Unity Client Configuration for Pro Tools|HD & Pro Tools|HD Accel Systems

With AVoption|V10 or Avid Mojo Systems for Windows XP

For information on slot order with AVoption|V10 and Avid Mojo, please see the following:

• PCI Slot Configuration for AVoption|V10 Systems With Windows XP
• PCI Slot Configuration for Avid Mojo Systems With Windows XP

And these individual CPU pages:

• HP Workstation xw9300
• HP Workstation xw8200
• Dell Precision Workstation 670
• HP Workstation xw8000
• Dell Precision Workstation 650

Additional requirements when using the Digidesign Expansion|HD 6 Slot Expansion Chassis

• Pro Tools HD 7.1 or higher required
• The Digidesign Expansion|HD is for Pro Tools|HD (for PCI) cards only. It does not support Pro Tools|HD (for PCIe) cards, SCSI HBA cards, video cards, FireWire cards, or other special-purpose cards.
• The PCIe Host Card option for Expansion|HD is currently not qualified for use on computers connecting to Avid Unity MediaNetwork or Pro Tools HD systems for Windows XP. Expansion|HD chassis users should use the Digidesign Host PCI card for computers connecting to Avid Unity MediaNetwork.

With AVoption|XL Systems for Windows XP

For information on slot order with AVoption|XL, please see the following:

• PCI Slot Configuration for AVoption|XL Systems With Windows XP

Maximum Number of Clients — AVoption|V10 and AVoption|XL

The following configurations have been thoroughly tested by Avid and Digidesign, and are provided as guidelines only. Actual performance depends on specific configuration and program material. More cofigurations will be announced as they are tested.

Pro Tools-Only Workgroups

Pro Tools|HD (v5.3.3/6.1/6.2/6.3/6.4/6.9/7.0/7.1)
1000 ms Audio Edit Density
Video Drives: 10

Mixed Workgroups

Mixed Workgroup A

Mixed Workgroup B

Mixed Workgroup C

Mixed Workgroup D

Allocation Group Sizes

Number of dedicated audio drives required for the specified number of Pro Tools systems to play back 48 tracks of 48 kHz, 24-bit audio at the specified edit density.

Notes:

• NA = not applicable
• The 4, 5 and 9 system configurations are only supported with 2 GB fibre channel switches and JBODs.
• Numbers are approximate. Your performance will vary with your configuration and program material.
• Mirroring: Pro Tools Mac OS 9 clients are not compatible with "mirrored" Unity systems. Pro Tools Windows XP clients are fully compatible with mirrored Unity systems.

Sharing Allocation Groups and Media

Audio and video files can be shared among several MediaNetwork clients. However, keep in mind the following restrictions when sharing files:

• Audio files for Pro Tools clients should be in a separate allocation group from the video files.
• Pro Tools clients cannot use files that are in a shared uncompressed allocation group.
• Each Composer Product client that is using dual-stream 1:1 video (Media Composer or Symphony) must have dedicated access to the single-user allocation group containing the video files. No other clients can share the video files while these clients are using them.
• Only one Pro Tools client can access a finishing allocation group containing 1:1 video files. The allocation group may not be used simultaneously by a video editing client, and the Pro Tools client can only play a single stream of video.
• Up to three Pro Tools clients and one video editing client can access an allocation group containing 3:1 or lower compressed video files.
• In an environment with at least one Avid Composer Product client running two streams at 1:1 video resolution, the maximum number of clients that can be supported is seven. However, if protection is enabled and the environment contains 18 GB HH or 50 GB HH drives, the maximum number of clients is six.
• Each finishing video allocation group must connect directly to a MEDIASwitch port.
• For additional information on MediaNetwork configuration requirements and restrictions, see the following Avid support document:
  • Article: MediaNet Release 3.0 Supported Configurations