monitoring in the mixer of HD OMNI inputs from another HD I/O

[damien78]

Hi,

I have an HD Omni setup to receive a 2-CH AES digital input and play back on my main monitoring system. This is done in the mixer of the audio drivers of HD OMNI by activating the monitoring option of these channels. When I'm using my editing software I can playback 2-CH audio from the video output card via the monitoring section of the HD Omni.

I'm planning to buy a HD IO 8x8x8 to be able to monitor 6-CH AES inputs from my SDI output device (AJA LHi). It is important that it works without Pro Tools running.

So is it possible to monitor HD IO inputs in a standalone mode on my HD OMNI monitor since my surround monitors are connected to the HD Omni?

Thanks in advance

[Darryl Ramm]

There is no hardware mixer/monitor capability in a HD IO, so no.

[JFreak]

The 2ch feature mentioned is simply mirroring to 1-2 output, much like headphone output of HDN|TB mirrors first two outputs.

As said, there is no "mixer" in HD interfaces. Mixing is done on HDX cards (dsp) or host computer (native)

[damien78]

Thanks for the answers.

Just to clarify... there is an input mixer in HD Omni (in HD Omni manuals p2, "Input mixer for low latency direct monitoring of a variety of incoming signals"), and you can get access to it in the Mixer Tabs of the audio interface setup. This feature is not the mirroring option that HD Omni also provides. I'm monitoring in standalone (without PT running) inputs 3/4 AES on my main 5.1 monitoring path.

I was hoping for a solution to use the Omni mixer to monitor HD I/O inputs, but itseems that it is not possible.

So, the only option is to have an HDX card instead of HDN?

[Darryl Ramm]

Originally Posted by damien78

So, the only option is to have an HDX card instead of HDN?

No. There is no option to do what you want with a HD IO interface. None. Nada. Zilch. HD IO (with HDN or HDX) requires the host computer to be running Pro Tools to provide a mixer.

You are trying to hammer a nail in with a screwdriver. What you need is maybe more just a multi-channel DAC or even better a full monitor controller, like a Grace Design m908.

Or you can look at the monitor control capability in the MTRX. I suspect it can do this with the monitoring processor card, but I have no experience with it. The documentation is all on line.

[damien78]

OK, was just asking again since JFreak replies to me that "Mixing is done on HDX cards (dsp)".

I have a dual setup -qualified by Avid- on which I'm both running Media Composer/Pro Tools on the same system. Using PT with HD Omni is fine for my needs, and the monitoring section of OMNI is good enough for me. I was just trying to think about clever ways to make the best use the OMNI/HD IO, in both worlds.

[Darryl Ramm]

Originally Posted by damien78

OK, was just asking again since JFreak replies to me that "Mixing is done on HDX cards (dsp)".

And he is correct in that statement, the mixing does happen on the card.. but it's misleading in that you can't use that card stand-alone, it needs Pro Tools to be running.

[XJENSEN]

The HD OMNI has an FPGA mixer on board that allows direct monitoring of its inputs. Will even work standalone, when not connected to an HDN/HDX card.
However, none of the other HD I/O interfaces support this.