Qualified SCSI HBA Cards — Pro Tools 6.3 AVoption|V10 Systems for Windows XP

Storage Requirements

  • Pro Tools with AVoption|V10 requires separate SCSI drives for audio and video.
  • The audio drives and the video drives should each be connected to separate SCSI channels. For more information, see "Setting Up Local Storage" on page 19 of the AVoption|V10 Guide:
  • Striped Drive Requirements (Video Storage Only): Striped drives are configured so that multiple hard drives behave as if they are one hard drive. This makes higher data throughput possible. Requirements will vary depending on the drives. For example, the 5th-Generation DigiDrives™ (released November 2001) require 2-way striped drive sets when capturing or playing uncompressed (1:1) video. For earlier generations of drives, 4- way striped drives or greater (4 or more drives acting as one) are required when capturing or playing uncompressed (1:1) video; and 2- way striped drives (2 drives acting as one) are required when capturing or playing 2:1 and 3:1 compressed video.
  • When "inheriting" a drive containing audio and video data from an Avid system, we recommend you connect this drive to the SCSI channel dedicated to video storage. There is no need to copy the audio data from such a drive to your dedicated audio drives, however we recommend that you not record any additional audio tracks onto this drive.
  • FireWire/IDE/ATA/SATA Storage Not Supported: Audio and video record and playback are supported with SCSI drives only. FireWire drives are not currently supported for audio or video with AVoption|V10. Please continue to check these compatibility pages for the latest compatibility updates.
  • HFS formatted drives have not been tested. HFS+ formatted drives are fully qualified.

SCSI Host Bus Adapter Requirements

  • HP xw8000: This computer has built-in dual channel SCSI that has been qualified by Digidesign and a SCSI HBA is not required.
  • Dell 650 and Other Computers: A single Digidesign-qualified dual-channel SCSI HBA (such as the Digidesign SCSI|128 or ATTO UL3D) is required. Unlike AVoption|XL, AVoption|v10 does not require audio and video drives to have separate HBAs in order to play uncompressed video. The Audio and Video can be on separate SCSI channels of a single HBA.
  • ATTO UL3D BIOS version 1.68 or higher required for both the Digidesign SCSI|128 and ATTO UL3D. See the AVoption|V10 Guide for instructions to download and install this firmware:

Digidesign SCSI|128 Kit

Iincludes ATTO EPCI-UL3D (Dual Channel Ultra3 SCSI Host Bus Adapter - Model # EPCI-UL3D-000)

  • Supports full 128 tracks of playback and record with Pro Tools|HD
  • Sync Rate set to "160DT (80)" (160 MB/sec at 80 MHz)*
  • PCI Burst Rate set to 128*
  • Selection Timeout: 16ms*

*Settings available via SCSI BIOS

Note: The 66MHz version of the ATTO EPCI-UL3D (model # EPCI-UL3D-066) is not supported for use with Pro Tools systems, regardless of whether your Pro Tools system is installed on a 33 MHz or 66 MHz PCI bus. The 66 MHz version is tuned for performance on a 66 MHz PCI bus. However, when Pro Tools is installed in a 66 MHz PCI bus, it reduces the speed of the PCI bus to 33 MHz. As a result, you will receive superior performance with the 33 MHz UL3D, because it is tuned for a 33 MHz PCI bus.

Digidesign Compatibility Documents Index