Sessions & Tracks : File and Session Management and Compatibility : WAV File Compatibility

WAV File Compatibility
Convert Imported WAV files to AES31/BroadcastWave
Pro Tools always creates AES31/Broadcast compliant BWF (.wav) files when the file originates in Pro Tools. Non-BWF .wav files can be added to BWF (WAV) format Pro Tools sessions without conversion. This option ensures that all WAV files are imported, and if necessary, converted to BWF (WAV), compliant with the AES31/EBU Broadcast standard.
AES31/Broadcast Wave is a variant of the standard audio WAV file type. The AES31 format contains SMPTE time stamps and other information beyond the raw PCM audio data.
This variant complies with standards set by the AES (Audio Engineering Society) and EBU (European Broadcasters Union). Choose this option to ensure compatibility with other workstations that recognize this file type.
To make imported WAV files compliant with the AES31/EBU Broadcast standard:
1 Choose Setup > Preferences and click the Processing tab.
2 Select the Convert Imported “.wav” Files to AES31/BroadcastWave option.
3 Click OK.
WAVE Extensible File Format
Pro Tools 10 supports the WAVE Extensible file format for audio files. This file format specifies multiple audio channel data (surround sound) along with speaker positions, which is stored within the audio file header. These audio files are identified in DigiBase browsers with the designation “WAV (BWF EXT)” in the Attributes field.
If you are working with greater-than-stereo multichannel track formats in your Pro Tools sessions, it is recommended that you use the WAV file format.
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When using the WAV file format in Pro Tools 10 sessions, the corresponding channel order for each channel of greater-than-stereo, interleaved multichannel files is displayed in the Clip List.
RF64
Pro Tools 10 supports the RF64 audio file format. RF64 is an extension to the WAV audio file format that addresses the 4 gigabyte size limitation of other WAV audio file formats. RF64 audio files are identified in DigiBase browsers with the designation “MBWF” in the Attributes field.
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Lower versions of Pro Tools cannot read RF64 files. These files have to be manually edited and consolidated so that they are no larger than 4 GB in order to be available to systems running lower versions of Pro Tools.