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CHAPTER

17

1

About the PCI-424 System

OVERVIEW

The PCI-424 core system is a computer-based hard
disk recording system for Mac OS and Windows
that offers 24 simultaneous inputs and outputs per
Audio Wire cable, expandable to 96
inputs/outputs. A core system consists of a PCI
card connected to a standard 19-inch,
single-space, rack-mountable audio interface.

The system includes AudioDesk™, full-featured
audio workstation software for Mac OS that
supports both 16-bit and 24-bit recording at any
standard sample rate up to 192 kHz.

For Windows, a WDM driver is included for
compatibility with audio applications that support
standard multi-channel WDM and Wave drivers.

Also included are Macintosh and Windows ASIO
drivers for multi-channel operation with Steinberg
Cubase and other ASIO-compatible software.

The PCI-424 card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

The 2408mk3 interface. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

The 24I/O interface. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

The HD192 interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

16-bit and 24-bit recording . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

AudioDesk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

Digital Performer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

Other Audio Software. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

A computer-based system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

THE PCI-424 CARD

A PCI-424 core system ships with a single PCI
audio card called the PCI-424. The card features a
custom processor, a powerful DSP chip, four 6-pin
Audio Wire connectors and an ADAT SYNC IN
connector.

High definition audio

The PCI-424 system can operate at the following
high sample rates: 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4 and 192
kHz. All MOTU PCI-424 audio interfaces support
rates up to 96 kHz. In addition, the HD192
interface offers analog recording and playback at
176.4 or 192 kHz.

Audio Wire expansion

The PCI-424 card provides four Audio Wire jacks,
which are used to attach MOTU PCI audio
interfaces to the card installed in the computer.
Each Audio Wire is capable of transmitting 24
simultaneous channels of 96 kHz digital audio
input and output or 12 simultaneous channels of
192 kHz input and output.

Up to four MOTU PCI audio interfaces can be
connected to a single PCI-424 card for a maximum
of 96 possible input and output connections. All
MOTU PCI audio interfaces (including the
2408mk3, 24I/O and HD192) can also be “mixed
and matched” on the PCI-424 card, along with
legacy PCI-324 interfaces, such as the 2408,
2408mII, 1296, 1224, 24i and 308.

Audio Wire carries a proprietary communication
protocol between the card and the external I/O to
handle the extremely low latencies required by the
system. The heart of the PCI-424 card is a
custom-programmed VLSI chip capable of simul-
taneously processing all 96 inputs and outputs (192

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Summary of Contents for PCI-424

Page 1: ...venue Cambridge MA 02138 Business voice 617 576 2760 Business fax 617 576 3609 Tech support phone 617 576 3066 Tech support fax 617 354 3068 Tech support email techsupport motu com Web site http www motu com MOTU PCI 424 User s Guide for Macintosh ...

Page 2: ...r Windows 1280 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge MA 02138 Business voice 617 576 2760 Business fax 617 576 3609 Technical support 617 576 3066 Tech support fax 617 354 3068 Tech support email techsupport motu com Web site www motu com ...

Page 3: ...isMOTUinterfaceshouldbeoperatedonlyfromthetypeofpowersourceindicatedonthemarkinglabel Ifyouarenotsureofthetypeofpowersupplytoyourlocation consultyourlocalpowercompany 8 Power CordProtection Power supplycordsshouldberoutedsothattheyarenotlikelytobewalkedonorpinchedbyitemsplaceduponoragainstthem Payparticularattentiontocordsandplugs conveniencereceptacles andthepoint wheretheyexitfromyourMOTUaudioin...

Page 4: ...3 Contents 5 Quick Reference PCIe 424 Audio Card 6 About the PCIe 424 System 10 Packing List and PC System Requirements 11 Installing the PCIe 424 Hardware 13 Expanding Your PCIe 424 System ...

Page 5: ...S S warrant this equipment against defects in materials and workmanship for a period of NINETY 90 DAYS from the date of original retail purchase This warranty applies only to hardware products MOTU software is licensed and warranted pursuant to separate written statements If you discover a defect first write or call Mark of the Unicorn at 617 576 2760 to obtain a Return Merchandise Authorization N...

Page 6: ...ible recorder use this standard ADAT SYNC INPUT to connect the PCIe 424 card to the end of your ADAT sync chain For example if you have three ADATs chain the ADATs in the usual fashion SYNC OUT to SYNC IN etc and then connect the last ADAT s SYNC OUT to this SYNC IN on the PCIe 424 card This connection allows you to make sample accurate audio transfers between your host audio software if it suppor...

Page 7: ...ur MOTU PCI audio interfaces can be connected to a single PCIe 424 card for a maximum of 96 possible input and output connections All MOTU PCI audio interfaces including the 2408mk3 24I O and HD192 can also be mixed and matched on the PCIe 424 card along with legacy interfaces such as the 2408 2408mII 1296 1224 24i and 308 Audio Wire carries a proprietary communication protocol between the card an...

Page 8: ...z is 12 3 banks of 4 channel I O Analog bank The analog inputs are equipped with 24 bit 96 kHz 64x oversampling A D converters The analog outputs have 24 bit 96 kHz 128x oversampling D A converters The entire analog section of the circuit board inside the 2408mk3 is physically isolated from the rest of the board to help ensure quiet analog performance Each of the 2408mk3 s eight analog stereo inpu...

Page 9: ...he computer so that all audio data is carried to from the computer in 24 bits Converters All analog to digital and digital to analog inputs on the 24I O are equipped with 24 bit 128x oversampling extremely high quality latest generation converters Word clock in and out BNCWordclockconnectorcanbeprogrammedviasoftware for either input or output for synchronization with standard word clock devices Le...

Page 10: ... supports 24 bit recording AUDIODESK AudioDesk is a full featured 24 bit audio workstation software package for Macintosh included with each PCIe 424 core system AudioDesk provides multi channel waveform editing automated virtual mixing graphic editing of ramp automation real time effects plug ins with 32 bit floating point processing crossfades support for many third party audio plug ins in the M...

Page 11: ...EM REQUIREMENTS The PCIe 424 system requires the following PC system A 800 MHz Pentium CPU or faster A Pentium III or faster is recommended At least 128 MB megabytes of RAM 512 MB or more is recommended One available PCIe PCI Express slot Windows XP PLEASE REGISTER TODAY Please register your PCIe 424 system today There are two ways to register Visit www motu com to register online OR Fill out and ...

Page 12: ...lure to do so may result in serious shock or injury 2 Open your computer 3 Find an available PCIe slot 4 Remove the slot cover if necessary 5 Before removing the PCIe 424 card from it s anti static bag touch the power supply inside your computer to discharge any static electricity that may have built up on you 6 Remove the PCIe 424 card from its anti static bag 7 Gently but firmly insert the card ...

Page 13: ...e 9 Pin ADAT Sync connector on the PCIe 424 card as shown below in Figure 3 1 2 Plug the other end of the Audio Wire cable into the audio interface as shown below in Figure 3 1 Figure 3 1 Connecting the audio interface to the PCIe 424 audio card Step 1 ConnecttheAudio Wire to the socket closest to the ADAT SYNC port Step 2 2408mk3 interface HD192 interface 24I O interface ...

Page 14: ...sole 13 Enabling banks or individual ins and outs 13 Working with input and output menus 14 CueMix DSP routing among interfaces 14 Synchronizing multiple interfaces 14 Word clock connections are not necessary 14 Sample rate issues 14 CONNECTING EXPANSION INTERFACES Connect expansion interfaces to the three available Audio Wire sockets on your core system s PCIe 424 card as shown below in Figure 4 ...

Page 15: ...terfaces SYNCHRONIZING MULTIPLE INTERFACES The entire PCIe 424 system gets its clock from whatever you choose from the Clock Source menu in the MOTU PCIAudio Console window Synchronization across all connected interfaces is sample accurate All available sync sources on all connected interfaces are displayed in the menu as demonstrated below in Figure 4 4 Figure 4 4 The entire PCIe 424 system can b...

Page 16: ... Macintosh 1280 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge MA 02138 Business voice 617 576 2760 Business fax 617 576 3609 Technical support 617 576 3066 Tech support fax 617 354 3068 Tech support email techsupport motu com Web site www motu com ...

Page 17: ...isMOTUinterfaceshouldbeoperatedonlyfromthetypeofpowersourceindicatedonthemarkinglabel Ifyouarenotsureofthetypeofpowersupplytoyourlocation consultyourlocalpowercompany 8 Power CordProtection Power supplycordsshouldberoutedsothattheyarenotlikelytobewalkedonorpinchedbyitemsplaceduponoragainstthem Payparticularattentiontocordsandplugs conveniencereceptacles andthepoint wheretheyexitfromyourMOTUaudioin...

Page 18: ...3 Contents 5 Quick Reference PCIe 424 Audio Card 6 About the PCIe 424 System 10 Packing List and Macintosh System Requirements 11 Installing the PCIe 424 Hardware 13 Expanding Your PCIe 424 System ...

Page 19: ...S S warrant this equipment against defects in materials and workmanship for a period of NINETY 90 DAYS from the date of original retail purchase This warranty applies only to hardware products MOTU software is licensed and warranted pursuant to separate written statements If you discover a defect first write or call Mark of the Unicorn at 617 576 2760 to obtain a Return Merchandise Authorization N...

Page 20: ...ible recorder use this standard ADAT SYNC INPUT to connect the PCIe 424 card to the end of your ADAT sync chain For example if you have three ADATs chain the ADATs in the usual fashion SYNC OUT to SYNC IN etc and then connect the last ADAT s SYNC OUT to this SYNC IN on the PCIe 424 card This connection allows you to make sample accurate audio transfers between your host audio software if it suppor...

Page 21: ...ur MOTU PCI audio interfaces can be connected to a single PCIe 424 card for a maximum of 96 possible input and output connections All MOTU PCI audio interfaces including the 2408mk3 24I O and HD192 can also be mixed and matched on the PCIe 424 card along with legacy interfaces such as the 2408 2408mII 1296 1224 24i and 308 Audio Wire carries a proprietary communication protocol between the card an...

Page 22: ...z is 12 3 banks of 4 channel I O Analog bank The analog inputs are equipped with 24 bit 96 kHz 64x oversampling A D converters The analog outputs have 24 bit 96 kHz 128x oversampling D A converters The entire analog section of the circuit board inside the 2408mk3 is physically isolated from the rest of the board to help ensure quiet analog performance Each of the 2408mk3 s eight analog stereo inpu...

Page 23: ...he computer so that all audio data is carried to from the computer in 24 bits Converters All analog to digital and digital to analog inputs on the 24I O are equipped with 24 bit 128x oversampling extremely high quality latest generation converters Word clock in and out BNCWordclockconnectorcanbeprogrammedviasoftware for either input or output for synchronization with standard word clock devices Le...

Page 24: ... supports 24 bit recording AUDIODESK AudioDesk is a full featured 24 bit audio workstation software package for Macintosh included with each PCIe 424 core system AudioDesk provides multi channel waveform editing automated virtual mixing graphic editing of ramp automation real time effects plug ins with 32 bit floating point processing crossfades support for many third party audio plug ins in the M...

Page 25: ... hard drive PLEASE REGISTER TODAY Please register your PCIe 424 system today There are two ways to register Visit www motu com to register online OR Fill out and mail the included product registration card As a registered user you will be eligible to receive on line technical support email and announcements about product enhancements as soon as they become available Only registered users receive t...

Page 26: ...6 Remove the PCIe 424 card from its anti static bag 7 Gently but firmly insert the card into any available PCIe slot 8 Secure the bulkhead of the PCIe 424 card to the computer chassis with the bolt from the slot cover We strongly recommend securing the PCIe 424 card in this manner Doing so allows you to ensure secure connections to the card later on in the installation 9 Place the cover back on yo...

Page 27: ... C I E 4 2 4 H A R D W A R E 12 Figure 3 1 Connecting the audio interface to the PCIe 424 audio card Step 1 ConnecttheAudio Wire to the socket closest to the ADAT SYNC port Step 2 2408mk3 interface HD192 interface 24I O interface ...

Page 28: ...sole 13 Enabling banks or individual ins and outs 13 Working with input and output menus 14 CueMix DSP routing among interfaces 14 Synchronizing multiple interfaces 14 Word clock connections are not necessary 14 Sample rate issues 14 CONNECTING EXPANSION INTERFACES Connect expansion interfaces to the three available Audio Wire sockets on your core system s PCIe 424 card as shown below in Figure 4 ...

Page 29: ...terfaces SYNCHRONIZING MULTIPLE INTERFACES The entire PCIe 424 system gets its clock from whatever you choose from the Clock Source menu in the MOTU PCIAudio Console window Synchronization across all connected interfaces is sample accurate All available sync sources on all connected interfaces are displayed in the menu as demonstrated below in Figure 4 4 Figure 4 4 The entire PCIe 424 system can b...

Page 30: ...Avenue Cambridge MA 02138 Business voice 617 576 2760 Business fax 617 576 3609 Tech support phone 617 576 3066 Tech support fax 617 354 3068 Tech support email techsupport motu com Web site http www motu com MOTU PCI 424 User s Guide for Windows ...

Page 31: ...isMOTUinterfaceshouldbeoperatedonlyfromthetypeofpowersourceindicatedonthemarkinglabel Ifyouarenotsureofthetypeofpowersupplytoyourlocation consultyourlocalpowercompany 8 Power CordProtection Power supplycordsshouldberoutedsothattheyarenotlikelytobewalkedonorpinchedbyitemsplaceduponoragainstthem Payparticularattentiontocordsandplugs conveniencereceptacles and thepointwheretheyexitfromyourMOTUaudioin...

Page 32: ...t this equipment against defects in materials and workmanship for a period of NINETY 90 DAYS from the date of original retail purchase This warranty applies only to hardware products MOTU software is licensed and warranted pursuant to separate written statements If you discover a defect first write or call Mark of the Unicorn at 617 576 2760 to obtain a Return Merchandise Authorization Number No s...

Page 33: ...ference Expansion Interfaces 15 Quick Reference PCI Audio Console Window 17 About the PCI 424 System 23 Packing List and PC System Requirements 25 Installing the PCI 424 Windows Software 27 Installing the PCI 424 Hardware 55 2408mk3 Front Panel Operation 63 MOTU PCI Audio Console 75 Cubase Nuendo and other ASIO Software 83 Sonar and other WDM software 87 Expanding Your PCI 424 System 91 Reducing M...

Page 34: ...ranyotherADAT Sync compatible recorder use this standard ADAT SYNC INPUT to connect the PCI 424cardtotheendofyourADATsyncchain Forexample ifyouhavethree ADATs chain the ADATs in the usual fashion SYNC OUT to SYNC IN etc and thenconnectthelastADAT sSYNCOUTtothisSYNCINonthePCI 424card This connectionallowsyoutomakesample accurateaudiotransfersbetweenyour hostaudiosoftware ifitsupportssample accurate...

Page 35: ...6 ...

Page 36: ...gital I O formats When you are operating the 2408mk3 under computer control the 2408mk3 always outputs to both ADAT and Tascam regardless of which one you have chosen in AudioDesk or the PCI 424 configuration software The top orange row of lights show input activity for each channel in the bank and the bottom green lights show output At 88 2 or 96 kHz TDIF and ADAT optical support 4 channels per b...

Page 37: ...anced 4dB TRS tip ring sleeve quarter inch connectors They have 24 bit 64x oversampling converters Each input pair can be set at 4dB or 10dB via the PCI 424 configuration window on your computer Click the Interface Options button to access the input level settings Note that you can use one of these inputs for SMPTE time code input instead of the RCA connectors on the left side of the unit Use the ...

Page 38: ...e an external clock source such as word clock but the 24I O is not successfully receiving it Check the 24I O s clock setting in the MOTU PCI Audio Console window or check your external clock source and its cable connections to the 24I O Five segment metering for the 24 analog inputs Five segment metering for the 24 analog outputs ...

Page 39: ... switch them to 10 dB inputs in banks of eight For details see 24I O interface options on page 70 The word clock connector can be config ured as either an input or an output When you choose the 24I O Word Clock In setting from the PCI 424 Clock Source menu see Clock Source on page 64 the 24I O s word clock jack becomes a word clock input When you choose any other clock setting it operates as a wor...

Page 40: ...se four orange LEDs lights up to indicate the current AES OUT clock rate even if it matches the current HD192 system clock rate the large green sample rate above 19 segment ladder LEDs for the twelve XLR analog inputs When the HD192 system has a stable clock either internal or external the system s sample rate is illuminated here If the HD192 is slaving to an external clock and the external clock ...

Page 41: ...es to the System Word input The HD192 s twelve analog inputs are balanced 4dB XLR connectors They have 24 bit 128x enhanced multibit A D converters capable of 44 1 48 88 2 96 176 4 and 192 kHz recording Use the word clock input and output for digital trans fers with devices that cannot slave to the clock supplied by their digital I O connection with the HD192 The HD192 power supply is switchable b...

Page 42: ...own on page 5 Connect the other end of the Audio Wire cable to the Audio Wire socket on the interface as demonstrated below with the 2408mk3 in Figure 1 Figure 1 Attaching the Audio Wire cable to an expansion interface IMPORTANT NOTE Always power on your expansion interface when operating your core system In fact you should turn on all audio interfaces connected to the PCI 424 card COMPLETING THE ...

Page 43: ...14 ...

Page 44: ...ow you access it FromWindows run MOTU PCI AudioConsole thestand alone applet for the 2408 From CubaseVST open the AudioSystemSetup window and click theASIOControlPanel button From Cubase SX open the DevicesSetupwindow clickthe VST Multitrack device and click the Control Panel button How to open this window Provides additional settings for the interface currently chosen in the Configure Interface m...

Page 45: ...16 ...

Page 46: ... custom processor a powerful DSP chip four 6 pin Audio Wire connectors and an ADAT SYNC IN connector High definition audio The PCI 424 system can operate at the following high sample rates 44 1 48 88 2 96 176 4 and 192 kHz All MOTU PCI 424 audio interfaces support rates up to 96 kHz In addition the HD192 interface offers analog recording and playback at 176 4 or 192 kHz Audio Wire expansion The PC...

Page 47: ...ly transfer a single track of material from the ADAT via light pipe into the 2408mk3 s Macintosh workstation software and then transfer the track back to the ADAT it will be recorded exactly at its original location down to the sample Video and SMPTE time code synchronization The entire PCI 424 system including all connected interfaces can resolve directly to SMPTE time being received on any analo...

Page 48: ...tible device such as an effects processor or other device Word Clock BNC Word clock connectors in and out are provided for synchronization with standard word clock devices Via software the word output can be made to either double or halve the 2408mk3 s system word rate For example if the 2408mk3 is running at 96 kHz it can generate 48 kHz word clock output Video sync The BNC input connector can be...

Page 49: ...with 24 bit 128x oversampling extremely high quality latest generation converters Word clock in and out BNC Word clock connector can be programmed via software for either input or output for synchro nization with standard word clock devices Level Meters The front panel of the 24I O displays 48 level meters arranged in three banks of 8 channels For each channel there is a five segment meter that me...

Page 50: ...r 24 bit audio files at 44 1 48 88 2 or 96 KHz via any of the system s analog or digital inputs and outputs The HD192 also offers recording at 176 4 or 192 kHz OnWindows 24 bit audio files can be recorded with any compatible host application that supports 24 bit recording AUDIODESK AudioDesk is a full featured 24 bit audio workstation software package for Macintosh included with each PCI 424 core ...

Page 51: ... S T E M 22 drives will allow more simultaneous tracks and real time effects than a slower computer with less RAM and slower hard drives Standard third party system acceleration products can also help you achieve higher track counts ...

Page 52: ...UIREMENTS The PCI 424 system requires the following PC system A 800 MHz Pentium CPU or faster A Pentium III or faster is recommended At least 128 MB megabytes of RAM 512 MB or more is recommended One available PCI slot Windows 98SE or later A large hard drive preferably at least 20 GB PLEASE REGISTER TODAY Please send in the registration card included with your PCI 424 system As a registered user ...

Page 53: ...P A C K I N G L I S T A N D P C S Y S T E M R E Q U I R E M E N T S 24 ...

Page 54: ... PCI 424 card and the audio interfaces con nected to it Required for PCI 424 operation ASIO MOTU PCI Driver Allows Cubase or other ASIO compliant soft ware to do multi channel input and output with the PCI 424 Only required if you are using Cubase or another ASIO dependent program MOTU PCI WDM Audio Driver AllowsanyWDM orWave compatibleaudio software to handle input and output with the PCI 424 har...

Page 55: ...ther WDM software page 83 for details The PCI 424 installer disc installs the MOTU PCI WDM Audio Driver into Windows for you ASIO MOTU PCI DRIVER ASIO stands forAudio Streaming Input and Output The ASIO MOTU PCI driver allows the PCI 424 audio card to do multi channel input and output with Steinberg s Cubase software or any other audio application that supports ASIO drivers TheASIO MOTU PCI driver...

Page 56: ...e operation 52 Syncing large systems 53 INSTALL THE 2408MK3 SOFTWARE FIRST We recommend that you install the 2408mk3 software before installing the PCI 424 card itself If you ve already installed the card you might want to temporarily remove it to install the software and then put it back in after installing the 2408mk3 software If you haven t installed the PCI 424 card yet go now to chapter 3 Ins...

Page 57: ...nside your computer to discharge any static electricity that may have built up on you 6 Remove the PCI 424 card from its anti static bag 7 Gently but firmly insert the card into any available PCI slot 8 Secure the bulkhead of the PCI 424 card to the computer chassis with the bolt from the slot cover We strongly recommend securing the PCI 424 card in this manner Doing so allows you to ensure secure...

Page 58: ...9 PinADAT Sync connector on the PCI 424 card as shown below in Figure 4 1 2 Plug the other end of the Audio Wire cable into the audio interface as shown below in Figure 4 1 Figure 4 1 Connecting the audio interface to the PCI 424 audio card Step 1 ConnecttheAudio Wire to the socket closest to the ADAT SYNC port Step 2 2408mk3 interface HD192 interface 24I O interface ...

Page 59: ...m both at the same time don t connect the ADAT to Bank C since SPDIF can only be used on that bank Here s another example if you have oneADAT and one Tascam recorder and you want to use them independently at the same time connect them to different banks On the other hand you can connect an ADAT optical device and Tascam TDIF device to the same bank if you like For input you ll only be able to reco...

Page 60: ...then bus that signal via CueMix DSP to a pair of analog outputs connected to an effects processor say a rack mount reverb unit The output from the effects processor could then be fed back into a second pair of 2408mk3 inputs just like an aux return and then routed to audio software running on the host computer as well as the 2408mk3 main outputs The result is that you can apply hardware reverb to ...

Page 61: ...ing synthesizers drum machines samplers or other devices with a 10 dB analog input signal you can switch the 24I O inputs to 10 dB in banks of eight inputs For example you might configure inputs 1 through 16 as inputs from a console at 4 dB while configuring inputs 17 24 at 10 dB for MIDI instruments For details see 24I O interface options on page 70 Mixing live inputs with CueMix DSP As you plan ...

Page 62: ... hard wired to provide a maximum of 12 independent inputs and outputs Both the analog section and AES EBU section share these I O resources withAES EBU taking up one pair of the 12 virtual ins and outs For example in the MOTU PCI Audio Console you could use channels 1 through 10 for analog input and channels 11 12 for AES EBU input AES EBU completely takes over the inputs entirely disabling the co...

Page 63: ...e DAT deck is not slaved to the HD192 s system clock Instead their clocks are running completely independently of one another But also notice that the DAT deck must still slave to the sample rate converted output from the HD192 for a clean digital audio transfer unless it has its own rate converter on its AES EBU input Figure 4 9 Clock relationships when sending audio from the HD192 to a DAT deck ...

