Power Macintosh Blue & White G3 - Pro Tools FREE Compatibility

Power Macintosh Blue & White G3 - Pro Tools FREE Optional Compatibility Information

System Software

  • System Software: Mac OS v8.6 & v9.x
  • Pro Tools FREE will not work with Mac OS X
  • Classic Mode under OS X is also not supported. If you have a dual-boot system with both Mac OS 9 and OS X, you must choose Mac OS 9 as your startup system either in your Startup Disk Control Panel or by holding down the Option key during startup to use Pro Tools FREE. Systems that can only boot in OS X cannot be used.

G3 Firmware Update 1.1 required

Available from Apple at: http://asu.info.apple.com/swupdates.nsf/artnum/n11361

MIDI

Both USB and serial MIDI interfaces work effectively with Pro Tools. Serial MIDI interfaces require either a Mac serial port or a qualified modem-to-serial port adapter. Digidesign currently supports the GeeThree Stealth Port or Griffin gPort installed in the modem port (thereby not using a PCI slot).

When using the GeeThree products with OS 9.0.4, version 1.0.3 or higher of the Stealth Port extension is required, available here: http://www.geethree.com/download.html

Qualified External Diskette Drives

Although not required with Pro Tools FREE installation, an external diskette drive may be required for installation of some Plug-Ins and optional software applications. The following external USB diskette drives are currently supported:

  • Imation SuperDisk
  • NewerTechnology uDrive
  • VST Floppy Drive (model FDUSB-M) Note: Information on VST brand products from SmartDisk has been moved to www.smartdisk.com

Links to software and drivers are available in the Digidesign Support/Downloads/Utilities Section:

  • VST Floppy Drive (model FDUSB-M)
  • Imation SuperDisk
  • NewerTechnology uDrive
  • Pace USB Floppy Enabler

Apple's revised USB support allows for booting from a USB drive, therefore you should not boot up your system with an authorization disk inserted in the USB Drive.

SCSI HBA Card NOT Required

Although Pro Tools FREE supports record and playback on a ATA/IDE hard drive, use of a SCSI HBA card with a SCSI drive is recommended. For more information you can refer to the Pro Tools LE Audio Storage Requirements page. Optional SCSI HBA cards bundled (by Apple) with Power Macintosh computers are not compatible with this configuration due to the lack of NVRAM to store Pro Tools desired SCSI transfer rate. The following SCSI HBA cards are qualified with the Blue & White G3s:

Adaptec Power Domain SCSI HBA 2906 with the following requirements:

ATTO ExpressPCI SCSI HBA card EPCI-DC (ExpressPCI Dual Channel Ultra/WIDE HBA, also available in the Digidesign SCSI64 Kit) with the following requirements: