Avid Releases Pro Tools 2019.5 Update

Avid today announced the immediate availability of Pro Tools® 2019. The latest version of the industry-standard digital audio workstation boosts power and performance for every level of user—from professional music creators and aspiring artists to top-echelon audio post professionals and engineers—enabling them to work faster and more creatively on the most complex projects.

For users working in high track-count environments, such as audio post production, Pro Tools | Ultimate delivers 50 percent more voices/audio tracks than previous versions. In addition to this base voice limit increase to 384, Pro Tools | Ultimate software and HD Native customers will be able to further increase the number of available voices up to 768 per system—on par with a three-card Pro Tools | HDX system—with the addition of native Pro Tools | Ultimate Voice Packs. The ability to scale the number of voices in Pro Tools | Ultimate software enables a greater degree of flexibility and power to tackle the most demanding work and when working in tandem with high-powered HDX systems.

Additionally, this release of Pro Tools has enhanced playback features that enable more fluid creativity in the software. Users can perform seamless track and timeline interactions during playback—inserting plugins, adding or deleting tracks, changing routing, adjusting loop duration and more. This suite of playback features allows users to work quickly, and therefore more productively, without playback errors disrupting their flow.

“It’s amazing to think that our existing Pro Tools systems can inherit so much additional capability with a software update such as this one,” said re-recording mixer Jonathan Wales. “These are the features we’ve been dreaming of and they were highly ranked in the Avid Customer Association’s annual vote. It’s extremely exciting to have them arrive. This is a huge release, because not only do we get a massive increase in power—with more voices in Pro Tools | Ultimate—but the speed is unbelievable. Not having the playback stop while inserting plugins or routing tracks is an incredible revelation and will only encourage creativity further.”

For Pro Tools | First users, they can now create and save an unlimited number of projects locally. Users can selectively sync up to three projects to their complimentary cloud storage for easy access anytime, anywhere.

For facilities and institutions, Avid also announced the immediate availability of Pro Tools Multiseat Network Site Licensing. Multiseat licensing enables easy administration of multiple Pro Tools seats from a single account and local server, eliminating the need for a multitude of physical iLok dongles and cumbersome site management.

“Our goal was to deliver new features for every kind of user, whether they’re working in audio post production, or music creation, and whether they’re a Pro Tools | First user just starting out or a Pro Tools | Ultimate user at the peak of their career,” said Rob D’Amico, Director, Audio Solutions Marketing at Avid. “Every year, we continually deliver Pro Tools updates to subscribers throughout the year, giving them the capabilities they need to deliver their best possible sound and keep their creativity flowing.”

For the full list of Pro Tools 2019.5 features—including support for macOS Mojave—visit www.avid.com/products/pro-tools-ultimate/whats-new.

Here is the list of bug fixes included in the Pro Tools 2019.5 release….

Accessibility

• VoiceOver now returns to the previously focused item when closing windows or dialogs.

• VoiceOver now announces the track name, without extraneous verbalization, when vertically navigating the Edit Window by moving the edit cursor.  (Requires Link Track and Edit Selection to be enabled)

• Track number is now announced when navigating tracks, if it is visible in the Pro Tools View Menu settings.

• VO+Shift+m now brings up the right-click menus for inserts, sends and I/O pop-up menus.

• Hotspots once again function properly with Voice Over.

• Audio and MIDI pan controls are now accessible in the Edit Window.

• The “Add Row” button is now accessible in the Create New Path window in IO Setup.

• Bounce to QuickTime window items are now accessible.

• Fixed several cases where entering a field to edit the text would report the value entered in a previously edited text field.

• Multiple Edit/Mix Groups can now be enabled via VoiceOver.  Previous releases caused other groups to be deactivated when enabling a new group.

• VO+Space will now select the chosen item in the search results list when searching for plug-ins, inputs, or outputs.

• It is now possible to return to the search text entry box after navigating to the results list when searching for plug-ins, inputs, or outputs.

• VoiceOver now correctly announces the text that the user is typing when searching for plug-ins, inputs, or outputs.

• Voice Over will now read the “badge” description in the search results for things like “Track Preset” and “DSP.”

• The transport’s record button state will now distinguish between record armed and recording.

