DigiDesign Mbox Getting Started Manual
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DigiDesign Mbox Getting Started Manual

Version 6.1 for le systems on windows xp and mac os x; version 5.3.3 for le systems on windows xp; version 5.2.1 for le systems on mac os 9; portable pro tools micro-studio
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Download this manual See also: Basic Manual, Getting Started Manual
Getting Started with Mbox
Version 6.1 for LE Systems on Windows XP and Mac OS X
Version 5.3.3 for LE Systems on Windows XP
Version 5.2.1 for LE Systems on Mac OS 9
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: 650·731·6102
tel: 800·333·2137
International Offices
Visit the Digidesign Web site
for contact information
Web Site
www.digidesign.com

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  • Page 1 Getting Started with Mbox Version 6.1 for LE Systems on Windows XP and Mac OS X Version 5.3.3 for LE Systems on Windows XP Version 5.2.1 for LE Systems on Mac OS 9 Digidesign 2001 Junipero Serra Boulevard Daly City, CA 94014-3886 USA tel: 650·731·6300...
  • Page 2 If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the This guide is copyrighted ©2003 by Digidesign, a division of equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try and correct Avid Technology, Inc.

  • Page 3: Table Of Contents

    Connecting Mbox to the Computer ........
  • Page 4 Making Signal Connections to Mbox ........

  • Page 5: Chapter 1. Welcome To Mbox

    • 24-bit A/D and D/A converters, supporting PDF guides sample rates of 44.1 kHz and 48 kHz • This Getting Started with Mbox Guide, which in- • Zero-latency analog record monitoring with cludes instructions for installing and config- adjustable balance between input and play-...

  • Page 6: Pro Tools Le Capabilities

    Pro Tools LE software provides the following ca- recording up to 2 tracks depending on your pabilities with Mbox: computer’s capabilities. See the Digidesign Web site for information on 32 track capa- Pro Tools LE 6.1 bility with Pro Tools LE 5.2.1 (www.digide- •...

  • Page 7: System Requirements

    Recording and playback on system has tested and approved. For a list of Digidesign- hard drives results in lower track counts and qualified computers, operating systems, hard fewer plug-ins.

  • Page 8: Digidesign Registration

    Hold down the Control key This Getting Started with Mbox Guide explains and click the mouse button how to install and use Mbox to record, edit, and Right-click (Windows) Click with the right mouse mix audio and MIDI tracks in Pro Tools LE. For...

  • Page 9: About Www.digidesign.com

    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 our Web site (www.digidesign.com).
  • Page 10 Getting Started with Mbox...

  • Page 11: Chapter 2. Windows Configuration

    Connecting the Mbox unit to your computer. Appendix A, “Windows System Optimiza- and installing Pro Tools LE software (See “In- tions” for information on troubleshooting stalling Pro Tools LE and Mbox” on page 10.) and configuring advanced settings. Restarting your computer. Required Settings Configuring your Pro Tools system (See “Con-...
  • Page 12 Avoid running virus protection software while To disable ClearType font smoothing: using Mbox since it adversely affects system per- formance (as do all background processes). If Choose Start > Control Panel. you are using virus protection software, you In Classic view, double-click Display.

  • Page 13: Hard Drive Configuration And Maintenance

    Make sure the Quick Format option is dese- • Turn off any nonessential USB devices lected, then click Start, and follow the on-screen while using Mbox instructions. • If your video display card supports it, en- Pro Tools only supports Basic drive Types.

  • Page 14: Installing Pro Tools Le And Mbox

    In the Disk Defragmenter window, choose the hub for other USB peripherals, connect the drive you want to defragment hub to a separate USB port; Mbox must Click the Defragment button and follow the have a dedicated port in order to function on-screen instructions.
  • Page 15 Mbox does not illuminate after installation, try unplugging the USB cable from the Updating Mbox Firmware Mbox USB port, and plugging it back in. If the USB LED still does not illuminate, shut Firmware version 2.0 or later is required to use down the computer, disconnect Mbox and Mbox on Windows XP.

  • Page 16: Installing Optional Software For Pro Tools Le

    Follow the on-screen instructions: tem is working. • Disconnect Mbox from the USB port of the Before installing the demo session to your computer. audio drive, make sure the drive is config- •...

