Choose Setup > I/O.

Backing Up Your System
Configuration
After configuring your system and Pro Tools,
you should save an image of your system drive
using a backup utility such as Norton Ghost. By
doing this, you can quickly restore your system
configuration and settings if you encounter any
problems.

I/O Setup dialog for Mbox 2 Pro
2 Click the Input, Output, Insert, or Bus tab to
display the corresponding connections.
3 To change the name of a path or subpath,
double-click directly on the Path Name, type a
new name for the path, and press Enter.
4 Click OK.

See the Pro Tools Reference Guide (or choose
Help > Pro Tools Reference Guide) for more
information on renaming I/O paths.

Optimizing a Windows System
for Pro Tools
(Windows XP Only)
To optimize a Mac system for Pro Tools, see
“Optimizing a Mac System for Pro Tools”
on page 27.
Before configuring your computer, make sure
you are logged in as an Administrator for the account where you want to install Pro Tools. For
details on Administrator privileges, refer to your
Windows documentation.

Configuring MIDI Setup
Required Optimizations
If you plan to use any MIDI devices with Pro Tools,
do one of the following:
On Windows, configure your MIDI setup with
MIDI Studio Setup. See Appendix A, “Configuring MIDI Studio Setup (Windows Only)” for details.

To ensure optimum performance with
Pro Tools LE, configure the following settings
before using Pro Tools hardware and software.

When you are finished changing Windows
system settings, restart your computer.

– or –

Enabling DMA
On Mac, configure your MIDI setup with Audio MIDI Setup. See Appendix B, “Configuring
AMS (Mac OS X Only)” for details.

Enabling your computer's DMA (Direct Memory
Access) frees up CPU bandwidth so the computer can do other Pro Tools tasks.
In most cases the DMA option will already be set
correctly, as Windows XP detects and activates
DMA mode by default.

Mbox 2 Pro Getting Started

To enable DMA for any IDE hard drives
(Windows XP):

To configure Windows Power Management
(Windows XP):

1 Choose Start > Control Panel.

2 Double-click System.

2 Double-click Power Options.

3 Click the Hardware tab.

3 Click the Power Schemes tab.

4 Under Device Manager, choose Device Man-

ager.

4 From the Power Schemes pop-up menu, select
Always On.

5 In the Device Manager window, double-click

5 Click OK.

IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers, then double-click the
Primary IDE Channel for your IDE hard drive.

This sets System Standby, System Hibernate,
and “Turn off hard disks” to Never.

6 Click the Advanced Settings tab.
7 For each device, set the Transfer Mode to “DMA

if available,” and click OK.
8 Repeat the above steps for any additional IDE

Channels.
9 Close the Device Manager window and then

On AMD processors, be sure to check and
disable Cool N’Quiet in the System BIOS (in
the Cool & Quiet Configuration section). See
the manufacturer’s documentation for instructions on disabling this power option, if
necessary.

the System Properties window.

Disabling ClearType Font Smoothing

Disabling System Standby and Power
Management

When using Pro Tools, the Effects “Clear Type”
setting must be disabled.

When using Pro Tools, the Windows System
Standby power scheme must be set to Always On.
This helps prevent long record or playback
passes from stopping due to system resources
powering down.

To disable ClearType font smoothing
(Windows XP):

Sleep (or hibernate) settings are supported
when using Mbox 2 Pro and the Windows
System Audio drivers with an application
other than Pro Tools LE.

1 Choose Start > Control Panel.
2 Double-click Display.
3 Click the Appearance tab.
4 Click Effects.
5 Deselect “Use the following method to smooth
edges of screen fonts.”
6 Click OK to save your settings and close the

Effects dialog.
7 Click OK.
8 Restart the computer.

Chapter 5: Configuring Your Pro Tools System

Recommended Optimizations
Pro Tools can also be affected by other software
and hardware drivers installed on your computer. It is recommended (but not required) that
you do the following:
• Avoid running any unneeded programs at
the same time as Pro Tools.
• Turn off any software utilities that run in
the background, such as Windows Messenger, calendars, and disk maintenance programs.
• Turn off any nonessential FireWire devices
while running Pro Tools.
• If your video display card supports it, enable Bus Mastering in the manufacturer’s
Control Panel. Refer to the manufacturer’s
instructions for details.

To disable a network card:
1 Right-click My Computer and choose Manage.
2 Under System Tools, select Device Manager.
3 In the Device Manager window, double-click

Network adapters, then double-click the Network
Adapter card you want to disable.
4 Under the General tab, choose “Do not use this

device (disable)” from the Device Usage pop-up
menu, and click OK.
5 Close the Computer Management window.

Adjusting Processor Scheduling
To adjust Processor Scheduling performance:
1 Choose Start > Control Panel.
2 In Classic View, double-click System.

Optional Optimizations

3 Click the Advanced tab.

The following system optimizations may help
Pro Tools perform better on some systems. It is
recommended that you only try these optimizations if necessary, as they may disable or adversely affect the functionality of other programs on your system.

4 Under the Performance section, click the Set-

tings button.
5 In the Performance Options window, click the

Advanced tab.
6 Under the Processor Scheduling section, select

the Background Services option.

Disabling Network Cards
If applicable, disable any networking cards
(other than a FireWire card that you might use
to connect an external drive to your system).

7 Under the Memory Usage section, select the

System cache option.
8 Click OK to close the Performance Options

window.
9 Click OK to close the System Properties win-

dow.
10 Restart the computer for the changes to take
effect.

Mbox 2 Pro Getting Started

Disabling System Startup Items
The fewer items in use by your computer, the
more resources are available for Pro Tools. Some
startup applications may be consuming unnecessary CPU resources, and can be turned off.
If you disable any of the following startup items,
do so carefully:
• Portable media serial number (required for
some applications that utilize a copy protection key)
• The Plug and Play service
• Event log
• Cryptographic services
To Disable System Startup Items (Windows XP):
1 From the Start menu, choose Run.
2 Type “msconfig” and click OK. The System

Configuration Utility opens.
3 Under the General tab, choose Selective

Startup.
4 Deselect Load Startup Items and click OK.

Optimizing a Mac System for
Pro Tools
(Mac Only)
To optimize a Windows XP system, see
“Optimizing a Windows System for
Pro Tools” on page 24.
To ensure optimum performance with
Pro Tools LE, configure your computer before
using Pro Tools software.
Before configuring your computer, make sure
you are logged in as an Administrator for the account where you want to install Pro Tools. For
details on Administrator privileges in Mac OS X,
refer to your Apple OS X documentation.

Do not use the Mac OS X automatic Software Update feature, as it may upgrade
your system to a version of Mac OS that has
not yet been qualified for Pro Tools. For details on qualified versions of Mac OS, visit
the Digidesign website
(www.digidesign.com).

5 Click Restart to restart the computer.
6 After restarting, the computer displays a Sys-

tem Configuration message. Check to see if
Pro Tools performance has increased before you
deselect the “Don't show this message again”
option. If performance has not changed, run
“msconfig” and return your computer Startup
Selection back to Normal Startup - load all device
drives and services. Alternatively, try disabling
Startup items and non-essential processes individually.

Turning Off Software Update
To turn off the Software Update feature:
1 Choose System Preferences from the Apple

menu and click Software Update.
2 Click the Software Update tab.
3 Deselect Check for Updates.

Chapter 5: Configuring Your Pro Tools System

Turning Off Energy Saver
To turn off the Energy Saver feature:
1 Choose System Preferences from the Apple

menu and click Energy Saver.
2 Click the Sleep tab and do the following:

• Set the computer sleep setting to Never.
• Set the display sleep setting to Never.
• Deselect “Put the hard disk(s) to sleep when
possible” option.

Setting Processor Performance
(Mac G5 Computers and G4 Powerbooks Only)

Disabling the Spotlight Shortcuts
The Mac OS X Spotlight feature uses the same
key commands Pro Tools uses to start recording
(Command+Spacebar), and to record online
(Command+Option+Spacebar). If you want to
retain use of these key commands in Pro Tools,
these shortcuts must be disabled.
To disable the Spotlight keyboard shortcut:
1 Choose System Preferences from the Apple

menu and click Spotlight.
2 Deselect “Spotlight menu keyboard shortcut”
and “Spotlight window keyboard shortcut.”

To set the Processor Performance:

Disabling the Dashboard Shortcut

1 Choose System Preferences from the Apple

The Mac OS X Dashboard feature uses the same
key command Pro Tools uses to start recording
(F12). If you want to retain use of this key command in Pro Tools, this shortcut must be disabled.

menu and click Energy Saver.
2 Click the Options tab and set Processor Perfor-

mance to Highest.

Disabling Spotlight Indexing
The Mac OS X Spotlight feature indexes files and
folders in the background, affecting system performance. It is recommended that you disable
Spotlight indexing before using Pro Tools.

Disabling Spotlight indexing will cause the
Find function in Mac OS X to no longer
work. You will no longer be able to search
for files on drives set to private.

To disable the Dashboard keyboard shortcut:
1 Choose System Preferences from the Apple

menu and click Dashboard and Exposé.
2 Set the Dashboard keyboard shortcut to “–” to
disable the shortcut.

Enabling Journaling for Audio Drives
To yield higher performance from audio drives,
enable journaling.

To disable Spotlight indexing:
1 Choose System Preferences from the Apple

menu and click Spotlight.
2 In the Spotlight window, click the Privacy tab.
3 To prevent indexing of a drive, drag its icon

from the desktop into the list.

To enable journaling:
1 Launch the Disk Utility application, located in

Applications/Utilities.
2 Select the volume in the left column of the

Disk Utility window.
3 Click Enable Journaling in the toolbar.

