Using TDIF for soft inserts

[ProSimex]

Hey everyone

I've recently gotten a motu 2408mk3 to add some TDIF functionality on my system. i currently have it set up to just use the analog IO to TDIF and thats all working great, no worries there. The plan was to use the TDIF ports for soft inserts. Whenever I try to assign a TDIF IO to a soft insert i get a screen that says TDIF 2-1 is already assigned. but the thing is that they are not. I am not currently assigning any tdif channels to any off the banks or layers.

So what am I missing?

 

[Klangfalter]

Hi ProSimex,
unfortunatly I am experiencing a quite similar situation on my dm3200. Every time I try to assign send/returns in the mixer it would say that the return already is assigned via a screen. So thanks in advance for opening a thread for this topic, I still have not the Fairness idea what I am missing there…

 

[Herve QUEVAL]

I did a test on my DM 3200 with ch1 insert assigned to TDIF1-1 and it works. (have to remove all input and output assignment to TDIF1-1)
tested on DM-3200 with SW V1.52
Check ROUTING IN and OUT. You have something assigned.

 

[ProSimex]

Thank you for testing Herve, I am looking through every menu, everything and I cannot find it.

EDIT:

I just figured it out. So i went to the output Routing screen, and selecting each of the tdif banks in the Terminal select screen, batch setup them to nothing. Thats what i was missing. Im not entirely sure ive ever really understood that output screen before, and im not entirely sure i do now either haha.

 

[Herve QUEVAL]

OK, On ROUTING OUTPUT, you have to select TDIF 1 with POD3 and then you have on the left the source connected to each channel of TDIF 1. same for TDIF2 and 3
The table on the left must be blank: nothing assigned.

Take care that Input channel and output channel of the selected TDIF connection must be free to be used in ROUTING/INSERT. (especially the INPUT cannot be shared).

If you still have problem:
I discover that some time we could have problems with routing and wrong context update. example when switching 48 to 96K the routing is not correctly updated when TDIF is dual line, Routing stay active on channel 5 to 8. Then context switching could be not so well managed.
What I propose to you is to clean manualy the context:
1) ROUTING / OUTPUT to assign TDIF 1 1-2 to BUSS 1 -2 , save project and then remove this setting. It will clea/ Initialize correctly the context for TDIF 1 1-2.
2) Do the same for ROUTING / INPUT, assign TDIF1 1-2 to channel 1-2 or other as you want. Save project, then remove this setting and save project. Check thas TDIF1 1-2 is not use on other layer.

ROUTING INSERT: Try now to attach TDIF 1 1-2 to the CH1 for example.

 

[ProSimex]

OK, I've got the assingable inserts assigning. I can see the meters on my outboard gear light up when i play my keyboard, If i add TDIF3 to inpute 41-48 I can see the channel meter light up in the module display, so im fairly certain the signal is leaving the effects rack and going back into the mixer, but no matter what i do i get no effects sounds from the inserts whatsoever. im missing something here.

 

[Herve QUEVAL]

I do not see the way you are routing your signal. What I can say:
USing ROUTING / INSERT tab, you define the routing of the Soft Insert for 1 channel, example CH3,
You select you TDIF line and channel (ex: TDIF 3 - 1 ) and you have to activate ON
When it is ON, the CH3 internal signal is routed to your channel 1 output of the TDIF3 connector.
The channel 1 input of the TDIF3 connector is routed automaticaly to the CH3 output. You must ear something at the output.
If you receive a signal on your motu 2408mk3: it is correctly routed. Then you have to check that sending back from Motu 2408mk3 on same output channel is OK. I do not know the motu 2408mk3. But try to send a signal on this channel, not another one .

 

[Herve QUEVAL]

I take a look at the Motu 2408MK3 documentation.
Another important points:
1) At which speed are you working, is it correctly synchronized? Is is 48K or 96K on both side.
2) To manage the routing on the Motu 2408MK3, you have to use the included console software (available for both Mac and PC). There is 3 bank of digital I/O and you choose the I/O format for each bank. For example, you can choose analog forBank A, ADAT optical for Bank B, and Tascam
TDIF for Bank C.

Bank C is shared with SPDIF, then take care you will not be able to use SPDIF if you use TDIF on bank C

3) You have also Cue Mix DSP available that permit to manage the routing of the different input/output of the 3 bank.

You have to connect your Motu interface with a PC (or MAC) and you need to run the PC software to adjust settings.

If you can do a schema of the interconnection of the devides it will help.

Hervé