Firewire card/ DM-4800/Pro Tools 8 Questions

[rqstudio]

Okay got my DM- 3200 and 4800's working good with the MX-2424. Now I'm trying to set it up to a Firewire card and Pro Tools, seems to be a lot of literature on that subject. (wish there had been a snapshot) But now I'm having problems w/Firewire Card. Windows 8 just beeps on and off like you keep disconnecting and connecting the Firewire cable? On the Digital page (on the DM) it says the card is locked up but PT is not seeing the extra I/Os and keeps beeping. I've been looking for a good thread regarding firewire issues but not any luck. Anyone have any ideas?

 

[captdan]

As somebody mentioned the other day, the PC's firewire card can be crucial to stable operation. Jarno mentioned PCIe as opposed to PCI; and perhaps certain cards mated to particular mobos are problematic as well.

Then there's the Big Texas Instruments vs: VIA debate; Tascam recommended VIA chips, if I recall correctly. Finally, there's the driver issue again, and possibly a problem with the ProTools installation. What version of PT are you using - PT 9, 10, HD? Or is your subject title '...Ptools '8'" the PT version you're using. If so, PT8 isn't 'ASIO-friendly; that started with PT9.

Several potential problem areas. Start with the drivers, then the PC's interface, check Ptools' Device menus, and of course - the DM's FWire interface and cable.

CaptDan

 

[rqstudio]

Maybe I'm wrong... I've got PT8 and Windows 7 on a Lenovo laptop, maybe they will never work with the Firewire card in the DM?
But when I had my studio I was running PT8 with an 003 and had, I believe 8 003 inputs + 8 analog to dig converters + 2 SPDIF inputs for at least 18 inputs. But thinking back I may have been using the 003 as an interface.

Please don't tell me I need PT9 and a Mac Book.

 

[jamsire]

Maybe I'm wrong... I've got PT8 and Windows 7 on a Lenovo laptop, maybe they will never work with the Firewire card in the DM?
But when I had my studio I was running PT8 with an 003 and had, I believe 8 003 inputs + 8 analog to dig converters + 2 SPDIF inputs for at least 18 inputs. But thinking back I may have been using the 003 as an interface.

Please don't tell me I need PT9 and a Mac Book.

These are two different things.

PT8 and lower ALL require AVID/ Digidesign audio interfaces - no matter which PC operating system you use. If you are trying to run PT8 in the board, you need the Digi 003 hooked up to your PC like you mentioned above.

You need PT9-PT11 to use the FW card in the console.

There are no Pro Tools snapshots for this kind of thing because frankly all you're doing is setting up the input and return of Slot 1 or Slot 3 (FW designated slots) in the routing screen. For that, all you need is CaptDan Routing Instructions.

 

[captdan]

Heh! I was just about to write something very similar.

As that classic Zen saying goes: "Great mind (sic) think alike!"

Anyway, don't mean to make light of your situation, RQ, but when it comes to PToolz and ASIO devices (like the DM/Fwire combo) there's little margin for workarounds.

CaptDan

 

[jamsire]

In fact, I went from an MBox Mini to a Digi003. I used all 18 inputs into DM4800 and was quite happy - until PT9 came out. Gave the MBox Mini to a friend, sold the Digi003 and I have been groovin' ever since. On Pro Tools 11 now and it is glorious.

Glorious I say!

 

[rqstudio]

I kind of knew that in the back of my mind somewhere and when you don't keep up on stuff it will out-grow you very quickly! Ny older system was VERY strong with 18 tracks on an AMD computer. I really don't want to go out and by PT-9, 10, or 11 and a Mac Book. Does anyone know if the FireWire card in the DM-4800 would work using an 003 as an interface? )(I'd be keeeping my PT-8 and Lenovo laptop)

 

[jamsire]

I really don't want to go out and by PT-9, 10, or 11 and a Mac Book. Does anyone know if the FireWire card in the DM-4800 would work using an 003 as an interface? )(I'd be keeeping my PT-8 and Lenovo laptop)

The DM4800 FW card only goes into a computer.

 

[rqstudio]

Really? do you understand what I'm saying? I used the 003 before to get 18 recordable tracks into my computer via the firewire input on the back of the 003. and then another 2 inputs via the SPDIF input on the back of the 003. You mean to say I can't use it the same way with the DM Firewire?

 

[jamsire]

You can not use it the same way. If you read my earlier post - I used to have the same set up. It just doesn't work like that, it wasn't meant to.

 

[Arjan P]

I really don't want to go out and by PT-9, 10, or 11 and a Mac Book.

A Macbook is not needed in any case. PT has been on Windows for quite some time.

