Quick Start Guide Version 5.0.1 for Macintosh and Windows 98 Digi 001 Digidesign Inc. 3401-A Hillview Avenue Palo Alto, CA 94304 USA tel: 650·842·7900 fax: 650·842·7999 Technical Support (USA) 650·842·6699 650·856·4275 Product Information (USA) 650·842·6602 800·333·2137 Fax on Demand (USA) 1-888-USE-DIGI (873-3444) World Wide Web www.digidesign.com...
chapter 1 Digi 001 Introduction About Digi 001 Thank you for purchasing Digi 001, a cross-platform solution for music, sound design, and multimedia production. The Digi 001 package includes the following: • Installer CD-ROM containing Pro Tools LE recording software, RTAS (Real-Time Audio Suite) Plug-Ins, and online PDF guides •...
Pro Tools LE uses your computer’s CPU to mix and process audio tracks (host processing). Computers with faster clock speeds yield higher track counts and more plug-in processing. Digi 001 Capabilities The Digi 001 provides the following inputs and outputs: •...
Compatibility Information Digidesign can only assure compatibility and provide support for devices it has tested and approved. For a list of Digidesign-qualified computers, SCSI accelerator cards, hard drives, diskette drives, and serial port adapters, refer to the latest compatibility information on the Digidesign Web site (www.digidesign.com): Digidesign Registration Make sure to complete and return the registration card included with Digi 001.
Conventions Used in This Guide Digidesign guides use the following conventions to indicate menu choices and key commands: Convention File > Save Session Control+N Option-click Right-click (Windows) The following symbols are used to highlight important information: User Tips are helpful hints for getting the most from your system. Important Notices include information that could affect your data or the perfor- mance of your system.
chapter 2 Macintosh Configuration Installing the Digi 001 Hardware Before installing the Pro Tools LE software, first install the Digi 001 card. To install the Digi 001 card in your Macintosh: Turn off your computer. Leave it plugged in so that it is grounded. Open the computer case.
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When the connector and slot are aligned, press the card into the slot using firm, even pressure. The card should “pop” into place. Secure the card with the previously removed screw. Make sure the card’s audio connectors are accessible through the rear slot of the computer.
Installing the Pro Tools LE Software Apple System Software Settings To ensure optimum performance with the Pro Tools LE software, configure the Apple System software with the following settings. To configure the Apple System software: In the Memory Control Panel do the following: •...
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Pro Tools LE Installation After the Apple System software settings are configured, install Pro Tools LE. To install Pro Tools LE on your Macintosh: Insert the Pro Tools LE Installer CD in your CD-ROM drive. Locate and double-click “Install Pro Tools LE.” At the Install Screen, select the install option for Pro Tools LE, and set the Install Location to your Startup hard drive.
Installing and Configuring OMS (Macintosh Only) To use Pro Tools on the Macintosh you must first install and configure the Open Music System (OMS). OMS, which is included on the Pro Tools Installer CD, has the following capabilities: • Keeps track of which MIDI devices you are using, how they are connected, and which patches they are using •...
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Select whether your MIDI interface is connected to the Modem or Printer port. If using a USB or PCI-based MIDI interface, leave both ports unchecked. Click Search. Ports for OMS Driver Search OMS searches for and displays any detected MIDI interfaces, MIDI cards, and OMS drivers. If your interface is not detected, click Troubleshoot.
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Defining MIDI Devices in OMS To define a MIDI device in OMS Setup: Double-click the device’s icon in the Studio Setup window. In the MIDI Device Info dialog, select the Manufacturer and Model for the device from the pop-up menus. If the device is not listed, leave the Model set to “other” and enter a name for the device.
Hard Drive Requirements For audio recording and storage on the Macintosh, Pro Tools LE requires one or more qualified ATA/IDE or SCSI drives with the following properties: • Formatted with HFS or HFS+ file system • Data transfer rates of 3 MB per second or faster •...
Hard Drive Storage Space Mono audio tracks recorded with 16-bit resolution at 44.1 kHz (CD-quality) require approximately 5 MB of hard disk space per minute. The same tracks recorded with 24-bit resolution require about 7.5 MB per minute. The following table lists the required drive space for certain track numbers and track lengths.
chapter 3 Windows 98 Configuration BIOS and System Modifications Before installing any hardware or software, first make changes to your computer’s BIOS and System settings. These settings are necessary to ensure optimum performance for Pro Tools LE on Windows 98. BIOS Settings Different BIOS manufacturers often use different names to describe the same system function—or in some cases, do not provide a particular configuration option at all.
