User guide

What is the maximum number of Digidesign cards that I can use? Can I install as many cards as I can fit into an
expansion chassis?
[4275]
What are PCI Slots?
When you buy a computer, it comes from the manufacturer with the capacity to perform certain tasks out of the
box (i.e, word-processing, playing games, etc.). However, certain specialized functions, such as professional quality
audio and video manipulation, usually require that you add both software and hardware to the computer.
Hardware is usually "added" to the computer by means of expansion slots, which are connectors mounted on the
motherboard that allow for the installation of cards that the computer can use for the specialized functions. The
standard expansion slot format used in computers today is called PCI (which stands for Peripheral Computer
Interface); Thus, a PCI slot is simply a computer expansion slot that complies to the PCI standard.
Expansion Chassis Index | All FAQ Index
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How many PCI slots do I need for a Digidesign Pro Tools system?
That depends on the system you are putting together, but generally speaking you will need at least two available
PCI slots for a basic system (Either a Digi 001, and Audiomedia III, or Mix Core, plus an approved SCSI card).
However, you can put together a Pro Tools TDM system using up to 10 cards.
To find out exactly how many cards your particular setup will use, contact your authorized Digidesign dealer, or a
Digidesign product specialist at 1(800)333-2137 or via email: [e-mail]
Expansion Chassis Index | All FAQ Index
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What is an expansion chassis? Do I need one?
Computers have a limited number of PCI slots; usually three or six. An expansion chassis is an external box that
has a number of additional PCI slots (up to thirteen). When the expansion chassis is properly connected to the
computer, the PCI slots of the chassis become an "expansion" of the computer, thereby allowing you to use more
PCI cards than was originally possible.
If the total number of PCI cards you need to install on your computer is greater than the number of available PCI
slots on the computer, then you need an expansion chassis.
Expansion Chassis Index | All FAQ Index
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What components make up an expansion chassis?
Expansion chassis usually have four components:
(1) Host card: PCI card that installs into the computer.
(2) Cable: cable which connects the host card to the expansion chassis.
(3) Backplane Controller card: the card that gets installed in the expansion chassis itself.
Note that the name "backplane" is not used by every expansion chassis manufacturer to refer to this card.
Sometimes "backplane" denotes the motherboard in the expansion chassis.
(4) Chassis: the actual metal box that houses the circuit board and the PCI slots.
It is also important to note that some expansion chassis exist that do not have a separate card inside to connect to
the expansion chassis cable. In these cases, the circuit board in the chassis has a connector built onto it for the
cable, and the expansion chassis therefore only has three components (host card, cable and chassis).
Expansion Chassis Index | All FAQ Index
[4279]
Are all Digidesign cards able to be installed in an expansion chassis?