Digidesign Service & Support
Pro Tools 4.3 Read Me
September 21, 1998
Welcome to Pro Tools 4.3. We hope you enjoy the benefits and enhancements that this release brings to the Pro Tools family of products.
Contents:
System Requirements
Bug Fixes in Pro Tools 4.3
Known Problems
Operational Information
System Requirements
Computer: Qualified Power Macintosh Computer*
Computer Monitor: Color required. 14" minimum, 17" or larger highly recommended
System Software: Mac OS 8.0 or higher
NOTE: Pro Tools now requires use of the default extensions installed with MacOS 8.0 or greater. This is due to Pro Tools 4.3 and ProControl's use of Apple's Open Transport libraries. Alteration to the MacOS default extension set may cause unexpected behavior. For example, if Open Transport Extensions are missing, Pro Tools will not launch, and the following dialog will be posted: "The application Pro Tools v4.3 could not be opened because "OTUtilityLib" could not be found."
Opcode OMS v.2.3.4 or higher (supplied)
Apple QuickTime v3.0 or higher (supplied)
FWB Hard Disk ToolKit PE v2.5.2 or higher - Pro Tools|24 and Pro Tools|24 MIX Systems Only (supplied)
Total System RAM:
- For Pro Tools|24 MIX**: 128 Mbytes minimum, 192 MBytes recommended.
When running the 64 track Playback Engine, DAE Buffer size of 4 is required, with Ultra SCSI off.
- For Pro Tools|24**: 64 MBytes minimum, 96 MBytes recommended
- For Expanded Pro Tools|24 systems**: 128 MBytes minimum
- For Pro Tools III, Pro Tools Project, Pro Tools with Audiomedia III/II and Pro Tools PowerMix: 48 MBytes minimum
(Additional RAM required for simultaneous use with MIDI sequencers. Virtual Memory is not supported.)
Storage - Qualified SCSI disk drive*
* For the latest Pro Tools compatibility information, including lists of qualified computers, hardware and computer requirements, contact your Digidesign dealer, call your local Digidesign office, or visit Digidesign's website at www.digidesign.com.
** For maximum track count with the Pro Tools|24 Product Family, Digidesign's maximum performance guidelines must be adhered to. These guidelines are documented in the Pro Tools Systems Compatibility document which can be obtained from your Digidesign dealer, your local Digidesign office, or by visiting Digidesign's website.
Bug Fixes in Pro Tools 4.3
GENERAL
Pro Tools would default to the d24 Playback Engine upon launch regardless of the previous Playback Engine selection.
During playback, when using the up/down arrows for region selection, the time display would flicker to zero upon hitting the down arrow.
The display of I/O labels for peripherals connected to a DSP Farm did not update correctly after the initial declaration of the peripheral connection in the Playback Engine dialog.
I/O name appended to track output popup selections/odd outputs omitted. I/O name appears twice per selection in Stereo Mix Outputs mode.
When displaying the volume automation playlist, when the track display size was set to "medium", after an automation breakpoint was moved from 0 dB using the Grabber tool, it was not possible to get it back to that same 0 dB point.
Previously, double clicking with the Grabber on the fade-in or fade-out of a region erroneously caused the "batch fades" dialog to be displayed.
The d24 Output Driver did not correctly show up in the Extensions Manager.
On Pro Tools|24 Systems, record-enabled tracks did not always allow input auditioning during playback.
When "Moving Faders During Playback" is turned off in automation Trim/Touch mode, the faders behaved incorrectly.
Previous problems with "feet + frames" calculations when making selections have been corrected.
A Serial machine occasionally failed to "Follow Memory Location" during playback, when "Machine Follows Scrub or Selection" was also selected.
Control clicking on a locked region erroneously moved the region. This has now been fixed.
Converting and Importing a file while AudioSuite was previewing sometimes caused a DAE error -6011 and Pro Tools to crash. This problem has now been fixed.
FF/REW'ing when time display format is Bar&Beats is inconsistent.