Deselect the option for Auto Insert Notification and click OK. Repeat for any removable media devices, such as Jaz and Zip drives. Close the System Control Panel. Enable DMA for any IDE hard drives: From the desktop, right-click My Computer and choose Properties. In the System Control Panel, click the Device Manager tab.
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Before handling the Digi 001 card, discharge any static electricity by touching the outer casing of the power supply. Remove the Digi 001 card from its anti-static bag. Hold the card gently by the top edges, and line up its PCI connector with the PCI slot inside the computer.
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Connecting the Digi 001 I/O Box Your computer must be off when you connect or disconnect the I/O Box. To connect the Digi 001 I/O box: Locate the connector cable with the wide ends that came with your Digi 001. Align a cable end with the connector on the Digi 001 PCI Card, and insert the cable into the connector until it clicks into place.
Installing the Windows 98 Wave Drivers Once you’ve installed the Digi 001 card and have turned on your computer, the Add New Hardware Wizard will prompt you to install the necessary Windows 98 drivers. To install the WIndows 98 wave drivers: When the Add New Hardware Wizard appears, click Next.
Installing the Pro Tools LE Software After installing the Digi 001 hardware and its wave drivers, install Pro Tools LE. To install Pro Tools LE on Windows 98: Insert the Pro Tools LE Installer CD in your CD-ROM drive. A window opens displaying the CD-ROM contents.
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To install the demo sessions: Insert the Pro Tools LE Installer CD in your CD-ROM drive. A window opens displaying the CD-ROM contents. Open the “Pro Tools Demo Installer” folder and double-click the Setup program. When the installer opens, click Browse to set the Destination Folder to your audio drive, then click Next.
Hard Drive Requirements (Windows) For audio recording and storage on the Windows 98, Pro Tools LE requires one or more qualified ATA/IDE or SCSI drives with the following properties: • Formatted with FAT16 or FAT32 file system (FAT32 recommended) • Data transfer rates of 3 MB per second or faster •...
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To format an audio drive: From the desktop, double-click My Computer. Right-click the hard drive you will use for audio and choose Format. Set the Format Type to Full and click Start. Follow the on-screen instructions. When formatting is complete, close the Format window.
Launching Pro Tools LE the First Time Serial Number Entry When launching Pro Tools LE the first time, you are prompted to enter a serial number. Serial number entry for Pro Tools The serial number is located on the inside cover of this guide. Enter it in the dialog when prompted, making sure to observe any spaces, then click Validate.
chapter 4 Connecting Your Studio This chapter explains how to connect your Digi 001 to a mixer, amplification system, digital recorders, and other studio devices, and how to connect audio sources for recording. Digi 001 I/O Box Inputs and Outputs All Digi 001 inputs and outputs are factory calibrated for 14 dB of headroom below 0 dB, or full code.
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Phantom Power This switch applies 48V phantom power to Mic/Line inputs 1 and 2. These inputs provide 48V phantom power for microphones that require it to operate. This switch provides phantom power to both inputs. Dynamic microphones (like a Shure SM57) do not require phantom power to operate, but are not harmed by it.
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Headphone Gain This control allows you to adjust the output level of the headphone jack. Headphone Output Use the Headphone Output to connect stereo headphones. This jack accepts a 1/4" stereo plug. This outputs any audio that is routed to analog outputs 1–2 in Pro Tools LE. The Headphone Output is disabled in unpowered Monitor Mode (see “Monitor Mode”...
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Footswitch Jack This connector allows you to connect a footswitch that can be used for control of QuickPunch audio punch-in and punch-out features in Pro Tools LE, and for MIDI punch- in and punch-out recording with Pro Tools LE. Both continuous on/continuous off and instantaneous on/off pedals with a 1/4"...
Connectors on the Digi 001 PCI Card The Digi 001 PCI Card installs in an available PCI slot in your computer. The PCI Card includes optical digital I/O for 8 channels of ADAT I/O or 2 channels of S/PDIF I/O. The card also includes a connector for the Digi 001 I/O Box.
To cho se an output mode: Choose Setups > Preferences. Click the Operation button. Choose the desired operating mode and click Done. Making Signal Connections to Digi 001 You can use Digi 001 with a variety of audio setups, including: a mixer, power amplifier, and speakers a mixer and a pair of amplified, self-powered speakers a stereo receiver and speakers...
