Can this be done ?? (Locking two LE systems together)

[flommer]

Just as a note: MIDI over LAN is said to work very well. Just need an ethernet cable and have the 2 Macs set correctly as far as IP addresses go...

I believe the settings for MIDI over LAN are right in audio-midi setup..

[gtrplyr1]

Hi Everyone ,

I'm basically bumping this topic as I'm not sure I have a answer yet. I've been told it can be done .... once again to be clear, this is what I want to do.

Have two 003R's running the exact same session at once .... each system will have it's own laptop. The outputs of both 003R's will go into a switcher which will send either system to the front of house. The idea is if the main laptop crashes then we can hit one switch and switch to the "B" system in the middle of a song. Chances are we'll never need to .... this is simply a insurance policy. So the big problem is simply this ... how do I get both to start together ? Is there a way the main "A" system can trigger the "B" system to start but not lock to it ? That way if the "A" rig goes down the "B" will keep going ? It seems easy enough but I'm still not sure how ... maybe running both systems on another unit that sends time code ?

Any help would be greatly appreciated !

Thanks,

Gtrplyr1

[SKI]

Not really seeming logical the way you are trying to go.
If you really feel a crash is gonna happen and you would have problems than your only solution is to set up two systems on different power sources with 1500 backups, feed both systems the same signals and let them run in tandem.
If one crashes the other is still running capturing the exact same signals.

In other words the two systems would be creating redundant sessions on two different PT rigs.

Personally crashes are overated and easily prevented.
People tend to be overly acceptable of crashes instead of trying to truly determine the cause.

[gtrplyr1]

I think there is some misunderstanding. I'm not trying to record anything ... it is simply for playback. There are two systems which will be connected to two different power sources .... I just need them to start at the same time so that if we switch from rig A to B in the middle of the song the tracks are still in time with the band. I believe I found a solution .... connect both via Word Clock to start together .. set the slave to a particular mode that allows it to keep running regardless of what the master does.

[audioboffin]

Originally Posted by comprodman

This has been discussed loads of times and the short answer is no 2 003's or 002's can't be linked even via two laptops as there is no way of actually locking them properly even via a MTC.

Actually 001, 002 and 003 systems chase MIDI (for transport control) from other sequencers just fine. 001, 002 and 003 systems are all also capable of resolving to an external clock source (in the case of the 003 with the added feature of Word Clock), and in all cases via SPDIF.

You can easily have a master and a slave situation with 2 Pro Tools LE systems running 001, 002 and/or 003 hardware in combination, using MIDI timecode as transport control (MIDI out of the designated master into MIDI in of the slave), and SPDIF out of the master system into the SPDIF input of the slave system to resolve the clock of the slave to the master,

BUT (caveat emptor!!!!!)

IF the master crashes, the slave won't keep rolling, it will stop at pretty much the point the master is parked/crashed at. Not a pretty way of having a "bomb proof" backup, but certainly by dropping out of sync and regaining master control of both transport and clock, the show can be back on the road in just a few seconds.

In fact if it is just playback then you probably wouldn't need to lock the digital clocks together, just slave MIDI for transport lock.

In terms of achieving recording track counts greater than 18, yes it is possible to lock in sync 2 x 001's, 2 x 002's, 2 003's or any combination. In fact there's no reason why more than 2 systems can be chained together. You can lock Pro Tools systems with Digital Performer, Logic, pretty much anything you can talk MIDI with.

If you want to get fancier, distribute MIDI and SPDIF from a central point, and have a "house clock" situation going. If you think you have a "nuclear blast proof" hardware sequencer that is a more reliable master than a Pro Tools system, then slave the transports of both the main and backup Pro Tools systems from the hardware sequencer using a MIDI router.

Happy synchronised swimming :=)

[audioboffin]

Originally Posted by gtrplyr1

I think there is some misunderstanding. I'm not trying to record anything ... it is simply for playback. There are two systems which will be connected to two different power sources .... I just need them to start at the same time so that if we switch from rig A to B in the middle of the song the tracks are still in time with the band. I believe I found a solution .... connect both via Word Clock to start together .. set the slave to a particular mode that allows it to keep running regardless of what the master does.

Word clock won't give you transport control, just clock sync.

[SKI]

Originally Posted by gtrplyr1

I think there is some misunderstanding. I'm not trying to record anything ... it is simply for playback. There are two systems which will be connected to two different power sources .... I just need them to start at the same time so that if we switch from rig A to B in the middle of the song the tracks are still in time with the band. I believe I found a solution .... connect both via Word Clock to start together .. set the slave to a particular mode that allows it to keep running regardless of what the master does.

Ok my mistake.
However I am at a total loss for why you would choose not to use some form of hardware recorder for this?
Just far too many hurdles with trying to do it with 2 computers and 2 LE rigs just for playback.
I guess the members of the band saw a VENUE in action and want something similar on a budget?