Pro Tools doesn't see HDX hardware in new PC build
 

Hi friends,

This will be a rather long post but I want to make sure I include all the details. I freelance at a local professional studio that has been running ProTools since the 1990s. His current rig up until last week was a Westmere Mac Pro running ProTools 12.5 with an HDX Core Card and several HD I/O units. Unfortunately that computer died last week in a blaze of glory. He's trying to get up and running and was in the process of moving to PC anyway.

In fact, late last year I helped him build a powerhouse of a PC centered around an ASUS X299 Sage motherboard, i9 CPU, 128GB of RAM, an RTX2080 Titan, and all M.2 drives. He also uses it for studio design work / CAD via VectorWorks. The computer has been performing flawlessly as a CAD machine, rendering his projects at blistering speeds.

So we installed the core card in the PC, installed ProTools 12.5, ran DigiTest, everything passed. But when we load ProTools, it doesn't give the option of using the HDX. It's not like it's in the Playback Engine drop down or greyed out. It's not there at all, as if it isn't installed in the computer. It only offers the use of the onboard sound.

The HD driver is installed. We can see the AVID HDX in the Device Manager under Sound, Game, and Video controllers. No exclamation mark or other warning that it's not working. Again, DigiTest finds it, and it passes all tests with flying colors. But ProTools doesn't see it it at all.

Thinking that maybe 12.5 just isn't compatible with the latest version of ProTools, we bought 2020.3 and installed that. After loading ProTools 2020.3, it updated the firmware on the core card, a good sign. But again it is unavailable in the Playback Engine drop-down. It isn't greyed out or anything; it simply isn't there.

Now, I'm thinking maybe this is related to the Digilink I/O license stuff, which he doesn't have. But that should not affect 12.5, right? That was only instituted in 12.6 and later.

But is that how the Digilink I/O license works? It seems like it would warn you that you don't have a license, rather than just nothing appearing at all. And why would it affect 12.5?

We worked on it for over eight hours yesterday, searching forums, trying numerous things (including turning off driver signing requirements in the BIOS) and nothing worked. We're at a loss.

Thoughts?

Re: ProTools doesn't see HDX hardware in new PC build
 

Greetings,

Dumb question. Are you performing all of your tests with the HD IO's attached and powered on to the HDX card? Correct that prior to Pro Tools version 12.6 you would not need a DigiLink license to use that peripheral and engine.

https://avid.secure.force.com/pkb/ar...-O-license-for

Yes - the error should indicate - specifically that it cannot locate a DigiLink license if indeed that is the issue.


Jeff

Re: ProTools doesn't see HDX hardware in new PC build
 

Jeff, thanks so much for the reply. Yes, the HD IOs are attached and powered up when running DigiTest.

I should mention that we also did a fresh Windows install last night just because we were at a total loss. So the only thing on the computer at the moment is a fresh install of Win 10 home edition (latest version, build 20H2 I think it is), the nVidia drivers for the RTX2080, and ProTools and it's various drivers. That's it.

We also tried swapping the Core Card around in different slots. And another Core Card, since he has two.

Re: ProTools doesn't see HDX hardware in new PC build
 

An update for anyone following this thread:

Yesterday I brought two different computers to the studio to test the ADX Core Cards in. The first is my current DAW which is built around an ASUS Z390a Prime motherboard. I built this machine late last year and it's running great. 32GB of RAM, RTX2060 graphics, all M.2 drives, and a FireWire card (because my interfaces are old). It is running Windows 10 Pro.

We tried both Core Cards in that machine and had a similar result; they pass DigiTest fine, show up in Device Manager with no issues, but ProTools doesn't see them. However, I could use them with Cubase and WaveLab using the Avid ASIO driver.

Then we tried my old DAW, the one that I replaced with the computer mentioned above. It is an ASUS Z97 motherboard with 32GB of RAM, a TI1070 GPU, and running Windows 7.

And to my surprise, the Core Cards were recognized (we tried both) and available to use in ProTools. It worked flawlessly without any trouble at all.

:confused::confused::confused::confused::confused:

Now, both of the new computers (the one mentioned in this post that belongs to me, based around a Z390 mobo and the one mentioned in the original post that belongs to the studio based around a X299 mobo) have one common denominator: Even though they use different Intel chipsets (300 series and 200 series respectively), both chipsets support TB3 natively, which is why we bought them. I eventually would like to update my old interfaces to something new, preferably using TB3 for channel count and latency. And my friend who owns the studio wanted to be access some harddrives and possibly use another interface here and there.

Could it be that something in the implementation of Intel's Thunderbolt chipset or drivers is causing a conflict? It should be noted that Thunderbolt is turned off in BIOS on both machines under the ON-BOARD DEVICES menu. And yes, both computers have the latest chipset drivers installed.

To make matters even more confusing, if you look at Sweetwater Sound's professional PC offering, the CS450 computer for $2600, in the picture the motherboard is clearly that same ASUS Z390a Prime that I'm using in my computer. It is unmistakable. So if a company like SS is using that board for a professional DAW, it SHOULD work with HDX, right?

Re: ProTools doesn't see HDX hardware in new PC build
 

What happened? Did you get it resolved? I think it’s a HD driver issue.

Anyway, we hope all is well now.

Re: ProTools doesn't see HDX hardware in new PC build
 

3 things come to mind:
1-PT HD software(assuming you have an iLok with PT 12.5 HD) is required, but the separate Digilink license is NOT required until version 12.6
2-open Windows Sound Properties and make sure Windows is using the on-board sound card for the "default playback device":o
3-Quicktime installed?

Re: ProTools doesn't see HDX hardware in new PC build
 

Thanks. Still having troubles. Thankfully my friend got another Mac and is up and running and can at least continue to work, do projects, and bring in revenue. But the PC is still non-functioning with HDX.


1) Correct. Avid was kind enough to send a 30 day DigiLink license just in case that was the problem. It didn't solve anything.

2) Windows can only see the on-board card. It can't access the HDX even though it is there in Device Manager. My understanding is that Avid does not offer MME / WDM drivers anyway.

3) Yes.

Re: ProTools doesn't see HDX hardware in new PC build
 

Can you move the HDX card to a different slot in the PC?

Re: ProTools doesn't see HDX hardware in new PC build
 

With this in mind, short connectors for PCIe can also work in long slots:o

Re: ProTools doesn't see HDX hardware in new PC build
 

Yes, we tried multiple slots between the two cards.