| Author |
Comment | ElmerJFudd
Guru
Posts: 3653
Loc: USA
(09/25/09 09:26 AM)
Edit - Reply |
Standalone mLAN network / Snow Leopard
The following post will explain the basics of creating a standalone mLAN network (computer removed from network after initial setup after making another device wordclock master). In light of the fact that Yamaha is entirely silent on Snow Leopard support and other developers are already looking toward the future with 64bit drivers, there are ways to incorporate your mLAN gear with hardware+drivers that do support Snow Leopard.
*******************************************
This is basically how to make a stand alone mLAN network and get audio, and MIDI (SM2 and Controller DATA) in/out your computer without actively using the mLAN drivers. In fact, after completing this setup, you can disable the mLAN driver on your PC (don't uninstall though, as you may need it at some point to reconfigure or reset devices).
Things you will need:
01X
i88x
i88x
USB MIDI interface (something like a MOTU Fast Lane 2x2)
A PCI or Cardbus audio interface with ADAT I/O (something like an RME HDSP9652)
4 ADAT cables of appropriate length.
2 MIDI cables of appropriate length.
2 SPDIF cables of appropriate length.
In the graphic patchbay you will make the 01X wordclock master (at 44.1 or 48k, whichever you prefer) rather than the computer. You will also route NO audio, MIDI, or wordclock to/from the computer at all. Essentially creating a stand alone mLAN network, no computer involved.
Shut down the computer and mLAN gear. Remove the firewire cable that runs to the computer entirely. Boot up your 01X, then i88x, and other i88x. Since they remember last saved state, they should sync up just as you left them.
Install the MOTU Fastlane and RME HDSP on your computer according to manufacturer's directions.
Run MIDI cables from the top i88x MIDI out to the MOTU's MIDI port 1 in. And run the MOTU's MIDI port 1 out to the i88x's MIDI port 1 in. Configure your DAW to listen/send the 01X's MIDI controller messages on the MOTU MIDI port 1 in/out.
Launch SM2 and the 01X editor, and configure it to now listen/send on MOTU MIDI port 2 in and out for SM2 messages going to/from the 01X.
Run ADAT cables to/from both i88x's INs/OUTs and label them so you remember which is in and which is out and which ins/outs are coming from which i88x. You will notice from the audio pictures above that you are actually sending the AD ins of the top i88x out of the bottom i88x's ADAT port, and vice versa.
Run SPDIF cables to/from the RME and "TOP" i88x.
Here is an explanation of the audio configuration. Special thanks to an old 01Xray friend of mine, Ade, for working with me on this, bouncing ideas back and forth, and ultimately achieving what we set out to do.
This setup allows me to record 16 channels of analog audio from the i88x's - via 2 banks of ADAT, straight into the RME.
When I first started to configure this setup, I made the mistake of routing the i88x to the 01x, from the 01x back to the i88x ADAT inputs and from there into the RME. The only advantage that gave was that the inputs could be muted, modified, at the mixer before they got to the DAW. But it seemed pointless to modify the data in such a way when the exact same modifications can be done on playback! And so there are 16 busses from the i88x mLAN'd to the 01x. Those busses are fed by two banks of RME ADAT outs. So now you can mix on the 01x.
Also, note the SPDIF coming from the Top i88x. That is being fed via high quality cable from the RME spdif to the "TOP" SPDIF input - and then mLAN'd to mLAN 17-18 - the monitor channels. If the Stereo mix from the DAW is all you want to hear, just hit the monitor A/B. Voila!
But once you like a mix created in the 01x, how to render? Notice there are only two outputs from the mixer, mLAN 7 and 8. Nominate those channels as the Stereo Out and send them to the SPDIF of the TOP i88x. From there, the i88x can send SPDIF to the RME for real time rendering. And, of course, that does not have to be the Stereo Mix - it could be any channels that you bussed to 7/8 via the REC BUSS of the 01x. So, you can monitor, mix and record out from the 01x and direct monitoring of signals is handled by the PC DAW. On the PC, the Direct Monitoring works brilliantly. I enable a track in Nuendo and, irrespective of Latency settings, I am hearing near zero latency monitoring, with gain and pan all controlled directly from the Cubase/Nuendo mixer (ergo the 01x too) and no need to even open up TotalMix. It all happens behind the scenes.
This is by no means the only configuration possible. You can do something much more simple with no ADAT returns from the DAW to the 01X, and forego using SPDIF at all. Or you may dream up something far more complex and/or useful to you once you've wrapped your head around how the routing basically works. Hope this post is of help to folks who do indeed love their 01X but find themselves at a loss once driver development stops.
White MacBook '09 (4gb RAM), OSX.5.8, v.1.2 mLAN tools, Logic 9, 01X, S90ES, i88x & i88x
Post Extras:
  | dorremifasol
Guru
Posts: 1482
Loc: Barcelona, Spain
(09/25/09 11:23 AM)
Edit - Reply |
Re: Standalone mLAN network / Snow Leopard
Elmer, in the configuration you describe, is it possible to change the frequency (from 44.1 to 48khz) of all the mlan machines without using the graphic patchbay or configuring the 01X? I guess you have to manually set it up in the 01X.
