DigiDesign 96 I/O User manual

Digidesign
2001 Junipero Serra Boulevard
Daly City, CA 94014-3886 USA
tel: 650·731·6300
fax: 650·731·6399
Technical Support (USA)
650·731·6100
650·856·4275
Product Information (USA)
650·731·6102
800·333·2137
International Offices
Visit the Digidesign Web site
for contact information
Web Site
www.digidesign.com
96 I/O
Guide

Copyright
This guide is copyrighted ©2002 by Digidesign, a division of
Avid Technology, Inc. (hereafter “Digidesign”), with all rights
reserved. Under copyright laws, this manual may not be
duplicated in whole or in part without the written consent of
Digidesign.
DIGIDESIGN, AVID and PRO TOOLS are trademarks or
registered trademarks of Digidesign and/or Avid Technology,
Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective
owners.
All features and specifications subject to change without
notice.
PN 932709282-00 01/02
Communications & Safety Regulation Information
Compliance Statement
The model 96 I/O complies with the following standards
regulating interference and EMC:
• FCC Part 15 Class A
• EN55103 – 1, environment E4
• EN55103 – 2, environment E4
• AS/NZS 3548 Class A
Radio and Television Interference
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the
limits for a Class A digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the
FCC Rules.
Communications Statement
This equipment has been tested to comply with the limits for a
Class A digital device. Changes or modifications to this product
not authorized by Digidesign, Inc., could void the Certification
and negate your authority to operate the product. This product
was tested for CISPR compliance under conditions that
included the use of peripheral devices and shielded cables and
connectors between system components. Digidesign
recommends the use of shielded cables and connectors
between system components to reduce the possibility of
causing interference to radios, television sets, and other
electronic devices.
Safety Statement
This equipment has been tested to comply with USA and
Canadian safety certification in accordance with the
specifications of UL Standards; UL1419 and Canadian CSA
standard; CSA C22.2 No.1-M90. Digidesign Inc., has been
authorized to apply the appropriate UL & CUL mark on its
compliant equipment.
Important Safety Instructions
When using electric or electronic equipment, basic precautions
should always be followed, including the following:
• Read all instructions before using this equipment.
• To avoid the risk of shock, keep this equipment away from
rain water, and other moisture. Do not use this equipment
if it is wet.
• The equipment should only be connected to the correct
rating power supply as indicated on the product.
• Do not attempt to service the equipment. There are no
user-serviceable parts inside. Please refer all servicing to
authorized Digidesign personnel.
• Any attempt to service the equipment will expose you to a
risk of electric shock, and will void the manufacturer’s
warranty.
• The product should be connected only to the correct power
supply as indicated on the product.
Warning!
• HD audio interfaces need room at their sides to maintain
proper air flow and cooling.
• Do not install these units into a rack or other enclosure that
doesn't leave room on either side for the unit fans.
• Do not block the sides of the units (where fans are), or
disconnect the fan.
• If the units are racked up in a case, remove all lids, doors,
or covers before operating the units.
• Failure to do so can result in the units overheating very
quickly, which can permanently damage them.

Contents iii
contents
Chapter 1. Introduction to the 96 I/O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
What’s Included . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
System Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
About This Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Chapter 2. 96 I/O Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
96 I/O Front Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
96 I/O Back Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
DigiLink Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Chapter 3. Installation Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Checking Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Powering Up Your System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Example Studio Setup with a Mixing Console . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Example Studio Setup without a Mixing Console . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Making Signal Connections to the 96 I/O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Hardware Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Multiple Outputs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Setting Operating Levels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Synchronization Mode and Clock Source . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Appendix A. Card Removal and Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Removing an I/O Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Hardware Setup Changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Replacing an I/O Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