Page 64: ... the following sections For further details see HD192 interface options on page 71 Scenario 1 Scenario 2 Scenario 3 Description Simple transfer Rate convert Use word clock HD192 system clock setting HD192 AES EBU Any setting except HD192 AES EBU HD192 Word Clock AES EBU input rate convert unchecked off checked on unchecked off Required HD192 cable connections AES EBU IN AES EBU IN AES EBU IN and W...

Page 65: ...p AES Word In If you have an external word clock source and you would like the HD192 AES EBU output to resolve to it connect the word clock source to the HD192 AESWord In as shown below in Figure 4 14 Then choose AES Word In from the AES Output Clock menu Figure 4 13 above Figure 4 14 Resolving the AES EBU output to its own independent word clock 44 1 48 88 2 96 kHz Choose one of these sample rate...

Page 66: ...424 system to SMPTE time code and or video Both of the above Synchronization is essential for digital I O Synchronization is critical in any audio system but it is especially important when you are transferring audio between digital audio devices Your success in using the PCI 424 system depends almost entirely on proper synchronization The following sections guide you through several recommended s...

Page 67: ...corder or other ADAT SYNC compatible device as discussed in Sample accurate ADAT sync with no synchronizer on page 41 But if you also want transport control over the entire rig including the hard disk recorder from your audio software you ll need a MIDI Machine Control compatible synchronizer such as MOTU s MIDI Timepiece AV as discussed in Sample accurate sync on page 39 If you are simply using t...

Page 68: ...d and locate all of your Alesisrecorders orotherADATSYNC compatible devices using the transport controls in the audio software running on your computer This includes cueing features like markers position bars playback wipers time rulers etc If you have Tascam recorders a Digital Timepiece or other MMC compatible Tascam synchronizer provides this feature Figure 4 19 Cubase and other ASIO 2 0 compli...

Page 69: ...Out etc ADAT Sync Out PCI 424 card ADAT Sync In In CubaseVST go to the Synchronization window and choose ASIO2 0MMC as theTimecode Base In Cubase SX go to the Synchronization Setup window and choose the ASIOPositioningProtocoland MIDIMachineControl options 1 In the MOTU PCI Audio Console choose PCI 424 ADATfrom the Clock Source menu as shown to above 2 Make sure the SampleRate setting matches the ...

Page 70: ...ard ADAT Sync In ADATs orADATSYNC compatiblerecorders Windows computer running Cubase or other sample accurate ASIO software 1 In the MOTU PCI Audio Console choose PCI 424 ADATfrom the Clock Source menu as shown to above 2 Make sure the SampleRate setting matches the other recorders Put Cubase into external sync mode See Sample accurate sync with Cubase or Nuendo on page 80 for more information In...

Page 71: ...ADAT Sync out port Optional ADAT sync chain See page 40 Windows computer running Cubase or other sample accurate ASIO software 1 In the MOTU PCI Audio Console choose PCI 424 ADATfrom the Clock Source menu as shown to above 2 Make sure the SampleRate setting matches the other recorders Put Cubase into external sync mode See Sample accurate sync with Cubase or Nuendo on page 80 for more information ...

Page 72: ...Any MOTU PCI interface SMPTE time code source audio cable bearing LTC LongitudinalTime Code SMPTE IN RCA jack or any analog input AudioWire cable PCI 424 card Launch the MOTU SMPTE Console and specify the SMPTESource which is the analog input receiving the SMPTE time code Also confirm that the ClockSource is PCI 424 SMPTE SMPTE For details about the other settings see chapter 12 MOTU SMPTE Console...

Page 73: ...k Source is PCI 424 SMPTE SMPTE For details about the other settings see chapter 12 MOTU SMPTE Console page 103 WORD video IN BNC jack Video cable Other digital audio device slaved to the 2408mk3 AudioWire cable PCI 424 card video cable audio cable SMPTE out Word Out When lockup is achieved the LOCK light illuminates and theTACH light blinks once per second Choose PCI 424 Videoas the clock source ...

Page 74: ...as the MOTU MIDITimepiece AV or DigitalTimepiece PC running any audio software MOTU MIDITimepiece AV or DigitalTimepiece slaving to video and or SMPTE time code Any MOTU PCI interface audio cable bearing LTC LongitudinalTime Code word clock MIDITime Code Via MIDI interface Set up your audio software to slave to MIDITime Code Video deck or other source for video and or SMPTE time code ChooseWordClo...

Page 75: ...AT synchronizer connect the PCI 424 card to the end of the ADAT chain and choose PCI 424 ADATfrom the Clock Source menu 3 MakesuretheSampleRatesettingmatchesthetapedecks Alternately youcouldsendwordclockfromthesynchronizerto the 2408mk3 interface instead of ADAT sync In this case chose 2408mk3 WordClockIn as the clock source Set up MIDI Machine Control in your audio software Doing so makes the aud...

Page 76: ...e Code from the DA 88 98 Word Clock In Word Clock Out DA 88 or DA 98 MIDI OUT With this setup in the MOTU PCI Audio Console window you can choose any clock source since the DA 88 98 is slaving to the 2408mk3 The DA 88 98 will slave to the 2408mk3 regardless of what the PCI 424 system is slaving to Figure 4 27 This setup shows how you can slave your audio software to the time code track on a Tascam...

Page 77: ...mk3 to the lightpipe device Slave both the lightpipe device and the 2408mk3 to a third master clock such as a Digital Timepiece or MIDI Timepiece AV synchronizer ADAT Sync out port PCI 424 card ADAT Sync In ADAT Optical IN ADAT Optical OUT Digital mixer orotherlightpipe device 2408mk3 With this setup in the MOTU PCI Audio Console window choose Internal or any clock source setting except one of the...

Page 78: ... the TDIF connection It is always necessary to synchronize TDIF devices with the 2408mk3 via one of the following sync connections Word clock Tascam sync if the TDIF device supports it Tascam DM 24 or otherTDIF device PCI 424 card ADAT Sync In TDIF TDIF 2408mk3 Word Clock Out Word Clock In Figure 4 29 Two setups for synchronizing aTDIF device with a 2408mk3 You can slave theTDIF device to word clo...

Page 79: ...ock input You can then freely transfer audio between the 2408mk3 and the SPDIF device regardless of how the rest of your 2408mk3 rig is synchronized SPDIF SPDIF DAT deck or other SPDIF device 2408mk3 With this setup in the MOTU PCI Audio Consolewindow chooseInternal orany other clock source setting except SPDIF The DAT deck or other SPDIF device slavestothe2408mk3viawordclockfor SPDIF transfers in...

Page 80: ...the inter face receiving the word clock Don t chain word clock If you have three or more digital audio devices that you need to synchronize avoid chaining their word clock connections OUT to IN OUT to IN etc as this causes problems Instead use a dedicated synchronizer like the Digital Timepiece or a word clock distribution device of some kind Slaving to 2x and 1 2x word clock All MOTU PCI interfac...

Page 81: ...and Source on page 60 Front panel SOURCE setting Front panel CLOCK setting Required sync connections ADAT Bank A Dig Digital ADAT optical OUT from the source device to IN on the 2408mk3 ADAT Bank B Dig Digital same as above ADAT Bank C Dig Digital same as above ADAT Bank A B C Dig Digital same as above Tascam A Wrd word clock with no synchronizer OR PCI Use PCI if the 2408mk3 is slaved to a synchr...

Page 82: ...can synchronize a wide variety of devices and it offers sample accurate synchronization for devices that support it You will also be able to control everything from the transport controls of your audio software If you have even more devices than a single Digital Timepiece can support consider a word clock distribution device Products like this offer multiple word clock outputs ...

Page 83: ...I N S T A L L I N G T H E P C I 4 2 4 H A R D W A R E 54 ...

Page 84: ...atus indicators In Stand alone mode the 2408mk3 front panel buttons and LEDs give you control over the 2408mk3 s stand alone format conversion features PCI MODE PCI mode 56 What is PCI mode 56 Analog metering vs clock settings 56 Clock status 56 When the sample rate LEDs flash 56 Analog metering 56 STAND ALONE OPERATION Stand alone format conversion 58 The SELECT button 58 No clock 58 Clock 58 Bou...

Page 85: ...io Console software running on the computer To change the settings use the PCI Audio Console window as explained in Clock Source on page 64 When the sample rate LEDs flash In PCI mode the 48 44 1 sample rate LEDs flash when the 2408mk3 has no clock from the currently selected clock source as chosen in the PCI Audio Console window For example if you choose a PCI 424 clock source setting in the cons...

Page 86: ...t a digital audio clock For example if you ve chosen ADAT sync as the Clock Source in the PCI Audio Console window but there is no ADAT connected or it is turned off the 44 1 and 48 kHz LEDs will flash ThesethreeLEDsindicatethatthe2408mk3isinPCI mode and displaying its current clock settings as chosen in the PCI Audio Console software In PCI mode these two rows display the current clock settings i...

Page 87: ...8 kHz sample rate lights flash to alert you that no signal can be detected For example if you ve chosen SPDIF as the clock source as explained in the next section but there is no SPDIF signal detected the 44 1 and 48 kHz LEDs will flash Clock The CLOCK setting determines the digital audio clock source for the 2408mk3 when it is operating as a stand alone format converter Press the SELECT button re...

Page 88: ...setting when you are slaving the 2408mk3 to its word clock input For example if you have the 2408mk3 synchronized to a word clock device that is also serving as a word clock master for the digital audio device you have chosen as the source of the digital transfer Only use the Wrd setting if the 2408mk3 is slaved to the same word clock source as the device that is the source of the transfer either ...

Page 89: ...you enough flexibility to map any channel to any other channel Swapping is applied to all other track pairs as well Source The SOURCE setting determines the audio source for the transfer Press the SELECT button repeatedly until the SOURCE LED is illuminated Then press the SET button repeatedly to make your choice Figure 5 6 Choosing a source for a transfer Press the SET button repeatedly to choose...

Page 90: ...all three banks together as the source they pass audio straight through i e Bank A to A B to B and C to C Analog metering Press the SELECT button repeatedly if necessary to illuminate the METERS LED as shown in Figure 5 10 below This LED indicates that the LEDs in the ANALOG OUT section are serving as five segment output level meters Figure 5 10 You can ignore the LED labels in the ANALOG OUT sect...

Page 91: ...2 4 0 8 M K 3 F R O N T P A N E L O P E R A T I O N 62 Figure 5 11 The 2408mk3 s ADAT TDIF activity LEDs are triggered by a signal of 40dB or greater ...

Page 92: ...ble routing 69 PCI use 69 Interface options 70 Analog output bank mirroring 70 Word Out Rate 70 Saving and recalling routings 73 The Refresh button 73 Choosing a Config before opening a file 73 ACCESSING THE PCI AUDIO CONSOLE WINDOW There are several ways to access the PCI Audio Console window From Windows run MOTU PCI Audio Console the stand alone applet for the PCI 424 system From within CubaseV...

Page 93: ...in this menu Interfaces that do not support the system s current sample rate are temporarily taken off line For example if you run the HD192 interface s at 192 kHz all other audio interfaces are taken off line As another example if you run a PCI 424 interface 2408mk3 24I O or HD192 at 96 kHz any connected legacy PCI 324 interfaces such as a 2408 2408mkII 1224 or 308 will be taken off line with the...

Page 94: ...so carries precise sample location information which allows sample accurate software to transfer audio to and from ADATs without drifting by as much as one sample Use this setting when you are using the PCI 424 system with one or more ADATs or other ADAT Sync compatible devices Make sure the PCI 424 card is connected to the end of the ADAT sync chain You should also use this setting if you have a ...

Page 95: ...and you then try to choose ADAT optical from that bank as the clock source the PCI Audio Console will alert you that it cannot use the TDIF input as a clock source 2408mk3 SPDIF This setting refers to the SPDIF RCA input connector on the 2408mk3 interface This setting allows the entire PCI 424 system including other 2408mk3 I Os connect to the PCI 424 card to slave to another SPDIF device Use this...