To connect a home stereo: Connect 1/4" cables to the Monitor outputs on the back of the Digi 001 I/O Box. Connect the outputs to an available pair of left and right inputs on your stereo. Home stereo systems often use RCA connectors. You can use an adaptor or a special cable to convert from the 1/4"...
Connecting a Digital Deck If you have a DAT or other digital device that can send or receive S/PDIF digital audio data, connect it to the S/PDIF In and S/PDIF Out RCA jacks on the back of the Digi 001 I/O Box. S/PDIF in S/PDIF out Connecting Tascam DAT Recorders...
accommodate the different “line levels” that these devices can generate. Inputs 3–8 accept 1/4” connectors. You can also connect line-level signals to Mic/Line inputs 1 and 2 on the front by pressing the –26 dB pad switch. Input gain XLR & 1/4” combo connector –26dB...
S/PDIF Mirroring Pro Tools LE uses S/PDIF mirroring to automatically “mirror” the audio that is sent to outputs 1 and 2 on the S/PDIF RCA outputs. This is useful if you are monitoring a mix using your audio outputs, and also recording the same source to an external S/PDIF device. You can disable this S/PDIF mirroring.
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condenser mic (usually requires phantom power) use 48V Phantom Power if necessary mics3–8 go through the mixer’s preamps “snake” cable: you can also use individual cables for each mic Connecting a bunch of microphones to a Digi 001 Connecting a synth to a Digi 001 dynamic mic (phantom power won’t hurt it)
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To connect a digital audio source: Connect an ADAT or S/PDIF format optical device to the Optical In on the Digi 001 PCI Card, or connect an RCA S/PDIF device to the RCA connectors on the back of the Digi 001 I/O Box. You can only use one pair of S/PDIF inputs (either RCA or optical) at a time.
Studio Setup Diagrams Your setup will differ depending on which of these systems you use. The illustrations that follow show two typical home studio setups. DAT recorder Analog inputs 3-6 Mics and instruments Mixer audio inputs Digi 001 studio configuration with a mixer—Direct Outputs mode (see “Output Modes” on page 29) S/PDIF Analog inputs/ outputs 7-8...
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Microphones Monitor speakers & amplifier Monitor Out L/R Mic/Line Inputs 1/2 S/PDIF I/O Analog DAT recorder Inputs/ Outputs Mic preamps, 5–8 synths, and other sound modules Outboard effects Digi 001 studio configuration without a mixer—Stereo Outputs mode (see “Output Modes” on page 29) Digi 001 Quick Start Guide...
Connecting an ADAT to Digi 001 If you are using an ADAT or other ADAT format optical device with Digi 001, you can connect it to the optical ports on the Digi 001 PCI Card. You can also connect a S/PDIF device that uses optical connectors to this port.
Using Monitor Mode The Monitor Mode feature allows you to monitor analog inputs 3–4 on the Digi 001 I/O Box even when the power for your computer is off, or your Digi 001 I/O Box is disconnected from the computer. You can use this to monitor a CD player, synth, or tape machine without an external mixer, and without your computer on.
MIDI Connections Using the Digi 001’s built-in MIDI ports or an external MIDI Interface, a MIDI keyboard controller and MIDI instruments, you can take full advantage of the MIDI features of Pro Tools LE. These include recording and editing MIDI tracks, synchronizing to MIDI Time Code or MIDI Beat Clock (this requires an appropriate MIDI interface) and using a MIDI control surface.
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To connect an external device to your system: Connect an unused output (or outputs if stereo) on the Digi 001 I/O Box to an input (or inputs if stereo) of the external signal processor. Connect the output (or outputs if stereo) of the external signal processor to an unused input (or pair of inputs if stereo) on the Digi 001 I/O Box.
chapter 5 Working with the Demo Session Playing the Demo Session In this section, you will open and play back the sample session. You can also use the included tutorial to learn some of the mixing and editing features of Pro Tools LE. What’s a Session? A session is simply a Pro Tools LE document that contains all of your mixing, editing, and MIDI “instructions”...
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Set the maximum CPU usage limit, by setting the CPU Usage Limit in the Hardware Setup dialog to 85%, using the pop-up. Hardware Setup dialog, showing settings for slower Macintosh computers Using a Slow Windows PC? Pro Tools LE uses your computer’s processor for audio tasks. Although most supported Windows machines will have plenty of horsepower to run Pro Tools LE, you may experience performance problems with slower computers.