96 I/O Guide iv

Chapter 1: Introduction to the 96 I/O 1
chapter 1
Introduction to the 96 I/O
The Digidesign 96 I/O is a 16-channel digital au-
dio interface, featuring 24-bit analog-to-digital
(A/D) and digital-to-analog (D/A) converters.
The 96 I/O supports sampling rates of up to
96 kHz for superior dynamic range and low
noise floor.
96 I/O Features
• 16 discrete channels of input and output,
with 4-segment LED Meters on each channel.
Input and Output channels can include:
• Eight channels of 24-bit D/A and A/D con-
verters for superior analog input and out-
put at sampling rates of 44.1 kHz, 48 kHz,
88.2 kHz, and 96 kHz.
• S/PDIF, AES/EBU, and Optical (ADAT) digi-
tal inputs and outputs.
• Word Clock input and output for synchroniz-
ing 96 I/O with external Word Clock or 256x
(Slave Clock) devices.
• Simultaneous use of up to six 96 I/O units is
supported, for a maximum of 96 channels of
I/O at 48 kHz.
• Legacy port for Digidesign MIX-series Audio
Interfaces.
• Interface with digital mixing consoles and
other peripherals equipped with ADAT Light-
pipe connections (using the ADAT Optical
standard at up to 24-bit resolution).
What’s Included
• 96 I/O with power cable
• This guide
• DigiLink cable (1.5ft. [0.46m])
• BNC cable (1.5ft. [0.46m])
System Requirements
The Digidesign 96 I/O requires:
• A Pro Tools HD system on a qualified Macin-
tosh OS or Windows CPU.
• Pro Tools software, version 5.3 or higher.
• A monitoring system (mixer, amplifier, speak-
ers, or headphones).
About This Guide
This guide provides a basic overview of the
96 I/O’s features and functionality.
Complete instructions for connecting and con-
figuring your Pro Tools|HD System are located
in the
Getting Started with HD Guide .
For additional information about using Pro
Tools software to route your interface inputs
and outputs to Pro Tools inputs and outputs, re-
fer to the
Pro Tools Reference Guide .

96 I/O Guide 2
Conventions Used in This Guide
Digidesign guides use the following conven-
tions to indicate menu choices and key com-
mands:
The following symbols are used to highlight im-
portant information:
Convention Action
File > Save Session Choose Save Session
from the File menu
Control+N Hold down the Control
key and press the
N
key
Option-click Hold down the Option key
and click the mouse but-
ton
User Tips are helpful hints for getting the
most from your system.
Important Notices include information that
could affect your session data or the perfor-
mance of your system.
Cross References point to related sections in
this and other Digidesign Guides.

Chapter 2: 96 I/O Overview 3
chapter 2
96 I/O Overview
96 I/O Front Panel
The 96 I/O has the following front panel
features:
Power Switch and LED Ring
This button turns the 96 I/O on and off.
The LED ring around the power button will light
green to indicate that the unit has powered up
successfully and is connected to an active HD
system. If the LED ring is orange, the unit has
power, but the computer it is connected to is
shut down.
Sample Rate
These LEDs display the current sample rate of
the 96 I/O internal crystal oscillator, which can
be 44.1 kHz, 48 kHz, 88.2 kHz, and 96 kHz. The
sample rate can be set when you create a new
session, or in the Hardware Setup or Playback
Engine dialogs if no session is open.
Loop Master LED
The LOOP MASTER LED indicates which HD au-
dio interface is the master Pro Tools peripheral.
Loop Master defaults to the first HD I/O con-
nected to the HD Core card. Loop Master will al-
ways be lit with a single interface, regardless of
the synchronization mode.
96 I/O Front Panel

96 I/O Guide 4
Sync Mode LEDs
The SYNC MODE LEDs indicate different clock
source modes. Synchronization mode LEDs re-
flect the Clock Source choice in Pro Tools.
Only one HD I/O can be Loop Master at a time.
When you change the clock source to an exter-
nal clock on a particular HD I/O, that HD I/O
will automatically become the Loop Master and
all other HD I/Os in the chain will be switched
to Loop Slave mode. The Loop Master LED will
be continuously lit on the current Loop Master
peripheral only, and unlit on all other peripher-
als.
For more information, see “Synchronization
Mode and Clock Source” on page 19.
Meters
These four-segment LEDs indicate signal level
for each of 16 channels. Two additional LEDs,
located to the left of the meters, indicate
whether the 96 I/O is displaying input or output
levels; the meters indicate output levels by de-
fault, and can be switched from within the
Hardware Setup dialog in Pro Tools.
These meters are calibrated at –42 dB, –18 dB, –6
dB, and 0 dB, respectively. Note that 0 dB is not
to be confused with clipping; please use the on-
screen meters in Pro Tools to determine whether
a signal is clipping. See the
Getting Started with
HD Guide
.

