Avid has just managed to release Pro Tools 2019.10 in October, releasing it late on the last day of the month. It brings the features that were announced at AES earlier this month including support for higher frames rates and up to 4K video resolution, Dolby Audio Bridge Support For 130 Outputs, Multi-Stem Bounce in a Single File and Steep Breakpoint Smoothing Time Preference as well as a number of smaller improvements, all of which make 2019.10 a post-production focused update.

Video Engine Supports Higher Frame Rates and Raster Sizes

With the release of Pro Tools 2019.10, the Avid Video Engine (AVE) expands support for higher frame rates now up to 60 fps and higher video resolution up to 4k with the ‘I/O’ column on a video track now having separate settings for the frame rate and video resolution.

The settings for these will automatically follow the attributes of the imported file or AAF sequence. Avid has also updated the Avid Video Engine to provide improved playback performance with a wide variety of H.264 QuickTime files. For more details on this, Avid has posted a knowledge base article covering qualified video rates, rasters, and codecs for Pro Tools.

Dolby Audio Bridge Support For 130 Outputs - Pro Tools Ultimate Only

Pro Tools 2019.10 now supports 130 outputs via Core Audio when used in conjunction with the Dolby Atmos Production Suite and the Dolby Audio Bridge. 128 of these channels can be used for beds and objects, while the remaining 2 channels may be used for sending LTC.

This has been designed to streamline setup procedures and help facilitate the use of Dolby Atmos tools in a self-contained local environment. It also allows for accurate Automatic Delay Compensation (ADC), as well as easier session interchange between Pro Tools systems working with the Dolby Cinema RMU or Dolby Atmos Mastering Suite.

Check out Adam Daniel’s post on Twitter to get a sense of the game-changer the new Dolby Audio Bridge brings to Dolby Atmos content creation workflows.

Watch this video to learn how to set up your session for Dolby Atmos mixing with the Dolby Atmos Production Suite in Pro Tools Ultimate…

Multi-Stem Bounce in a Single File - Pro Tools Ultimate Only

When producing localised versions of their content Netflix specifies a 5.1 and Stereo (LoRo) deliverable in a single file. Historically this has been achieved by dragging 5.1 and stereo tracks onto a single 7.1 track before exporting.

With this new feature introduced in Pro Tools 2019.10, you will be able to export multiple stems into a single Wave file. You will be able to do this by selecting the file type as BWF (.WAV), Interleaved as the File Format, and then when using the Multiple Bounce Source stems option, a new Delivery Format selector will pop up.

In this video you will be able to learn how to bounce multiple mixes - for example, a 5.1 mix and a stereo mix - into a single WAV file and then how to import a multi-mix WAV file into Pro Tools Ultimate.

This new Delivery Format selector has two options:

• File Per Bounce Source

  • This is the legacy option and will result in a single file for each Bounce Source.

• Single File

  • This is the new functionality added in Pro Tools 2019.10.

  • The stems will be embedded in a single WAV file in the order they are listed in the bounce source section of the bounce window.

The resulting file will have each stem in WavEXT channel order, with an additional iXML stem/channel definition embedded in the file. When Pro Tools imports one of these files, it will stay as a single interleaved file, as long as the channel count is below 32, otherwise, it will be split into mono files. In all cases, the stems will be represented in the clip list as their own autonomous multi-channel clip, just as if they were each their own file.

Steep Breakpoint Smoothing Time Preference

The Steep Breakpoint Smoothing Time preference (which you will find in the Mixing tab in Pro Tools Preferences) is designed to enable you to set a minimum delay time in milliseconds to help avoid pops or clicks as a result of abrupt changes in volume or pan automation.

• If there are any automation breakpoints with large value differences that are extremely close together, this preferences applies a slight delay between those breakpoints to smooth the audio ramp between them.

• The default value of 0 applies no delay between breakpoints.

• Every increment of 1 adds a minimum delay in milliseconds to reading any automation breakpoints that are closer together than the specified value.

• Breakpoints that are already separated by at least the specified amount are not affected.

Scan Audio Files For Irregularities

With Pro Tools 2019.10, a new command called, ‘Scan Audio Files for Irregularities’ has been added to the contextual menus for Workspace selections that include audio files or folders.

• The command is also available for the current Session and its Audio Files.

• The scan will look for the following corrupt files and irregularities:

  • File header size that doesn't match file size.

  • Chunk chains that don't proceed linearly.

  • Chunk sizes/offsets that point outside file bounds.

  • Suspected invalid chunks - chunk IDs with non-alphanumeric or space characters.

After the scan is complete, any irregularities found will be reported. A more detailed report can be generated from the dialog.

AAF Import Option To Exclude Non-Timeline Related Clips

With Pro Tools 2019.10 there is now a new option added to the Import Session Data Window when importing an AAF, ‘Only Include Clips on Timeline’.

An AAF often contains clip information referencing all the channels related to a multi-channel clip/file even if not all channels are on the timeline. Under certain circumstances, this can be useful if you are on the same shared storage environment as the video editor and they have decided not to include the alternate channels in the edit.  However, this can result in missing files if users don’t work in a shared storage environment. Apparently, this is because when an AAF is exported from Media Composer, the timeline contents are copied to a folder, but the AAF is still aware of the alternate channels.

The new feature, ‘Only Include Clips on Timeline’ checkbox will prevent the dreaded Missing Files message for those that don’t work directly on the same shared storage environment as the video editors.

SMPTE ID Support For Wave Files

Pro Tools 2019.10 will now generate and read the SMPTE ID in Wave files. This has been designed to try and make sure that when generating file IDs, they really are unique, as well as improving the interoperability with Media Composer, which has been able to generate SMPTE IDs from version 2018.2.

Cut All Automation Key Command

With Pro Tools 2019.10 Avid has added a new key command to cut all automation.

• Opt+Shift+X (macOS)

• Alt+Shift+X (Windows OS)

Customer Care Improvements

• Pro Tools now saves video logs alongside audio (Digitrace) logs.

• It is now possible to save logs and reset logging from the Pro Tools Preferences>Operations pane. This should only be done when directed by Customer Care.

MTRX DigiLink I/O Card

• The number corresponding to the installed MTRX card slot is now displayed in Pro Tools (Hardware Setup and I/O Setup) for any attached DigiLink I/O Cards.

• DigiLink Port 1 and Port 2 information now appear in Pro Tools for both DigiLink Main and DigiLink I/O Card connections.

• ‘MTRX 32x32’ and ‘DigiLink Card’ DigiLink modes are now both available for DigiLink I/O Cards in DADman.

  • Note: ‘MTRX 32x32’ mode should only be selected when using Pro Tools 2019.5 and earlier.

• These improvements require DADman 5.3.4 b5 or later and MTRX Firmware 2.3.1.3 or later.