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Set the maximum Hardware Buffer Size. Choose Setups > Hardware, then set the H/W Buffer Size to between 512 and 1024 samples, using the pop-up. Buffer settings for slower Windows PCs Set the maximum CPU usage limit, by setting the CPU Usage Limit in the Hardware Setup dialog to 85%, using the pop-up.
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Macintosh sample session for Digi 001 (double-click to open) holds session audio files “Be There” opens, and appears like this: window Show/Hide Tracks list Groups Tracks The opened Be There demo session, showing the Mix, Memory Locations, and Transport windows Digi 001 Quick Start Guide holds instruments and samples...
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Make sure that the Monitor Mode switch is out (not engaged). Click the first Memory Location, “Play the Song,” in the Memory Locations window. This Memory Location locates the beginning of the song. If the Memory Locations window is not showing, choose Windows > Show Memory Locations to show it. Memory locations (select one by clicking)
Mixing the Demo Session Tutorial Now it’s time to start mixing audio in Pro Tools LE. But first, a common question answered for you: Can I ruin my recording? When you edit and mix audio in a session, you don’t actually change the underlying audio files.
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Record Solo Group enable Volume fader Channel strip in the Mix window and associated pop-ups To view the Mix window: Select Windows > Show Mix. The Demo Session is set up with the Narrow Mix Window enabled. This allows you to view more tracks in the Mix window by making the channel strips narrower.
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All Right, Let’s Mix! Now that you’ve been introduced to some elements of the Mix window, it’s time to dive in and start mixing the demo session. Adjusting the Volume of a Track First, adjust the volume of the track called “loop1.” Start by clicking the Memory Location “Loop 1 Vol + Pan”...
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Panning Tracks Now try panning the same track. To pan a track, you click the Pan slider and drag it to the left or right, to pan the corresponding direction. To adjust panning of a track: Click the Pan slider and drag it to the left or right to pan the track left or right in the mix. left right Mix Automation...
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To write automation: Click “Guitar Vol Auto” in the Memory Locations window to go to the tutorial location. On the track “cleangtr,” click the Automation Mode button and choose Auto Write for the Automation Mode. Click Play in the Transport window. Automation begins writing for the track you have selected.
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Drawing Automation in the Edit Window In the Edit window, you can view different data for a track, including a representation of the actual waveform, and volume, mute, and pan automation. In this example, we’ll view the Master Fader, which controls the volume of the overall mix, and fade out the end of the song to silence.
Using the Grabber tool, click on the volume line at the point you want to start fading out. A small point appears on the volume line. Click again with the Grabber at the point where you want the fade-out to end (reach silence), then drag the second small point down to the bottom of the track.
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Plug-Ins: click on to view and change settings inserts Try it! Several plug-ins are already activated in the demo session “Be There.” We’ll try adjusting the EQ Plug-In on the track called “VOX.” First, you’ll have to find a good location to hear the vocals.
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View the plug-in by clicking on the plug-in name next to the insert. Click Play in the Transport window, and adjust the plug-in settings, listening to the change in the audio. Feel free to tweak at will! When you have finished, close the plug-in by clicking the Close box. Click the 4-Band EQ on the VOX track channel insert...
Cool Mix Tricks: The Big Mute Now that you’ve started mixing with Pro Tools LE—and you haven’t had this much fun in years — here’s a really cool thing you can do. We call this The Big Mute, and it’s one of those tricks you hear often in popular songs of any genre.
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Click Mute again to stop writing Mute Automation before the lead vocal begins the second part of the chorus (before but when she comes around). Click Stop in the Transport window to stop writing automation. The Automation Mode automatically switches to “Auto Touch” after you stop playback.
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Click the Mute button on the same track again to stop writing mute automation. Try to click the button around the beginning of measure 113 (but when she [un-mute] comes around). enable Auto Write Automation Mode Set the Big Mute group back to Auto Read mode, then click Play in the Transport window to hear the Big Mute.
MIDI This optional section is for MIDI users. In this section, you’ll connect your MIDI device to the Digi 001 I/O Box, then we’ll try to coax some meaningful sounds out of the MIDI tracks in the Demo Session. MIDI configuration takes place in OMS (Open Music System) on the Macintosh, and in Windows Multimedia setup.
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• You can connect the audio output of the device to Digi 001 by connecting analog outputs to the analog inputs on the back of Digi 001 I/O Box, or you can connect a digital device to the proper digital inputs on either the Digi 001 I/O Box or the Digi 001 PCI Card.