In my current configuration, I have set an i88x as master clock and the 01X as auto slave, and this way the mlan machines get the clock from the ADAT connection coming from the RME, and adapt themselves to the changes immediately. I mean, if I have to work at 44.1 or 48khz , I can set the frequency directly in the sequencer (Cubase), which I think is more comfortable.
Wonderfully, if the RME is not connected, the i88x still serves as clock master and the system works as well.
So, may I suggest to use an i88x as a master clock in your standalone mLAN network? 
Cheers
Albert
Post Extras:
| lozee
Newcomer
Posts: 8
(09/26/09 06:51 AM)
Edit - Reply |
Re: Standalone mLAN network / Snow Leopard
Thank you Elmer!
Nice work... !
raphael
Post Extras:
| ElmerJFudd
Guru
Posts: 3653
Loc: USA
(09/26/09 06:08 PM)
Edit - Reply |
Re: Standalone mLAN network / Snow Leopard
Albert,
Can you check something for me?
1. Make your i88x wordclock master of your standalone mLAN network at 44.1 (the i88x's internal clock is only capable of 44.1).
2. I assume your 01X is set to autoslave?
3. Slave your i88x to the Fireface at 48k over ADAT.
Does you mLAN network switch over to 48k?
Does the 01X on autoslave show you that it has bounced over to 48k?
Thanks!
White MacBook '09 (4gb RAM), OSX.5.8, v.1.2 mLAN tools, Logic 9, 01X, S90ES, i88x & i88x
Post Extras:
| dorremifasol
Guru
Posts: 1482
Loc: Barcelona, Spain
(09/27/09 04:44 AM)
Edit - Reply |
Re: Standalone mLAN network / Snow Leopard
Elmer, that's exactly how my setup is configured, 01X as autoslave, and i88x as master. As soon as I change the frequency on the Fireface (directly in the drivers or within Cubase), both the 01X and the i88x adapt in about 3 seconds. No further configuration is required.
The 01X shows the frequency changes in the UTILITY-W,CLK screen in realtime.
However, I don't know if the i88x gets the clock from the ADAT or SPDIF connection, since it is connected both ways to the Fireface. Nicely, the fireface shows that both connections are perfectly synced.
Cheers
Albert
Edited by dorremifasol (09/27/09 04:49 AM)
Post Extras:
| ElmerJFudd
Guru
Posts: 3653
Loc: USA
(09/27/09 07:30 AM)
Edit - Reply |
Re: Standalone mLAN network / Snow Leopard
Exactly what I wanted to know, sir!
Thank you kindly.
White MacBook '09 (4gb RAM), OSX.5.8, v.1.2 mLAN tools, Logic 9, 01X, S90ES, i88x & i88x
Post Extras:
| jdcineaste
Regular
Posts: 13
(09/27/09 12:15 PM)
Edit - Reply |
Re: Standalone mLAN network / Snow Leopard
Hi guys, thanks for your efforts on this. As Elmer already knows, I've been having mLan problems, even before 64bit snow leopard...
I'll probably just buy another audio interface, but I'd like to know whether I can still use the 01x via midi to control logic, and, if so, how I'd go about it. I did connect it to my computer via m-audio uno (midi - usb interface) and selected it as control surface in logic, but, alas, it doesn't seem to control anything or have any effect. Any suggestions?
Many thanks
Jean
Post Extras:
| dorremifasol
Guru
Posts: 1482
Loc: Barcelona, Spain
(09/27/09 12:41 PM)
Edit - Reply |
Re: Standalone mLAN network / Snow Leopard
The 01X alone is not able to redirect its mLAN MIDI channels to the physical midi ports. That was an unfair movement of Yamaha towards their users, IMHO.
You need at least another mLAN device to send those MIDI channels out. In case you find an used and cheap i88x, or even another 01X, you would be able to use the 01X as a controller (as I do).
Cheers
Albert
Post Extras:
| jdcineaste
Regular
Posts: 13
(09/27/09 01:12 PM)
Edit - Reply |
Re: Standalone mLAN network / Snow Leopard
Thanks for you answer doremifasol. This wasn't the only unfair thing Yamaha has done for their mLan users (I won't mention the fact that they abandoned us...). So i guess that's the end of the 01x for me.
Post Extras:
| decisions
Regular
Posts: 20
(10/24/09 03:12 PM)
Edit - Reply |
Re: Standalone mLAN network / Snow Leopard
Very Interesting topic. I too am not using mlan any longer. I have an 01V96 with the additional ADAT board going to an RMEHDSP52. THe system works great. I tried to implement your suggestion with a standalone i88x, in order to get a couple of more preamps. I can get the unit to sync with the RME via ADAT, but can't seem to get any sound from the analog ins to the ADAT outs. I'm guessing that to make this work you need multiple mlan devices in order to be able to route the ins and outs? If so, I have an i88x for sale. Only used in studio. No original box, but I do have the manual, disks, etc.. I also have an 01X if someone wants to put together this system.
Thanks for the information.
Dave
Post Extras:
| | | Pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | (show all) | |