  • Page 17: Launching Pro Tools Le

    Macintosh. With new Mbox systems, the authorization code is located on the inside cover of the Getting Started with Mbox Guide. With software up- For more information about MacOpener grades, the authorization code is located on the and its performance limitations, see the inside cover of the Upgrading Guide.

  • Page 18: Configuring Pro Tools Le

    Configuring Pro Tools LE Pro Tools System Settings Pro Tools LE allows you to adjust the perfor- Playback Engine dialog for Mbox mance of your system by changing system set- From the H/W Buffer Size pop-up menu, select tings that affect its capacity for processing, play- the audio buffer size, in samples.
  • Page 19 To change the DAE Playback Buffer Size: Choose Setups > Playback Engine. From the DAE Playback Buffer pop-up menu, select a buffer size. Hardware Setup dialog for Mbox Click OK. Select the sample rate from the Sample Rate pop-up menu.
  • Page 20 Click OK. The Pro Tools Hardware Setup dialog allows you Your digital input device must be connected to configure the two inputs on Mbox to receive and powered on for Pro Tools to synchro- analog or digital signals. nize to it. If your input device is not powered on, leave the Clock Source set to Internal.

  • Page 21: Chapter 3. Macintosh Configuration

    3 Macintosh Configuration Installation of the Mbox on a Macintosh in- Apple System Settings cludes the following steps: To ensure optimum performance with Configuring Apple System Software settings Pro Tools LE, configure the following settings (See “Apple System Settings” on page 17.) for your version of Mac OS before you install Installing Pro Tools LE software (See “Install-...

  • Page 22: Hard Drive Configuration And Maintenance

    Be sure to create your Pro Tools extension ing: set before installing Pro Tools LE. After you install Pro Tools, a number of Digidesign • Set Virtual Memory to Off. extensions will be added to the new • Set the RAM Disk to Off.

  • Page 23: Installing Pro Tools Le

    Avoid Recording to System Drives When installation is complete, click Restart. – or – Although Pro Tools will let you record to your system drive, this is generally not recom- Click Continue to install any additional soft- mended. Recording and playback on system ware or documentation, and restart your com- hard drives results in lower track counts and puter when you are finished.

  • Page 24: Installing Oms

    Installing OMS In the Installer window, select Mac OS 9 Only “Pro Tools LE 5.2.1 for Mbox,” and make sure the Install Location is on your startup drive. To use Pro Tools LE on Mac OS 9, you must first install and configure the Open Music System...

  • Page 25: Installing The Demo Session

    Connect the small end of the included USB ca- ble to the USB port on Mbox. If the USB LED on the front panel of Mbox does not does not illuminate after you connect it and With your computer on, connect the other...

  • Page 26: Configuring Pro Tools Le

    In most cases, the default settings for your sys- tem provide optimum performance, but you Playback Engine dialog for Mbox (Pro Tools 6.x) may want to adjust them to accommodate large or processing-intensive Pro Tools sessions. Hardware Buffer Size...
  • Page 27 With Pro Tools 6.x, the maximum CPU Usage To change the DAE Playback Buffer Size in Pro Tools 5.2.1: Limit is 85 percent for single-processor comput- ers, and 99 percent for multi-processor comput- Launch DAE. If Pro Tools is already running, ers.
  • Page 28 Pro Tools 6.x: The Pro Tools Hardware Setup dialog allows you Make sure that no Pro Tools session is open. to configure the two inputs on Mbox to receive either analog or digital signals. Choose Setups > Hardware Setup. Choose the sample rate by clicking the corre- To select the Channel 1–2 input format for Mbox:...
  • Page 29 Configuring I/O Setup Using the I/O Setup dialog, you can label I/O Setup dialog for Mbox, Input page Pro Tools LE input, output, insert, and bus sig- Click the Input, Output, Insert, or Bus tab to nal paths. The I/O Setup dialog provides a graph- display the corresponding connections.
  • Page 30 Disk Allocation Choose Setup > Disk Allocation to assign hard drives and volumes as the storage (recording) location for Pro Tools tracks. Tracks record data to their assigned volume as config- ured in the Disk Allocation dialog. Getting Started with Mbox...

  • Page 31: Chapter 4. Connecting Your Studio

    4 Connecting Your Studio This chapter explains how to connect your Mbox to a monitoring system, a digital recorder, and to audio sources for recording. Your studio setup will differ depending on the equipment in your studio. The following illustrations show two possible setups.
  • Page 32 Mbox instrument FireWire drive Laptop headphones Figure 2. Mbox micro studio configuration running Pro Tools LE on a laptop computer Getting Started with Mbox...