Chapter 2: 96 I/O Overview 5
96 I/O Back Panel
The 96 I/O has the following back panel con-
nectors:
Analog Audio Inputs
These are balanced, 1/4-inch TRS jacks for ana-
log audio input connections. The eight analog
inputs feature 24-bit A/D converters.
The TRS inputs are wired as follows:
■ Tip = positive
■ Ring = negative
■ Sleeve = ground
These connectors also support unbalanced con-
nections.
Input operating levels are switchable between
+4 dBu and –10 dBV operation. Unbalanced
connections are supported with the use of stan-
dard 1/4-inch mono phone plugs.
Analog Audio Outputs
These are balanced/unbalanced, 1/4-inch TRS
jacks for analog audio output connections. The
96 I/O analog outputs feature 24-bit D/A con-
verters.
All eight output channels are continuously ac-
tive. Output operating levels are switchable be-
tween +4 dBu and –10 dBV operation from
within the Hardware Setup window in
Pro Tools. Unbalanced connections are sup-
ported with the use of standard 1/4-inch mono
phone plugs.
AES/EBU Digital In and Out
These are balanced, three-conductor XLR con-
nectors that accept and output a stereo, 24-bit
AES/EBU digital data stream. These two ports
support up to 96 kHz sample rates.
S/PDIF Digital In and Out
These are unbalanced, two-conductor RCA jacks
that accept and output a stereo S/PDIF digital
data stream. S/PDIF supports up to 24-bit audio,
at sample rates up to 96 kHz. To avoid RF inter-
ference during S/PDIF transfers, use 75-ohm co-
axial cable.
96 I/O Rear Panel

96 I/O Guide 6
Loop Sync In and Out
Loop Sync is a dedicated clock loop for synchro-
nizing multiple HD-series interfaces together.
Loop Sync uses a word clock signal based on
sampling rates of either 44.1 kHz or 48 kHz. As
sample rates increase in the system, Loop Sync
continues to operate at a base rate of 44.1 kHz or
48 kHz, depending upon the higher rate.
The Loop Sync In and Out ports are standard
BNC connectors that output a 1x Loop Sync
clock signal. Loop Sync should only be used to
chain multiple HD-series peripherals together.
Optical (ADAT) In and Out
These are Optical ports which accept up to eight
channels of Optical (ADAT) input and output,
or two channels (stereo) optical S/PDIF input
and output. Optical (ADAT) mode supports
sample rates up to 48 kHz. In TOS-Link mode,
supports two-channel Optical input and output
at sample rates up to 96 kHz.
About Lightpipe-Compatible Devices
Lightpipe is an industry standard, eight-channel
optical digital audio connection created by Ale-
sis. Lightpipe is found on many devices, includ-
ing Optical (ADAT) decks, modular digital
multitracks (MDMs), sound cards, A/D or D/A
converters, and digital consoles.
EXT. CLOCK In and Out
The External Clock I/O ports are standard BNC
connectors that receive and output a word clock
signal. These ports can be used to synchronize
the 96 I/O to any device that requires (or pro-
vides) word clock.
The External Clock In port is configured by your
choice for Clock Source in the Hardware Setup
dialog. The External Clock Out is configured us-
ing the External Clock Out selector in the Hard-
ware Setup dialog.
AC Power
This connector accepts a standard AC power ca-
ble. The 96 I/O is auto power-selecting (100V to
240V) and will automatically work with a stan-
dard modular cable to connect to AC power re-
ceptacles in any country.
Primary DigiLink
The Primary port is where the DigiLink cable
connects from your HD Core or Process card to
the 96 I/O. The Primary DigiLink port sends and
receives all 32 I/O channels to and from the HD
Core or Process card. As the 96 I/O is a 16-chan-
nel only device, channels 17–32 are passed
through to the Expansion port or the Legacy
port.
Expansion DigiLink
The Expansion port is where the DigiLink cable
connects an additional HD I/O to your base, or
primary, HD I/O. This port passes channels
17–32 to the secondary, or expansion, I/O.
Because crucial timing data is passed
through the Loop Sync and Word Clock ports,
you should use high-quality, 75-ohm RG-59
cables for making connections.