Stereo 24-bit .WAV files did not always playback correctly.
The symbol for the pre/post button in the Send Display when in Narrow Mix View has been changed from "e" to "p".
PLUG-INS
Right channel settings of a Time Adjuster Plug-In are now correctly copied and pasted to the only the right channel of another Time Adjuster Plug-In instance.
A 71k memory leak that could occur during deinstantiation of the Mod Delay Plug-In has been fixed
The 4 band EQ sometimes produced pops when the Bypass button was engaged, and artifacts when tuning the parametric (peak) band gain with 6 instanstiations (66%) used. This has now been fixed.
Percentage values over 994.2%/19.9 dB can now be displayed with the Gain AudioSuite Plug-In.
AudioSuite Preview mode now correctly outputs to both outputs.
The tenths values in a Tempo setting in the Time Compression/Expansion AudioSuite Plug-In was being incorrectly rounded. This has now been fixed.
MACKIE DESIGN'S HUI
When HUI is assigned as controller, and a Plug-In window is open, page up and page down functions now work correctly.
Previous problems with hitting Enter on HUI to create a new group of two tracks have been corrected.
The 4 band EQ Frequency and Gain controls no longer need multiple turns of the encoder to respond on HUI.
PROCONTROL
Organization of the EQ Plug-In controls on ProControl's Plug-In parameter scribble strips has been updated to be consistent and more intuitive.
The 1 band EQ Frequency control no longer need multiple turns of the encoder to respond on ProControl.
Pro Control does not allow ESCAPE or ENTER for canceling or "done" commands in import and/or convert and import dialogs.
D24 OUTPUT DRIVER
Trying to use the d24 Output Drivers with no DigiSetup file present in the System folder no longer causes a crash.
Apple System Alerts are no longer inconsistently routed to the d24 Output Drivers.
Playing audio through the d24 Output Drivers when the Audio Interface is in digital input mode no longer causes the input mode to be switched to analog.
Known Problems
While we've labored long and hard to remove any problems in the software, sometimes some problems will arise at the last minute! Here's a list of known problems, so that you can avoid them, with workarounds where known. In addition, be sure to consult your Pro Tools User Guide for information about any generally-known problems with System Extensions, third-party utilities, or other conflicts.
General Problems
It is HIGHLY recommend to mute or dim your monitoring system when changing Input Settings, Sync Source, or Sample Rates from Analog to Digital (or vice versa), from either the Session Setup window or the Hardware dialog.
It is HIGHLY recommended to restart the CPU if a -6000 series DAE error is encountered.
When opening a v3.2 session on a Pro Tools system running Pro Tools v4.x software, the Disk Allocation settings should be verified. In some instances, the Disk Allocation settings will be incorrectly set to the start up drive and will need to be re-targeted before attempting to create new files.
With Macintosh OS 8.0
On systems running MacOS 8.0, the Macintosh sometimes posts the following dialog on startup: "MP Libraries could not be fully installed because of not enough memory." This dialog does not actually affect Pro Tools and appears to be a problem in MacOS 8.0. This problem does not occur with MacOS 8.1.
With MacOS 8.0, use of I/O controls in the Edit Window (such as the pan or volume sliders), causes the Edit Window Counter display to become corrupted. This only lasts as long as the mouse is held down, and appears to be a problem in Mac OS 8.0. You can workaround this problem and several other minor graphic problems either by working with these control types in the Mix Window, or by turning off the "System Wide Platinum Appearance" in the MacOS 8.0's Appearance Control Panel. This applies to both MacOS 8.0 and 8.1.
When using MacOS 8.0, the last digit in the Edit Window Counter can sometimes become corrupted on screen. Forcing a screen redraw (for example, by resizing the window) fixes this. This problem does not occur with MacOS 8.1.
To use the Digidesign Output Drivers or Digidesign Sound Drivers, the Sound Control Panel must be installed in the Control Panels folder. The Pro Tools 4.3 Installer does this automatically. The Monitors and Sound Control Panel cannot be used to enable the use of the Digidesign Output Drivers or Digidesign Sound Drivers, but can coexist with the Sound Control Panel. This applies to both MacOS 8.0 and 8.1.