Cloud / Collaboration

• Fixed Artist Chat bug related to updated look and feel

• Fixed Artist Chat bug related to overlapping profile images

• Fixed UX issue relating to adding contacts

• Fixed Artist Chat bug related to pop-over windows

• Fixed a minor graphical issue relating to pinned chat

• Projects will once again open after moving the project cache location from within Pro Tools.

Commit/Freeze

• Tracks are no longer prevented from being frozen or committed when a video track is present in the session.

• Opt+Clicking (macOS) or Alt+Clicking (WinOS) the freeze button on tracks will no longer result in re-enabling the plug-ins and re-applying the signal to frozen material.

Control Surfaces

• The dynamics ball is once again present on the S6 MTM’s and CDM’s.

• Fixed a crash that may occur when adjusting clip gain from an S6 or EuControl surface.

• VCA’s will no longer disappear from the Pro Tools | S3 when reopening a session with Pro Tools Software (non-Ultimate).

• The input button the C|24 will now engage when used with Pro Tools Software (non-Ultimate).

• Fixed a crash that may occur when closing a session when a EUCON control surface is connected.

• Fixed an issue that could cause sessions to take longer to close when EUCON control surfaces are attached.

Crashes / Errors

• Fixed a case where launching Pro Tools by opening a session would cause a crash (HDX)

• Fixed a case where audio record could cause a crash (HDX)

• Fixed a case where changing the Hardware Buffer size to 64 in a 96kHz session could cause a crash (Mac, HDX)

• Commiting tracks will no longer cause an Access Violation error message if QuickTime is not installed on a Windows OS.

• Fixed a crash when creating a clip group that included a clip outside of the session bounds.

• Pro Tools will no longer hang when Bouncing to QuickTime without video on the timeline.

• Pro Tools no longer throws AAE errors when filling up the HDX card with specific Hybrid plug-ins

• Fixed a crash when deleting frozen tracks under certain situations

• Fixed crash that resulted from switching playback engine to native

• Fixed a crash that could occur when closing a plug-in window

• Improved the handling of excessive MIDI data during MIDI recording to prevent crashes.

• Committing or Freezing an empty track with consolidate clips option will no longer hang or crash.

• Fixed a case where importing a video into a session that already has a video track at the end of the tracks list, results in a crash or assert on non Ultimate Pro Tools.

• Fixed a case where using key commands to change some tracks from Waveform to Blocks view resulted in a hang.

• Improved the save time of sessions that contain a large number of clips and clip groups.

• Pro Tools will no longer hang when canceling a relinking/search for missing files task on Windows.

• Fixed an instance of a crash that may occur when Pro Tools is sitting idle.

• Fixed a crash that could occur if an internet connection was lost while using iLok Cloud.

• Fixed an issue where removing a clip group from a session could result in a crash.

• An Assertion error and dialog, “44.1k Sample Rate is not supported” is not longer shown on launch after the Playback Engine device has changed (Mac 10.14)

• Fixed a crash while idle when using HDX hardware.

• Fixed a crash that would occur when overloading the CPU with lower buffer sizes on a host based system.

• Fixed a crash when importing session data to a track who’s target playlist is not the active playlist.

• Fixed an error or crash when using clip replacement.

• Fixed an issue where Pro Tools could become unresponsive or crash when editing alternate playlists on a track that contains many playlists.

Delay Compensation

• Delay Compensation settings can now be successfully imported from sessions saved with Pro Tools 12.6 and later

• Fixed a case where input delay compensation could be inaccurate with HD | Native when using a 1024 buffer with certain plug-ins and disk cache settings.

Dolby Atmos Workflows

• Object Fold Down Path is now properly delay compensated when RMU or Local Renderer is disconnected

• Enabling the “Object Pan Data” setting in the Import Session Data Window will now automatically enable the “Object Output Assignment” setting when importing an ADM file.  These settings are now enabled by default with a fresh set of preferences, and changes to these settings will be remembered for future imports.

Editing

• Automation breakpoints that exist on the last sample location of the session can now be selected/deleted.