  • Page 33: Mbox Front Panel Features

    The Mbox front panel has the following fea- Mbox Front Panel Features tures: 48V LED 48V LED This LED, when lit, indicates that 48V phantom Source power is active on the Mic/Line inputs. These Selector CH 1 inputs provide phantom power for micro- Peak phones that require it to operate.
  • Page 34 USB LED Mono Switch The USB LED indicates that the Mbox driver has The Mono switch sums and centers the input initiated the unit for playback. Once the USB signals being monitored, but has no effect on...

  • Page 35: Mbox Rear Panel Features

    Use the front panel Headphone port to connect Figure 4. Mbox rear panel stereo headphones with a 1/8-inch stereo mini The Mbox rear panel has the following features: connector. The front panel 1/8-inch Headphone port is dis- Rear Panel Headphone Output abled when a 1/4-inch stereo connector is in- serted into the rear panel Headphone port.
  • Page 36 Be sure to check the 48V LED on the front such as a stereo power amp, or another stereo panel of Mbox before plugging in any mi- destination. crophones. The 48V switch on the rear is lo-...

  • Page 37: Making Signal Connections To Mbox

    Mbox The Mbox Headphone output can produce Mbox can be used in a variety of audio setups. very loud output levels. Prolonged exposure This section describes how to make basic con- can cause hearing damage. Adjust head- nections for: phone volume carefully.
  • Page 38 The type of unbalanced connector is Plug an XLR or TRS cable directly into determined by the inputs of the device. Mic/Line Input 1 or 2 on Mbox. These inputs ac- Locate the unbalanced connectors and deter- cept XLR connectors or TRS connectors.

  • Page 39: Connecting A Recorder For Mixdowns

    Mbox provides digital inputs and outputs for analog device) to the Line Outputs on the back S/PDIF format digital audio. of Mbox. Line Outputs 1 and 2 should be routed to the left and right inputs, respectively, on your About S/PDIF recorder.
  • Page 40 Connect the MIDI OUT of your MIDI device or controller to the MIDI IN of your MIDI inter- face. Connect the MIDI IN of your MIDI device or controller to the MIDI OUT of your MIDI inter- face. Getting Started with Mbox...

  • Page 41: Chapter 5. Working With Pro Tools Le

    chapter 5 Working with Pro Tools LE This overview of Pro Tools LE software intro- Starting a Session duces its main windows and features, and also includes a step-by-step overview of audio re- To create a new session: cording (see “Basic Recording” on page 47). Launch Pro Tools LE.
  • Page 42 Samples). for Play, Stop, Rewind, Fast-Forward, Pause, and Record. The Transport window can also show Counter and MIDI Control displays. Mix window Edit window Rulers Tracks Transport window Tracks Figure 5. Main session windows Getting Started with Mbox...
  • Page 43 Setting a Tempo Using the Click Plug-In You can set the tempo for your session using (Pro Tools 6.x Only) Tempo Events, or using the MIDI tempo con- The Click plug-in creates an audio click during trols in the expanded Transport window. session playback that you can use as a tempo ref- erence when performing and recording.
  • Page 44 Transport window, and is configured from out affecting the original session. the MIDI Click Options dialog. To configure and enable an external MIDI click: Choose MIDI > Click Options. Getting Started with Mbox...

  • Page 45: Transport Controls

    Save Session Copy In Saves copies of the session Transport Controls file and the files that you are using in the cur- rent session. This can be useful for creating a fi- The Transport window provides access to all nal copy of the session that does not include au- Pro Tools LE transport commands.

  • Page 46: Navigating A Session

    See the Pro Tools Reference Guide for more information. Clicking with the Selector in the Edit window To navigate using the counters: Click in the Main counter and enter a location using your computer keyboard. Getting Started with Mbox...
  • Page 47 Press Return. In the Memory Locations window, click the name of the memory location. Viewing and Zooming Navigating with the Counter When viewing tracks in the Edit window, you can adjust the height of tracks as well as zoom in Press the * key on the numeric keypad as an vertically and horizontally using the Track alternative to clicking in the counter.