Chapter 2: 96 I/O Overview 7
Legacy Port
This port is used to connect MIX-series Digide-
sign audio interfaces to 96 I/O. You can connect
two eight-channel interfaces (such as the 888|24
or 882|20) or a single sixteen-channel interface
(1622 I/O, 24-bit ADAT Bridge I/O, or the origi-
nal ADAT Bridge I/O) for expanded input and
output options, using their original cables.
When the Legacy port has been activated from
within Pro Tools, your MIX-series I/O will ap-
pear as channels 17–32 in the Pro Tools mixer.
To connect HD or legacy audio interfaces, refer
to the
Getting Started with HD Guide .
Legacy and Expansion Peripheral Port
Limitations
Because both the Legacy port and the Expansion
port use channels 17–32, you can only use one
at a time.
To select the Legacy or Expansion ports, refer to
the
Pro Tools Reference Guide .
The Legacy port is not available in any session in
which the sample rate is set for higher than
48 kHz.
Accessory Port
This port is not supported at this time.
DigiLink Connections
DigiLink cables make the vital connection be-
tween your HD Core or HD Process card and
your HD I/Os. DigiLink cables are also used to
interconnect multiple HD I/Os together to ex-
pand total system I/O.
DigiLink Length Specifications
There are five different lengths of DigiLink ca-
bles:
• The 18
” (0.46m) cable is included with each
HD I/O, designed for daisy-chaining multiple
HD audio interfaces.
• The 12
’ (3.6m) cable included with each HD
Core, designed for connecting the Core card
to an HD I/O.
•25
’ (7.62m) cable is the same length as Pro-
Control and Control|24 breakout cables.
•50
’ (15.25m) cable (sold separately).
• 100
’ (30.5m) maximum cable length (sold
separately).

96 I/O Guide 8

Chapter 3: Installation Overview 9
chapter 3
Installation Overview
Complete instructions for connecting and con-
figuring your Pro Tools|HD System are located
in the
Getting Started with HD Guide . If you are
connecting the 96 I/O to a new Pro Tools|HD
System, please refer to that guide now.
If you are adding the 96 I/O to an existing
Pro Tools|HD system, you can probably use just
the instructions here in this chapter of your
96 I/O Guide . Additional information can always
be found in the
Getting Started with HD Guide ,
and the
Expanded Systems Guide .
Connecting the 96 I/O
to an Existing HD System
If you are adding this interface to an existing Pro
Tools|HD system, please follow these guidelines:
DigiLink Cable Connections
The DigiLink cable provided with the 96 I/O is
18
’ long.
Each HD Core system includes a 12
’ DigiLink ca-
ble. Digidesign assumes most often I/Os will be
rack mounted together. For this reason each HD
I/O includes an 18
’ DigiLink cable for linking
additional I/O units.
If you need a 12
' or longer DigiLink cable to con-
nect to the HD Process card, you must purchase
DigiLink cables separately.
Guidelines for DigiLink Connections
For additional details on the ordering of audio
interfaces in an expanded system, see the
Expanded Systems Guide .
To connect the 96 I/O to an existing HD System:
■ If the existing system contains a single
HD I/O, you can connect your 96 I/O directly to
the first HD Process card or through the Expan-
sion port of your existing HD I/O. Connect the
DigiLink cable from the Primary port of the new
96 I/O to either the Expansion port on the exist-
ing HD I/O or the DigiLink port on the HD Pro-
cess card.
Loop Sync Connections with BNC Cable
To connect Loop Sync between two interfaces:
■ Connect the BNC cable from the Loop Sync
Out of the original HD I/O to the Loop Sync in
of the new 96 I/O. Connect the Loop Sync Out
from the new 96 I/O to the Loop Sync In of the
original HD I/O.
Turn off your computer, hardware interfaces,
monitoring system, hard drives, and periph-
erals. Making connections while power is on
can damage your system.