Page 96: ...ch thru latency but significantly increase the overall processing load on your computer leaving less CPU bandwidth for things like real time effects processing On the other hand if you increase the Samples Per Buffer you reduce the load on your computer freeing up bandwidth for effects mixing and other real time operations But don t set the Samples Per Buffer too low or it may cause distortion in ...

Page 97: ...banks You can freely switch between formats at any time ADAT and TDIF banks at high sample rates When using ADAT or TDIF banks on a 2408mk3 interface and the PCI 424 system clock is set to a sample rate higher than 48 kHz these banks change to four channels each as these formats only support four channels at 88 2 or 96 kHz ADAT TDIF always share the same output If you have both TDIF and ADAT optic...

Page 98: ...ad of eight at sample rates higher than 48 kHz PCI USE Enabled banks or individual inputs and outputs take up a small portion of your computer s processing power And while the amount is quite small for individual I O pairs a core PCI 424 system lets you enable up to 24 inputs and outputs at a time a total of 48 An expanded PCI 424 system with four interfaces lets you enable up to 96 inputs and out...

Page 99: ...onsole window the Analog outputs of the 2408mk3 mirror or duplicate one of the three banks By default they mirror Bank A To choose another bank click the Interface Options button and choose the desired bank from the menu as shown above in Figure 6 7 Input Reference Level These settings let you specific the input reference level for the four analog input pairs on the 2408mk3 interface The factory d...

Page 100: ... lets you choose which pair of analog inputs to replace with AES EBU input For example if you choose inputs 11 12 from this menu analog inputs 11 and 12 are temporarily disabled and replaced by the AES EBU inputs In your host audio software inputs 11 12 now refer to the AES EBU input Rate Convert Enable the Rate Convert option when you wish to convert the sample rate of the incoming AES EBU digita...

Page 101: ... device this option is likely to create a clock loop AES Word In Choose AES Word In when you would like theAES EBU output to match and continuously resolve to word clock being received from the HD192 s AESWord In BNC jack If necessary theAES EBU output signal will be sample rate converted to match the AES Word In rate 44 1 48 88 2 96 kHz Choose one of these sample rates when you need to convert th...

Page 102: ...on t change very often THE REFRESH BUTTON The Refresh button makes the MOTU PCI Audio Console window query the audio interfaces connected to the PCI 424 card to make sure that the settings in the window accurately reflect the settings in the hardware Under normal operations this should never be necessary Even if you switch off the interfaces the PCI 424 software driver is designed to re establish ...

Page 103: ...M O T U P C I A U D I O C O N S O L E 74 ...

Page 104: ...m performance 81 PREPARATION To make sure that everything is ready for Cubase install Cubase first if you haven t already done so and then see these chapters before proceeding chapter 4 Installing the PCI 424 Hardware page 27 chapter 3 Installing the PCI 424 Windows Software page 25 RUN MOTU PCI AUDIO CONSOLE BEFORE CUBASE Before you run Cubase launch the MOTU PCI Audio Console to configure your P...

Page 105: ...for your system and synchronization scenario Figure 7 2 Activating the PCI 424 driver in Nuendo and Cubase NUMBER OF CHANNELS In CubaseVST be sure to choose enough channels in the System dialog as shown above in Figure 7 2 to cover the number of inputs and outputs provided by your PCI 424 system REDUCING DELAY WHEN PROCESSING LIVE INPUTS WITH PLUG INS If you patch a live input such as MIDI synthes...

Page 106: ...inputs that appear in theVST Inputs window correspond to the banks you enabled or individual inputs you checked in the MOTU PCI Audio Console as shown in Figure 7 1 on page 75 Figure 7 3 Activating PCI 424 inputs in Cubase VST Figure 7 4 Activating PCI 424 inputs in Nuendo or Cubase SX ASSIGNING INPUTS Onceyou veactivatedthePCI 424systeminputsas shown in the previous section you can then assign th...

Page 107: ...ST Outputs window CHANGING PCI 424 SETTINGS To change the PCI 424 settings at any time go to the Audio System Setup window in CubaseVST or the Device Setup window in Nuendo or Cubase SX and click theASIO Control Panel button as shown in Figure 7 2 on page 76 In CubaseVST use the output buttons at the bottom of each channel strip including the master fader to assign PCI 424 outputs to busses You ca...

Page 108: ...I 424 system to video and or SMPTE time code you can do so with or without a dedicated synchronizer SMPTE time code synchronization can be accomplished via the analog input of any connected interface Direct video synchronization requires as 2408mk3 interface Resolving directly to video and or time code with no synchronizer To resolve your PCI 424 system directly to video and or SMPTE time code wit...

Page 109: ...mple accurate sync on page 39 Then set up Cubase as follows 1 Choose PCI 424 ADAT as the Audio Clock Source setting In CubaseVST this setting is in the Audio System Setup window Audio menu In Nuendo or Cubase SX this setting is in the Device Setup window Options menu 2 Go to Cubase or Nuendo s Synchronization window as shown below Figure 7 7 Setting up sample accurate sync via ASIO 2 3 If you are ...

Page 110: ...hion from Cubase See Sample accurate sync with Cubase or Nuendo on page 80 for details on how to set this up 24 BIT OPERATION Your PCI424 hardware fully supports Cubase and Nuendo s 24 bit recording capabilities Simply enable 24 bit operation as instructed in your Cubase or Nuendo manual The PCI 424 system always supplies a 24 bit data stream and when you enable 24 bit operation in Cubase or Nuend...

Page 111: ...C U B A S E N U E N D O A N D O T H E R A S I O S O F T W A R E 82 ...

Page 112: ... audio interface For example if you have a 2408mk3 interface you need to configure the three 2408mk3 format banks as desired You also use the MOTU PCI Audio Console to make other important 2408mk3 settings such the 2408mk3 s clock source and others Figure 8 1 Configure the three banks as you would like to use them in your WDM or Wave compatible audio software Only activate the banks you really nee...

Page 113: ... PCI 424 output and input for playback and recording timing It doesn t matter which input or output you choose Consult your Sonar documentation for the other settings in the General tab of the Audio Options window Figure 8 3 Make sure you have chosen a PCI 424 input and output for the playback and record timing master settings The Wave Profiler If you see the alert shown below in Figure 8 4 when l...

Page 114: ...nsult the documentation for your audio software WAVE SUPPORT FOR LEGACY MME SOFTWARE The MOTU PCI WDM driver provides legacy Wave driver support for MME compatible audio software For details see Wave support for legacy MME software on page 70 A NOTE TO SOUND FORGE USERS If the Smooth Scroll option under the Options menu is turned on you may experience clicks and pops or other anomalies in audio pl...

Page 115: ...S O N A R A N D O T H E R W D M S O F T W A R E 86 ...

Page 116: ...re system See your MOTU dealer for details Connecting expansion interfaces 87 Multiple interfaces in the Console 87 Enabling banks or individual ins and outs 88 Working with input and output menus 88 CueMix DSP routing among interfaces 88 Synchronizing multiple interfaces 89 Word clock connections are not necessary 89 Sample rate issues 89 PCI bandwidth issues 89 CONNECTING EXPANSION INTERFACES Co...

Page 117: ...2408mk3 1 2408mk3 2 etc according to the order in which they are connected to the PCI 424 card as shown in Figure 9 1 on page 87 Notice that in the example below the second 2408mk3 interface is configured for three ADAT banks but since no other interface is configured for the ADAT format the interface name is not included in the name of the input or output Figure 9 3 Input and output menus show th...

Page 118: ...interface in the system gets its clock from the Audio Wire cable connection to the PCI 424 card unless it is the master clock itself There is no need to make word clock connections between interfaces SAMPLE RATE ISSUES While the PCI 424 card can operate at sample rates as high as 192 kHz not all MOTU PCI audio interfaces support the higher rates When choosing high sample rates above 48 kHz interfa...

Page 119: ...E X P A N D I N G Y O U R P C I 4 2 4 S Y S T E M 90 ...

Page 120: ...ly to your monitor outs via the PCI 424 audio hardware This is just like bussing inputs to outputs in a digital mixer For details see CueMix DSP hardware monitoring on page 94 If you do need to process a live input with plug ins or if you are playing virtual instruments live through your MOTU PCI audio hardware you can significantly reduce latency and even make it completely inaudible regardless o...

Page 121: ...ive input use both methods Figure 10 1 and Figure 10 2 at the same time For example you could route vocals to both the computer for a bit of reverb and mix that processed signal on the main outs with dry vocals from CueMix DSP THE SAMPLES PER BUFFER SETTING As shown in Figure 10 3 the Samples Per Buffer setting determines the size of the buffers used by the PCI 424 drivers to transfer audio to and...

Page 122: ...verall processing load on your computer leaving less CPU bandwidth for things like real time effects processing On the other hand if you increase the Samples Per Buffer you reduce the load on your computer freeing up bandwidth for effects mixing and other real time operations If you are at a point in your recording project where you are not currently working with live patched thru material e g you...

Page 123: ...r audio software This means that you cannot apply plug ins mix automation or other real time effects that your audio software provides But for inputs that don t need these types of features CueMix DSP is the way to go On the other hand if you really need to use the mixing and processing provided by your audio software you should not use CueMix DSP Instead reduce latency with the Samples Per Buffer...

Page 124: ...ure Once enabled it should work similarly as described for Cubase as explained in the previous section Using CueMix DSP with WDM or Wave compatible software Run CueMix Console chapter 11 CueMix Console page 97 and use it to route live inputs directly to outputs control their volume and panning etc If necessary you can save your CueMix Console setup with your project file Using CueMix Console If yo...

Page 125: ...R E D U C I N G M O N I T O R I N G L A T E N C Y 96 ...

Page 126: ...allowing you to seemlessly mix in both environments Advantages of CueMix monitoring 98 CueMix Console installation 98 Cuemix Console basic operation 98 Working with a mix 98 Shortcuts 99 Copying pasting duplicating entire mixes 99 Message center 99 Global mute and trim 99 Saving and loading CueMix configurations 100 Managing CueMix DSP resources 100 CueMix Console examples 101 Figure 11 1 CueMix C...

Page 127: ...ber of inputs all mixed down to a stereo output pair CueMix Console lets you choose which inputs to include in the mix and it lets you specify the level and pan for each input being fed into the mix Viewing one mix at a time CueMix Console displays one mix at a time To select which mix you are viewing choose it from the Mix Selector menu above the master fader as shown in Figure 11 1 The mix name ...

Page 128: ...nput globally For details see Global mute and trim on page 99 Input volume and pan Use the input fader and pan knob Figure 11 1 to adjust these settings for the input in the mix Again all settings within the gray shaded channel strip area belong to the mix currently being viewed Note that an input can have different settings in different mixes To adjust the volume or panning for a stereo input pai...

Page 129: ...time of this writing CueMix DSP is still being tested and optimized It appears to be able to support at least 96 total inputs across any all mixes and perhaps more For example you could enable 12 mixes and assign up to 8 inputs each or 6 mixes with 16 inputs each or any combination that totals 96 faders Grayed out faders If you exceed CueMix DSP s bandwidth limit one input will become temporarily ...

Page 130: ... samples of latency from start to finish thanks to the all digital signal path The Roland XV 5080 and Kurzweil K2500 represent how you can feed the live input from synthesizers drum machines and other MIDI instruments or any live inputs into the system and monitor them live via connected studio monitors Connect dedicated premium mic preamps such as theAvalon preamp show and route live mics and gui...

Page 131: ...C U E M I X C O N S O L E 102 ...

Page 132: ...upported video formats include NTSC PAL SECAM or blackburst The pair of RCA S PDIF jacks on the 2408mk3 interface rear panel can be switched via the SMPTE Console software to become a dedicated SMPTE time code LTC audio input and output However because the 2408mk3 s sync features are driven by the PCI 424 on board DSP any analog input on any available interface can be chosen for SMPTE input and an...

Page 133: ...u for address For further details on the hardware connections involved see Syncing to video on page 44 FRAME RATE This setting should be made to match the SMPTE time code frame rate of the time code that the system will be receiving The PCI 424 system can auto detect and switch to the incoming frame rate except that it cannot distinguish between 30 fps and 29 97 fps time code So if you are working...