Mbox 2 Pro Getting Started

chapter 6

Hardware Overview

Mbox 2 Pro Front Panel Features
The Mbox 2 Pro front panel has the following features:

Aux In (3–4)
Power
LED
Headphones level
(A, B)

Monitor
Level

Peak
LED

Input 2

Input 1

Source
Gain
selector
and Peak
Gain LED LED

Source
selector
Pad

Gain
Peak
LED

Source
selector
Pad

Ext Clock LED
MIDI Activity LED

Headphone Outputs
(A and B)

48V
Switch and LED

3–4 Switch and LED
(Headphone B)

Input 1 DI

Input 2 DI
DI/Mic 1 LEDs

DI/Mic 2 LEDs

Figure 1. Mbox 2 Pro front panel

Power LED

MIDI Activity LED

The Power LED indicates that the Mbox 2 Pro is
powered on.

This LED lights to indicate Mbox 2 Pro is receiving or sending MIDI.

Ext (External) Clock LED
The External Clock LED lights to indicate that
either S/PDIF or Word clock is the current
Pro Tools clock source. When unlit, this LED indicates Internal clock.

Chapter 6: Hardware Overview

Headphone Outputs

48V Switch and LED

Mbox 2 Pro provides two 1/4-inch, stereo headphone outputs, A and B, each with its own level
control. Headphones mirror the Monitor outputs, by default (usually your main Pro Tools
Analog 1–2 outputs). Headphone B can also be
configured for discrete monitoring of Pro Tools
outputs 3–4 (Analog 3–4) using the 3–4 switch.

Phantom power is activated by the switch labeled 48V on the front panel of Mbox 2 Pro. The
LED, when lit, indicates that 48V phantom
power is active on both Mic/Line inputs. These
inputs provide phantom power for microphones that require it to operate.

About Phantom Power

Headphone Level
The headphone knobs adjust the output level of
their corresponding Headphone output (A or B).

3–4 Switch and LED
The 3–4 switch toggles Headphone B output between the main outputs (1–2), and output channels 3–4. When this switch is in its “out” position, Headphone B mirrors Headphone A output
and the 3–4 LED is off. When this switch is in its
“in” position, Headphone B monitors Pro Tools
output channels 3–4.

Monitor Level
The Monitor knob adjusts the output level of
the Mon Out ports. In Pro Tools, this will be the
signal routed to Analog outputs 1–2.

Mbox 2 Pro Getting Started

Dynamic microphones (such as a Shure SM57)
do not require phantom power to operate, but
are not harmed by it. Most condenser microphones (like an AKG C3000) do require phantom power to operate.

Although phantom power can be used
safely with most microphones, it is possible
to damage some ribbon microphones with
it. Always turn off phantom power and wait
at least ten seconds before connecting or disconnecting a ribbon microphone.
If you are not sure about the phantom power requirements for your microphone, consult your
microphone’s documentation or contact the
manufacturer.

Gain Controls

Peak LEDs

These knobs adjust the input gain levels of their
corresponding input (Input 1, Input 2, or
Aux In).

Input 1, 2 and the Aux Input have Peak LEDs
that also function as signal meters. They light
green at –60 dBFS, yellow at –6 dBFS, and red at
0 dBFS (peak).

DI Inputs
Front panel DI connectors are provided for input channels 1 and 2, to connect electric guitar,
electric bass, and similar instruments.

Pad Switches and LEDs
The Pad switches engage a –20 dB pad on their
corresponding input channels. When engaged,
the Pad LEDs light.

Mic/DI Source Selectors and LEDs
These switches select either the Mic (XLR) and
Line (TRS) inputs or DI inputs for each channel.
The DI and Mic LEDs indicate the current source
input.
The Aux In Source select switch selects the Aux
Line inputs, or Phono inputs.
For more information, see “Connecting Audio
Inputs” on page 37.

Chapter 6: Hardware Overview

Mbox 2 Pro Back Panel Features
Figure 2 identifies each port on the Mbox 2 Pro back panel.
Inputs 1 and 2

Mic/Line 2

Mic/Line 1

Aux In (3–4)

Monitor
outputs
(1–2)

Phono In L/R
Line In L/R

Line
outputs
(1–4)

Line Out
(5–6)
S/PDIF
digital I/O

Ground post

MIDI I/O
Footswitch

Word clock
In/Out

Firewire
Power

Figure 2. Mbox 2 Pro back panel

The Mbox 2 Pro back panel has the following
features:

DC Power
This port supplies power to Mbox 2 Pro using
the included power supply. Though external
power is not always required, you should use external power if your 1394 bus is unable to provide enough power, or if you need to conserve
battery power in a portable computer.

FireWire (1394) Port
This standard FireWire 1394 connector is used
to connect your computer to Mbox 2 Pro. One
6-pin FireWire cable is included with
Mbox 2 Pro. The Mbox 2 Pro can be powered
solely through its 1394 connection to your computer, or using an external power supply (included with your system).

Mbox 2 Pro Getting Started

4-Pin FireWire Cable
Mbox 2 Pro includes a 6-pin to 6-pin FireWire
cable. Some Windows laptops include a 4-pin
FireWire port. To use Mbox 2 Pro with these
computers, a 4-pin to 6-pin cable is required.
Purchase this cable (model #CS625) through
your authorized Digidesign dealer or online
through the DigiStore (www.digidesign.com).

This cable can also be purchased at computer supply stores. Maximum supported
cable length for FireWire (IEEE-1394) is
14 feet (4.3 meters).

MIDI I/O
The MIDI In and MIDI Out ports are standard 5pin MIDI ports, each providing 16 channels of
MIDI input and output.

Word Clock

S/PDIF Digital I/O

The Word Clock In and Out ports let you connect BNC cables to synchronize Pro Tools to incoming 1x Word clock, and synchronize other
devices to Pro Tools-generated Word clock.

The S/PDIF in and out ports are unbalanced twoconductor phono (RCA) connectors that utilize
a full 24-bit, two-channel digital data stream.

Line Outputs (1–4)
These outputs let you send discrete Pro Tools
outputs to external headphone or cue systems,
remote speakers and similar devices. Line outputs 1–4 accept balanced TRS, or unbalanced TS,
1/4-inch cables.

Line Out (5–6)
This connector accepts a 1/4-inch cable, to supply two channels of unbalanced output to an additional analog device. (Line Out 5 = Tip;
Line Out 6 = Ring.)

The Sony/Phillips Digital Interface Format
(S/PDIF) is used in many professional and consumer CD recorders and DAT recorders. To
avoid RF interference, use 75-ohm coaxial cable
for S/PDIF transfers and keep the cable length to
a maximum of 10 meters.
In use, the S/PDIF input channels are available
in addition to the four channels of analog audio
input when S/PDIF is selected as the Pro Tools
Clock Source. This lets Mbox 2 Pro be used as a
6-in/8-out digital audio interface for
Pro Tools LE.
The S/PDIF output channels are always available, in all clock modes.

Footswitch

Mon Out (Monitor Output)

The footswitch connector on Mbox 2 Pro lets
you use a footswitch pedal to control either
playback start/stop or recording punch in/out.
Both QuickPunch audio punch-in and punchout and MIDI punch-in and punch-out recording are supported.

These outputs support balanced TRS, or unbalanced TS, 1/4-inch connections. To monitor
your mix, these outputs can be connected to a
mixing board, directly to a monitoring system
such as a stereo power amp, or another stereo
destination.

The footswitch connector is designed specifically for instantaneous (momentary) on/off
pedals with a 1/4-inch TS connector. Continuous on/continuous off pedals can also be used,
but may result in unexpected behavior.

The Mon Out Left and Right play the audio that
is routed to analog outputs 1 and 2 from within
Pro Tools, respectively. These analog outputs
feature 24-bit digital-to-analog converters.

Aux In (Line and Phono Inputs)
The Aux In section provides two pairs of inputs
for different types of equipment. The Aux In
Line L and R inputs are 1/4-inch, balanced TRS
connectors. The Phono inputs are unbalanced,
coaxial RCA connectors.

Chapter 6: Hardware Overview

Grounding Post
The Grounding Post is for grounding turntables
and other types of DJ equipment to Mbox 2 Pro.

Mic/Line 1 and 2
Each analog source input channel (Input 1 and
Input 2) provides Mic (XLR) and Line (TRS) input on combination jacks. On the front panel,
the input signal is adjusted by the Gain control
for each channel and the source (Mic/Line, or
DI) is chosen using the Source selectors.
Source 2 is at the far left (when looking at the
back panel), and Source 1 is to its right. The back
panel inputs for Source 1 and Source 2 are located such that they are directly in line with
their associated input controls on the front
panel. This lets you locate input jacks more easily when viewing from the front of the unit.

Mbox 2 Pro Getting Started

chapter 7

Making Studio Connections
To hear audio recorded into a Pro Tools session,
you will need to connect headphones or an external sound system (such as powered monitors
or a home stereo) to Mbox 2 Pro. Sound from
Mbox 2 Pro cannot be played through your
computer’s speakers or your computer’s sound
output.

Connecting Headphones
On the front panel of the Mbox 2 Pro are two
1/4-inch headphone connectors, each with an
associated level control, labelled A and B. Connect up to two sets of headphones for mixing
and tracking.

By default, Headphone B output mirrors the
Pro Tools channel 1–2 output being heard in the
Headphone A output. Whenever a discrete cue
mix is required for overdubbing, Headphone B
output can be switched to monitor output channels 3–4.

Do not use the front panel headphone outputs for anything but headphones. If you
use a headphone distribution amp or cue
system, use any of the six available Line
Out channels on the back panel. See “Additional Analog Outputs” on page 36.
To connect headphones for mix monitoring:
Connect headphones with a 1/4-inch stereo
connector (or adapter) to the Headphone A jack.

Headphone level (A, B)

To connect headphones for selectable monitoring:
Connect headphones with a 1/4-inch stereo
connector (or adapter) to the Headphone B jack.

To monitor channels 3–4 in Headphone B:
1/4-inch
Headphone jacks (A, B)

3–4 (Headphone B)

Headphone jacks and controls on front of Mbox 2 Pro

Headphone A monitors the Pro Tools main mix
outputs (usually output channels 1–2).

Press the 3–4 switch so that it is engaged (“in”
position).

