Laptop virtual soundcheck multitracks?

[Dennisfootpole]

Due to shipping restrictions on the bands' pro tools rack, I just lost my virtual soundcheck tool which I was hoping to use to tune PAs, program the console and audition plugs during the first week of a tour with a new (for me) band.

Has anyone heard anything or had any experience with schemes to do multitracks on a laptop (I mean more than 18 tracks you can get with LE)?

Does Avid have anything now or planned soon that would enable a laptop to run HD?

Does the Madi interface offer an opportunity for 3rd party multitracking that still keeps unity gain for use during virtual soundcheck?

I'd consider paying the big bucks for a system if I could carry it on a plane with me...
thanks,
Denny Jagard

[Roland Clarke]

If the Venue system was equiped with a Madi interface, you should be able to use the RME madi interface for laptops and any proprietry program that will work with that for virtual soundcheck.

Roland

[Denny Jagard]

Sheldon, are you available to look at this?

It seems now my issue is that the Madi card required 2.8.5 which requires a paid update.

My goal is to be mobile... to travel around with a madi based laptop recorder BUT even if I carry an Avid Madi card for a Profile, the system needs to be version 2.8.5 right? And that requires a paid upgrade to 2.8.1 so...
if I show up somewhere to use a board with an older system, am I going to be able to easily and reliably upgrade their software?

And how does Avid keep track of upgrades, through an Ilok?

Am I going to be leaving a sound company with an unusable console if I upgrade their software then take my Ilok?

Again, my goal is to be mobile, like how I used to carry a Yamaha AES card so I could patch in my outboard gear regardless of the console vendor. Is this realistic on a Profile?

[Chris Johnson]

AFAIK the console software is not iLoked. my console runs just fine with or without the iLok inserted (excluding my plugins of course).

Installing a MADI card is do-able, but requires some time and a screwdriver. Why not just tell the console vendor(s) to put one in?

Then buy an RME Madiface and off you go. 64ch of I/O from your expresscard equipped laptop running anything other than protools (c'mon Avid, lets have protools LE with 128 I/O!! Can you say Mbox MADI?).

[Denny Jagard]

[QUOTE=Chris Johnson;1671382]
Installing a MADI card is do-able, but requires some time and a screwdriver. Why not just tell the console vendor(s) to put one in?
QUOTE]

Telling a vendor to put one in will cost my customers $ if the vendor even has it available. I want to be able to use my system regardless of the vendor's price or availability, so I bought the card, and have now used it in 2 rigs with no madi issues, though some trouble getting the drives to keep recording.

I'm running it on a MacBookpro 17" with 8k RAM with Logic and Madiface card. Trying to record 44 channels at 48k 24 bit 90 minute shows I had lots of failures with notice that the drive couldn't keep up when using Firewire 800 powered drives. Using an Avastar drive (with IEC power cable) seemed to eliminate nearly all of failures, but still have had recording stop a couple of times. Still experimenting with buffer settings, etc.

It's working fine for my purposes of virtual sound checks. In my opinion it has already paid for itself as virtual soundcheck allowed me to quickly develop a polished mix in time for a show in front of management, making a good first impression jumping from monitors to FOH. But I'd like to be able to record whole shows reliably so I can offer it as an archival service to my customers. Maybe then I have a chance to get specific income to pay for it.
cheers,
denny

[digidesigner]

I believe your laptop recording problems are due to having not disabled sudden motion sensor. Low freq energy form subfoofers will be considered as laptop falling and hard disks will be parked by OSX to prevent failure before the "laptop hits the ground". This can be disabled google for this as apple site is under construction right now and I can't give you a direct link

EDIT: And do find something soft to put your laptop and HD on to as they are probably working very hard to fight the vibration

[Kenmillerjr]

...another thing for you to consider...
I've found when you are tracking, when you get up to 32 channels tracking to one drive, the propability of the recording failing/drive not being fast enough increases. Typically what I do, is I have two or more external drives. I allocate the tracks in half, so half of the tracks would be going to the first drive and the remainder will go to the second. Since I've started doing that, I have not had recording quit on me.

If you are looking for an alternate solution to ProTools HD, you should look at using Cubase with the MADI interface. I've heard some very good reports about those two working together well. But...I am not sure what laptop MADI solutions are out there, tho.

[Denny Jagard]

Originally Posted by Kenmillerjr

...another thing for you to consider...
I've found when you are tracking, when you get up to 32 channels tracking to one drive, the propability of the recording failing/drive not being fast enough increases. Typically what I do, is I have two or more external drives. I allocate the tracks in half, so half of the tracks would be going to the first drive and the remainder will go to the second. Since I've started doing that, I have not had recording quit on me.

If you are looking for an alternate solution to ProTools HD, you should look at using Cubase with the MADI interface. I've heard some very good reports about those two working together well. But...I am not sure what laptop MADI solutions are out there, tho.

Ken, I was told Logic was the way to go for stability with the Mac... unfortunately in Logic AFAIK you can't allocate individual tracks to different drives. You can just select one destination to write your "assets."

[Kenmillerjr]

Originally Posted by Denny Jagard

Ken, I was told Logic was the way to go for stability with the Mac... unfortunately in Logic AFAIK you can't allocate individual tracks to different drives. You can just select one destination to write your "assets."

Didn't know that. I've been rockin' ProTools and have not had a problem with it.

[Sheldon Radford]

Hi Denny,

It seems now my issue is that the Madi card required 2.8.5 which requires a paid update.

Anyone purchasing a VENUE MADI Option Card is entitled to a free 2.8.1 upgrade kit (ordered as a separate, $0 line item on the same P.O. as the MADI card). Once 2.8.1 is installed you can download and install the free 2.8.5 update.

Sheldon