Page 134: ...reewheeling button Freewheel clock Freewheeling occurs when there is glitch or drop out in the incoming SMPTE time code or video signal for some reason The PCI 424 can freewheel past the drop out and then resume lockup again as soon as it receives a stable readable clock signal The PCI 424 system cannot freewheel address without clock Therefore the Freewheel Address setting will always be lower th...

Page 135: ...led causes the generator to generatetimecodewheneverthePCI 424systemis receiving either SMPTE time code or ADAT Sync via its ADAT Sync In port Generate from sequencer This option is only supported by AudioDesk and Digital Performer on the Macintosh Click here to edit the start time or dragverticallyon the numbers ...

Page 136: ...ect Properties from the menu that appears Once in the Display Properties Control Panel select the settings tab Above the Color Palette selection you should see a button labeled Power Desk Click this button and it should bring you to the Performance Tab of the Power Desk If not select the Performance Tab Turn off the Use Bus Mastering and Use PCI Bus Retries options In order for these changes to ta...

Page 137: ...to record from their analog inputs by default You won t be able to record from a 2408mk3 to a MDM until it is switched to digital input Tip configure this in ClockWorks or AudioDesk if you want your decks to come up in the right mode when powered on The order of devices in the DTP panel of the MIDI Machine Control window is not controlled by the order of connections to the PCI 424 system This can ...

Page 138: ...d it is not overloaded but you observe spiking in the meter you may be exceeding available PCI bandwidth This may happen if you have other PCI cards installed and or multiple MOTU audio I Os To remedy this you can disable unused inputs and outputs in the MOTU PCI Audio Console Also check the CueMix console message center for details about PCI bus performance Clicks and pops under ADAT Sync Sometim...

Page 139: ...e DA 38 88 98 via TDIF to the 2408mk3 along with a TDIF connection from a Yamaha TDIF card be sure to put the Tascam unit into Bank A with the TDIF card connection to bank B or C If you are not connecting a Tascam device it doesn t matter which bank the TDIF card connection goes to Bus mastering computers with six PCI slots The PCI 424 card is a bus mastering device due to the high bandwidth it us...

Page 140: ... audio software or shut down your computer your interface will switch to stand alone mode In stand alone mode the 2408mk3 is acting as a format converter If the 2408mk3 is set to an invalid clock source you may get noise on the outputs of the 2408mk3 To avoid this make sure that the 2408mk3 has a valid clock source setting in stand alone mode If you are not sure set it to Internal PCI 424 hardware...

Page 141: ...EST Tech support 24 hour fax line 617 354 3068 Tech support email techsupport motu com Web site www motu com Please provide the following information to help us solve your problem as quickly as possible The serial number of the PCI 424 system This is printed on a sticker placed on the bottom of the rack mount audio interface You must be able to supply this number to receive technical support Softw...

Page 142: ...t 111 D DAT sync settings for 2408mk3 65 DAT connector 8 Disk getting a replacement 111 DSP Meter 100 E Enable Full Wave Support for Legacy MME Software 70 Enable Inputs setting 69 Expansion 87 F Fixed Frequency 72 Format conversion 7 52 Freewheel address 105 clock 105 Front panel 2408mk3 7 24I O 9 HD192 11 H HD192 AES EBU sync setting 66 Bank C AES EBU In setting 66 front panel 11 installing 29 I...

Page 143: ... SPDIF LED 61 Stand alone format conversion 7 52 Stand alone mode 55 Steal Inputs 71 Stop Freewheeling 105 Swap L to R 7 60 Sync indicator for no sync 56 sample accurate 39 40 41 42 Synchronization 37 Cubase 79 Nuendo 79 T TACH light 61 TACH light SMPTE Console 104 Tascam sample accurate sync 39 42 Sync 43 44 45 46 47 Tascam LED 61 TDIF 8 49 66 Tech support contact info 112 Technical support 112 T...

Page 144: ...isMOTUinterfaceshouldbeoperatedonlyfromthetypeofpowersourceindicatedonthemarkinglabel Ifyouarenotsureofthetypeofpowersupplytoyourlocation consultyourlocalpowercompany 8 Power CordProtection Power supplycordsshouldberoutedsothattheyarenotlikelytobewalkedonorpinchedbyitemsplaceduponoragainstthem Payparticularattentiontocordsandplugs conveniencereceptacles and thepointwheretheyexitfromyourMOTUaudioin...

Page 145: ...t this equipment against defects in materials and workmanship for a period of NINETY 90 DAYS from the date of original retail purchase This warranty applies only to hardware products MOTU software is licensed and warranted pursuant to separate written statements If you discover a defect first write or call Mark of the Unicorn at 617 576 2760 to obtain a Return Merchandise Authorization Number No s...

Page 146: ... Expansion Interfaces 15 Quick Reference PCI Audio Console Window 17 About the PCI 424 System 23 Packing List and Macintosh System Requirements 25 Installing the PCI 424 Hardware 53 Installing the PCI 424 Macintosh Software 57 2408mk3 Front Panel Operation 65 MOTU PCI Audio Console 77 Digital Performer 83 AudioDesk 89 Cubase Nuendo and other ASIO Software 97 Sound Manager 101 Expanding Your PCI 42...

Page 147: ...ranyotherADAT Sync compatible recorder use this standard ADAT SYNC INPUT to connect the PCI 424cardtotheendofyourADATsyncchain Forexample ifyouhavethree ADATs chain the ADATs in the usual fashion SYNC OUT to SYNC IN etc and thenconnectthelastADAT sSYNCOUTtothisSYNCINonthePCI 424card This connectionallowsyoutomakesample accurateaudiotransfersbetweenyour hostaudiosoftware ifitsupportssample accurate...

Page 148: ...6 ...

Page 149: ...gital I O formats When you are operating the 2408mk3 under computer control the 2408mk3 always outputs to both ADAT and Tascam regardless of which one you have chosen in AudioDesk or the PCI 424 configuration software The top orange row of lights show input activity for each channel in the bank and the bottom green lights show output At 88 2 or 96 kHz TDIF and ADAT optical support 4 channels per b...

Page 150: ...anced 4dB TRS tip ring sleeve quarter inch connectors They have 24 bit 64x oversampling converters Each input pair can be set at 4dB or 10dB via the PCI 424 configuration window on your computer Click the Interface Options button to access the input level settings Note that you can use one of these inputs for SMPTE time code input instead of the RCA connectors on the left side of the unit Use the ...

Page 151: ...e an external clock source such as word clock but the 24I O is not successfully receiving it Check the 24I O s clock setting in the MOTU PCI Audio Console window or check your external clock source and its cable connections to the 24I O Five segment metering for the 24 analog inputs Five segment metering for the 24 analog outputs ...

Page 152: ... switch them to 10 dB inputs in banks of eight For details see 24I O interface options on page 72 The word clock connector can be config ured as either an input or an output When you choose the 24I O Word Clock In setting from the PCI 424 Clock Source menu see Clock Source on page 66 the 24I O s word clock jack becomes a word clock input When you choose any other clock setting it operates as a wor...

Page 153: ...se four orange LEDs lights up to indicate the current AES OUT clock rate even if it matches the current HD192 system clock rate the large green sample rate above 19 segment ladder LEDs for the twelve XLR analog inputs When the HD192 system has a stable clock either internal or external the system s sample rate is illuminated here If the HD192 is slaving to an external clock and the external clock ...

Page 154: ...es to the System Word input The HD192 s twelve analog inputs are balanced 4dB XLR connectors They have 24 bit 128x enhanced multibit A D converters capable of 44 1 48 88 2 96 176 4 and 192 kHz recording Use the word clock input and output for digital trans fers with devices that cannot slave to the clock supplied by their digital I O connection with the HD192 The HD192 power supply is switchable b...

Page 155: ...wn on page 5 Connect the other end of the Audio Wire cable to the Audio Wire socket on the interface as demonstrated below with the 2408mk3 in Figure 1 Figure 1 Attaching the Audio Wire cable to an expansion interface IMPORTANT NOTE Always power on your expansion interface when operating your core system In fact you should turn on all audio interfaces connected to the PCI 424 card COMPLETING THE I...

Page 156: ...14 ...

Page 157: ...mines which outputs the PCI 424 s Sound Manager driver will use Refresh checks to make sure that the computer knows about all connected MOTU PCI interfaces TheMOTUPCIAudioConsoleWindowgives you complete control over the settings in your PCI 424 hard disk recording system There are several ways to access the PCI Audio Console window But the window is the same regardless of how you access it From th...

Page 158: ...16 ...

Page 159: ...CI 424 core system ships with a single PCI audio card called the PCI 424 The card features a custom processor a powerful DSP chip four 6 pin Audio Wire connectors and an ADAT SYNC IN connector High definition audio The PCI 424 system can operate at the following high sample rates 44 1 48 88 2 96 176 4 and 192 kHz All MOTU PCI 424 audio interfaces support rates up to 96 kHz In addition the HD192 in...

Page 160: ...ly transfer a single track of material from the ADAT via light pipe into the 2408mk3 s Macintosh workstation software and then transfer the track back to the ADAT it will be recorded exactly at its original location down to the sample Video and SMPTE time code synchronization The entire PCI 424 system including all connected interfaces can resolve directly to SMPTE time being received on any analo...

Page 161: ...tible device such as an effects processor or other device Word Clock BNC Word clock connectors in and out are provided for synchronization with standard word clock devices Via software the word output can be made to either double or halve the 2408mk3 s system word rate For example if the 2408mk3 is running at 96 kHz it can generate 48 kHz word clock output Video sync The BNC input connector can be...

Page 162: ...with 24 bit 128x oversampling extremely high quality latest generation converters Word clock in and out BNC Word clock connector can be programmed via software for either input or output for synchro nization with standard word clock devices Level Meters The front panel of the 24I O displays 48 level meters arranged in three banks of 8 channels For each channel there is a five segment meter that me...

Page 163: ...r 24 bit audio files at 44 1 48 88 2 or 96 KHz via any of the system s analog or digital inputs and outputs The HD192 also offers recording at 176 4 or 192 kHz OnWindows 24 bit audio files can be recorded with any compatible host application that supports 24 bit recording AUDIODESK AudioDesk is a full featured 24 bit audio workstation software package for Macintosh included with each PCI 424 core ...

Page 164: ... S T E M 22 drives will allow more simultaneous tracks and real time effects than a slower computer with less RAM and slower hard drives Standard third party system acceleration products can also help you achieve higher track counts ...

Page 165: ...512Mbor more is recommended One available PCI slot Mac OS version 9 or later A large hard drive preferably at least 20 GB PLEASE REGISTER TODAY Please send in the registration card included with your PCI 424 system As a registered user you will be eligible to receive on line technical support email and announcements about product enhancements as soon as they become available Only registered users ...

Page 166: ...P A C K I N G L I S T A N D M A C I N T O S H S Y S T E M R E Q U I R E M E N T S 24 ...

Page 167: ...ing to a DA 88 98 time code track 45 Syncing ADAT lightpipe devices 46 Syncing Tascam TDIF devices 47 Syncing SPDIF devices 48 Syncing word clock devices 49 Sync for 2408mk3 stand alone operation 50 Syncing large systems 51 TRY THE SETUP WIZARD The PCI 424 software installer provides an easy to use Setup Wizard This interactive software tutorial will help you figure out the best way to connect all...

Page 168: ...nside your computer to discharge any static electricity that may have built up on you 6 Remove the PCI 424 card from its anti static bag 7 Gently but firmly insert the card into any available PCI slot 8 Secure the bulkhead of the PCI 424 card to the computer chassis with the bolt from the slot cover We strongly recommend securing the PCI 424 card in this manner Doing so allows you to ensure secure...

Page 169: ...9 PinADAT Sync connector on the PCI 424 card as shown below in Figure 3 1 2 Plug the other end of the Audio Wire cable into the audio interface as shown below in Figure 3 1 Figure 3 1 Connecting the audio interface to the PCI 424 audio card Step 1 ConnecttheAudio Wire to the socket closest to the ADAT SYNC port Step 2 2408mk3 interface HD192 interface 24I O interface ...