With Installation
When installing Opcode's OMS 2.3.4 (supplied), the IAC Driver is not installed with the "Easy Install" option. Please perform a Custom Install within the OMS Installer if the IAC Driver is required. (This driver allows applications to sync and share other MIDI data on the same computer.)
Problems Affecting Pro Tools|24 and Pro Tools|24 MIX Systems
When undeclaring an audio interface in the Playback Engine dialog, output settings for audio peripherals connected to Digidesign PCI cards in higher numbered slots may be lost.
In "Direct Outputs" mode, it is not possible to assign Inserts to I/O channels that were part of stereo pairs in Stereo Mix Outputs mode, but are no longer in use.
When switching from the 32 voice MIX to the 64 voice MIX Playback Engine, a session's track voice allocation does not configure dynamically.
A track's playback is momentarily muted during reset of a fader's clip indicator if the track is record enabled.
Recording in destructive mode after tabbing to the end of a region can result in garbage audio being added to the existing file.
Destructive recording over existing audio until the disk is full leaves a portion of the previous audio on the end of the newly created file.
Dragging an automation breakpoint to an extreme top or bottom value scrolls the screen vertically when overshooting the window border.
Insert Silence (in Shuffle mode) removes Fade-Ins across regions that are contiguous to the inserted silence.
After moving a session from one volume to another and deleting the original session, regions processed via AudioSuite are created on the original volume that the track was recorded on even though the original session has been deleted from that volume.
Double breakpoints can occur when trimming existing automation breakpoints in Touch automation mode.
Intermittent pauses may occur when locked to MTC and set to Online-Record-Pause.
Attempting to record 64 simultanoue tracks when there is insufficient space on the destination hard drive can result in Pro Tools "freezing".
DAE error -9122 may occur during loop playback of a 0.5 to 0.695 milliseconds-sized selection.
With Pro Tools with Audiomedia III & PowerMix
When using Pro Tools with Audiomedia III or Pro Tools PowerMix, it is possible to crash when looping short selections with dense MIDI data. To avoid this problem, use loops longer than two seconds.
While using Preview with AudioSuite Plug-Ins, accessing other portions of the Pro Tools application may cause serious problems. Specifically, users should avoid using the Import or Convert and Import Dialogs while previewing an AudioSuite Plug-In.
With ADAT Interfaces
When using the ADAT XT, switching the clock source in the ADAT window causes the main ADAT to change its rate to 48K. This only applies to the ADAT XT when used with the ADAT I/O (NOT Digidesign's ADAT Bridge I/O).
Pro Tools will go into "tapping fingers" mode at the point of synchronization with the ADAT when using the Digidesign's ADAT I/O if the ADAT chases for more than 30 seconds to the sync point in Pro Tools.
When Digidesign's ADAT Interface is connected to the Disk I/O of a Pro Tools III system, audio will not be output from additional Digidesign audio interfaces connected via the DSP Farm. (This only occurs with Digidesign's ADAT Interface and NOT Digidesign's ADAT Bridge I/O.)
With Plug-Ins
Saved sessions do not retain left channel values of a stereo Focusrite d2 instance that do not equal the right channel values when the Link button is selected.
The parameter display on Time Compression/Expansion Audiosuite Plug-in does not update correctly when:
-"Create Individual Files" is selected as the operational mode, AND
-processing is initiated but cancelled after completion of at least the first region.
Navigation through fields and manipulating parameters via the Arrow keys within DigiRack Plug-Ins is inconsistent.
AudioSuite Plug-Ins that use the Plug-In Librarian do not support the keyboard shortcuts for Copy Settings, Paste Settings and Save Settings.
Clicking may occur when using the bypass button with Digidesign's Hum Removal Plug-In.