  • Page 48: Tracks

    By creating Memory Locations that are neither Click Create. Markers nor Selections, but have Track Height, Zoom Settings, or other options enabled, you can use Memory Locations to zoom in and out using just the numeric keypad. Getting Started with Mbox...
  • Page 49 Timeline Rulers and a stereo audio track in the Edit Auxiliary Inputs, with the following exceptions: window Input Selector A Master Fader’s output assign- ment determines its input, or source (always outputs 1-2 on Mbox). Chapter 5: Working with Pro Tools LE...

  • Page 50: Regions Lists

    Pro Tools converts the CD audio track to the ses- Click to hide Regions Lists sion’s audio file format, bit depth, and sample Audio and MIDI Regions Lists rate, and saves it on your hard drive. Getting Started with Mbox...

  • Page 51: Basic Recording

    Verify the connections to your instruments. Refer to Chapter 4, “Connecting Your Studio” for more information about connecting instru- ments to Mbox. Audio CD Import Options dialog Create a new track to record on by choosing At the bottom of the Options dialog, set the File >...
  • Page 52 Adjust the level of the input by using the gain Click Stop in the Transport window or press knobs on the front of Mbox. For line level or in- the Spacebar when you are finished recording. strument sources, set the device’s output vol-...
  • Page 53 Choose File > New Track and specify 1 MIDI To record onto a MIDI track: Track, then click Create. Verify that the MIDI track you want to record to is record-enabled and receiving MIDI. In the Mix window, click on the track’s MIDI Device/Channel Selector and choose the desti- In the Transport window, click Return To Zero nation (assignment) for that MIDI track by...

  • Page 54: Editing

    Connect the MIDI instrument’s audio output Edit Modes to the appropriate inputs on your Mbox. Pro Tools LE has four Edit modes: Shuffle, Spot, Choose File > New Track and specify 1 mono Slip, and Grid. The Edit mode is selected by or stereo Auxiliary Input, then click Create.
  • Page 55 Edit Tools Trimming Regions After recording an audio track, you will have an Pro Tools LE has seven Edit tools: Zoomer, Trim- audio region on that track. If there is some si- mer, Selector, Grabber, Scrubber, Pencil, and lence at the beginning of the region, or there is Smart Tool.
  • Page 56 Import an existing audio file, such as a drum volved editing of regions. For example, you loop from a sample library, and place it on an audio track (see “Importing Audio” on page 46). Getting Started with Mbox...

  • Page 57: Mixing

    could separate beats or “hits” into individual re- Mixing gions and rearrange them in Grid or Shuffle mode as a way of coming up with new and in- The Pro Tools mix environment provides many teresting rhythms. familiar channel strip controls for setting vol- ume, pan, solo, and mute.
  • Page 58 You can configure the default level for new (wet, or effect return level). sends to be –∞ or at unity gain (0 dB) by en- abling or disabling the Sends Default To “–INF” option under the Operation Prefer- ences. Getting Started with Mbox...
  • Page 59 Creating a Return Master Faders Auxiliary Inputs can be created to act as return Master Faders are used as output and bus mas- channels for busses, as well as for inputs from ters, and can control any mono or stereo output hardware sources.

  • Page 60: Plug-Ins

    Pro Tools comes with a complete set of DigiRack plug-ins, and many more are available from Digidesign and our Development Partners. For more information about plug-ins, see the DigiRack Plug-Ins Guide, the Digide- sign Plug-Ins Guide, and the Plug-Ins chap- ter of the Pro Tools Reference Guide.

  • Page 61: Mix Automation

    Once written, automation can be re-written or Mix Automation displayed and edited graphically in the Edit win- dow. Mix automation lets you record, or automate, changes to track and send levels, mutes, pan, and plug-in parameters. MIDI tracks provide volume, pan, and mute automation only. Track view set to Volume To write automation: Volume breakpoint automation...
  • Page 62 Bounce to Disk does not automatically apply dither. To dither a bounce file, insert an included Digidesign Dither plug- in, or another dither plug-in, on a Master Fader assigned to the bounce source path. Master Fad-...

  • Page 63: Appendix A. Windows System Optimizations

    Network adapters, then double-click the Net- structions in “Installing Pro Tools LE and work Adapter card you want to disable. Mbox” on page 10. Under the General tab, choose “Do note use this device (disable)” from the Device Usage pop-up menu, and click OK.
  • Page 64 If performance has not changed, run “msconfig” and return your computer Selective Startup back to Normal Startup. Alternatively, try disabling start up items and non-essential processes individually. Getting Started with Mbox...

