Say has anyone used the plugins that come with the m-box protools? I'm not sure if I have to do an additional load or they're already there in the audio drop down tools menu. Also what other plugins can I buy for protools? Audio,Midi,ect.

All plugs delivered along with PTLE are installed and don't require any further authorization (comp.,limiter,Eq,delay,DVerb,reverse,invert,gain,normalize,pitch...). Now, some of them are OK (delay, EQ, limiter,reverse) other are...not real good (comp, DVerb, pitch) and you might want to check Waves plugs (Gold Bundle if you can afford it). That, of course, is just my opinion...

In the PTLE 5.2 you got with your Mbox, the menu should read left to right as follows:
apple; file; edit; audiosuite; movie; operations; setups; display; windows; help.

Audiosuite was installed automatically when you installed PTLE.

Select (highlight) a part of a track you want to tryout the plugins on

Then click on audiosuite from the top menu and select the first plugin which should be D-FX D-Verb.

Select preview.

The selected audio should now loop (unless the audio you've highlighted is really short), probably with "large hall" reverberation. Play with the various presets, then potter with the cursors.

Don't close the D-FX D-Verb window. Click on 'D-FX D-Verb' (top left hand corner) and you'll see the other plugins. Choose for example 'reverse' then click on 'preview'. The use of some of the plugins is not obvious, so you'll have to read the Digidesign Plug-Ins Read Me.pdf or Digidesign Plug-Ins Guide.pdf

If you used 'Install Digi Demo Plug-Ins' these extra plug-ins only last 30 days, so if you did that a month ago, they won't work anymore. If you want to try them, you'll have to save from your drive all your documents and preferences, and apps that you haven't got elsewhere, then reformat your drive and re-install everything from scratch.

Don't copy the system folder - just the bits you don't want to lose. There may be a better way of getting your ibook to forget it previously installed 'Digi Demo Plug-Ins', but I don't know. Be careful not to forget to back-up stuff you don't want to lose. I lost my Communicator inbox, email address book, and bookmarks once. I also lost cookies containing passwords that I'd forgotten. Still, it's good to do this clean-up from time to time.

Audiosuite is not the only way you can use the plugs. Most versions of the AS plugs also come with RTAS versions that you can apply to tracks in the mixer view. You should have 4 slots per track to run RTAS plugs. The plugs supplied with PTLE are descent as far as sound quality... what they lack is better and more presets and the interfaces are not the most user friendly unless you have a strong background in sound mixing.

There are a ton of plugs that you can get... and yes the Waves series mentioned in earlier post are really nice plugs but the cost is only viable for the studios that make $$$ at their craft or the really wealthy home hobbyist. For compression and limiting... I really like the Maxim RTAS plug as it is easy to use and offers good results. If you want a plug that will do compression, eq, limiting, and nice interface... consider the Channel Strip RTAS... this is the plug I use most often and it doesn't eat up that much system power really either. For creative sound effects and sound manipulation.... I highly recommend the GRM Tools RTAS plugs. There are about 5 or 6 plugs in the series and they offer some really nice fx especially if you use automation to adjust the fx over time in the mix. For verbs... RealVerb is nice with tons of presets and nice interface.

If you find yourself using the same plug on more than one track in RTAS mode... i suggest setting up an aux. track with those plugs in it. I do this with reverbs to save system power to run other plugs. Just use the bus to route audio from the tracks you want reverb for and then have the aux. track with plugs bring the bus back in.

Warning... stay away from plugs that say TDM... those are for full blown PT systems that use tons of DSP chips to process the plugs and thus they are very system demanding... I have gotten them to work on PT LE before but only one plug at a time and it was very tedious with many crashes.

Mac 1, I've just thought. Correct me if I'm wrong, but you have only used midi on PTLE for the moment.

I have never used midi, but I'd be surprised if you can use the bundled plugins directly on midi tracks.

Thanks guys for the tips. I now leave a simple text doc open where I paste your tasty titbits.

Plugins are for audio only...

PS: you should also check the Bombfactory's plugs...great "analogue alike"interfaces and great sound guaranteed...