Rednet 5 (or similar) as Dante clock without Pro Tools?

[Matthew Steel]

Does anybody here know if a RedNet 5 (or similar) interface is capable of serving as a Dante leader clock without anything connected to the DigiLink connectors?

What I am really after is a cheap way to clock a Dante network from an always-on, low-PPM clock source. I cant justify the cost of something like a Studio Technologies 5401, but I have several first generation Sync IO boxes that I have recalibrated to match a standard I trust. And older RedNet interfaces seem to be available used at reasonable prices.

It sounds like between the Focusrite Red Net control tool and Dante Controller I have access to all the settings I would need and would not need Pro Tools for configuration (though I do have access to an HDX system if it is necessary for one-time configuration). Of course Focusrite never dreamed of someone (ab)using their product in this way so the manuals are silent about what happens without a digilink connection.

So, has anyone ever tried this either accidentally or on purpose?

[BScout]

Any device on a Dante network can be set as the primary clock. As long as it isn't turned off, no other device will be elevated to primary (and if it is turned off, something else will take the role but when it comes back, if you checked it to be the primary, it'll take control again.)
Dante doesn't actually need an external clock.

[Matthew Steel]

Originally Posted by BScout

Any device on a Dante network can be set as the primary clock. As long as it isn't turned off, no other device will be elevated to primary (and if it is turned off, something else will take the role but when it comes back, if you checked it to be the primary, it'll take control again.)
Dante doesn't actually need an external clock.

Thanks for your reply.

I know it doesn't need an external clock, as all Dante interfaces (real ones, at least, not DVS) have clock circuitry. Audinate advertise the clocks as high quality, but I have never found an actual PPM spec. So I expect the accuracy to be in the range of +/-20ppm, like most pro audio gear. But in my case I am trying to minimize drift for long video takes. That application requires a much tighter spec. Ideally, I'd sync the Dante clock to the video, but so far that hasn't been possible.

All indications are that I should expect it to just work, since the Dante PTP clock uses an entirely different set of packets than the audio side of Dante. And actually, unless I set up some subscriptions, the RedNet will not actually be sending any audio data, just clock.

I guess I am just paranoid that a RedNet 5 will freak out if it doesn't have a Digilink connection.

[uptheoctave]

I don't know about the Rednet 5 as I do not own one, but I do have an Avid MTRX and a load of Rednet converters.

MTRX is absolutely fine being Dante clock master without Digilink being used or connected. A lot of the time I use it as my monitor controller and digital patchbay sending audio to and from a Rednet PCIER card.
It works great.

[Matthew Steel]

I was able to pick up a used Rednet5 and try this out. Seems to work fine standalone, getting word clock from an original Sync I/O, and then acting as Leader Clock for the Dante network.

I never needed to connect to Pro Tools for configuration. RedNet control was necessary to change the IP address from its previous static setting. Dante Controller was able somehow to detect that it existed and what its IP address was, but because it was set for a completely different subnet it could not see or do anything else until that got fixed.

[uptheoctave]

Originally Posted by Matthew Steel

Dante Controller was able somehow to detect that it existed and what its IP address was, but because it was set for a completely different subnet it could not see or do anything else until that got fixed.

Yes, this is expected behaviour for Dante.