Specifications

Pro Tools Reference Guide446
Using Hardware Inserts
You can connect external devices, such as reverb
or effects processors, to your Pro Tools system
and use them as inserts, or in a send-and-return
arrangement.
Pro Tools inserts utilize corresponding hardware
input and output channels to send and return
the audio. Inserts can be defined, and their
channels mapped to audio interface channels,
in the I/O Setup dialog.
If you plan to use a device as an insert, be sure to
connect the device to matching inputs and out-
puts on your system. For example, to use out-
puts 7–8, the insert has to use inputs 7–8. Rout-
ing the physical inputs and outputs of the
interface to Pro Tools inputs and outputs can be
done in the Hardware Setup dialog (or I/O Setup
dialog). For more information, see “Configuring
Pro Tools System Settings (in the Playback Sys-
tem Engine)” on page 37, or “Routing Hardware
I/O to Pro Tools I/O” on page 71.
To define a hardware insert:
1 Choose Setups > I/O Setup, then click the In-
serts tab.
2 Select an insert path, or click New Path to cre-
ate a new Insert path.
3 Double-click the Path Name to enter a custom
path name for the insert.
4 Make sure the insert path is set to the correct
format (mono, stereo, or other).
5 Map inserts in the Channel Grid as needed.
Insert and Output paths have special rules re-
garding channel mapping (see “Overlapping
Channels and Valid Paths” on page 77).
Assigning Hardware Inserts
To assign a hardware insert to a track:
■ Select an insert from the track Insert Selector.
Bypassing Hardware Inserts
Hardware inserts do not provide a bypass con-
trol. To monitor playback without a hardware
insert, either set it to Inactive, remove it by reas-
signing it to No Insert, or use a bypass switch on
the hardware device itself.
See “Making Inserts Inactive” on page 436 for
more information.
Selecting a hardware I/O insert