Pro Tools doesn't check for a mono-to-stereo Plug-In, only a mono-to-mono version when changing the number of channels on subsequent Plug-Ins. If a mono-to-mono version isn't found, it deinstantiates the subsequent Plug-In.
Key Entry does not work in the Key HighPass and LowPass filters.
The factory default settings are lost when changing from a 4-band to a 1-band with EQ 1.7.
Delay parameter settings are inaccurate when using settings files created with shorter Mod Delays in longer Mod Delays.
Automating Maxim's Release parameters can result in audible glitches during playback.
The DigiRack Exp/Gate (stereo) can clip while Key Listening.
With Peripherals
When connecting multiple audio interfaces to one of the systems in the Pro Tools|24 Product Family, (Pro Tools|24 MIXplus, Pro Tools|24 MIX or Pro Tools|24), we recommend that the peripherals are connected to the PCI cards in the following order, starting with the Digidesign PCI card in the lowest PCI slot, (aka the Playback Engine card):
1) all 888|24 I/Os
2) all 882|20 I/Os
3) all 888 I/Os
4) all 882 I/Os
Use of the USD Setup application when the USD is connected to a DigiSerial port (on either the MIX Core, MIX Farm or d24 Audio cards) IS NOT supported and may result in a system freeze. Please connect the USD via one of the Macintosh serial ports when accessing the USD Setup application.
Pro Tools can occasionally stop triggering when using a USD. Toggling the Sample Rate setting on the USD fixes this.
Extreme latency in response when record enabling 64 tracks, and when VSO is selected in Session Setup dialog while USD is online and s elected may be experienced.
When using an 888 I/O Audio Interface, and inputs 1-2 are set to S/PDIF in Pro Tools Hardware Setup dialog, there can be level inconsistencies when outputting to a Tascam DA-30 via the 888 I/O's AES/EBU digital output.
When using an expanded Pro Tools|24 system, default "I/O Label" inconsistencies will occur when using different I/O interfaces connected to multiple DSP Farms. The I/O labels for the second and/or succeeding DSP Farms will be labeled in accordance to the I/O interface connected to the first DSP Farm. This can be overcome by renaming the I/O labels and clicking "Set Default". These new names will now appear as the default names in all newly created sessions.
With SCSI Devices
The Micropolis Tomahawk wide drives model numbers 3391 and 4345 - have a conflict with Digidesign's copy protection scheme when used on a narrow SCSI bus that may result in a SCSI bus hang. Digidesign recommends that these drives only be used on a wide SCSI bus.
With Machine Control
When switching between Pro Tools as Master and Machine As Master, using the keyboard shortcut updates the counter to the machine's location, but not back to edit cursor location. When using the transport control to switch, the counter switches properly back and forth, but the edit view goes to the machines location and stays there.
For QuickTime Movie Users:
On Pro Tools|24 systems, playing audio data and QuickTime Movies from the same SCSI bus will not work reliably, even when using separate drives. To get good results, movie data must be on a different SCSI bus from Pro Tools audio data.
The offset specified in the Set Movie Sync Offset window is always defined in feet and frames, regardless of the general Pro Tools Display setting (Time Code, Minutes:Seconds, etc.). Additionally, while this window is open, the general Pro Tools Display setting will temporarily switch to feet and frames until the Set Movie Sync Offset window is closed.
Using the Pull Down option in the Session Setup window affects the speed of QuickTime movies as well as audio. When conforming a QuickTime movie for use in a pulled-down session, set its frame rate to 30 rather than 29.97.
Jittery movie playback can occur when the Pro Tools Movie Window is placed over the movie track in the Edit Window.
With the Radius VideoVision Capture Card:
Pro Tools occasionally crashes when launched immediately after capturing video using Adobe Premiere and a Radius VideoVision card. Digidesign is working with Radius to resolve this problem.
With Pro Tools 24 and Miro PCI video capture cards, Pro Tools can sometimes crash when looping 16 tracks and a movie.
Digidesign does not support use of the Radius VideoVision card in Pro Tools systems using one of Newer Technologies G3 processor upgrade cards in PowerMac 9500 and 9600 CPUs.