See the Pro Tools Reference Guide for information on using signal routing, sends and
bussing to create cue mixes.

Chapter 7: Making Studio Connections

Connecting a Sound System
The main monitor outputs on the back of the
Mbox 2 Pro (Mon Out L and R) support 1/4-inch
plugs. These connections can be balanced, TRS
(Tip, Ring, Sleeve) style connectors, or unbalanced connectors. To listen to your Pro Tools
session, these outputs can be connected to any
amplification system: powered speakers, a home
stereo system, or an audio mixer.
When connecting to a stereo system, connect
the left channel (often the white plug) to
Mon Out Left, and the right channel (often the
red plug) to Mon Out Right.

Additional Analog Outputs
Mbox 2 Pro provides a total of six analog output
channels in addition to the primary Monitor
outputs. These include Line Out 1–4, and
Line Out 5–6.
Line Out 1–4
Line Out 5–6

Additional outputs on Mbox 2 Pro (back panel)

Line Out 1–4
Monitor Out

Line Outputs 1–4 can be connected to any device that has analog inputs. Use these four balanced 1/4-inch TRS outputs to feed analog devices such as headphone amps or cue systems
for discrete headphone mixes, samplers, or a
secondary recorder.
Monitor Out connectors on Mbox 2 Pro (back panel)

Line Out 5–6
Home stereo systems often use RCA connectors. You can use an adaptor or a special cable to convert from the TRS or TS connectors
used by Mbox 2 Pro to the RCA connectors
on your home stereo.

Line Out 5–6 provides an additional pair of analog output channels. Use this unbalanced 1/4inch stereo connector to supply two channels of
analog output. (Line Out 5 = Tip, Line Out 6 =
Ring).

To connect a sound system:
Using 1/4-inch cables, connect the Mon Out L
and Mon Out R on the back panel to the inputs
of your power amplifier, self-powered monitors,
or other monitoring system.

To connect additional Mbox 2 Pro outputs:
1 Using 1/4-inch TRS cables, connect any of the
Line Out (1–4) connectors on the back panel to
the inputs of your external devices.
2 Using a 1/4-inch TRS stereo cable, connect the
Line Output (5–6) output on the back panel to
the inputs of your external device.

See the Pro Tools Reference Guide for information on signal routing, sends and bussing.

Mbox 2 Pro Getting Started

Connecting a Digital Deck

Mic/Line In

If you have a CD, DVD, DAT or other device that
accepts S/PDIF connections, connect it to the
S/PDIF In and S/PDIF Out RCA ports on the back
of Mbox 2 Pro.

Each Mic/Line In section on the back panel provides combination jacks that accept XLR or TRS
connectors for Inputs 1 and 2.

When recording from Pro Tools to a digital
device, make sure the Pro Tools Clock
Source setting is set correctly. For more information, see “Digital Input and Output”
on page 42.

XLR For XLR microphone cables.
Line For 1/4-inch Tip-Ring-Sleeve (TRS) cables
from keyboards, mixers, and other line sources.

If you are using a microphone with a
1/4-inch connector, use the front panel DI
inputs.

Connecting Audio Inputs

DI 1 and DI 2

This section describes the analog inputs available on Mbox 2 Pro. For information about connecting specific audio sources, see “Connecting
a Microphone” on page 38, and “Connecting
Instruments to the Mbox 2 Pro” on page 40.

Input 1 and 2 also provide a front panel DI input.
DI For 1/4-inch Tip-Sleeve cables from guitar,
bass, microphones, or similar sources.

Overview of Analog Inputs
Mbox 2 Pro provides a total of four channels of
analog input. On the Mbox 2 Pro, these are labelled Inputs 1 and 2, and Aux In L-R.
DI 1
Input 2

Input 1

Aux In

DI 2

Input 1 and 2 front panel DI connectors

Aux In
Aux In connectors are provided for Line and
Phono sources. These inputs appear as Analog
In (3–4) in Pro Tools:
Inputs on back of Mbox 2 Pro

Inputs 1 and 2
Inputs 1 and 2 each provide back panel
Mic/Line In 1 and 2 connectors as well as front
panel DI connectors (TS). These inputs appear as
Analog In (1–2) in Pro Tools.

Line L and R For 1/4-inch Tip-Sleeve cables from
guitar, bass, microphones, or similar sources.
Phono L and R For RCA cables from turntables,
mixers, or similar sources.

Chapter 7: Making Studio Connections

Connecting a Microphone
There are several ways to use Mbox 2 with a microphone, depending on the type of microphone and cable you use.

Phantom Power
Some microphones require power to operate.
This power, called phantom power, is supplied either by a battery in the microphone, or through
an audio interface (such as Mbox 2 Pro) that can
supply power through the microphone cable.

Mic Cables and Connectors
There are several ways to use Mbox 2 Pro with a
microphone, depending on the type of microphone and cable you use.
Some microphone cables use an XLR connector
to attach a microphone to an input; other microphones use a 1/4-inch connector.
If you have a choice, use an XLR connector to
connect the microphone to the Mbox 2 Pro to
yield better results.
XLR connector

1/4-inch connector
XLR and 1/4-inch connectors

Mbox 2 Pro Getting Started

Most condenser microphones (such as an AKG
C3000) require phantom power to operate. Dynamic microphones (such as a Shure SM57) do
not require phantom power to operate, but are
not harmed by it.

Although phantom power can be used
safely with most microphones, it is possible
to damage some ribbon microphones with
it. Always turn off phantom power and
wait at least ten seconds before connecting
a ribbon microphone.
The Mbox 2 Pro can only supply power through
a microphone cable with XLR connectors. If you
are not sure about the phantom power requirements for your microphone, refer to your microphone’s documentation or contact the manufacturer.

Using a Mic that Has an XLR
Connector
To use a microphone that has an XLR connector:
1 Plug your microphone cable into one of the

Mic/Line inputs on the back of Mbox 2 Pro.
48V (Phantom Power)
Input 1
Mic input

Phantom Power switch
4 On the front of the Mbox 2 Pro, turn the

Monitor control to the desired level.
Monitor control

Gain

XLR connector plugged into Input 1
2 Set the input Source to Mic (microphone) by

pressing the Mic/DI Source selector on the front
of Mbox 2 Pro until the Mic LED is lit.
Monitor control and Gain knob for Input 1
Mic/DI
Source selector

5 On the front of the Mbox 2 Pro, carefully turn

the Input 1 Gain control to the right to increase
the input level of your microphone signal.
6 If the incoming signal is too loud, press the

Pad switch to engage the –20 dB pad.
Pad
DI Mic
LED LED
Input 1 Source selector and LEDs
3 If your microphone requires phantom power,
make sure the microphone is connected, then
press the Phantom Power switch (labeled 48V)
on the front of the Mbox 2 Pro. This switch
sends 48V to both XLR mic inputs. The 48V LED
on the front of the Mbox 2 Pro will light when
phantom power is being supplied.

Input 1 Pad

Chapter 7: Making Studio Connections

Using a Mic that Has a 1/4-Inch
Connector
To use a microphone that has a 1/4-inch TS
(Tip-Sleeve) connector:
1 Connect the 1/4-inch cable from your microphone to the front panel Input 1 DI input.

Input 1

Mbox 2 Pro provides three input types (DI, Line
and Aux In) that correspond to the different signal strengths output by different types of instruments and other equipment.
DI Input (Front Panel) Instruments such as electric guitar or electric bass that usually have a
lower level of output than line level instruments
use the front panel DI (“Direct Inject”) input.

Connecting a 1/4-inch microphone cable to the Input 1
DI connector
2 Set the source to DI by pressing the input
channel Source selector until the DI LED is lit.

Mic/DI
selector

Input 1 selector switch and DI LED
3 On the front of the Mbox 2 Pro, carefully turn

the Gain control to the right to increase the input level of your microphone signal.
4 On the front of the Mbox 2 Pro, turn the
Monitor control to the desired level.
5 If the incoming signal is too loud, press the
Pad switch to engage the –20 dB pad.

Connecting Instruments to
the Mbox 2 Pro

Mbox 2 Pro Getting Started

Line Inputs (Back Panel) Line level devices, including electronic audio sources such as mixers,
samplers, keyboards, turntables, and synthesizers use the back panel Line input.
Aux In (Back Panel) Line in L and R for additional line level devices, plus Phono L and R inputs for turntables/preamps, DJ mixers, and
similar devices. The 1/4-inch TS Line L and R inputs accept balanced or unbalanced connections. The RCA inputs are fully RIAA compliant,
and Mbox 2 Pro also provides a grounding post
for devices that require such a connection. You
can connect devices to both pairs of Aux In inputs and then choose between them using the
front panel Source selector switch.

To use a guitar with Mbox 2 Pro:

2 On the front of the Mbox 2 Pro, set the Source
to Mic by pressing the Mic/DI switch until the
Mic LED is lit.

1 On the front of the Mbox 2 Pro, plug your gui-

3 On the front of the Mbox 2 Pro, turn the

tar cable into one of the DI inputs.

Monitor control to the desired level.

Connecting Electric Guitar or Bass

Input 1 DI

4 Set your instrument’s volume to its optimal

level. For example, the optimal level for most
keyboards is between 80% and 100% of maximum volume.
5 On the front of the Mbox 2 Pro, carefully turn

Connecting guitar to the Input 1 DI connector

the Gain control to the right to increase the input level of your keyboard.

2 On the front of the Mbox 2 Pro, set the source

to DI by pressing the Mic/DI switch until the DI
LED is lit.
3 On the front of the Mbox 2 Pro, turn the

Monitor control to the desired level.
4 On the front of the Mbox 2 Pro, carefully turn

the Gain control to the right to increase the input level of your guitar.

Connecting Keyboards and Mixers
To use a keyboard or mixer with Mbox 2 Pro:
1 Plug your keyboard, mixer, or other audio

source into either the Input 1 or Input 2 Line
(TRS) inputs on your Mbox 2 Pro. If your source
is stereo (such as a stereo keyboard or the stereo
output from a mixer), connect the left channel
(often the white plug) to Input 1, and right
channel (often the red plug) to Input 2.