 

[Drumstruck]

You probably won't need a Mac (even though I did...) but I do believe you will need PT9 or later. As per an earlier post, PT8 only functions with Avid h/w.

However, it's an interesting suggestion you make regarding going from DM f/w card to Avid f/w I/O - I don't know why it wouldn't work but suspect it won't - would be interested to hear how your tests pan out.

 

[rqstudio]

I think I've still got an 003+ in storage, I'm going to dig it up and give it a try. I used to put a lot of stuff in front of that 003's firewire and came up with a lot of tracks! Jamsire, I totally respect your reply but I got noth'in to loose...LOL

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/det...g&matchtype=&gclid=COz3kLjEyL8CFUZbfgod4CEAhA

 

[jamsire]

You may as well try and make a roast beef sandwich out of tuna fish. Especially when you ask for advice, get it from numerous sources, but still think there is a way - there isn't.

Page 14 from the Digi003 manual:

"Connecting Other FireWire Devices to 003 or 003 Rack
The second FireWire port on 003 or 003 Rack is available for daisy-chaining FireWire devices such as digital cameras or digital video record-ers. Even when it is powered off, 003 and 003 Rack supply power from the computer through its FireWire ports, letting you recharge batteries in connected FireWire devices."

This port is a pass through port only. It will not allow you to combine FW audio interfaces with its FW audio - it doesn't do that. The other main purpose for the port was as a direct recording output to FW hard drives. Remember - this is PT8 and a Digi003. They only work together.

PT9-PT11 will work will work with the DM3200/4800 IF-FW/mkII firewire card.

Yes, OF COURSE the ADAT input ports on the Digi003 work that way because they have an I/O. I too have an ADAT converter with eight 1/4 inch front end inputs that worked in my Digi003 rack as well as in the ADAT input in the console. That doesn't mean it will work with the FW card.

The other main important fact you are missing is that PC's only work with one audio interface at a time - period. On a Mac, however, they can do what is called an aggregate. I'm not going to go into it - you can read about it here.

Ok - I'm done. Respectfully - Have fun testing.

 

[Arjan P]

The other main important fact you are missing is that PC's only work with one audio interface at a time - period.

Small correction here: DAWs on PC (that I know of) only work with one audio interface at a time - Windows can handle many more at once.

 

[jamsire]

Small correction here: DAWs on PC (that I know of) only work with one audio interface at a time - Windows can handle many more at once.

Huh? Do you mean to write the PC's can have more than one interface hooked at once? Yes, that's true, but they still can only use one at a time in the DAW that is open. Macs can use the aggregate like I mentioned before.

There was one funny trick I was able to do with AVID Eleven Rack with Cubase and PT10. If I was doing a session in Cubase, but wanted to use the sounds in the Eleven Rack >>AND<< the Eleven Rack Editor (which at the time, only existed inside of Pro Tools), I would launch Cubase, setup the session, then I would launch Pro Tools 10, and while it's launching, I would hold down the "N" key and it would bring me to the Playback Device screen and I would switch it to Eleven Rack. Then, once Pro Tools was finished - I would just leave it. I wouldn't open a session or make a new one, but I still had access to the Eleven Rack Editor. This was the only time I had two interfaces "ready to go", but I was only using one - The DM IF-FW/mkII. There's a neat little trick.

 

[Arjan P]

Do you mean to write the PC's can have more than one interface hooked at once? Yes, that's true, but they still can only use one at a time in the DAW that is open.

That was my correction exactly. I use an Emu 0404 for Windows audio and the IFFW for Cubase and Wavelab (works at the same time fortunately!). Nice trick BTW!

 

[rqstudio]

Like I said I respect your advice Jamsire, and as I stated before I don't want to go out and spend $$ on PT newer than ver. 9 and most likely have to fork out for a MacBook. I had PT8 working before on a PC laptop with 18 inputs. I still have a lot of toys in storage and can do some workarounds to get something up and running. Funny thing is I love the sound from the MX-2424 a/d converters. If there was someway to hot-rod the MX computer to convert to WAV faster than real time, I'd be a happy man! LOL

 

[rqstudio]

Okay I think I have a good deal set up on an 003+ and ver 10PT we'll see tomorrow. But I'm still thinking of my original equipment. Could I run 8 analogs outs (at the insert stage from the DM) into the 8 Line in's on the 003 and then use the ADAT from the DM to the 003 for 8 more? I could live with 16 recordable tracks in PT and if I needed more I could fall back on the MX-2424.

 

[jamsire]

Assuming you're working with the DM4800, I would get an Analog Card, route the outputs from the DM into the Digi003, use the ADAT, use the SPDIF so you can have your 18 channels back.