With the Pinnacle miroMOTION DC-20 Capture Card:
Using Window Shade on a movie window while the movie is playing on a video monitor attached to Miro DC-20 causes the movie to go offline and/or stops movie playback. This is due to a faulty characteristic of the DC-20.
With the Pinnacle miroMOTION DC-30 and DC-30 Plus Capture Card:
Dropped frames can occur with the DC30 and DC30 Plus when bouncing to QuickTime movie and the selection made in session does not include the movie start time.
For optimal performance with Pro Tools, limit movie data rates to approximately 750k to 900k/per second. In addition, place the movie window bar near the bottom of the Mac screen to help with Pro Tools User Interface redraws. Note that there must be at least ONE row of pixels being redrawn (visible), otherwise the movie will stop playing back.
If you are also a Pinnacle miroMOTION DC-20 user, do not leave DC-20 Extensions and Control Panels active in the system. The DC-20 Control Strip module needs to be removed from the control strip folder as well. Failure to do so can lead to communication errors when using the DC-30 Plus.
With ProControl
AppleTalk must be set to on when using an Apple PowerMac G3 computer with ProControl.
Pro Control does not allow use of the ESCAPE or ENTER buttons for canceling or OK'ing the following dialogs:
Import, Convert and Import, Playback Engine, Hardware Setup.
Switching ProControl to re-record mode has to be done via the Utilities menu.
When in shuttle or scrub mode and a DAE -9073 error occurs, the error dialog will not be posted until Pro Tools has exited scrub/shuttle mode.
There is a flash/timing error on Assign/Mute button's LEDs when "locking in" new routings.
When using the Option/All method of assigning "all tracks" routing changes, only the channel strip whose channel encoder was turned displays a solid lit Assign/Mute button LED instead of ANY track that was changed displaying a lit solid Assign/Mute LED.
With Mackie Design's HUI Controller
While Pro Tools is computing waveform overviews, HUI is not locked out and can still affect Pro Tools, thereby allowing playback and other transport controls. Though this is a known problem, we have not seen any negative repercussions.
While bouncing in Pro Tools, HUI's F8 key does not allow the operation to be canceled as stated in the "Dialog onscreen....." message in the VFD.
As of this writing, the following problems can occur when using HUI and Mark Of The Unicorn MIDITimePiece multi-port interfaces:
MIDITimePiece I (MTP I):
With this interface, after power cycling HUI, launching Pro Tools, or assigning a controller in the Peripherals dialog, HUI is usually not completely initialized. Some scribble strips will be blank and the text in the VFD screen is sometimes incomplete. Bank swapping can sometimes cause the displays to update properly. (It appears that MTP I units may not be able to handle the density of MIDI System Exclusive data sent out by Pro Tools.) For this reason, at this time we do not recommend use of MTP I units for Pro Tools/HUI inter-communication.
MIDITimePiece II (MTP II):
When power cycling HUI, the MTP II can get into a "locked up mode" (all output port lights lit), or in a mode where it's channelizing the HUI output data to all the ports. (This will not happen every time, but can occur). To avoid the problem, disconnect HUI's output before powering down, or, if the problem does occur, power cycle your MTP II, and it will return to normal operation.
With Other Controllers
The Peavey PC1600 can cause automation recording and playback to become inaccurate during rapid fader moves. This is a limitation of the PC1600. The Peavey controller samples its fader movement at a fairly low rate which can sometimes cause it to miss fader positions used for nulling.
Operational Information
General
When bouncing in sessions that include muted tracks, enabling "Mute Frees Voice" in some cases can improve bounce performance (the number of tracks that can be bounced successfully).
When a valid Pro Tools drive is full, it will no longer be visible as an option in the Disk Allocation dialog.
Automation cannot be written simultaneously to "ganged" or connected controls in a stereo Plug-In. In order obtain the same results, you can record the automation to one side, then copy and paste it to the other side.
Files must be on local drives for AudioSuite processing to occur.