If your keyboard has unbalanced outputs,
use the Mbox 2’s DI inputs. Refer to your
keyboard’s documentation

To use Aux In (3–4) Line inputs:
1 Plug your keyboard, mixer or other line level
device into the Aux In Line inputs (L and R).
2 On the front panel of Mbox 2 Pro, press the

Aux In Source select switch as needed so the
Phono LED is off (unlit). The switch should be
in its “out” position.

Connecting DJ Equipment
To use the Phono inputs:
1 Plug your turntable, mixer, or similar outputs

into the Aux In Phono inputs (L and R).
2 If appropriate, connect your turntable to the

Mbox 2 Pro grounding post. This is necessary
with some preamps and other DJ equipment to
help keep the signals free of (unwanted) hum
and buzz.
3 On the front panel of Mbox 2 Pro, press the

Aux In Source select switch as needed so the
Phono LED is on (lit). The switch should be in
its “in” position.

Chapter 7: Making Studio Connections

Digital Input and Output
Mbox 2 Pro provides two channels of S/PDIF
digital input and output on the back panel. This
lets you record signals from digital devices into
Pro Tools, and send digital audio from Pro Tools
to other digital devices.
S/PDIF
In

Refer to this section whenever you plan to use
S/PDIF input on Mbox 2 Pro.

The following requirement only applies to
using S/PDIF input to record or monitor digital signals through Pro Tools LE and
Mbox 2 Pro.
In order to record or listen to a digital device
connected to the Mbox 2 Pro S/PDIF In connector, you must do the following to configure the
Pro Tools Clock Source:
To enable the S/PDIF inputs on Mbox 2 Pro:
1 Make sure your have connected the external

digital device to the correct Mbox 2 Pro S/PDIF
connector (In and Out).
Out
S/PDIF connectors on Mbox 2 Pro

Connecting Digital Devices
To connect Mbox 2 Pro to an external digital
device:
1 Using RCA (coaxial) cables, connect the

Mbox 2 Pro S/PDIF In to the S/PDIF output of
the device.

2 Make sure the external device is powered on,
that it is set to the correct sample rate, and that
it is configured to provide S/PDIF clock (if relevant to your device).
3 Launch Pro Tools LE.
4 Choose Hardware > Setup.
5 Click the Clock Source pop-up menu and

choose “S/PDIF.”

2 Connect the Mbox 2 Pro S/PDIF Out to the
S/PDIF input of the external device.
3 Be sure to read the next section for important

information.

Using S/PDIF Input
This section describes the steps you must take
once you have finished installing and launching
Pro Tools LE to enable the S/PDIF ports for digital input.

Mbox 2 Pro Getting Started

Clock Source
Enabling S/PDIF Input in the Hardware Setup dialog

Once enabled in the Hardware Setup dialog, the
S/PDIF inputs become active and will pass audio
to Mbox 2 Pro.

Setting the Clock Source to S/PDIF is the only
way to utilize S/PDIF input. Doing so lets you
record or monitor up to six discrete input channels (the four analog input channels, plus the
two channels of S/PDIF input).

Selecting any other Clock Source (Internal,
or Word Clock) disables S/PDIF input.
S/PDIF output remains available.

To connect MIDI devices to Mbox 2 Pro:
1 Connect the MIDI OUT of your MIDI device

or controller to the MIDI IN port on the back of
Mbox 2 Pro.
2 Connect the MIDI IN of your MIDI device or
controller to the MIDI OUT port on the back of
Mbox 2 Pro.

MIDI

Out

MIDI Connections
The two MIDI ports on Mbox 2 Pro let you take
advantage of all the MIDI features of
Pro Tools LE, including recording and editing
MIDI tracks.
If you need additional MIDI ports you can add a
compatible MIDI interface. USB MIDI interfaces
work effectively with Pro Tools systems on Windows or Mac. Serial MIDI interfaces are supported on Windows systems only.

Only USB MIDI interfaces are compatible
with Pro Tools systems for Mac OS X. Modem-to-serial port adapters and serial MIDI
devices are not supported.

MIDI connections to Mbox 2 Pro

MIDI is not audio. To hear the output of
your MIDI devices within Pro Tools, you
must route the audio output of your MIDI
device into your Mbox 2 Pro audio inputs,
and monitor or record the audio into your
session as explained in “Connecting Audio
Inputs” on page 37. For a primer on MIDI
and how to include it in your sessions, see
Chapter 8, “Common Tasks with
Pro Tools LE.”
See also Appendix A, “Configuring MIDI
Studio Setup (Windows Only)” or
Appendix B, “Configuring AMS (Mac OS X
Only)” for information on configuring your
MIDI studio for use with Pro Tools.

Chapter 7: Making Studio Connections

Word Clock
Mbox 2 Pro provides Word Clock In and Out
connectors on the back panel that let you synchronize, or “clock” Pro Tools LE and
Mbox 2 Pro to industry standard Word clock.
Word clock is used to synchronize a wide range
of devices such as non-linear video systems and
other types of equipment typically found in professional audio facilities.
With both Word clock input and output, your
Mbox 2 Pro-equipped Pro Tools LE system can
act as Word clock “slave” or “master.”

Do not confuse Word clock and other forms
of “clock reference” with time code and
other forms of “positional reference.” For an
overview of synchronization terminology
and concepts, see the Pro Tools Reference
guide.
To connect Word clock to Mbox 2 Pro:
Using high-quality, 75 ohm BNC cables (not
included) connect the Mbox 2 Pro Word Clock
In and Out connectors to the appropriate ports
on the other Word clock-capable devices in your
studio.

Using Word Clock with
Pro Tools LE
Pro Tools LE with Mbox 2 Pro can act as Word
clock master, or as a slave to Word clock supplied by an external device.

Pro Tools LE as Word Clock Master
Mbox 2 Pro Word clock output is always active,
letting Pro Tools supply Word clock to any connected devices that support standard Word
clock.
To use Pro Tools LE as Word clock master:
1 Make sure all connections are correct between
Mbox 2 Pro and your external devices.
2 Configure all external devices to slave to the

Word clock coming from Mbox 2 Pro. (Be sure to
verify sample rate settings, termination requirements and other internal settings for the device;
refer to the manufacturer’s documentation if
you need more information on the particular requirements for your other equipment.)
3 Launch Pro Tools.
4 Choose Hardware > Setup.
5 Click the Clock Source pop-up menu and

choose Internal.

Mbox 2 Pro Getting Started

Pro Tools LE as Word Clock Slave
In order to slave Pro Tools to an external Word
clock source, you must configure Word clock as
the Pro Tools Clock source, as follows:
To configure Pro Tools LE with Mbox 2 Pro as a
Word clock slave:
1 Make sure all Word clock and audio connec-

tions are correct as described earlier in this section.
2 Make sure the external Word clock source is

powered on, and configured to output 1x Word
clock. (Be sure to verify any required termination; refer to the manufacturer’s documentation
if you need more information on the particular
requirements for your device.)
3 Launch Pro Tools.
4 Choose Hardware > Setup.
5 Click the Clock Source pop-up menu and

choose Word Clock.

S/PDIF digital input is not available when
the Pro Tools Clock source is set to Word
clock or Internal. To use S/PDIF input,
S/PDIF must be the Pro Tools Clock source.
For more information, see “Digital Input
and Output” on page 42.

Using a Footswitch
The footswitch connector on Mbox 2 Pro lets
you use a footswitch pedal to control either
playback start/stop or recording punch in/out.
Both QuickPunch audio punch-in and punchout and MIDI punch-in and punch-out recording are supported.
The footswitch connector is designed specifically for instantaneous (momentary) on/off
pedals with a 1/4-inch TS connector. Continuous on/continuous off pedals can also be used,
but may result in unexpected behavior.
To use a footswitch control:
1 Connect a footswitch to the footswitch con-

nector on the back panel of the Mbox 2 Pro.
2 Launch Pro Tools.
3 Choose Setup > Hardware.
4 Select Record Punch In/Out or Playback
Start/Stop.
5 Click Ok.

Chapter 7: Making Studio Connections

Mbox 2 Pro Getting Started

chapter 8

Common Tasks with Pro Tools LE
This chapter is designed to give new users specific methods for accomplishing common tasks
with your Pro Tools system.

For the most complete information on using
Pro Tools, see the Pro Tools Reference Guide.
You can view an electronic PDF version of the
Reference Guide by choosing it from the
Pro Tools Help menu.
This chapter uses analog inputs in its examples of common tasks. To record digitally
through the Mbox 2 Pro S/PDIF input, the
steps are basically the same with the following important exception: S/PDIF must be
enabled as the Pro Tools Clock Source in the
Hardware Setup dialog. For more information, see “Digital Input and Output” on
page 42.

Recording a Pro Tools Session
Before you record with Pro Tools LE, you first
create a Pro Tools session, then prepare an audio
track for recording.
To create a Pro Tools session:
1 Verify the connections between your

Mbox 2 Pro and your instrument or microphone.

For connection information, see Chapter 7,
“Making Studio Connections.”
2 Launch Pro Tools.
3 Choose File > New Session.
4 In the New Session dialog, set the session pa-

rameters as needed, or leave them at their default settings. (For details on New Session
settings, see the Pro Tools Reference Guide.)

New Session dialog
Chapter 8: Common Tasks with Pro Tools LE

5 Choose the audio drive where you want to
save your session.
6 Type a name for your session.
7 Click Save.

To prepare an audio track for recording:
1 Choose Track > New.
2 Specify 1 Mono Audio Track in Samples, if
your source is mono, or 1 Stereo Audio Track in
Samples, if your source is stereo.

Routing an input to a mono track
7 Play the instrument or sound source at the

volume you will record.
8 Use the Gain controls to maximize the signal

Creating a new Stereo audio track
3 Click Create.