• Fixed AudioSuite processing when in multi-input mode

• Fixed an issue that caused a SWOD when editing clip groups

• Fixed a drag and drop issue that resulted in mono files if dropped during playback

• Fixed a monitoring issue with persisting send on record enabled tracks

• Fixed a Quick Punch/Track Punch issue with Pre-roll on

• Fixed an issue with the playback cursor when punch recording

• Adjusting Clip Gain breakpoints no longer affect unexpected areas.

• Snap to Next with Main Counter set to Bars|Beats and over tempo changes works correctly.

• Dragging an automation breakpoint in Relative Grid mode will now maintain any offset from the grid.

• Fixed an issue where trimming a clip over a fade out would not trim and resize the fade.

• Fixed an assertion when moving a clip after switching to ticks mode on the track.

• Command Focus Mode D and G fade shortcuts now work on clips in alternate playlists

• Committing a track in playlist view will no longer break playlist view for that track.

Elastic Audio

• Fixed a case where turning off Elastic Audio on a track with playlists would result in a hang or crash.

Field Recorder

• Linked MXF files will now display field recorder channel names in all applicable places.

• Pro Tools can now read Sound Roll TC iXML metadata from BWF Wav files.

Import

• Clicking “Cancel” for “This will change the session’s frame rate to match the incoming video track” during import session data, will now cancel instead of proceed.

• The “Offset Incoming Tracks By” setting now places media at correct location if the imported AAF has a different TC rate than Session Setup window.

• Muted stereo clips are now respected when received in an AAF from Media Composer.

• Fixed a case where Pro Tools would crash after importing some AAF’s and then saving / reopening the session.

• “Offset Incoming Tracks To” setting will no longer place video clips at half the specified offset.

• “Operation Failed” is no longer seen when importing an AAF that contains markers with blank names.

• Erroneous missing files are no longer seen when importing an AAF from Adobe Premiere.

• Opening an AAF as a session will now carry through any session name adjustments made in the Dashboard when “Prompt for Location” is used.

• The “Offset Incoming Tracks To” option in the Import Session Data Window has been renamed “Offset Incoming Tracks By,” and the behavior has been cleaned up to consistently match the wording.

• Fixed several cases where importing session data with clips/automation beyond the session bounds would cause a crash.

• Fixed session length error reporting/handling when importing session data with clips beyond the bounds of the session.

• Unintentional anchoring breakpoints will no longer be created when importing session data from a session with a different start time and tracks with static parameters.

• Bouncing and re-importing multi-mono files will no longer add redundant waveform data to the file, unnecessarily increasing the file size of some channels.

Installer

• The Pro Tools and Pro Tools | First installers will no longer hang for several minutes on macOS Mojave.

MIDI

• Fixed a bug where Stop on Page Scroll would move display to session start

• Fixed a case where rendered audio clips did not line up with their source MIDI clips after committing track and reopening session.

• Fixed a case where existing MIDI notes were deleted when adding new ones.

• Fixed a case where notes would disappear when dragged over a clip boundary.

• Fixed a case where deleting notes also deleted the entire clip.

• Fixed a case where adjusting velocity caused the MIDI note to disappear.

• In the Real-Time Properties window, up/down keys will now correctly increment or decrement ticks values .

• Improved responsiveness of dragging MIDI notes in a high MIDI track count session.

• Enabling notation display is now faster.

• Event Operations Transpose window parameters no longer unintentionally affect MIDI transpose using arrow keys.

• Improved responsiveness when dragging notes in high track count sessions.

• Improved responsiveness when making a timeline selection in high track count sessions.

• MIDI notes will no longer play at full velocity at the beginning of a loop boundary.

Performance

• CPU meters now more accurately reflect CPU load

• Fixed various issues which could result in degraded streaming performance and -9171 or -9093 errors (Mac)

• Improved performance when switching between playlist and waveform view.

• Improved performance when editing playlists after switching playlist views.

• Improved performance when editing clips while Dynamic Transport and “Link Timeline & Edit Selection” is enabled.

• Reduced session load time with Waves plug-ins instantiated

Playlists

• Shift-Left Arrow will correctly toggle playlists unless the Edit selection only contains tracks in notes or velocity views.