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Using a MIDI Device with the Demo Session To get an idea of how to assign a MIDI instrument to a track in Pro Tools LE, let’s assign an instrument to a MIDI track that’s already in the Demo session. We’ll find and show the track “Virusplayed,”...
chapter 6 Recording This section explains how to record audio and MIDI tracks using Pro Tools LE. Routing Audio to a Track To route audio to a track: Connect your audio sources. See “Connecting Audio Sources to Digi 001” on page 32 for more information.
Setting Digi 001 Input Levels Digi 001 input levels for analog inputs 1 and 2 are adjusted using the gain knobs on the Digi 001 I/O Box for each channel. Input levels for analog inputs 3–8 are software- adjustable to accommodate a variety of equipment output levels. The key to setting input levels is to get a signal as “loud”...
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To adjust input gain on the Digi 001 (Analog inputs 3–8): Connect the instrument or device to the Digi 001 I/O Box. In Pro Tools LE, choose Setups > Hardware. Click Other Options. Set the input trim slider to match the output level of the connected instrument. Refer to the manufacturer’s documentation for details.
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Repeat this until you are able to achieve maximum signal level without clipping. No need to record enable an aux track Setting recording input levels (Aux Track on left, Disk Track on right) Adjust the gain on analog channels 3–8 by using Other Options in the Hardware Setup dialog (Setups >...
Mic/Line High-Pass Filter Digi 001 includes a high-pass filter set at 60 Hz. This filter can be useful for filtering out low-end rumble from a noisy recording environment or microphone handling, or AC noise. To use the high-pass filter on analog input 1 or 2: Choose Setups >...
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with the Selector tool Record enable a track Recording from the cursor location in the Edit window with the Selector tool Record enable a track Recording the length of a selection in the Edit window Digi 001 Quick Start Guide red arrow indicates that recording will occur at the cursor...
To play back a recorded track: Disable recording on the track by clicking the Record button for the track again. The button should no longer be highlighted. Click Play in the Transport window or press the Spacebar to play the track. Click Stop in the Transport window or press the Spacebar to stop playback.
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To set the Hardware Buffer Size for record or playback: Choose Setups > Hardware. Choose the number of samples from the H/W Buffer Size pop-up. Setting the Hardware Buffer size in the Hardware Setup dialog Low Latency Monitoring Pro Tools LE includes a feature called Low Latency Monitoring for Digi 001 systems. This feature allows you to use a built-in mixer on the Digi 001 PCI card to record and monitor up to 16 inputs (8 analog and 8 ADAT) with extremely low latency.
Recording MIDI To configure a new MIDI track for recording: Create a new MIDI track. In the Mix window, click on the track’s MIDI Device/Channel Selector and assign a device and channel from the pop-up menu. MIDI Device/Channel Selector If you want, you can assign a default program change to the track. In the Mix window, click on the Program button (Prog) and make the necessary selections for program and bank select, then click Done.
To play back the recorded MIDI track: Click the Record button for the MIDI track to take it out of record-ready mode. In the Transport window, click Return to Zero. Click Play in the Transport window to begin playback. The recorded MIDI data plays back through the track’s assigned instrument and channel.
Recording with an ADAT You can use Digi 001 to interface with an ADAT, either to record tracks from an ADAT into Pro Tools LE for editing, or to record tracks from Pro Tools LE to an ADAT. Using Output Pairs Because of the way that outputs function in Pro Tools LE, each track “looks for”...
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To record Pro Tools LE tracks to an ADAT: Connect the ADAT Optical Out connector on the back of the Digi 001 PCI Card to the ADAT Optical In connector on the back of the ADAT deck. Alesis ADAT SYNC METER BRIDGE Open the session you want to record to the ADAT.
index Numerics -26dB pad 25 48V phantom power 26 indicator 26 ADAT connecting 39 recording from Pro Tools LE 74 recording to Pro Tools LE 73 adjusting Mic/Line input gain 64 adjusting track volume 50 analog audio 32 analog devices, connecting 34 analog inputs Digi 001 I/O Box 28 analog outputs...
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main analog outputs 28 Mic/Line inputs 25 MIDI I/O 27 monitor inputs 28 monitor outputs 28 monitor volume 26 phantom power 26 indicator 26 power on indicator 26 S/PDIF I/O 27 digital audio ADAT format 33 S/PDIF format 33 digital devices, connecting 32, 36 effects processing 54 external effects devices 41 sends to 42...
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