A mono instrument uses one input on the
Mbox 2 Pro, and a stereo instrument uses
two. Creating a stereo track in Pro Tools
will not make a mono instrument into a stereo instrument. If a mono instrument is recorded on a stereo track, one of the sides of
the stereo track will show no signal.
4 Make sure the Mix window is open by choosing Window > Mix.
5 In the Mix window, click the Audio Input Path

selector on the new track.
6 From the pop-up menu, select the interface in-

going into Pro Tools while avoiding clipping.

Clipping occurs when you feed a signal to an
audio device that is louder than the circuitry
can accept. To avoid clipping, adjust the output volume of the source device, then adjust
the Mbox 2 Pro Gain control. Adjust these
two levels so that the input Peak LEDs on the
front panel do not light red. (One Peak LED
is provided on the front panel for each input;
Peak LEDs light green when the input signal
is roughly –60 dBFS, light yellow at –6 dBFS,
and will turn red to indicate the input signal
is at –0 dBFS (also known as “full code”).
To record an audio track:
1 Click the track’s Record Enable button.

put you want to record. For example, select
Analog 1 if your audio source is plugged into an
Input 1 connector on the Mbox 2 Pro.

Record enabling a track in the Mix window

Mbox 2 Pro Getting Started

2 Choose Track > Input Only Monitoring. This allows you to monitor the input of tracks that are
record enabled.

Importing Audio from a CD
To import audio from a compact disc:

3 Choose Window > Transport to display the

Transport window. Click Return to Zero to go to
the beginning of the session.
Return to Zero
Rewind
Online

Fast Forward
Play

Go to End

Stop

Record

Transport window
4 Click Record in the Transport window to arm

Pro Tools for recording. The Record button
flashes red to indicate that Pro Tools is ready to
record.
5 When you are ready to start recording, click

Play or press the Spacebar.

1 Put the source CD into your computer’s

CD/DVD drive.
2 In Pro Tools, open the Workspace browser by
choosing Window > Workspace. The Workspace
browser is a window where you can find, audition, and manage your audio files.

Opening the Workspace browser
3 In the Workspace browser, click the Audio CD

icon to show the files on the CD.
4 Click the speaker icon in the Waveform col-

umn to audition the audio file. Press the Spacebar to stop playback.

6 Record your performance.
7 Click Stop in the Transport window or press

the Spacebar when you are finished recording.
To play back a recorded track:
1 If the track’s Record Enable button is lit, click

on it to take it out of Record mode.

Auditioning an audio file in the Workspace browser

2 Click Play in the Transport window or press

the Spacebar to start playback.
3 Click Stop in the Transport window or press

the Spacebar to stop playback.

Chapter 8: Common Tasks with Pro Tools LE

5 Drag the audio file from the Workspace
browser to the Track List in the Edit window to
import the file to a new audio track.

If you are bouncing to 16-bit (CD resolution),
you should use a dither plug-in on the main output. (For details, see the Pro Tools Reference
Guide.)
To bounce audio to disk:
1 After you have finished recording and mixing

a session in Pro Tools, select the length of the
session in the timeline ruler (or on a track), plus
an additional amount of time to avoid cutting
off any reverb tails that might continue past the
end of the last region.

Dragging an audio file from the Workspace browser to
the Edit window Track List

To play back the new track:
1 In the Transport window, click Return to Zero
to go to the beginning of the track.
2 Click Play in the Transport window to begin
playback.
3 Click Stop in the Transport window or press

Session audio selected and ready to bounce

the Spacebar to stop playback.

2 Choose File > Bounce to > Disk.

Creating an Audio CD from a
Pro Tools Session
Pro Tools does not create audio CDs directly,
but you can create stereo audio files from your
Pro Tools sessions that can be used by most CD
burning software.

Bouncing Audio to Disk
Use the Pro Tools Bounce to Disk feature to
combine all your audible tracks into a single
“master” audio file. After the new audio file has
been bounced to disk, you can burn it to a CD.

Choosing Bounce to Disk from the File menu
3 In the Bounce Options dialog, choose

Analog 1–2 as the Bounce Source.
4 Choose WAV (BWF) for the File Type.

Mbox 2 Pro Getting Started

5 Choose Stereo Interleaved for the Format.

10 Click Save.

6 Choose 16 for the Resolution and 44100 for

Pro Tools begins bouncing to disk. Pro Tools
bounces are done in real time, so you hear audio
playback of your mix during the bounce process
(though you cannot adjust it).

the Sample Rate.
7 If you are changing the sample rate of the

bounced file, choose a Conversion Quality setting. (For details, see the Pro Tools Reference
Guide.)
8 Choose Convert after Bounce, and click
Bounce.

Bouncing to Disk dialog

Burning a CD
After the bounce is completed, you will have an
audio file that is ready for burning onto a CD.
Quit Pro Tools and launch any common CD
burning application to burn your bounced mix
to CD.

Bounce options for creating CD burnable tracks
9 In the Bounce dialog, give the bounce tracks a

Make certain that you configure your CD
burning application to create an audio CD
rather than a data CD.

name and choose where they should be saved.

Entering a name for the bounced file
Chapter 8: Common Tasks with Pro Tools LE

Recording MIDI in a Pro Tools
Session

To create an Instrument track and configure it for
recording:
1 Choose Setup > MIDI > Input Devices and make

sure your input device is selected in the MIDI Input Enable window, and click OK.

What is MIDI?
MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface)
data is not audio, and has no sound. MIDI is a
way for musical devices to communicate. MIDI
is data that can trigger a MIDI device (such as a
keyboard or software synthesizer).
In order to create or play a MIDI recording, you
must have a MIDI controller or sound module
(real or virtual) connected to the computer
through a MIDI interface. Audio from your
MIDI instrument can be monitored through the
audio interface or sent to an external mixer.

2 Choose Track > New and specify 1 Mono Instrument Track, then click Create.

Creating a new Mono Instrument track
3 Select View > Mix Window > Instruments to dis-

play the MIDI controls for the Instrument track.

MIDI sound module

MIDI

Audio

To amplifier
MIDI keyboard (controller)

Mixer

Signal paths for MIDI instruments

Recording MIDI on an Instrument Track
Pro Tools Instrument tracks provide both MIDI
and audio capabilities, so you can record MIDI
and monitor audio from software and hardware
instruments.

To record or playback tracks using MIDI
data, your Pro Tools system must be configured for MIDI. See Appendix A, “Configuring
MIDI Studio Setup (Windows Only)” or
Appendix B, “Configuring AMS (Mac OS X
Only).”

Mbox 2 Pro Getting Started

Showing the Instrument View in the Mix window
4 At the top of the Instrument track in the Mix
window, click the track’s MIDI Input selector
and assign the device and channel to be recorded, or leave it set to All.

MIDI Input selector

MIDI Input selector in an Instrument track

5 Do one of the following, depending on the

type of instrument you are using:
• If you are using an instrument plug-in,
click an Insert selector and insert the plugin on the Instrument track. The track’s
MIDI output is automatically assigned to
the instrument plug-in.

If your connected MIDI device does not appear, check that you have configured your
computer and its MIDI settings. For more
information, refer to Appendix A, “Configuring MIDI Studio Setup (Windows Only)”
or Appendix B, “Configuring AMS
(Mac OS X Only).”
6 If you are using an external MIDI device and

have connected its audio output to your audio
interface for monitoring in Pro Tools, click the
Input selector of the Instrument track and
choose the corresponding audio input. (This
step is not necessary if you are using an instrument plug-in.)

Inserting an instrument plug-in on an Instrument track

• If you are using an external MIDI device,
click the track’s MIDI Output selector (at
the top of the Instrument track) and assign
the device and channel to receive the MIDI
output (the choices will vary depending on
the device).

Choosing an audio input for an Instrument track
7 In the Mix Window, click the track’s Record

Enable button to enable the Instrument track
for MIDI recording.

Track Record Enable button

Enabling an Instrument track for MIDI recording
MIDI Output selector in an Instrument track

8 Make sure Options > MIDI Thru is selected.

Chapter 8: Common Tasks with Pro Tools LE

9 Play some notes on your MIDI controller and
look for the track’s MIDI Velocity meter to
move. Remember, MIDI is not audio, and the
MIDI Velocity meter is not registering sound
output, but MIDI activity.

5 Play your MIDI controller or input device.
6 When you have finished recording, click Stop
in the Transport window, or press the Spacebar.
The newly recorded MIDI data appears as a MIDI
region on the track in the Edit window, as well
as in the Region List.

MIDI Velocity meter

MIDI meter in Instrument track showing MIDI activity
10 Adjust the audio output level of the Instrument track with its Volume fader.

MIDI data in an Instrument track

To play back recorded MIDI data:
1 Click the track’s Record Enable button to take

the Instrument track out of Record mode.

Volume fader
Adjusting the Volume fader on an Instrument track

To record MIDI on the Instrument track:
1 Verify that the Instrument track you want to

record to is record-enabled and receiving MIDI.
2 In the Transport window, click Return to Zero
to start recording from the beginning of the session. You can also record to a selection in a track
or from the cursor location in the Edit window.
3 Click Record in the Transport window.

Return to Zero
Online

Fast Forward

Play
Rewind
Stop

Go to End
Record

Transport window
4 Click Play in the Transport window or press
the Spacebar to begin recording.

Mbox 2 Pro Getting Started

2 In the Transport window, click Return to Zero
to play back from the beginning of the track.
3 Click Play in the Transport window to begin

playback. The recorded MIDI data plays back
through the track’s assigned instrument and
channel.

appendix a

Configuring MIDI Studio Setup
(Windows Only)

MIDI Studio Setup
MIDI Studio Setup (MSS) lets you configure the
MIDI controllers and sound modules that are
connected to your system, and control the routing of MIDI data between your MIDI equipment
and Pro Tools.
MSS automatically finds MIDI interfaces, and
lets you specify a custom name for each of the
MIDI ports within the MIDI Studio Setup document.