96 I/O Guide 10
To connect the 96 I/O into a Loop Sync chain:
■ Connect the new 96 I/O Loop Sync In and
Out ports to properly place the new interface in
the Loop Sync chain. See the
Getting Started with
HD
Guide for more information.
Checking Installation
This section explains how to quickly check that
your installation was successful.
To check installation using DigiTest:
1 Start up your computer (see “Powering Up
Your System” on page 10).
2 Launch DigiTest.
3 Ensure that any and all HD cards and HD I/Os
are identified properly. If not, see the
Getting
Started with HD Guide
.
4 When finished, quit DigiTest and restart.
To check or reconfigure I/O:
1 Launch Pro Tools and choose Setup > Hard-
ware Setup.
2 Use the Identify button to verify that your
newly-added 96 I/O has been properly identi-
fied. Select each HD I/O in the Peripherals list,
and click on the Identify radio box in the lower
left corner of the Hardware Setup dialog to illu-
minate all of the LEDs on the front panel. This
will clearly demonstrate which HD I/O you
have selected in the Peripherals list.
3 If you encounter any difficulties, delete the
DigiSetup file (located in the System Folder/Pref-
erences), power down the computer completely,
and turn off all interfaces. Then turn the power
back on all interfaces and boot the computer.
See “Powering Up Your System” on page 10 for
more information.
Powering Up Your System
In order for Pro Tools to communicate properly
with audio interfaces and other peripherals, it is
important that you start up and shut down your
system in the following order:
Power up your system in this order:
1 Turn on your Pro Tools hard drives.
2 Turn on synchronization or other MIDI pe-
ripherals or interfaces.
3 Turn on your 96 I/O and any other Pro Tools
audio interfaces. On power up, the status LEDs
will flash. Wait at least fifteen seconds for the
96 I/O to initialize, and the status LEDs to stop
blinking and stay lit on any and all audio inter-
faces. If properly connected, the ring around the
power switch will be orange while the computer
is powered down.
4 Turn on your computer. When the computer
boots, all power LED rings on HD I/O should
switch to green. This signifies that the HD I/Os
are properly connected to HD cards or other HD
I/Os in your system.
MIX-series audio interfaces will not be available
until they have been made active in the Hard-
ware Setup dialog. See the
Getting Started with
HD
Guide for info.
Power down your system in this order:
1 Quit Pro Tools.
2 Shut down the computer.
3 Power off your audio interfaces.
4 Turn off any synchronization, MIDI, or other
peripherals or interfaces.
5 Turn off your drives.

Chapter 3: Installation Overview 11
Example Studio Setup with a Mixing Console
Example Studio Setup with a Mixing Console
Power Amp
and Speakers
Digital Inputs/Outputs
To DAT Recorder
DAT Recorder
ADAT
optical in/out
to ADAT
Instruments
Connected to Console
Analog
Audio
Outputs
Effects Devices
Digital Effects Device
(set to external sync)
Tape Returns
or Inputs
Analog
Audio
Inputs
Channel
Outputs

96 I/O Guide 12
Example Studio Setup without a Mixing Console
Example Studio Setup without a Mixing Console
Power Amp
and Speakers
Digital Inputs/Outputs
To DAT Recorder
DAT Recorder
ADAT
Optical in/out
to ADAT
Analog
Audio
Outputs
Analog
Audio
ins/outs
Other Effects Devices
Digital Effects Device
(set to external sync)
Mic, Preamp,
Direct Box, Synth, etc.
Analog
Audio
Inputs

Chapter 3: Installation Overview 13
Making Signal Connections to
the 96 I/O
Depending on how you plan to use the 96 I/O,
the way you connect it to your studio will vary.
Setting Up Your Studio
The previous diagrams provide general sugges-
tions for connecting studio gear to your system.
The first illustrates a studio setup with the
96 I/O connected to a mixing console, with ef-
fects and other gear routed into the console as
well.
The second diagram shows a setup without a
mixer, where effects and monitoring gear are
connected directly to the 96 I/O.
Hardware Setup
The Hardware Setup dialog shows you a list of
all audio interfaces in the system as well as I/O
routing and clock selections for your HD I/Os.
The Hardware Setup also allows you to set spe-
cial options unique to the 96 I/O.
Hardware Setup automatically configures itself
to default settings for each HD-series card and
peripheral it detects. The Hardware Setup dialog
also lets you change default settings, and config-
ure expansion audio interfaces (including Leg-
acy peripherals).

96 I/O Guide 14
Configuring Hardware Setup
(Audio Interfaces)
The Main tab of the Hardware Setup dialog is
where you define what physical ports are routed
to Pro Tools input and output channels. Think
of this window as a patchbay that allows you to
route any of the physical inputs or outputs to
Pro Tools mixer inputs and outputs.
The Main tab also provides controls for session
Sample Rate, synchronization settings, and to
define whether Expansion port or Legacy port
peripherals are active. Sample Rate can only be
changed when there is no session open.
Additional tabs are available to configure other
parameters on each audio interface (such as set-
ting operating levels).
You must select an HD I/O from the Peripherals
column in order to change settings on a specific
interface in expanded I/O system.
Hardware Setup dialog with Main tab selected

