• A Macintosh equipped with a standard NuBus or LCIII PDS interface (i.e. Any Macintosh II, Quadra 605, 650, 700, 800, and 950, Performa series with NuBus, Centris 650, LC, LCII, LCIII, Color Classic) with at least 4 megabytes of RAM.
• System 7.01 or higher with QuickTime 1.6, Sound CDEV (Control Panel) 8.0.1, and Sound Manager 3.0. If System 7.0.1 is used, System 7 Tune-Up 1.1.1 is required (available from Apple). System 7.1 does not require Tune-Up.
• Any Digidesign audio card with DigiSystem INIT 2.4 or higher.
NOTE:
The DigiSystem INIT 2.5 and Digidesign Sound Drivers 1.1 should be included in the Self-Extracting Archive that made this Read Me document. You will still need Apple Software: QuickTime 1.6, Sound Manager 3.0, and Sound CDEV 8.0.1.
To check what version of software you have, from the Finder, highlight the file by clicking on it once. Select "Get Info" from the file menu.
INTRODUCTION:
Most Macintosh applications that make any sound do so by using Apple’s Sound Manager. By making the latest version of the Sound Manager, version 3.0, Apple allowed third-party companies, like Digidesign, to build expansion cards for sound input and output, rather than having sound go in and out the internal mic or Mac speaker. Digidesign hasn’t built expansion cards specifically for Sound Manager 3.0. Rather, we have built software drivers to work as the glue between the Sound Manager and our existing high-end audio cards.
Version 3.0 of the Sound Manager also has the capability to handle 16-bit, 44.1 kHz, stereo audio. This means you can record and playback CD-quality sound into any application that supports 16-bit audio, including most multimedia applications and games.
HOW TO SETUP:
- Place the files "Digidesign Sound Drivers" version 1.1, and "DigiSystem INIT" version
2.5 into your Extensions folder in your System folder.
- Make sure Apple's "QuickTime" version 1.6.x, and Sound Manager 3.x are in your
Extensions folder. If not, place them there. If you don't have the files, check most
on-line services or with your Apple dealer.
- Make sure Apple's "Sound" Control Panel version 8.x is in your Control Panels folder.
If not, place it there. If you don't have the file, check most on-line services or with
your Apple dealer.
- Restart your Macintosh to enable your new system software.
HOW TO USE:
- Open your Control Panels folder in your System Folder.
- Launch the Sound Control Panel.
- Select the "Alert Sounds" pop-up menu and select "Sound In" popup menu item.
- Select the "Digidesign" sound input device.
- Click "Options" to select and setup the hardware.
After selecting "Options...." you should get the following dialog:
If you have multiple Digidesign audio cards, you can select which one you want for input from the "Slot:" pull-down menu. In general you'll want to record and playback at full volume (Level 7) and monitor the output and input levels on your external gear. This is the best practice for optimum headroom in your recordings.
Recalibrate resets the audio card, taking care of any DC offset that might result in altered sample values in recording. The audio cards are calibrated on startup and, in general, you shouldn't have to worry about using this function.
The toggle menu items "Good", "Better", and "Best" change the input format. These may be changed if you select other radio buttons to define a sound format. For example, "Good" could be defined as 8-bit, 44.1 kHz, Mono. For adding sounds from the Sound Control Panel and in some other applications, the format of the sound determines the allowed length of the recording. For example, setting the input to record at 16-bit, 44.1 kHz, Stereo, will allow you to only record one second's worth of sound, no matter how much disk space you have available.
In the above example, Audiomedia LC is the card installed in the system. Note: if the dialog indicates your card is a "Pro Tools SA" card, it refers to a Sound Tools Sound Accelerator. If it says "Pro Tools SA2", it refers to Sound Tools II Sound Accelerator II. If it says "Pro Tools SA4" it refers to Pro Tools audio cards.
- Click "OK" when you're done.
TO RECORD FROM THE SOUND CONTROL PANEL:
- Select "Alert Sounds" from the pull-down menu.