  • Page 65: Appendix B. Configuring Ams (Mac Os X Only)

    appendix b Configuring AMS (Mac OS X Only) Pro Tools recognizes the ports on your MIDI in- For any MIDI devices connected to the MIDI terface as generic ports. With Mac OS X, you use interface, click Add Device. A new external de- Apple’s Audio MIDI Setup (AMS) utility to iden- vice icon with the default MIDI keyboard image tify external MIDI devices connected to your...
  • Page 66 AMS Manu- facturer and Model pop-up menus, you can External Device Icon add them by editing any of the current .mid- dev files in any text editor (such as TextEdit). Getting Started with Mbox...
  • Page 67 Click the More Properties arrow to expand the Click the device image. The window expands dialog, then enable the appropriate MIDI chan- to show images for various MIDI devices (such nels (1–16) for the Transmits and Receives op- as keyboards, modules, interfaces, and mixers). tions.
  • Page 68 Getting Started with Mbox...

  • Page 69: Appendix C. Digidesign Asio Driver

    The ASIO Driver is installed by default when you multimedia sound driver that allows third-party install Pro Tools. audio software that support the ASIO standard to record and play back through Mbox hard- Removing the ASIO Driver ware. If you need to remove the ASIO Driver from Check the Digidesign Web site your computer, complete the following steps.

  • Page 70: Changing Asio Driver Settings

    The Buffer Size control in this dialog allows you ASIO Driver Control Panel to set the size of each of the two buffers the ASIO Driver uses on Digidesign hardware. You can se- lect from the following buffer sizes: • 128 samples •...
  • Page 71 H/W Buffer Size settings in the Pro Tools Playback Engine dialog. Device The Device Type is always set to your installed Pro Tools hardware. Advanced Button The Advanced button opens the Hardware Setup dialog for your Digidesign system. Appendix C: Digidesign ASIO Driver...
  • Page 72 Getting Started with Mbox...

  • Page 73: Appendix D. Configuring Oms (Mac Os 9 Only)

    appendix d Configuring OMS (Mac OS 9 Only) Pro Tools LE on Mac OS 9 requires Open Music To configure a New Studio Setup in OMS: System (OMS), which is included on the Launch the OMS Setup application. If OMS Pro Tools Installer CD.
  • Page 74 Manufacturer and Model for the device from the Available” and click OK. pop-up menus. If the device is not listed, leave the Model set to “other” and enter a name for Quit OMS Setup. the device. Getting Started with Mbox...

  • Page 75: Appendix E. Digidesign Control Panel (Mac Os 9 Only)

    Click the Setup Hardware button in the When using Digidesign hardware to moni- Digidesign Control Panel. tor Sound Manager applications, under the Configure the Hardware Setup dialog. Alerts tab, turn the Alert Volume control down. Appendix E: Digidesign Control Panel (Mac OS 9 Only)
  • Page 76 Getting Started with Mbox...

  • Page 77: Index

    33 DAE Playback Buffer Size 23 home stereo 33 defragment self-powered monitors 33 Windows 10 Audio Regions List 46 Digidesign Control Panel 71 audio tracks 44, 45 configuring 71 authorization code installing 71 Windows 13 Disk Cleanup 10 authorizing Pro Tools 21...
  • Page 78 30 setting 48 fade files 37 inputs analog 32 FAT32 9 digital 32 firmware 11 inserts 32 analog on Mbox 34 plug-ins 56 gain headphones 31 input 30 key commands 4 Grabber tool 51 Grid mode 50 latency...
  • Page 79 mix automation 57 Pro Tools authorizing 21 mix control 30 capabilities 2 Mix window 38, 53 installing 20 mixing 53 main windows 38 monitoring 33 software configuration 22 audio 33 validating 21 MIDI 50 Windows configuration 14 when overdubbing 30 Pro Tools LE zero latency 30 installing, Windows 10...
  • Page 80 44 Master Faders 44, 45, 55 MIDI 44, 46 playing back audio 48 playing back MIDI 49 recording audio 48 recording MIDI 49 types 44 Transport MIDI controls 42 Transport window 38, 41 Trimmer tool 51 Getting Started with Mbox...

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