Making use of those TDIF ports - suggestions please

[Rod H]

Yeah,,,but it does not help me.
All I want to do is to use all the 48 tracks of the X48 with my DM4800, in this case I want to use the TDIF,,,and the question is,,when all is hooked up can I still use the Firewire MKII so I can use these ins and outs ??

 

[snafu]

HI thanx for the fast replay, awesome.

Ok There're three TDIF ports on the DM, from factory , they correspond 24 ins and outs, the x48 has six TDIFS ports corresponding the 48 tracks, so if I want to use all the tracks on the x48 I would need thee extra cards right ?

Ah - now I understand. Yes, you would another device to handle the rest of those channels. Look for Tascam DA8 for outputs, and Tascam MA-AD8 for inputs - they are a very economical choice, but you would need three of each device. Thats a bit space consuming hardware. I have two DA8, one MA-DA8, and a Motu 2408mkIII.

You could look for other options, but TDIF isn't used very much - I think it is completely unsupported by new gear, but may be wrong on this.

The FW card, I was thinking, hook it to my Audiofire 12 cards ,I have three of them making 32 analog ins and outs and use them as ,,,soft inserts,,,when mixing down, you know for all the outboard gear I have,,,should be possible right ?
Rod

By Audiofire you mean Echo Audiofire 12?
So let's see:
Your DM's firewire-card has 32 channels I/O (mkII, otherwise 24).
You also have three TDIFs with 8 channels each.

So, to begin with, you can only get 24 channels to your DM via TDIF, no matter what. You COULD however route physical outputs from your Audiofire to your DM (and use the TDIFs intermittingly between Audiofire and X48), resulting in 24 physical inputs plus 24 inputs via TDIF. In this scenario only your outputs would be a problem, though you could solve this with three units of the Tascam Da8, giving you 24 physical outputs.

However, if you want to rout 48 signals to the DM and work within the console, you should be fine. But: if you want to route them to the DM AND pass them on to a PC (your DAW of choice), you would be limited to 32 channels I/O, where the IF-FW/DM would be the bottle neck, setting you a limit.

TDIF-ports and FIrewire card are seperate units that are not in touch with each other unless you want to pass TDIF signals to another digital device like your PC. Then you cannot ommit the restrictions of the card, and your down to 32 channels.

 

[Rod H]

Almost there,,,I was thinking more by getting three more cards of TDIF I would then have 48 ins and outs of TDIFS to hook up the X48,,,your with me ?( Like a regular Reel to console scenario ),,and then I would hook the tree Audiofire 12 units to the Fw on the DM and use all the three Audiofires as insert points...should work,
The if I want to export from the X48 to my Mac I could do it by using either the Fw on the X48 or the USB,,,maybe even the Ethernet on the x48,,,

 

[Arjan P]

"I would hook the tree Audiofire 12 units to the Fw on the DM and use all the three Audiofires as insert points...should work"

This is where I have the biggest doubt. I'm not so sure this would work at all.. The IF-FW firewire audio data is available on PC/Mac with a driver - I'm not aware of any 'Audio over FireWire' standard that 1. Tascam uses, and 2. also the Echo Audiofire uses..

 

[Rod H]

Hmm,,,that I did not think about,,,,I will try tho,,,but I think you are right.

Let you know,,,if it works it sure can help some if not at least they won't haft to try the hassle

 

[Arjan P]

That is absolutely true! Let us know what you find - it would certainly be interesting for many more of us if it does work.

 

[dmartin]

"Yeah,,,but it does not help me.
All I want to do is to use all the 48 tracks of the X48 with my DM4800, in this case I want to use the TDIF,,,and the question is,,when all is hooked up can I still use the Firewire MKII so I can use these ins and outs ??"

You would connect three of the TDIF outs from the X48 to the three TDIF inputs on the SSL Alphalink , then run the 24 analog outputs of the Alphalink to the DM 4800. The 24 analog inputs on the Alphalink ; eight of which can be feed from the DM 4800 Aux send would give you the 32 outputs from the mixer and allow 48 input to the mixer from the X48. All three TDIF outputs from the Alphalink into The X48. An expensive solution no doubt.