Page 170: ...m both at the same time don t connect the ADAT to Bank C since SPDIF can only be used on that bank Here s another example if you have oneADAT and one Tascam recorder and you want to use them independently at the same time connect them to different banks On the other hand you can connect an ADAT optical device and Tascam TDIF device to the same bank if you like For input you ll only be able to reco...

Page 171: ...then bus that signal via CueMix DSP to a pair of analog outputs connected to an effects processor say a rack mount reverb unit The output from the effects processor could then be fed back into a second pair of 2408mk3 inputs just like an aux return and then routed to audio software running on the host computer as well as the 2408mk3 main outputs The result is that you can apply hardware reverb to ...

Page 172: ...ing synthesizers drum machines samplers or other devices with a 10 dB analog input signal you can switch the 24I O inputs to 10 dB in banks of eight inputs For example you might configure inputs 1 through 16 as inputs from a console at 4 dB while configuring inputs 17 24 at 10 dB for MIDI instruments For details see 24I O interface options on page 72 Mixing live inputs with CueMix DSP As you plan ...

Page 173: ... hard wired to provide a maximum of 12 independent inputs and outputs Both the analog section and AES EBU section share these I O resources withAES EBU taking up one pair of the 12 virtual ins and outs For example in the MOTU PCI Audio Console you could use channels 1 through 10 for analog input and channels 11 12 for AES EBU input AES EBU completely takes over the inputs entirely disabling the co...

Page 174: ...e DAT deck is not slaved to the HD192 s system clock Instead their clocks are running completely independently of one another But also notice that the DAT deck must still slave to the sample rate converted output from the HD192 for a clean digital audio transfer unless it has its own rate converter on its AES EBU input Figure 3 9 Clock relationships when sending audio from the HD192 to a DAT deck ...

Page 175: ... the following sections For further details see HD192 interface options on page 73 Scenario 1 Scenario 2 Scenario 3 Description Simple transfer Rate convert Use word clock HD192 system clock setting HD192 AES EBU Any setting except HD192 AES EBU HD192 Word Clock AES EBU input rate convert unchecked off checked on unchecked off Required HD192 cable connections AES EBU IN AES EBU IN AES EBU IN and W...

Page 176: ...p AES Word In If you have an external word clock source and you would like the HD192 AES EBU output to resolve to it connect the word clock source to the HD192 AESWord In as shown below in Figure 3 14 Then choose AES Word In from the AES Output Clock menu Figure 3 13 above Figure 3 14 Resolving the AES EBU output to its own independent word clock 44 1 48 88 2 96 kHz Choose one of these sample rate...

Page 177: ... Figure 3 16 You need to resolve synchronize the PCI 424 system to SMPTE time code and or video Both of the above Synchronization is essential for digital I O Synchronization is critical in any audio system but it is especially important when you are transferring audio between digital audio devices Your success in using the PCI 424 system depends almost entirely on proper synchronization The follo...

Page 178: ...T SYNC compatible device as discussed in Sample accurate ADAT sync with no synchronizer on page 39 But if you also want transport control over the entire rig including the hard disk recorder from your audio software you ll need a MIDI Machine Control compatible synchronizer such as MOTU s MIDI Timepiece AV as discussed in Sample accurate sync on page 37 If you are simply using the stand alone reco...

Page 179: ...e Alesis BRC or any ADAT synchronizer that also supports MIDI Machine Control MMC you can play stop rewind and locate all of your Alesisrecorders orotherADATSYNC compatible devices using the transport controls in the audio software running on your computer This includes cueing features like markers position bars playback wipers time rulers etc If you have Tascam recorders a Digital Timepiece or ot...

Page 180: ... AudioDesk or Digital Performer or run the MOTU PCI Audio Console application 2 Choose PCI 424 ADATfrom the ClockSource menu as shown to above 3 Make sure the SampleRate setting matches the other recorders In AudioDesk or Digital Performer turn on MIDI Machine Control by pressing this button to make the arrow black Thisbringsonlineallthe tapedecksconnectedto the DTP or MTP AV AudioDesk automatical...

Page 181: ...oSystem ConfigureHardwareDriverfrom the Basics menu in AudioDesk or Digital Performer or run the MOTU PCI Audio Console application 2 ChoosePCI 424 ADATfromtheClockSourcemenuasshowntoabove 3 Make sure the SampleRate setting matches the tape decks In AudioDesk or Digital Performer 1 Make sure that SlavetoExternalSyncischecked in the Basics menu 2 Click the play or record button The software will th...

Page 182: ...rce menu as shown to above 3 Make sure the SampleRate setting matches the tape decks In AudioDesk or Digital Performer turn on MIDI Machine Control by pressing this button to make the arrow black This brings on line all the tape decks connected to the DTP or MTP AV AudioDesk automatically scans the DTP or MTP AV for Alesis andTascam recorders and they appear here Just make sure you have the DTP or...

Page 183: ...Sample accurate option For sample accurate sync settings in Cubase see Sample accurate sync with Cubase or Nuendo on page 95 Choose PCI 424 SMPTE as the clock source in AudioDesk Digital Performer ortheMOTUPCIAudioConsoleapplication Thissetting can also be made in the MOTU SMPTE Console shown below 2408mk3 interface SMPTE time code source audio cable bearing LTC LongitudinalTime Code SMPTE IN RCA ...

Page 184: ...ication Thissetting can also be made in the MOTU SMPTE Console shown below 2408mk3 interface Video deck or other video source audio cable bearing LTC LongitudinalTime Code SMPTE IN RCA jack or any analog input Launch the MOTU SMPTE Console and specify the SMPTESource which is the analog input receiving the SMPTE time code Also confirm that the ClockSource is PCI 424 SMPTE SMPTE For details about t...

Page 185: ... MOTU MIDITimepiece AV or DigitalTimepiece Macintoshcomputerrunninganyaudiosoftware MOTU MIDITimepiece AV or DigitalTimepiece slaving to video and or SMPTE time code Any MOTU PCI interface audio cable bearing LTC LongitudinalTime Code word clock MIDITime Code Via MIDI interface ChooseWordClockInas the clock source in the MOTU PCI Audio Console application If you have multiple interfaces connected ...

Page 186: ...er ADAT synchronizer connect the PCI 424 card to the end of the ADAT chain and choose PCI 424 ADATfrom the Clock Source menu 3 MakesuretheSampleRatesettingmatchesthetapedecks Alternately youcouldsendwordclockfromthesynchronizerto the 2408mk3 interface instead of ADAT sync In this case chose 2408mk3 WordClockIn as the clock source Set up MIDI Machine Control in your audio software Doing so makes th...

Page 187: ... MIDITime Code from the DA 88 98 Word Clock In Word Clock Out DA 88 or DA 98 MIDI OUT With this setup in the MOTU PCI Audio Console window you can choose any clock source since the DA 88 98 is slaving to the 2408mk3 The DA 88 98 will slave to the 2408mk3 regardless of what the PCI 424 system is slaving to Figure 3 27 This setup shows how you can slave your audio software to the time code track on ...

Page 188: ...mk3 to the lightpipe device Slave both the lightpipe device and the 2408mk3 to a third master clock such as a Digital Timepiece or MIDI Timepiece AV synchronizer ADAT Sync out port PCI 424 card ADAT Sync In ADAT Optical IN ADAT Optical OUT Digital mixer orotherlightpipe device 2408mk3 With this setup in the MOTU PCI Audio Console window choose Internal or any clock source setting except one of the...

Page 189: ...n It is always necessary to synchronize TDIF devices with the 2408mk3 via one of the following sync connections Word clock Tascam sync if the TDIF device supports it Tascam DM 24 or otherTDIF device PCI 424 card ADAT Sync In TDIF TDIF 2408mk3 Word Clock Out Word Clock In Figure 3 29 Two setups for synchronizing aTDIF device with a 2408mk3 You can slave theTDIF device to word clock from the 2408mk3...

Page 190: ... input You can then freely transfer audio between the 2408mk3 and the SPDIF device regardless of how the rest of your 2408mk3 rig is synchronized SPDIF SPDIF DAT deck or other SPDIF device 2408mk3 With this setup in the MOTU PCI Audio Consolewindow chooseInternal orany other clock source setting except SPDIF The DAT deck or other SPDIF device slavestothe2408mk3viawordclockfor SPDIF transfers in bo...

Page 191: ...the inter face receiving the word clock Don t chain word clock If you have three or more digital audio devices that you need to synchronize avoid chaining their word clock connections OUT to IN OUT to IN etc as this causes problems Instead use a dedicated synchronizer like the Digital Timepiece or a word clock distribution device of some kind Slaving to 2x and 1 2x word clock All MOTU PCI interfac...

Page 192: ...and Source on page 62 Front panel SOURCE setting Front panel CLOCK setting Required sync connections ADAT Bank A Dig Digital ADAT optical OUT from the source device to IN on the 2408mk3 ADAT Bank B Dig Digital same as above ADAT Bank C Dig Digital same as above ADAT Bank A B C Dig Digital same as above Tascam A Wrd word clock with no synchronizer OR PCI Use PCI if the 2408mk3 is slaved to a synchr...

Page 193: ...can synchronize a wide variety of devices and it offers sample accurate synchronization for devices that support it You will also be able to control everything from the transport controls of your audio software If you have even more devices than a single Digital Timepiece can support consider a word clock distribution device Products like this offer multiple word clock outputs ...

Page 194: ...I N S T A L L I N G T H E P C I 4 2 4 H A R D W A R E 52 ...

Page 195: ...Workstation Software Top level of your startup disk Provides complete multi track recording mixing and processing Optional ASIO MOTU PCI Driver In the ASIO Drivers folder of Cubase or any other ASIO compli ant audio pro gram Allows Cubase or other ASIO compliantsoftwareto do multi channel input and output with the 2408mk3 Only required if you are using Cubase or another ASIO dependent program MOTU...

Page 196: ...er contains the under the hood softwaredriversandharddiskrecordingenginefor the PCI 424 hardware It also holds the real time effects processing plug ins used by MOTU Audio system compatible software such as AudioDesk and Digital Performer The items in the MOTU Folder are required for PCI 424 operation Figure 4 1 The MOTU Folder contains the software driver for the PCI 424 card and the MOTU Audio S...

Page 197: ...tem for details Figure 4 3 AudioDesk ASIO MOTU PCI DRIVER ASIO stands forAudio Streaming Input and Output The ASIO MOTU PCI driver allows the PCI 424 audio card to do multi channel input and output with Steinberg s Cubase software or any other audio application that supports ASIO drivers TheASIO MOTU PCI driver is only required if you are using Cubase or other audio software that depends on the AS...

Page 198: ...rn any Sound Manager compatible software can also use the PCI 424 hardware for stereo input and output Sound Manager only supports stereo input and output Therefore Sound Manager applications can only record and play through two inputs and outputs at a time For details about Sound Manager see chapter 10 Sound Manager page 97 Figure 4 5 The MOTU PCI Sound Manager Driver CUEMIX CONSOLE This program ...

Page 199: ...atus indicators In Stand alone mode the 2408mk3 front panel buttons and LEDs give you control over the 2408mk3 s stand alone format conversion features PCI MODE PCI mode 58 What is PCI mode 58 Analog metering vs clock settings 58 Clock status 58 When the sample rate LEDs flash 58 Analog metering 58 STAND ALONE OPERATION Stand alone format conversion 60 The SELECT button 60 No clock 60 Clock 60 Bou...

Page 200: ...shown in Figure 5 1 If they aren t press the SELECT button In this mode the top two rows of LEDs CLOCK tell you the sync settings in the 2408mk3 hardware as determined by the MOTU PCI Audio Console software running on the computer To change the settings use the PCI Audio Console window as explained in Clock Source on page 66 When the sample rate LEDs flash In PCI mode the 48 44 1 sample rate LEDs ...

