Alesis BRC with Pro Tools HD & Command 8
 

I know that aspects of the BRC with PT have been discussed, but I can't find a definitive answer to this …

I am still running Pro Tools 8 HD on my Mac Pro together with a Command 8. I recently acquired an Alesis BRC, and I'm wondering whether I can use this with Pro Tools, using the Command 8 as an interface.

If anyone has experience or knowledge of this setup, I would be most grateful for any guidance on how best to set it up. Attempts so far have not resulted in success. I should say that the Command 8 is connected to PT and working fine.

Thanks for any help.

Re: Alesis BRC with Pro Tools HD & Command 8
 

Not sure where this is going, but the Command 8 is not an interface. Its a control surface. Also, consider how old the BRC is...:o

Re: Alesis BRC with Pro Tools HD & Command 8
 

Indeed – I chose the wrong terminology. Yes, a control surface – I'm duly corrected. However, it has midi connectivity, and I'm sure that I've seen reference to it being used in this context with a BRC.

I don't immediately see that the age of the equipment is relevant – Pro Tools HD still work extremely well, as does the Command 8. The BRC was known to work with Pro Tools to transfer ADAT tapes via Digi interfaces. The Command 8 has a midi interface. I remain optimistic!

Re: Alesis BRC with Pro Tools HD & Command 8
 

I had to google BRC, and I found this from 1993(!):
Alesis BRC Big Remote Control for ADAT - mu:zines

It seems it was used to control ADAT recorders. Do you use ADATs together with HD? If not what would you want it for. It might have been used for transferring audio from adats to HD/TDM rigs but only as a remote controller, I don't think it can pass digital audio. MIDI protocol certainly can't. I guess BRC uses midi to control adats, just like Command 8 uses midi to control Pro Tools. It also can't treat digital audio in any form.

Re: Alesis BRC with Pro Tools HD & Command 8
 

I just remembered; I used to transfer samples from mac to akai samplers 30 years ago. So midi can actually shift digital audio. But that was far from real time. :(

Re: Alesis BRC with Pro Tools HD & Command 8
 

What are you hoping to achieve? The BRC (Big Remote Control) was used with ADAT decks for auto locate, arming, and sync. So the MIDI was for sync purposes IIRC. It had what I assume was a serial port going to the ADAT.

Re: Alesis BRC with Pro Tools HD & Command 8
 

SMDI. Slow as molasses but useful in its time.

Re: Alesis BRC with Pro Tools HD & Command 8
 

Thank you for all these comments. Although not strictly relevant to my question, yes, I have two ADAT machines and a library of tapes to transfer. Correct – the audio would be o/p to PT using ADAT light pipe – that's separate from the machine control, though maybe not in terms of sync.

You were definitely able to control PT from the BRC, and also take advantage of inherent sync options, by connecting the midi from the BRC to PT via contemporary interfaces such as the 001. My understanding is that this was simply a midi interface to link the timing and machine control signals from the BRC to PT.

There are enough threads around the internet to show that this is possible, using other Digi interfaces such as the 001 – I was just curious to know whether anyone had had success using the midi interface section of the Command 8.

My question is not so much why would I want to to do this, but whether anyone remembers having any success, and if so, how? I appear to have all the necessary components to set this up and it would be rather good to be able to do so

Re: Alesis BRC with Pro Tools HD & Command 8
 

OK that helps. Yes the Command 8 MIDI shows up like any other MIDI ports so it should pass on the MTC. I'm sorry I don't know anything about the BRC controlling anything with PT. Except that PT will chase the timecode.