MIDI Studio Setup Window
The MIDI Studio Setup window is organized
into three sections. Interface controls are at the
top of the window. All the currently defined instruments are displayed in the Instrument
Name list on the left side of the window. A detailed view of MIDI parameters is shown in the
Properties section on the right.

MSS also supports XML-based patch file names
for storing and importing patch names for your
external MIDI devices.
Entire MIDI Studio Setup configurations created
within MSS can be imported and exported.
MIDI Studio Setup window

Interface Controls
Create This button adds a new instrument to
the Instrument Name list.
Delete This button deletes the instrument or instruments selected in the Instrument Name list.
Import This button lets you import an existing
MIDI Studio Setup file.

Appendix A: Configuring MIDI Studio Setup (Windows Only)

Export This button lets you export the current
MIDI Studio Setup file.
Show Duplicate Emulated Ports When this option is selected and you are using a MIDI interface that supports timestamping (such as MIDI
I/O), in addition to the MIDI ports on
Mbox 2 Pro, the MIDI Studio setup window
shows both the DirectMusic time-stamped output ports, and non-stamped duplicate emulated
output ports.

Some MIDI Interfaces will not properly load
or unload their drivers unless you quit and
re-launch Pro Tools. Check the documentation that came with your MIDI interface for
more information.

Instrument List
The Instrument list contains all the currently
defined instruments. Selecting an instrument in
the list displays that instrument’s properties in
the Properties section of the window.

Properties Section
The Properties section lets you edit information
for new instruments, or instrument currently selected in the Instrument list.

When a previously defined instrument is selected in the Instrument list, the Properties section changes to reflect the properties of the selected instrument.
To define an instrument with MIDI Studio Setup:
1 Choose Setup > MIDI > MIDI Studio.
2 Click Create.
3 In the Instrument Name field, type the name
of your instrument, and press Enter.

If you do not enter an instrument name, the
Instrument Name field will automatically
inherit information from the Manufacturer
and Model pop-up menu.
4 Set a manufacturer and model for the new de-

vice from the corresponding pop-up menus. If
the Manufacturer and Model pop-up menus do
not provide a name for your particular device,
choose None.
5 From the Input pop-up menu, choose the in-

put port on your MIDI interface that is connected to the MIDI Out of your instrument.
6 From the Output pop-up menu, choose the

output port on your MIDI interface that is connected to the MIDI In of your instrument.
7 Enable the appropriate MIDI channels (1–16)

for the Send Channels and Receive Channels
options (These determine which channels send
and receive MIDI.)

Instrument Name
The Instrument Name field shows the user-definable instrument name for the currently selected instrument.
MIDI Studio Setup Properties section

Mbox 2 Pro Getting Started

Manufacturer

Send Channels

The Manufacturer pop-up menu provides a list
of MIDI equipment manufacturers. This list is
derived from the XML-based MIDI device files.

The Send Channels grid sets the send channels
for the MIDI device specified in the Instrument
Name field.

For more information, see “MIDI Patch
Name Support” on page 57.

Model
The Model pop-up menu provides a list of MIDI
devices, filtered by the manufacturer name. This
list is derived from the XML-based MIDI device
files provided with your Pro Tools installation.

For more information, see “MIDI Patch
Name Support” on page 57.

Input Port
The Input Port pop-up menu displays a list of
available MIDI interface input ports. Inputs will
include Mbox 2 Pro and any additional MIDI interfaces enabled on your system. The MIDI interface port that is set and displayed here is the
port through which MIDI data is sent from the
external MIDI device specified in the Instrument Name field into your MIDI interface.

If you set the input port to None, the defined
instrument will not appear as a choice in a
MIDI Input selector.

Receive Channels
The Receive Channels grid sets the receive channels for the MIDI device specified in the Instrument Name field.

MIDI Patch Name Support
Pro Tools supports XML (Extensible Markup
Language) for storing and importing patch
names for your external MIDI devices. Pro Tools
installs MIDI patch name files (.midnam) for the
factory default patch names of many common
MIDI devices. These files reside in directories,
sorted by manufacturer, in Program Files\
Common Files\Digidesign\MIDI Patch Names\
Digidesign.
To import MIDI patch names into Pro Tools:
1 Verify the MIDI Device name in the MIDI Stu-

dio Setup window (see “MIDI Studio Setup” on
page 55).
2 Verify the MIDI track’s output is correctly as-

signed to the MIDI device.

Output Port
The Output Port pop-up menu displays a list of
available MIDI interface output ports. The port
set and displayed here is the port through which
MIDI data is sent from your MIDI interface to
the MIDI device specified in the Instrument
Name field.

If you set the output port to None, the defined instrument will not appear as a choice
in a MIDI Output selector.

Appendix A: Configuring MIDI Studio Setup (Windows Only)

3 Click the MIDI track’s Patch Select button.

6 Click Open.

The Patch Select dialog is populated with patch
names and the Patch Name Bank pop-up menu
appears in the upper left hand corner of the window.
Patch Select button

Patch Select button, Edit window

Patch Select button

Patch Select button, Mix window
4 In the Patch Select dialog, click the Change

button.

Patch Select dialog with patch names

Once patch names have been imported into
Pro Tools, they are available for that MIDI device in all sessions.
To clear patch names:
In the Patch Select dialog, click the Clear button, and click Done.

Change button
Patch Select dialog
5 In the Open dialog, navigate to Program
Files\Common Files\Digidesign\MIDI Patch
Names\Digidesign\,
and select the MIDI Patch Name file (.midnam)
for the MIDI device.

Mbox 2 Pro Getting Started

MIDI patch name files (.midnam) can be
edited in any text editor, or you can use
third-party patch librarian and editor software to create your own custom patch
names.

appendix b

Configuring AMS (Mac OS X Only)

Audio MIDI Setup
Pro Tools recognizes the ports on your MIDI interface as generic ports. With Mac OS X, you use
Apple’s Audio MIDI Setup (AMS) utility to identify external MIDI devices connected to your
MIDI interface and configure your MIDI studio
for use with Pro Tools.

2 Click MIDI Devices. AMS scans your system

for connected MIDI interfaces. If your MIDI interface is properly connected, it appears in the
window with each of its ports numbered.

This chapter shows examples of AMS using
Mbox 2. The instructions for Mbox 2 Pro
are identical to those presented here.
To configure your MIDI studio in AMS:
1 Do one of the following:

• Launch Audio MIDI Setup (located in Applications/Utilities).
– or –
• In Pro Tools, choose Setup > MIDI > MIDI
Studio.

Audio MIDI Setup (MIDI Devices)
3 For any MIDI devices connected to the MIDI

interface, click Add Device. A new external device icon with the default MIDI keyboard image
will appear.
4 Drag the new device icon to a convenient lo-

cation within the window.

Appendix B: Configuring AMS (Mac OS X Only)

5 Connect the MIDI device to the MIDI interface by clicking the arrow for the appropriate
output port of the device and dragging a connection or “cable” to the input arrow of the corresponding port of the MIDI interface.

2 Select a manufacturer and model for the new

device from the corresponding pop-up menus.
(If the Manufacturer and Model pop-up menus
do not provide a name for your particular device, you can type a name.)

Naming a new MIDI device

Making MIDI input and output connections
6 Click the arrow for the appropriate input port
of the device and drag a cable to the output arrow of the corresponding port of the MIDI interface.

To remove a connection, select the cable
and press Delete. To delete all connections,
click Clear Cables.
7 Repeat steps 3–6 for each MIDI device in your
MIDI setup.

To configure an external MIDI device:
1 Select the external device icon and click Show

Info (or double-click the new device icon).

External Device Icon
60

Mbox 2 Pro Getting Started

For Manufacturer and Model names, AMS
refers to one or more files with the suffix
“.middev” in the directory Root/Library/
Audio/MIDI Devices. Pro Tools installs a
file that contains information for many
commercially available MIDI devices,
named “Digidesign Device List.middev.” If
the Manufacturer or Model names for any of
your external MIDI devices is not available
in the AMS Manufacturer and Model popup menus, you can add them by editing the
.middev file in any text editor (such as
TextEdit).

3 Click the More Properties arrow to expand the

4 Click the device image. The window expands

dialog, then enable the appropriate MIDI channels (1–16) for the Transmits and Receives options. (These determine which channels the
device will use to send and receive MIDI.)

to show images for various MIDI devices (such
as keyboards, modules, interfaces, and mixers).
Select an icon for your device.

Selecting a device icon
Enabling MIDI channels

To use your own custom icons, you can
place TIFF image files in /Library/
Audio/MIDI Devices/Generic/Images, and
they will appear as choices in the AMS
device window.
5 Click OK.

The device names you enter appear as MIDI input and output choices in Pro Tools.

Appendix B: Configuring AMS (Mac OS X Only)

MIDI Patch Name Support

4 In the Patch Select dialog, click the Change

button.

Pro Tools supports XML (Extensible Markup
Language) for storing and importing patch
names for your external MIDI devices. Pro Tools
installs MIDI patch name files (.midnam) for the
factory default patch names of many common
MIDI devices. These files reside in directories,
sorted by manufacturer, in /Library/Audio/MIDI
Patch Names/Digidesign.
Change button

To import MIDI patch names into Pro Tools:
1 Verify the MIDI Device name in the Audio

MIDI Setup window (see “Audio MIDI Setup” on
page 59).
2 Verify the MIDI track’s output is correctly assigned to the MIDI device.
3 Click the MIDI track’s Patch Select button.

Patch Select button

Patch Select dialog
5 In the Open dialog, navigate to /Library/Au-

dio/MIDI Patch Names/Digidesign/, and select the MIDI Patch Name
file (.midnam) for the MIDI device.
6 Click Open.

The Patch Select dialog is populated with patch
names and the Patch Name Bank pop-up menu
appears in the upper left hand corner of the window.
Once patch names have been imported into
Pro Tools, they are available for that MIDI device in all sessions.

Patch Select button, Edit window

To clear patch names:

Patch Select button

In the Patch Select dialog, click the Clear button, and click Done.

