002, AI3, and outboard inserts...
 

Hi guys,

I just joined forces with another studio owner and we're in the process of moving in all the new gear. He has brought over an Alesis AI3 which I have synced up with protools, but we haven't run any cables yet. He's also bringing over some really nice compressors and stuff so heres my question:

I'd like wire up the new patchbay so that the compressors and stuff are normalled to parallel ins/outs from protools so I can use them as hardware inserts right in protools when mixing. I'm just wondering if anybody has done this and can confirm that it works with the optical ins/outs and not just the built in 002 ins/outs. I have a reverb unit hooked up via s/pdif and I tried to insert this on a track but it didn't work... no input to the reverb box. It works fine when bussing to the unit and returning on an aux track though...

Thanks,
-Adam

Re: 002, AI3, and outboard inserts...
 

Greatings my fellow Canuck. I have my AI3 to my patchbay and everything works great via the lightpipe on my end. If I wanted to I could now use up to 16 outboard pieces as inserts or sends. I use half normalled so that I can break the connection and insert outboard.

Your inserts have to use the same input AND output. For example, an EQ inserted on analog 8 has to use the output from 8 to the EQ and then back into input 8.

Here is a thread that may help you.

For more info on using hardware inserts, checkout Chapter 27 Plug-In and Hardware Inserts page 475 of the Pro Tools Reference Guide.

Using Hardware Inserts

You can connect external devices, such as reverb
or effects processors, to your Pro Tools system
and use them as inserts, or in a send-and-return
arrangement.

Pro Tools inserts utilize corresponding hardware
input and output channels to send and return
the audio. Inserts can be defined, and their
channels mapped to audio interface channels,
in the I/O Setup dialog.

If you plan to use a device as an insert, be sure to
connect the device to matching inputs and outputs
on your system. For example, to use outputs
7–8, the insert has to use inputs 7–8. Routing
the physical inputs and outputs of the
interface to Pro Tools inputs and outputs can be
done in the Hardware Setup dialog (or I/O Setup
dialog). For more information, see “Configuring
Pro Tools System Settings (in the Playback System
Engine)” on page 37, or “Routing Hardware
I/O to Pro Tools I/O” on page 71.

Shane

Re: 002, AI3, and outboard inserts...
 

Thanks for the prompt reply Shane,

That was a great thread you gave me (aside form the usual childish bickering that goes on in forums ), answered pretty much all my questions! Also, thanks for the quote from the manual, I searched but I missed it. You saved me having to go through and test it all before I solder the patchbay. I've got a half-normaled patchbay as well so it should work great. I've got a session tomorrow night and I need to re-wire my whole studio, Including the panel ties from the live room! So you saved me alot of time I don't have!

I'm out in Richmond, where's your studio?

Re: 002, AI3, and outboard inserts...
 

Oh and do you have any idea why the s/pdif reverb unit wouldn't work as an insert?

Thanks again!