Expanded Pro Tools|HD Accel Systems

 To handle larger and more complex sessions, expanded Pro Tools|HD® Accel systems offer professionals the most powerful solutions for music and post in the industry, allowing up to six Core/HD Accel cards to be employed in tandem. That means more tracks and more processing power to tackle even the largest studio sessions.

Most Digidesign-qualified Mac- and Windows-based host computers limit Pro Tools|HD systems to a three-card configuration (a Pro Tools|HD 3 Accel system), with the exception of the Windows-based HP xw8600 (see below), which supports up to a four-card configuration. But you can expand any Pro Tools|HD system beyond the three-card limit by simply adding HD Accel cards in one of two ways: use an expansion chassis or use a host computer that’s qualified to house an expanded system.

What You Need to Build an Expanded System

The following items make up an expanded Pro Tools|HD Accel system — you’ll need both items listed under “Pro Tools|HD System Components” in some capacity, and one of the items under “Expansion Hosts” to house your system’s Core/HD Accel cards.


Pro Tools|HD System Components

• Pro Tools|HD System — Pro Tools|HD systems* are available for both PCI- and PCIe-based host computers. If you’re building a brand new, expanded system, start with a Pro Tools|HD 3 Accel system, which provides three specialized DSP cards (one Core and two HD Accel) that combine with your computer’s processing resources to deliver awesome audio performance, large track counts, and impressive plug-in processing power. If you’re expanding an existing Pro Tools|HD system, you’ve already got this one covered (see “Expanding an Existing Pro Tools|HD System,” below, for additional information).

• HD Accel Card — Available in PCI and PCIe, HD Accel cards are designed to complement Pro Tools|HD Core systems. Each card features nine DSP chips, which provide support for an additional 32 channels of I/O and expanded processing capabilities. Combine as many cards as you like with your Pro Tools|HD system to expand its capabilities — up to the maximum limit of your expansion host.

Expansion Hosts

• Magma PE6R4 Expansion Chassis — This 4U, rackmountable expansion chassis connects to a host computer via a single PCIe card, and offers six PCI-X (PCI Extended) slots to house an expanded PCI-based Pro Tools|HD system with up to six Core/HD Accel cards. This option supports only PCI-based Pro Tools|HD systems, and requires a PCIe-based host computer.
• HP xw8600 Workstation — This Digidesign-qualified Windows-based computer enables you to expand a PCIe-based Pro Tools|HD system internally without an expansion chassis, accommodating up to a total of four Core/HD Accel cards. This option supports only PCIe-based Pro Tools|HD systems.

* All Pro Tools|HD systems require the presence of at least one Pro Tools|HD audio interface (sold separately).

Expanding an Existing Pro Tools|HD System

If you’re expanding an existing Pro Tools|HD system, all you need are additional HD Accel cards and an expansion host, as follows:

• If you currently own a PCI-based Pro Tools|HD system, you will need to upgrade to a PCIe-based computer (if you don’t have one already), then purchase the Magma PE6R4 expansion chassis and any number of additional HD Accel cards for a total of up to six Core/HD Accel cards in the entire system.
  
• If you currently own a PCIe-based Pro Tools|HD system, you can either choose to purchase the Windows-based HP xw8600 Workstation to accommodate up to a four-card expanded system, or crossgrade your PCIe-based Pro Tools|HD system to a PCI-based system, and then purchase the Magma PE6R4 expansion chassis and any number of additional HD Accel cards for a total of up to six Core/HD Accel cards in the entire system.