MOTU 896HD, User Manual

Page: 34 / 76

I N S T A L L I N G T H E 8 9 6 H D H A R D W A R E
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Figure 4-25: All MOTU FireWire audio interfaces get their clock from a
single master sync source on any connected 896HD (or other MOTU
FireWire interface). After you choose a source from this menu, the
entire system, including all connected 896HDs, synchronizes to it.
Each FireWire interface in the system gets its clock
from the FireWire cable connection (unless it is the
master clock itself). There is no need to make word
clock connections between multiple FireWire
interfaces.
Connecting an 828
You can add an original MOTU 828 to the end of a
FireWire daisy chain (because the 828 has only one
FireWire port), or you can mix and match multiple
828’s with other MOTU FireWire interfaces using a
standard FireWire hub. Up to four interfaces can be
combined on one FireWire bus.
Operating multiple FireWire interfaces at high
sample rates
Four MOTU FireWire interfaces can operate at
44.1 or 48kHz on a single FireWire bus. At the high
samples rates (88.2 or 96kHz), you can operate no
more than two FireWire interfaces on a single
FireWire bus.
Adding additional interfaces with a second
FireWire bus
Third-party FireWire bus expansion products in
the form of a cardbus (“PC card”) adaptor or PCI
card allow you to add a second FireWire bus to
your computer. It may be possible to add additional
MOTU FireWire interfaces connected to such a
third-party product, depending on the
performance of the product and the performance
of your host computer.
Managing the IDs of multiple interfaces
Multiple 896HD interfaces are identified by
number (#1, #2, #3, etc.) Interfaces are ID’d (given
a number) by the order in which they are first
powered up after being connected. This
information is stored in the MOTU FireWire Audio
preferences file. Once ID’d, they retain the same
number regardless of the order in which they are
powered up. You can disable an interface at any
time with the
Disable interface option shown in
Figure 4-24 on page 33. Doing so frees up the
FireWire bandwidth required by the interface
without turning it off. Switching off an interface
accomplishes the same thing. To get the MOTU
FireWire Audio Control Panel Console to forget
about an interface entirely, you’ll see a
Forget
button in the MOTU FireWire Audio Console. Just
click the
Forget button and the MOTU FireWire
Audio Console will no longer consider the
interface to be present but off line (turned off).