X.200 Digital Production Console
FAQ
10
Q. What is the warranty policy for the Digital X Bus?
A. We offer a one-year warranty on all parts and labor, and provide warranty support at a number of worldwide
Mackie-authorized warranty service centers. Please contact the Mackie Technical Support Staff for complete infor-
mation.
Q. Can I connect the Digital X Bus to my cable modem and surf the Internet right on the console?
A. There’s a big difference between what you could potentially do with the Digital X Bus, versus what is supported
by Mackie such that the product will continue to function and perform to specifi cation. While the Digital X Bus is
a truly exciting piece of engineering, it is not designed to be an all-purpose computer and thus we cannot provide
any warranty service or support to users who treat it as such.
Q. Why did Mackie decide to use Embedded XP as the operating system for the Digital X Bus?
A. Embedded XP is essentially a stripped-downed version of Windows XP that eliminates unnecessary and trouble-
some drivers. In the case of the Digital X Bus, both the hardware and software are non-variable fi xed values that
have enabled us to fi ne-tune the entire system for maximized performance and reliability. Embedded XP also offers
a tremendous value in fl exibility and compatibility with standard Windows™ features (such as VST® and USB
support), without the potential issues that could arise from the use of a consumer version of Windows XP.
Q. Is the Digital X Bus susceptible to any viruses as a result of external installers and software updates?
A. Since we are using an embedded operating system (as described above), there are no ancillary programs such as
Microsoft Explorer™, Word™, or any email applications that are typically the portal through which viruses will
attack your computer. Not to mention that the Digital X Bus is never actively connected to the Internet, so there is
no direct susceptibility.
But, in this day and age, you can never be totally sure…therefore we have created a tool for protective measures,
which is the Master Installer CD. This CD is intended to allow the user to completely wipe clean the internal hard
drive, re-format that drive, and perform a fresh installation of the entire operating system and associated Digital X
Bus software build. So, if any problem should arise as a result of a downloaded installer or even an unforeseen vi-
rus, you can perform a complete re-installation of everything and get back to mixing without additional headaches.
Q. Are there any hardware upgrade options for the Digital X Bus?
A. Plenty, and all of them are at your sole discretion. We designed the Digital X Bus using standard, off-the-shelf com-
ponents that can be replaced and/or upgraded using parts that are commonly found in computer supply stores or
online retailers.
For example, because the Digital X Bus uses a Pentium IV 3.0 GHz processor as its host CPU, the motherboard in-
side the Digital X Bus is already compatible with Pentium–class processors. Therefore you have the ability to replace
that CPU with newer versions of the Pentium model processors as they become available to the open market. The
same upgradeability is true for the system RAM, the internal IDE hard drive, and most other system components.
By today’s standards, the hardware components used in the Digital X Bus are considered more than adequate to
suffi ce even the most demanding mixing and production projects.