Post (Other)

• “Synchronization Delay preference defaults have changed now that their functionality was restored in 2018.10

  • Minimum Sync Delay: 30 frames

  • Delay before locking to Longitudinal Timecode: 0 frames

  • Delay before locking to Serial Timecode: 0 frames”

• It is now possible to locate beyond 50,000 when entering feet+frames values in the main counter.

Production Management / Interplay

• Media will no longer go offline after being check-in from Pro Tools and using the “Update Status from Media Indexer” command with Interplay Access versions prior to 2018.11.

Satellite Link

• The error message “The Video Engine had an unrecoverable error and will now reinitialize” can now be ‘OK’d’ remotely via one of the satellites by shift+clicking on the offending system’s chicklet.

• Fixed an issue where satellites would not playback if one of them is receiving timecode or initiating playback from a 9-pin motion controller while in remote mode.

• Pro Tools Software systems (non-Ultimiate) are no longer prevented from beginning playback when used as a Pro Tools Video Satellite.

Search

• The search functionality will now properly find mono paths when looking for side-chain inputs.

• The File Menu no longer blinks when the save key command is used while in the search window, falsely indicating that a save had happened.

• Inactive inputs are now properly shown in the search window.

• Text will no longer protrude from the tag with longer names.

UI

• The Dashboard template selector is now longer to accommodate longer template names.

• Dragging a file into the session will now have a sensible name in the undo queue.

• Fixed an issue with Playback Engine display when adding/removing a device

• Fixed graphic artifacts in the Import Session Data window when in MacOS Mojave Dark Mode.

• Shading for HD MADI and MTRX 32×32 DigiLink Ports in I/O Setup is no longer offset by 16 channels

Video

• Selecting the next clip using Ctrl+Tab (macOS), or Start+Tab (Win), will now display the starting frame of the clip, rather than the last.

• The ‘Enable Hardware During Scrub’ preference has been removed and defaulted to ‘On.’

• “Output Settings” on a video track is now appropriately greyed out when video hardware is not enabled/connected.

• The video engine project type will no longer use the previous stale setting when importing MXF files with different rate/raster attributes.

• MXF codecs are now properly represented in the Workspace and Clip Info fields.

Workspace

• Files no longer slightly shrink (benign) when recalculating waveforms.

• Text no longer overlaps when resizing the locations column in the Workspace.

Miscellaneous

• Added Tandem Trimming key command back to the Pro Tools reference guide, Cmd+Ctrl (macOS) and Ctrl+Start (WinOS).

• Control-1 thru 5 (qwerty) now executes the correct commands (recall zoom or clip effects presets).

• The shortcut Shift+5 once again mutes/unmutes Sends F-J.

• Shift-Option click on a show/hide dot no longer affects the visibility of unselected tracks.

• Fixed an HD driver issue where AvidAudioServer could not be successfully relaunched (Mac)

• Fixed an issue where some sample rates were not available at certain buffer size settings

• A warning now appears when removing a width changing plugin by dragging it to another track

• Waveforms on right channel are now displayed on files exported from CEDAR Cambridge

• Changing the tempo during playback will now properly respect loop boundaries.

• Dragging an X-Form rendered clip to a non-elastic track will once again add the suffix “Xfor-Xfor” to the clip name

• Plug-in manufacturers are now properly listed in alphabetical order in the plug-in menus, as opposed to case and then alphabetically.

• MP3 ID3 information will no longer appear garbled when re-entering the window in a non-English language.

• Captured clips are no longer deleted after renaming and deleting the associated parent clip.

• Changing the active state of a send, from its floating window, once again functions.

• The selected plug-in is once again correctly highlighted/scrolled to when opening the plug-in librarian menu within the floating plug-in window.

• Using the Compact command on a session that contains AIFF files will once again reduce the file size.

• Pro Tools First license now properly activates on first launch

• The S/PDIF outputs of the Fast Track C600 are no longer labeled as Analog in the I/O Setup.

Customer Support Enhancements

• Zip Recent Logs is now installed with Pro Tools First on Windows OS.

• Pro Tools now carries a “Machine ID” that customer support can use to anonymously look up crash reports when a customer calls in.  This Machine ID can be found in the Pro Tools About Box, as well as in the Pro Tools log files.