MIDI patch name files (.midnam) can be
edited in any text editor, or you can use
third-party patch librarian and editor software to create your own custom patch
names.
Patch Select button, Mix window

Mbox 2 Pro Getting Started

appendix c

Hard Drive Configuration and Maintenance
It is recommended that you start with a newly
formatted external or secondary internal audio
drive. You should also periodically defragment
your audio drive to ensure continued system
performance.

Always back up any important data on your
drive before formatting it, as it will erase all
data on the drive.

Avoid Recording to the
System Drive
Recording to your system drive is not recommended. Recording and playback on a system
drive may result in lower track counts or fewer
plug-ins.

Supported Drive Formats and
Drive Types
Drive Formats
Windows Windows XP systems should use drives
formatted as NTFS only.

Windows systems can also support Mac
drives formatted with HFS+ system (also
commonly referred to as Mac OS Extended).
Refer to the Pro Tools Reference Guide for
more information.

Mac Mac systems should use drives formatted
with HFS+ or HFS file system only.

HFS drives are supported as Transfer drives
only.
Hard drive performance depends on factors including system configuration, number of tracks,
session sample rate, density of edits, and the use
of crossfades and other processes such as Beat
Detective in a session.
For complete hard drive requirements, see the
Digidesign website (www.digidesign.com).

SCSI Hard Drives
Digidesign recommends qualified SCSI hard
drives and a qualified SCSI host bus adapter
(HBA) card or (on Windows systems) a qualified
built-in SCSI HBA connector on the motherboard.
For complete information on track count and
the supported number and configuration of
SCSI drives, visit the Digidesign website
(www.digidesign.com).

FireWire Hard Drives
Digidesign recommends qualified FireWire
drives and (on Windows systems) a qualified
FireWire host adapter.

Appendix C: Hard Drive Configuration and Maintenance

For complete information on track count and
the supported number and configuration of
FireWire drives, visit the Digidesign website
(www.digidesign.com).

IDE/ATA/SATA Hard Drives
A qualified internal IDE/ATA/SATA drive may be
used as a dedicated audio drive.
For complete information on track count with
internal drives, refer to the Digidesign website
(www.digidesign.com).

Formatting an Audio Drive
Formatting Windows Audio Drives
(Windows Only)
For optimal performance, audio drives should
be formatted as NTFS.

Pro Tools only supports Basic drive types.
Do not convert the drive to a Dynamic type.
To format an audio drive:
1 On Windows Vista, choose Start.
2 Right-click Computer (Windows Vista) or My
Computer (Windows XP) and choose Manage.
3 Under Storage, choose Disk Management.

4 If the volume is “Healthy,” do the following:

Healthy volumes are volumes that have previously been partitioned and formatted.
• In the Disk Management window, rightclick the hard drive you will use for audio
and choose Format.
• In the Format window, name the volume.
• Choose a file system. For optimum performance, audio drives should be formatted as
NTFS.
• Select “Perform a quick format.”
• Make sure “Enable file and folder compression” is not selected.
• Set the Allocation unit size to Default.
• Click OK.
5 If the volume is “Unallocated,” do the follow-

ing:
• In the Disk Management window, rightclick the hard drive you will use for audio
and choose New Partition.
• In the New Partition Wizard window, click
Next.
• When prompted, select the partition type.

Digidesign recommends using Primary partitions, instead of Extended partitions.
• Follow the on-screen instructions to select
a partition size and other partition settings.
• When prompted, choose a file system. For
optimum performance, audio drives
should be formatted as NTFS.
• Select “Perform a quick format.”
• Make sure “Enable file and folder compression” is not selected.
• Set the Allocation unit size to Default.
• Click OK.

Disk Management window (Windows XP)
64

Mbox 2 Pro Getting Started Guide

Formatting Mac Audio Drives
(Mac Only)
For optimum performance, audio drives should
be formatted as Mac OS Extended (Journaled).
To format an audio drive:
1 Launch the Disk Utility application, located in

Applications/Utilities.

Partitioning Drives
Partitioning creates a logical volume or volumes
on a physical drive, almost as if you were creating virtual hard drives. Partitions can then be
formatted with the appropriate file system
(NTFS for Windows, HFS+ for Mac).

Windows XP allows drives formatted with
the NTFS file system to be seen as whole
volumes. Single Pro Tools audio files cannot exceed 2048 MB in size.
Mac OS allows drives larger than 4096 MB
to be seen as whole volumes. Drives must be
initialized with a disk utility that recognizes the 2 terabyte limit. Single Pro Tools
audio files cannot exceed 2048 MB in size.

Seek Times on Partitioned Drives

Disk Utility (Mac OS X)
2 Click the Erase tab.
3 Select the drive you want to initialize in the

column on the left side of the window.
4 Choose the Mac OS Extended (Journaled) for-

mat.

Do not choose the “Case-Sensitive” format
option. Pro Tools will not operate properly
with case-sensitive formatted drives.
5 Type a name for the new volume.
6 If you plan to connect the drive to a Mac OS 9

computer, select Install Mac OS 9 Drivers.

Seek times are actually faster on partitioned
drives (assuming that reads and writes are performed on a single partition), since the heads
only have to seek within the partition boundaries, rather than the whole capacity of the
drive.
Smaller partitions perform faster than larger partitions, but this comes at the expense of contiguous storage space. When you partition a drive,
you will need to find the compromise that best
suits your performance and storage requirements.

Avoid distributing audio files within a session over different partitions on the same
drive since this will adversely affect drive
performance.

7 Click Erase.

The drive appears on the Desktop with the new
volume name.

Appendix C: Hard Drive Configuration and Maintenance

Defragmenting an Audio Drive
Mac Systems
When working with larger files (such as video),
you can limit fragmentation by backing up your
important files to another disk, erasing the files
from the original hard disk, then copying the
files back, instead of doing a defragmentation.

Window Systems
Periodically defragment audio drives to maintain
system performance.
For maximum recording and playback efficiency, data should be written to your hard
drive in a contiguous fashion—minimizing the
seek requirements to play back the data. Unfortunately, your computer can’t always store the
sound files in this way and must write to disk
wherever it can find space.
In multitrack recording, audio tracks are written
in discrete files, spaced evenly across the disk.
While fragmentation of individual files may be
zero, the tracks may be far enough apart that
playback will still be very seek-intensive. Also,
the remaining free space on the disk will be discontiguous, increasing the likelihood of file
fragmentation on subsequent record passes.
Increased fragmentation increases the chance of
disk errors, which can interfere with playback of
audio, and result in performance errors.

On Windows, to avoid fragmentation, format drives with higher cluster sizes (such as
32K).

Mbox 2 Pro Getting Started Guide

Optimizing (Defragmenting) Drives
To prevent fragmentation, you can optimize
your drive, which rearranges your files into a
contiguous format. Most optimizing software
lets you run a check on a drive to find out the
percentage of fragmentation. If your drive
shows moderate to heavy fragmentation, you
should consider optimizing it.
If you use your system for intensive editing, or if
you frequently delete audio or fade files from
your hard drive, you may need to optimize your
drives on a weekly basis, or even every few days,
since it doesn’t take long for even a large hard
drive to become fragmented.

Backing Up Data Before Optimizing
Since your files will be rewritten by the optimization process, always make a backup copy of
the data on your hard drive before you optimize
it. You should also use a hard drive utility to find
and repair any problems before optimizing data
or re-initializing your drives. If there is any damage to your hard drive's directories prior to optimizing, serious data loss may result.

Defragmenting Windows Audio Drives
To defragment an audio drive (Windows Vista):
1 Choose Start > Control Panel.
2 Click System and Maintenance.
3 Click Performance Information and Tools.
4 Click Advanced Tools.

Using Mac Drives on Windows
Systems
Pro Tools for Windows lets you record and play
back sessions directly from a Mac-formatted
(HFS+) drive connected to a Windows system.
This functionality requires that all Mac session
and audio files be stored on Mac-formatted
drives.

5 Click Open Disk Defragmenter.
6 In the Disk Defragmenter window, click the

Defragment Now button.

The Defragment Now command defragments all your hard drives. This can take a
lot of time, especially on systems with multiple drives.
Advanced users can use the command line
tool Defrag.exe to defragment individual
drives. See your Windows Vista documentation for more information.

During Pro Tools installation, make sure to select the Mac HFS+ Disk Support option. This option lets your Pro Tools system read, write,
record, and play back using Mac-formatted HFS+
disks.

For information on using the Mac HFS+
Disk Support option, see the Mac HFS+ Disk
Support Option Guide.
For information on sharing sessions between Mac and Windows systems, see the
Pro Tools Reference Guide.

To defragment an audio drive (Windows XP):
1 Right-click My Computer and choose Man-

age.
2 Under Storage, choose Disk Defragmenter.
3 In the Disk Defragmenter window, choose the
drive you want to defragment

Formatting and Maintaining HFS+
Drives
To format and partition any drives as HFS+, connect the drives to a Mac computer and use the
Apple OS X Disk Utility.

4 Click the Defragment button and follow the

on-screen instructions.
When defragmenting is complete, close the
Computer Management window.

Appendix C: Hard Drive Configuration and Maintenance

Hard Disk Storage Space
Mono audio tracks recorded with 16-bit resolution at 44.1 kHz (CD quality) require approximately
5 MB of hard disk space per minute. The same tracks recorded with 24-bit resolution require about
7.5 MB per minute.
Stereo audio tracks recorded with 16-bit resolution at 44.1 kHz (CD quality) require approximately
10 MB of hard disk space per minute. The same tracks recorded with 24-bit resolution require about
15 MB per minute.
Table 4 lists the required disk space for certain track numbers and track lengths, to help you estimate
your hard disk usage.