Chapter 3: Installation Overview 15
To configure audio interfaces:
1 In Pro Tools, choose Setups > Hardware.
2 From the Peripherals list, select your 96 I/O or
any audio interface you would like to adjust. If
you only have a single 96 I/O in your system, it
will already be selected by default.
3 Make sure Main tab is chosen.
4 From the Digital Format radio buttons, select
the desired format for the digital I/O of your
choice. Choices include: AES/EBU, S/PDIF, and
Optical (S/PDIF). Selecting Optical (S/PDIF) re-
sets the physical Optical I/O port to two chan-
nels of S/PDIF I/O. When Optical (S/PDIF) is not
selected, this port defaults to eight channels of
Optical (ADAT) I/O.
5 From the Clock Source pop-up menu, select
the appropriate clock source for the system. In
most non-synchronized cases, you will use In-
ternal. See “Synchronization Mode and Clock
Source” on page 19 for more information about
non-internal clock settings.
6 From the Ext. Clock Output, select the appro-
priate clock source to feed to devices attached to
your I/O. Slave Clock is automatically selected
when a Legacy peripheral has been declared. See
“Clock Source and Loop Master” on page 19.
7 For S/PDIF compatibility with Tascam DA30
DAT recorders, click on the Tascam button, un-
der S/PDIF Format.
8 From the Input and Output channel pop-up
menus, select the physical ports (such as Analog
1–2, Optical 5–6, and so on), that will be routed
to the Pro Tools input and output channels (Ch
1–2, 3–4, and so on). You can select default set-
tings at any time by pressing the Default button
on the bottom edge of the Hardware Setup dia-
log.
Certain functions and paths will be greyed-out
as a result of other selections. For example, Op-
tical channels 1–8 will become unavailable
when a sampling rate greater than 48 kHz is se-
lected.
Analog Input Settings
9 Click on the Analog In tab to select the Refer-
ence Input Level (+4 dBu or –10 dBV) on each
channel. See “Setting Operating Levels” on
page 18
Analog Output Settings
10 Click on the Analog Out tab to select the Ref-
erence Level Output (+4 dBu or –10 dBV) on
each channel. See “Setting Operating Levels” on
page 18
When the Hardware Setup dialog is open,
the Left and Right arrows scroll through the
tabs; the Up and Down arrows scroll
through the Peripherals list.
Hardware Setup dialog with Analog In tab selected

96 I/O Guide16
To configure additional interfaces:
1 Repeat the above steps for additional HD-se-
ries I/O in the Peripherals list. To configure the
Main tab of a secondary HD peripheral attached
to a primary HD I/O, you must first choose the
I/O in the Peripherals list.
2 From the Peripherals list, choose the 96 I/O
(which must be your primary I/O). Once a pe-
ripheral is selected, the Main page displays op-
tions and controls for that peripheral. The HD
card and/or the expansion interface connected
to the this primary I/O will appear below it in
the Peripherals list.
3 In the Main page, enable Expansion I/O.
4 From the Peripherals list, select your second-
ary I/O (in this case, the 96 I/O). The HD card
and/or the expansion interface connected to the
this secondary I/O will appear below it in the Pe-
ripherals list.
5 Configure the Main page and other set-
tings/options for the secondary peripheral.
Legacy I/O Setup
Repeat the above steps for any Legacy I/Os (such
as 888|24 I/O) connected to the first I/O, then
second, and so on. Before you can configure a
Legacy I/O, however, it must first be connected
and initialized in Hardware Setup.
To connect and initialize Legacy I/Os:
1 Make sure the entire HD system is powered
down before connecting your Legacy I/O.
2 Connect the slave clock cable that came with
your MIX-series peripheral to the Ext. Clock
Output of the HD I/O and the Slave Clock In
port on the back of your MIX-series peripheral.
3 Connect your Legacy I/O with its MIX-series
cable to the Legacy port on the HD peripheral.
4 Power up your system and launch Pro Tools.
5 Before you turn on and configure your Legacy
I/O, turn down the volume on your monitoring
system. Very loud digital noise may be emitted
before the Legacy I/O is initialized.
6 Turn on your Legacy I/O.
7 Wait for the Legacy I/O to initialize. While the
Legacy I/O is initializing, some of its LEDs will
flash.
To configure Legacy I/Os:
1 Power up the rest of your gear (see “Powering
Up Your System” on page 10) and launch Pro-
Tools.
2 Choose Setup > Hardware Setup.
3 From the Peripherals list, select the primary
I/O.
4 From the Main tab, select the Legacy I/O but-
ton in the Port Settings.
5 In the Peripherals list, select the first line, la-
beled “> <No Interface>,” directly below your
I/O in the Peripherals list. A pop-up menu will
appear with a list of interfaces to choose from.
6 From the Interface pop-up menu, select your
Legacy I/O.
7 After the Hardware Setup dialog updates,
choose your I/O in the Peripherals list.
Hardware Setup dialog with Analog Out tab selected