Page 201: ...t a digital audio clock For example if you ve chosen ADAT sync as the Clock Source in the PCI Audio Console window but there is no ADAT connected or it is turned off the 44 1 and 48 kHz LEDs will flash ThesethreeLEDsindicatethatthe2408mk3isinPCI mode and displaying its current clock settings as chosen in the PCI Audio Console software In PCI mode these two rows display the current clock settings i...

Page 202: ... Analog metering on page 58 No clock In stand alone operation you specify a clock source as explained in the next section However if you choose an external clock source and the 2408mk3 does not detect a clock signal the 44 1 and 48 kHz sample rate lights flash to alert you that no signal can be detected For example if you ve chosen SPDIF as the clock source as explained in the next section but the...

Page 203: ...source of the transfer The Dig setting has two possible sample rates low 44 1 48 or high 88 2 96 Press the SET button repeatedly to choose the setting that matches the sample rate of the digital input clock source Wrd word clock Use the Wrd clock source setting when you are slaving the 2408mk3 to its word clock input For example if you have the 2408mk3 synchronized to a word clock device that is a...

Page 204: ...swapping the channels within each pair So channel 4 is actually being mapped to channel 1 and channel 3 is being mapped to channel 2 This gives you enough flexibility to map any channel to any other channel Swapping is applied to all other track pairs as well Source The SOURCE setting determines the audio source for the transfer Press the SELECT button repeatedly until the SOURCE LED is illuminate...

Page 205: ...all three banks together as the source they pass audio straight through i e Bank A to A B to B and C to C Analog metering Press the SELECT button repeatedly if necessary to illuminate the METERS LED as shown in Figure 5 10 below This LED indicates that the LEDs in the ANALOG OUT section are serving as five segment output level meters Figure 5 10 You can ignore the LED labels in the ANALOG OUT sect...

Page 206: ...2 4 0 8 M K 3 F R O N T P A N E L O P E R A T I O N 64 Figure 5 11 The 2408mk3 s ADAT TDIF activity LEDs are triggered by a signal of 40dB or greater ...

Page 207: ...re the same output 70 Disabling banks to conserve resources 70 Enable routing 71 PCI use 71 Interface options 72 Analog output bank mirroring 72 Word Out Rate 72 Saving and recalling routings 75 The Refresh button 75 Choosing a Config before opening a file 75 ACCESSING THE PCI AUDIO CONSOLE WINDOW There are several ways to access the PCI Audio Console window From the Mac OS desktop run MOTU PCI Au...

Page 208: ...in this menu Interfaces that do not support the system s current sample rate are temporarily taken off line For example if you run the HD192 interface s at 192 kHz all other audio interfaces are taken off line As another example if you run a PCI 424 interface 2408mk3 24I O or HD192 at 96 kHz any connected legacy PCI 324 interfaces such as a 2408 2408mkII 1224 or 308 will be taken off line with the...

Page 209: ...nformation which allows AudioDesk Digital Performer or other sample accurate software to transfer audio to and from ADATs without drifting by as much as one sample Use this setting when you are using the PCI 424 system with one or more ADATs or other ADAT Sync compatible devices Make sure the PCI 424 card is connected to the end of the ADAT sync chain You should also use this setting if you have a...

Page 210: ...and you then try to choose ADAT optical from that bank as the clock source the PCI Audio Console will alert you that it cannot use the TDIF input as a clock source 2408mk3 SPDIF This setting refers to the SPDIF RCA input connector on the 2408mk3 interface This setting allows the entire PCI 424 system including other 2408mk3 I Os connect to the PCI 424 card to slave to another SPDIF device Use this...

Page 211: ...ase the overall processing load on your computer leaving less CPU bandwidth for things like real time effects processing On the other hand if you increase the Samples Per Buffer you reduce the load on your computer freeing up bandwidth for effects mixing and other real time operations But don t set the Samples Per Buffer too low or it may cause distortion in your audio If you don t process live in...

Page 212: ...banks You can freely switch between formats at any time ADAT and TDIF banks at high sample rates When using ADAT or TDIF banks on a 2408mk3 interface and the PCI 424 system clock is set to a sample rate higher than 48 kHz these banks change to four channels each as these formats only support four channels at 88 2 or 96 kHz ADAT TDIF always share the same output If you have both TDIF and ADAT optic...

Page 213: ...r channels instead of eight at sample rates higher than 48 kHz PCI USE Enabled banks or individual inputs and outputs take up a small portion of your computer s processing power And while the amount is quite small for individual I O pairs a core PCI 424 system lets you enable up to 24 inputs and outputs at a time a total of 48 An expanded PCI 424 system with four interfaces lets you enable up to 9...

Page 214: ...ank from the menu as shown above in Figure 6 7 Input Reference Level These settings let you specific the input reference level for the four analog input pairs on the 2408mk3 interface The factory default setting is 4 dB If an input signal sounds weak try the 10 dB setting Word Out Rate The Word Out Rate menu lets you either double or halve the current system word clock rate If the current PCI 424 ...

Page 215: ...ce with AES EBU input For example if you choose inputs 11 12 from this menu analog inputs 11 and 12 are temporarily disabled and replaced by the AES EBU inputs In your host audio software inputs 11 12 now refer to the AES EBU input Rate Convert Enable the Rate Convert option when you wish to convert the sample rate of the incoming AES EBU digital audio signal to the sample rate at which the HD192 ...

Page 216: ... device this option is likely to create a clock loop AES Word In Choose AES Word In when you would like theAES EBU output to match and continuously resolve to word clock being received from the HD192 s AESWord In BNC jack If necessary theAES EBU output signal will be sample rate converted to match the AES Word In rate 44 1 48 88 2 96 kHz Choose one of these sample rates when you need to convert th...

Page 217: ...he PCI 424 settings are not included as part of the configu ration as they are usually system wide settings that you won t change very often THE REFRESH BUTTON The Refresh button makes the MOTU PCI Audio Console window query the audio interfaces connected to the PCI 424 card to make sure that the settings in the window accurately reflect the settings in the hardware Under normal operations this sh...

Page 218: ...lications however lose their input and output settings if they are not available at the time you open the file You can save yourself the time of reassigning them by saving a 424 configuration along with the file For details see Saving and recalling routings on page 75 ...

Page 219: ...escribed in chapter 4 Installing the PCI 424 Macintosh Software page 53 the Digital Performer and 2408mk3 software installers will properly install and update everything for you For your convenience here is a brief summary of what Digital Performer requires to run with the PCI 424 The MOTU PCI Audio Driver must be in the MOTU folder as shown in Figure 4 1 on page 54 The MOTU Audio System item in t...

Page 220: ... PCI Audio Console page 65 Sample rate Choose the desired overall sample rate for the PCI 424 system and Digital Performer Newly recorded audio in Digital Performer will have this sample rate Imported audio or soundbites in existing files that do not match this sample rate will be displayed in the Soundbites window with a red X on its move handle to indicate that it cannot be played Clock Source T...

Page 221: ...bout CueMix Console and reducing latency see chapter 12 Reducing Monitoring Latency page 105 Figure 7 2 When adjusting the Samples Per Buffer to reduce patch thru latency watch the processor meter in the Performance Monitor From the Windows menu choose Performance Monitor If you hear distortion or if the Performance meter is peaking open CueMix Console and look at its message center for hints as t...

Page 222: ...ATION Digital Performer can run under its own transport control or slave to an external sync source such as SMPTE time code orADAT sync sample address Running DP under its own transport control If you do not need to synchronize Digital Performer with time code or another recording device such as a tape deck just leave the Slave to External Sync command in the Basics menu unchecked However even tho...

Page 223: ... so the Clock Source setting is 2408mk3 Word Clock In If you have an ADAT sync or a Tascam sync compatible device don t use SMPTE time code Instead use sample accurate sync as described in the next section Sample accurate sync Together Digital Performer and the PCI 424 system provide you with sample accurate transfers with ADATs Alesis recorders or any other devices that support standard ADAT samp...

Page 224: ...the Open command in the File menu but Digital Performer 2 5 or earlier cannot open AudioDesk files MONITORING SYSTEM PERFORMANCE Because it has so many inputs and outputs a PCI 424 system pushes the limits of your computer s processing power Keep the Audio Performancewindowopen fromtheAudiomenu to keep tabs on the load on your CPU and disk buffers If the meters get too high you can reduce the load...

Page 225: ...ystem For your convenience here is a brief summary of what AudioDesk requires The MOTU PCI Audio Driver must be in the MOTU folder as shown in Figure 4 1 on page 54 The MOTU Audio System item in the MOTU Folder as shown in Figure 4 1 on page 54 must be the same version as that which gets installed by the PCI 424 installer CD ROM or later If you will be using AudioDesk s MIDI Machine Control MMC or...

Page 226: ...sing the analog inputs and outputs only and you will not be slaving AudioDesk to external SMPTE time code or video choose Internal If you are slaving the PCI 424 system to the ADAT sync Input connector on the PCI 424 card choose PCI 424 ADAT If you have multiple digital audio devices connected or if you are not sure about the clock source of your setup be sure to read Make sync connections on page...

Page 227: ...to make sure you have enough mono and stereo audio voices for the work you need to do Consult the MOTU Audio System chapter in your AudioDesk manual for further information about the settings in this dialog 24 BIT OPERATION YourPCI 424hardwarefullysupportsAudioDesk s 24 bit recording capabilities including both analog and digital 24 bit recording If you would like to record and play back 24 bit au...

Page 228: ...e Code option Then make sure that the Slave to External Sync command in the Basic menu is checked To ensure that your audio tracks don t drift out of sync with your MIDI tracks or time code use a hardware synchronizer like the MIDI Timepiece AV or Digital Timepiece to resolve the PCI 424 hardware as well as shown in Figure 3 25 on page 43 A digital audio synchronizer is required for drift free SMP...

Page 229: ...hand in AudioDesk If you have an earlier version of Digital Performer 2 5 or earlier you can open your Digital Performer files in AudioDesk with the Open command in the File menu but Digital Performer 2 5 or earlier cannot open AudioDesk files MONITORING SYSTEM PERFORMANCE Because it has so many inputs and outputs a PCI 424 system pushes the limits of your computer s processing power Keep the Audi...

Page 230: ...A U D I O D E S K 88 ...

Page 231: ...ts 91 Assigning inputs 92 Assigning outputs 93 Changing PCI 424 settings 93 Synchronization 94 24 bit operation 96 Monitoring system performance 96 PREPARATION Before you run Cubase with your PCI 424 system launch AudioDesk and play back the demo project to make sure that the PCI 424 hardware software drivers are set up properly The AudioDesk demo project is located on the PCI 424 Installer CD Dra...

Page 232: ...g assignments in any files that don t match the new settings To avoid this you can save a PCI 424 setup on disk with your Cubase file Then the next time you open the Cubase file you can load the 424 configuration first so that no settings are lost For details see Saving and recalling routings on page 75 CHOOSING THE PCI 424 DRIVER IN CUBASE Once you ve made the preparations described so far in thi...

Page 233: ...here are several ways to reduce this delay For details see chapter 12 Reducing Monitoring Latency page 105 ASIO DIRECT MONITORING The ASIO Direct Monitoring option Figure 9 3 allows you to monitor inputs directly in the hardware with no drain on your computer and near zero latency When you enable this option Cubase uses the PCI 424 s CueMix monitoring features whenever you use Cubase s monitoring ...

Page 234: ... ASSIGNING INPUTS Onceyou veactivatedthePCI 424systeminputsas shown in the previous section you can then assign them to Cubase or Nuendo audio channels in the channel mixers in the usual fashion Figure 9 6 To assign a PCI 424 input to a Cubase VST audio channel command click the input button at the top of the channel strip For Nuendo or consult your documentation ...

Page 235: ...uts window CHANGING PCI 424 SETTINGS To change the PCI 424 settings at any time run the MOTU PCI Audio Console See The Launch button on page 91 for details In Nuendo go to the Device Setup window and click the ASIO Control Panel button as shown in Figure 9 3 on page 90 In CubaseVST use the output buttons at the bottom of each channel strip including the master fader to assign PCI 424 outputs to bu...

