The MIOConsole3d Application
248
USB Port Status
Every Metric Halo 3d unit includes a USB-C port on the rear panel, right next to the MHLink ports.
The USB port on every 3d device includes the UAC2 Class Audio driver in hardware, and serves three
important functions:
1. An alternative to MHLink for connecting a 3d device to Mac, Windows 10 or Linux host computers
and iOS/Android mobile devices.
2. Low-latency MIDI transport between the ULN-8, LIO-8 and SPDIF•MIDI EdgeCard MIDI ports and
computer-based MIDI applications.
3.
audio connection between any 3d unit within an MHLink domain and a
“satellite” computer or iOS/Android device.
The USB Port Status Display
Figure 10.89: USB Port Status
•
“USB: U”
In the example above, the USB port on box #4 is
U
nconnected
. “U” on a USB port can mean
one of three things: either there is no USB cable attached to that port, the computer, smartphone
or tablet to which it is attached is turned off, or the USB cable that is attached is not compatible
(see sidebar below).
• The
“USB: C”
status on box #5 means that USB is
C
onnected
and
C
ommunicating
as a “Satellite
Computer Port”. The Metric Halo 3d “Satellite Computer Port” feature allows an external USB device
to send and receive a maximum of 48 audio channels directly with an MHLink domain.
• Note that the
“USB: C”
status on the solo box in the second Domain means that USB is
C
onnected
and
C
ommunicating
not
as a “Satellite Computer Port”, but as a “USB Host Computer” connection.
We know this because this unit is identified as the Root box of its own Domain, and both MHLink
ports are
Unconnected
.