- Select "Add...". The following dialog appears:
- Assuming you have an input line connected to your Digidesign audio card, you should
receive signal. Test the volume by looking at your speaker icon. You should have
"waves" coming out of the speaker. If you get waves and a line that goes straight up
and down (like what's shown in the window above), you're clipping and you should
turn down the input level either from your source or from the Input Options dialog
window.
- Record and save the desired sound.
- To hear it back, select it from the list of System Sounds.
TO SEND SOUND OUT THE DIGIDESIGN AUDIO CARD:
- Select the "Sound Out" popup menu item.
- Select the "Digidesign" sound output device.
- Assuming you have an output line going from your Digidesign audio card to a receiving
unit, you should be able to hear your results. Select "Sound Out" and go back to your
Alert Sounds. Select individual sounds to hear them played through your Digidesign
audio card.
****************** BE SURE AND READ THIS PART!!! **********************
Applications send sound to the Sound Manager for processing. This is system software so the CPU does much of the sound processing. THE SPEED OF YOUR COMPUTER AND THE FORMAT OF YOUR SOUND OUTPUT MAY EFFECT YOUR OUTPUT RESULTS!!! The solution if you have a degradation in performance: Have a fast CPU and CONFIGURE THE SETTINGS TO THE SAME FORMAT AS THE SOUND THAT'S PLAYING OUT! For example, if you are playing a 8-bit, 22 kHz, Mono file, don't set the output to play a 16-bit, 44.1 kHz stereo sound. What may happen is that the Sound Manager cannot process the sound fast enough so sample values drop to zero until it can process more samples. The audible result is like a "fuzz" distortion. Also, to help pamper the Sound Manager so it doesn't have to work too hard, don't send it multiple sounds at the same time -- especially if the sounds are of different formats. Finally, all sounds sent through the Sound Manager to a Digidesign card are sent out at 44.1 kHz, regardless of the original sampled format. It takes more CPU processing to convert a 22 kHz file to 44.1 kHz for playback, so it is a good habit to make all sounds you're playing back through the Digidesign card into 44.1 kHz files.
Some applications that use the Sound Manager may allow recording and playback at the same time. Both input and output cannot occur at the same time through the same audio card using the Digidesign Sound Drivers. If you attempt such a function, a system error will occur, which should allow you to safely exit the function.
Here are some notes on using the Sound Drivers with popular multimedia applications:
**Adobe Premiere 3.0:
1. Any version less than 3.0 will work incorrectly with the Sound Manager and thus
Digidesign Sound Drivers.
2. Premiere has many hidden preferences. Be sure to set ALL of them to the same
specs as your Sound Control Panel. It’s very easy, for example, to have Preview
files set for 8-bit, 22 kHz, mono while the Control Panel is configured for 16-bit,
44 kHz, Stereo.
3. Sounds from the “Clip” window are often distorted. The files shouldn’t be damaged,
however, and performing a “Print to Video” command or opening up QuickTime
movies in other applications should give you the result you expect.
4. Capturing and playback is best if using a RAM Disk. Using two, fast hard drives, one
for video, one for audio, will also give better results than one hard disk.
**Avid VideoShop 2.0:
1. Any version less than 2.0 will work incorrectly with the Sound Manager and thus
Digidesign Sound Drivers.
2. The function “Overdub Audio...” allows input and output to occur at the same time.
If input and output are set to the same audio card, an error will occur. For single
audio-card systems, set the output to the Mac speaker and the input for the
Digidesign audio card when performing overdubs. For multiple audio cards, select
one for input and one for output.
3. Capturing and playback is best if using a RAM Disk. Using two, fast hard drives, one
for video, one for audio, will also give better results than one hard disk.
**Action! 1.0
This program takes a lot of processing power on it’s own so it’s much more susceptible to the pitfalls of working with 16-bit stereo files. It is compatible, however.
**SoundEdit Pro:
Version 1.0x is incompatible with Sound I/O. Macromedia is working to make it compatible. Call Macromedia to find out when a newer version will be available.
**MacroMedia Director 3.1.3:
1. Any version LESS than 3.1.3 will work INCORRECTLY with the Sound Manager and
thus Digidesign Sound Drivers.
2. MacroMedia Accelerator movies work.
3. The Sound Utility that comes with Director 3.1.3 only works on MacroMedia