Page 236: ...I 424 system to video and or SMPTE time code you can do so with or without a dedicated synchronizer SMPTE time code synchronization can be accomplished via the analog input of any connected interface Direct video synchronization requires as 2408mk3 interface Resolving directly to video and or time code with no synchronizer To resolve your PCI 424 system directly to video and or SMPTE time code wit...

Page 237: ... see Sample accurate sync on page 37 Then set up Cubase as follows Before you begin in Cubase s MIDI System Setup window set OMS compatibility to No OMS Cubase does not appear to be able to achieve sample accurate sync when running under OMS 1 Choose PCI 424 ADAT as the Audio Clock Source setting In CubaseVST this setting is in the Audio System Setup window Audio menu In Nuendo this setting is in ...

Page 238: ... can control all of your Tascam tape decks in ABS time in a similar fashion from Cubase See Sample accurate sync with Cubase or Nuendo on page 95 for details on how to set this up 24 BIT OPERATION Your PCI424 hardware fully supports Cubase and Nuendo s 24 bit recording capabilities Simply enable 24 bit operation as instructed in your Cubase or Nuendo manual The PCI 424 system always supplies a 24 ...

Page 239: ... many other applications like video editing software that handle audio in one form or another Once you ve installed and configured the MOTU PCI Sound Manager driver as described in this chapter you ll be able to use any pair of 2408mk3 inputs and outputs analog or digital to record and play back audio from any Sound Manager compatible program SOUND MANAGER IS STEREO ONLY Sound Manager currently on...

Page 240: ... Here is what you should have by now The MOTU PCI Sound Manager driver is installed as a System Extension The Sound Control panel is somewhere on your hard drive As part of the standard PCI 424 software installation a copy of the MOTU PCI Audio Console application is now on your hard drive If all these things are true you are ready to activate the PCI 424 hardware as your Sound Manager input sourc...

Page 241: ... by it through your PCI 424 hardware 3 Lower the Alert Volume This prevents the Macintosh alert sound from blurting out of your 2408mk3 system 4 Click the Input tab and choose the desired 2408mk3 input pair Figure 10 4 Choosing the desired input for Sound Manager Any input pairs that are currently checked in the MOTU PCI Audio Console will appear in this list 5 Click the Output tab and choose the ...

Page 242: ...nd Manager driver loads at startup like the rest of the System Extensions The 2408mk3 hardware will stay in PCI mode until you shut down your computer Therefore if you would like to use the 2408mk3 in stand alone mode either shut down your computer or simply restart it with the MOTU PCI Sound Manager Driver extension disabled See the next section for how to do so MONITORING LIVE INPUTS If you woul...

Page 243: ...tem See your MOTU dealer for details Connecting expansion interfaces 101 Multiple interfaces in the Console 101 Enabling banks or individual ins and outs 102 Working with input and output menus 102 CueMix DSP routing among interfaces 102 Synchronizing multiple interfaces 103 Word clock connections are not necessary 103 Sample rate issues 103 PCI bandwidth issues 103 CONNECTING EXPANSION INTERFACES...

Page 244: ...408mk3 1 2408mk3 2 etc according to the order in which they are connected to the PCI 424 card as shown in Figure 11 1 on page 101 Notice that in the example below the second 2408mk3 interface is configured for three ADAT banks but since no other interface is configured for the ADAT format the interface name is not included in the name of the input or output Figure 11 3 Input and output menus show ...

Page 245: ... interface in the system gets its clock from the Audio Wire cable connection to the PCI 424 card unless it is the master clock itself There is no need to make word clock connections between interfaces SAMPLE RATE ISSUES While the PCI 424 card can operate at sample rates as high as 192 kHz not all MOTU PCI audio interfaces support the higher rates When choosing high sample rates above 48 kHz interf...

Page 246: ...E X P A N D I N G Y O U R P C I 4 2 4 S Y S T E M 104 ...

Page 247: ...the PCI 424 audio hardware This is just like bussing inputs to outputs in a digital mixer For details see CueMix DSP hardware monitoring on page 108 If you do need to process a live input with plug ins or if you are playing virtual instruments live through your MOTU PCI audio hardware you can significantly reduce latency and even make it completely inaudible regardless of what host audio applicati...

Page 248: ...ive input use both methods Figure 12 1 and Figure 12 2 at the same time For example you could route vocals to both the computer for a bit of reverb and mix that processed signal on the main outs with dry vocals from CueMix DSP THE SAMPLES PER BUFFER SETTING As shown in Figure 12 3 the Samples Per Buffer setting determines the size of the buffers used by the PCI 424 drivers to transfer audio to and...

Page 249: ...y increase the overall processing load on your computer leaving less CPU bandwidth for things like real time effects processing On the other hand if you increase the Samples Per Buffer you reduce the load on your computer freeing up bandwidth for effects mixing and other real time operations If you are at a point in your recording project where you are not currently working with live patched thru ...

Page 250: ...ff however is that CueMix DSP bypasses your host audio software Instead live audio inputs are patched directly through to outputs in the PCI 424 card itself and are mixed with disk tracks playing back from your audio software This means that you cannot apply plug ins mix automation or other real time effects that your audio software provides But for inputs that don t need these types of features C...

Page 251: ...ers who have upgraded to a PCI 424 system notice that the Auto Cuemix Update check box has been removed as a result of the PCI 424 s more flexible and powerful CueMix DSP features Auto CueMix Update is no longer needed because you enjoy the benefits of CueMix DSP patch thru plus separate independent mixing under CueMix Console thanks to the much more powerful CueMix DSP engine Using CueMix with So...

Page 252: ...udio will simply be merged with the CueMix Console mix bus output Note to PCI 324userswhohave upgradedto a PCI 424 system CueMix DSP monitoring in Cubase no longer affects the settings in CueMix Console Instead you now enjoy the benefits of CueMix DSP monitoring in Cubase plus separate independent mixing under CueMix Console thanks to the much more powerful CueMix DSP engine Other ASIO compatible ...

Page 253: ... audio software allowing you to seemlessly mix in both environments Advantages of CueMix monitoring 112 CueMix Console installation 112 Cuemix Console basic operation 112 Working with a mix 112 Shortcuts 113 Copying pasting duplicating entire mixes113 Message center 114 Global mute and trim 114 Saving and loading CueMix configurations 114 Managing CueMix DSP resources 114 CueMix Console examples 1...

Page 254: ...rovides you with 12 mixes 12 stereo output pairs Each mix is identified by its stereo outputs e g Analog 1 2 Many inputs to one output pair It might be useful to think of each mix as some number of inputs all mixed down to a stereo output pair CueMix Console lets you choose which inputs to include in the mix and it lets you specify the level and pan for each input being fed into the mix Viewing on...

Page 255: ...ve it click its MUTE button To solo it use its SOLO button To toggle these buttons for a stereo pair hold down the command key while clicking either channel The Solo indicator LED Figure 13 1 lights up when any input is soloed including inputs that may currently be scrolled off screen The Global Mute buttons above the channel strips just below the message center enable or disable the input globall...

Page 256: ... configuration that you have previously saved on disk MANAGING CUEMIX DSP RESOURCES CueMix DSP s resources are not unlimited every time you enable an input it requires a small amount of the PCI 424 card s DSP bandwidth At the time of this writing CueMix DSP is still being tested and optimized It appears to be able to support at least 96 total inputs across any all mixes and perhaps more For exampl...

Page 257: ... samples of latency from start to finish thanks to the all digital signal path The Roland XV 5080 and Kurzweil K2500 represent how you can feed the live input from synthesizers drum machines and other MIDI instruments or any live inputs into the system and monitor them live via connected studio monitors Connect dedicated premium mic preamps such as theAvalon preamp show and route live mics and gui...

Page 258: ...C U E M I X C O N S O L E 116 ...

Page 259: ...upported video formats include NTSC PAL SECAM or blackburst The pair of RCA S PDIF jacks on the 2408mk3 interface rear panel can be switched via the SMPTE Console software to become a dedicated SMPTE time code LTC audio input and output However because the 2408mk3 s sync features are driven by the PCI 424 on board DSP any analog input on any available interface can be chosen for SMPTE input and an...

Page 260: ...the analog input specified in the SMPTE Source menu for address For further details on the hardware connections involved see Syncing to video on page 42 FRAME RATE This setting should be made to match the SMPTE time code frame rate of the time code that the system will be receiving The PCI 424 system can auto detect and switch to the incoming frame rate except that it cannot distinguish between 30...

Page 261: ...he problems in the time code The Infinite freewheel setting The Infinite freewheel setting in the Freewheel Address menu causes the PCI 424 system to freewheel indefinitely until it receives readable time code again To make it stop click the Stop Freewheeling button Freewheel clock Freewheeling occurs when there is glitch or drop out in the incoming SMPTE time code or video signal for some reason ...

Page 262: ...rt time Regenerate This option when enabled causes the generator to generatetimecodewheneverthePCI 424systemis receiving either SMPTE time code or ADAT Sync via its ADAT Sync In port Generate from sequencer This option when enabled causes the generator to generate time code whenever you are running AudioDesk or Digital Performer Time code begins at the time specified by the AudioDesk or Digital Pe...

Page 263: ...nabled Monitoring input sources via the PCI 424 Sound Manager driver With the PCI 424 system monitoring input sources via the Sound Manager Driver takes place at the hardware level Be sure the PCI 424 Sound Manager Driver is chosen in the Sound Control Panel for input and output If you enable Monitoring in a Sound Manager application like PEAK 2 0 you must also set the level for the output pair us...

Page 264: ...me up configured to record from their analog inputs You won t be able to record from the 2408mk3 to a tape deck until it is switched to digital input Tip configure this in ClockWorks orAudioDesk if you want your decks to come up in the right mode when power cycled ADATs and the DTP lock up time allowances ADATs can take a while to sync to the DTP For example when recording from a 2408mk3 to the AD...

Page 265: ...nverter and has a number of choices for word clock settings If the 2408mk3 is ever trying to clock to some digital source that isn t present or there are two sources present that are not word clocked locked together you have the possibility of click s and pop s or sometimes white noise This is true in any digital scenario If the 2408mk3 is in stand alone mode and you have not assigned it the corre...

Page 266: ...rd and then hitting refresh Try reseating the PCI 424 card in the computer or even try another PCIslot If youstillhavetroubleyoushouldcontact MOTU Technical Support for further assistance Stand alone conversion with the 2408mk3 interface With the computer off you can configure the 2408mk3 as a stand alone converter Here is an example for use with and ADAT device on Bank A Set the Source Row to ADA...

Page 267: ...and outputs For details see Enable routing on page 71 CUSTOMER SUPPORT We are happy to provide customer support to our registered users If you haven t already done so please take a moment to complete the registration card included with your PCI 424 system When we receive your card you ll be placed on our mailing list for free software updates and information about new products REPLACING DISKS If y...

Page 268: ...very problem immediately but a quick call to us may yield a suggestion for a problem which you might otherwise spend hours trying to track down Our technical support department is dedicated to helping registered users solve their problems quickly In the past many people have also taken the time to write to us with their comments criticism and suggestions for improved versions of our products We th...

Page 269: ... 108 111 CueMix DSP 108 Customer support 125 D DAT sync settings for 2408mk3 67 DAT connector 8 Disk getting a replacement 125 DSP Meter 114 E Enable Inputs setting 71 Expansion 101 F Fine tune Audio I O Timing command 80 Fixed Frequency 74 Format conversion 7 50 Freewheel address 119 clock 119 Front panel 2408mk3 7 24I O 9 HD192 11 H HD192 AES EBU sync setting 68 Bank C AES EBU In setting 68 fron...

Page 270: ...nager Driver 56 Source LED 7 59 SPDIF 19 sync 48 sync setting 68 SPDIF LED 63 Stand alone format conversion 7 50 Stand alone mode 57 Steal Inputs 73 Stop Freewheeling 119 Swap L to R 7 62 Sync indicator for no sync 58 sample accurate 37 38 39 40 Synchronization 35 AudioDesk 85 Cubase 94 Digital Performer 80 Nuendo 94 T TACH light 63 TACH light SMPTE Console 118 Tascam sample accurate sync 37 40 Sy...

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