Table 4. Required hard drive space for audio tracks (44.1 kHz and 48 kHz sessions shown)

Number of Tracks and Length

16-bit at
44.1 kHz

16-bit at
48 kHz

24-bit at
44.1 kHz

24-bit at
48 kHz

1 mono track, 1 minute

5 MB

5.5 MB

7.5 MB

8.2 MB

1 stereo track (or two mono
tracks), 5 minutes

50 MB

55 MB

75 MB

83 MB

1 stereo track (or two mono
tracks), 60 minutes

600 MB

662 MB

900 MB

991 MB

24 mono tracks, 5 minutes

600 MB

662 MB

900 MB

991 MB

7 GB

7.8 GB

10.5 GB

11.6 GB

32 mono tracks, 5 minutes

800 MB

883 MB

1.2 GB

1.3 GB

32 mono tracks, 60 minutes

9.4 GB

10.4 GB

14 GB

15.4 GB

24 mono tracks, 60 minutes

Mbox 2 Pro Getting Started Guide

appendix d

Troubleshooting

Backing Up Your Work
It is highly recommended that you back up your
work on a regular basis, and especially before
making changes to your system configuration.

Backing Up Your Session Data
Back up your session and audio data frequently.
There are a variety of media that are suited to
back up projects of various sizes, from automated tape backup systems to high-capacity optical drives, or to CD burners.

Backing Up Your System
Configuration
After configuring your system and Pro Tools,
you should save an image of your system drive
using a backup utility such as Norton Ghost
(Windows) or Bombich Carbon Copy Cloner
(Mac). By doing this, you can quickly restore
your system configuration and settings if you
encounter any problems.

The best way to back up an entire session is to
use the Save Copy In command. This command
lets you save the session file and all of its associated files to a new location.

You can also use the Auto Save Backup feature (in the Operation Preferences page) to
have Pro Tools automatically save backups
of the session file while you work.

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Audio Interface Is Not Recognized
Problem

Pro Tools Won’t Launch
Problem
When you double-click the Pro Tools application or a Pro Tools session file, Pro Tools doesn’t
launch, or displays an error message.

Possible Solutions
Check to be sure your computer has the required amount of RAM to launch Pro Tools. Refer to the latest compatibility information on
the Digidesign website (www.digidesign.com).

Try a complete restart. Turn off your audio interfaces, computer peripherals and your computer, and then turn them on again in the
proper sequence.

If you tried to launch Pro Tools by doubleclicking a Pro Tools session file, do the following:

• Close any error message.
• Double-click the Pro Tools application.
• In Pro Tools, choose File > Open Session to
open the session.
Reinstall the Pro Tools application, using the
Pro Tools Installer disc. See your Getting Started
Guide or Pro Tools Upgrading Guide for installation instructions.

When you launch Pro Tools it does not recognize an audio interface, or a connected audio interface is not available.

Possible Solutions
For the following possible solutions, refer to
your Getting Started Guide.
Turn off your computer and check to be sure
your cables are properly and securely connected
to your computer and to your audio interface.
Verify that your Hardware Setup dialog settings are correct.

Performance Factors
There are several conditions that may adversely
affect the performance of Pro Tools. These include:
Network Connections Close any network connections unless you are using them for network
interchange of audio data.
Background Applications Any software utilities
that run in the background or generate disk activity, such as virus protection, disk optimization, or file savers, should be turned off or removed.
Screen Savers Screen saver software should be
completely disabled on your computer before
running Pro Tools.
Power Saver Features Some automatic power
saver features, such as those that spin down the
system hard drive, can affect Pro Tools performance. These features should be turned off.

Mbox 2 Pro Getting Started

Before You Call Digidesign
Technical Support
Register Your System
Register your purchase immediately after reviewing the Digidesign Registration Information Card included with every Pro Tools system.
Registering your purchase is the only way you
become eligible to receive complimentary technical support and future upgrade offers. Registering is one of the most important steps to
complete as a new user.

Use Digidesign Resources
In addition to the printed and PDF versions of
Pro Tools guides, your system includes the following sources of information:
Read Me Files These contain late-breaking information and known issues pertaining to
Pro Tools software and hardware configurations. Read Me files are installed in Documentation folder when you install Pro Tools.
Answerbase This is a database of common problems and DAE errors, and their solutions based
on the latest information from Digidesign Technical Support. This database is installed in the
Digidesign folder when you install Pro Tools.
Answerbase is also available on the Digidesign
website (www.digidesign.com).
Website (www.digidesign.com) This is your your
best online source for information to help you
get the most out of your Pro Tools system.

Gather Important Information
Digidesign wants to help you resolve problems
as quickly and efficiently as possible. If you have
the following information handy when you
contact Technical Support, it will make the diagnosis of your problem easier. Take a few minutes
to collect the following basic information:

System Information
Computer
• Make, model, processor speed
• Amount of system RAM
• Operating system (version of Windows or
Mac OS)
• Any Drivers, Disk Utilities, or other systemrelated applications you may have installed

Digidesign Hardware
• Type of cards, interfaces, or peripherals

Hard Drives
• Make, Model
• Drive size (GB)
• Drive speed (RPM)
• Drive type (SCSI, FireWire, IDE/ATA)
• Utility used to format the drive
• Number and size of partitions on the drive

Digidesign Software
• Pro Tools software version
• Plug-in versions
• Other Digidesign software
• Additional plug-ins from Digidesign Development Partners

Troubleshooting

Other Hardware
Refer to the manufacturer’s documentation for
operational details.
The most common hardware additions include:
• 1394 (FireWire) cards for Windows systems
(manufacturer, model)
• Video Capture cards (manufacturer, model)
To verify that your hardware is qualified for use
with your Pro Tools system, refer to the latest
compatibility information on the Digidesign
website (www.digidesign.com).

Other Software
If you are using other audio or video applications, refer to the manufacturer’s documentation for operational details.
Make note of any other software that was running when a problem occurred.

Diagnostic Information
Note any DAE errors or other error codes you encounter. Additonally, note the ability to reproduce the problem under different conditions,
for example, with another session, or after
changing settings (such as the Hardware Buffer
Size).

Mbox 2 Pro Getting Started

index

ASIO driver (Windows) 11
audio drivers
ASIO driver (Windows) 11
CoreAudio driver (Mac) 15
Audio MIDI Setup (AMS) (Macintosh) 59
authorizing Pro Tools LE
Mac 14
Windows 11

Energy Saver (Mac), turning off 28
Ext Clock LED 29

C
Cache Size 21
ClearType font smoothing (Windows), disabling 25
Clock Source 23
Internal setting 23
S/PDIF (digital) setting 23
connecting Mbox 2
Mac 14
Windows 9
CoreAudio driver (Mac) 15
CPU Usage Limit 19

D
DAE Playback Buffer Size 21
Dashboard shortcut (Mac), disabling 28
drive formatting
Mac 65
Windows 64
drive maintenance 63
drive requirements 5

F
FireWire
cable types 32
FireWire requirements 63
footswitch 33, 45

G
gain
headphones 30
input 31

H
hard drives
drive formats 63
FireWire requirements 63
formatting 64, 65
formatting (Mac) 65
IDE/ATA requirements 64
maintenance 63, 66
optimizing 66
partitioning 65
requirements 5
SCSI requirements 63
space requirements 68
Hardware Buffer Size 18
headphones
gain control 30
outputs A and B 30

Index

I/O Setup
Windows 23
IDE/ATA requirements 64
indicators
peak level 31
phantom power 30
input and output connectors 33
inputs
digital 33
gain 31
installing Pro Tools LE
Mac 13
Windows 9
installing QuickTime (Windows) 10

optimizing hard drives 66
outputs
digital 33
Monitor outputs 33

J
journaling (Mac), enabling 28

K
key commands 6

M
Mbox 2
back panel 32
connecting (Mac) 14
connecting (Windows) 9
features 3
front panel 29
MIDI
connections 43
requirements 5
setup (Macintosh) 59
setup (Windows) 55
MIDI Input Selector 52
MIDI Studio Setup (MSS) (Windows) 55

P
partitioning hard drives 65
Patch Select dialog
Macintosh 62
Windows 58
peak indicators 31
phantom power 39
indicator 30
when to use 30, 38
Playback Engine
RTAS Processors setting 19
Plug-in Streaming Buffer 22
Plug-in Streaming Buffer Size 22
plug-ins
RTAS Processors setting 19
power
management settings (Windows) 25
Power LED 29
Pro Tools
demo session 15
removing (Windows) 12, 16
session templates (Windows) 16
Pro Tools LE
capabilities 4
configuration (Windows) 18
installing (Mac) 13
installing (Windows) 9
processor performance (Mac) 28
Processor Scheduling performance (Windows) 26

Q
N
network connections 70

Mbox 2 Pro Getting Started

QuickTime
installing (Windows) 10

registration information 5
removing Pro Tools
Windows 12, 16
RTAS Processors setting 19

technical support
product registration required 71
TRS 37

U
S
S/PDIF 33
Sample Rate 23
screen saver, disabling (Windows Vista) 11
screen savers 70
SCSI requirements 63
Software Update (Mac), turning off 27
sources
digital 33
selecting 31
Spotlight indexing (Mac), disabling 28
Spotlight shortcuts (Mac), disabling 28
Startup items (Windows), disabling 27
system
optimization (Mac) 27
required optimizations (Windows) 24
shutting down 17
starting up 17
System Memory Allocation 21
system optimization
Windows 24, 26
system settings
Cache Size 21
Clock Source 23
CPU Usage Limit 19
DAE Playback Buffer Size 21
Hardware Buffer Size 18
I/O Setup 23
Plug-in Streaming Buffer 22
Plug-in Streaming Buffer Size 22
Sample Rate 23
System Memory Allocation 21

uninstalling Pro Tools
Windows 12, 16

Index

www.digidesign.com

DIGIDESIGN
2001 Junipero Serra Boulevard
Daly City, CA 94014-3886 USA
Tel: 650.731.6300
Fax: 650.731.6399

TECHNICAL SUPPORT (USA)
Tel: 650.731.6100
Fax: 650.731.6384

PRODUCT INFORMATION (USA)
Tel: 800.333.2137

INTERNATIONAL OFFICES
Visit the Digidesign website
for contact information

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