[rockafella]

Hello, I wanted some ideas on which might work out better -

2 HDX cards

1 HD MADI

1 HDIO 16x16

1 Lynx HILO

Misc. other interfaces (these will interface via MADI adapters to the HD MADI)

First, from reading the manual, it seems I should set up the Loop Sync fully between the MADI and the IO16x16.

However, should I aim at making the MADI or the HDIO the main interface? The HD MADI needs both ports of an HDX to itself. So, if I hook up the MADI to the first HDX card, that will work out in the sense that it will be 64 channels there (over MADI), and 16 channels on the second HDX card.

HOWEVER - if I'd rather see my 16 HDIO channels FIRST in Pro Tools - can I make the HDIO's connected HDX card my primary? But what happens then - will pro Tools "reserve" inputs 17-64 for further expansion? Or will my MADI start its 64 channels at input # 17? If so, I don't think that is ideal, since if I add more HDIO later, it will move all my inputs, throwing off any templates, etc. (i.e., HD MADI would start numbering from 33 instead of 17 if I added another HDIO 16x16 to the "primary" HDX card)

On the other hand, I am not sure I want the MADI as my primary, because I might decide to simply not use it, and take it out of the loop.

Only other thing I am wondering - does anyone have experience clocking to the HILO? Or is it better to clock the HILO to the first Avid interfaces (whichever it ends up being, as per my above pondering)? I would think the HILO might have an edge clockwise, but perhaps Pro Tools/HD interfaces would simply behave better if they are internal clock source instead?

Thanks for your thoughts!