Apogee AD-16X and HD I/O clocking issue

[track]

I'm trying to run an Apogee AD-16X (latest firmware 3.0) along side an Avid HD I/O, I want the Apogee to be the master clock and so far I can only get it to lock in single speed (44.1 and 48) but not in double speed (88.2/96).
I have the Apogee connected threw the X-HD card and the Avid HD I/O to port 1 and 2 of the HDX PCIE card respectively.
Pro Tools recognizes the Apogee and the Avid as HDX 1 and 2 respectively.
In pro tools hardware setup I have HDX 1 (Apogee) internal clock selected as the master clock, when changing the session resolution the Apogee follows and switches clock speed accordingly, obviously if no BNC is connected from the Apogee's word clock out the Avid HD's word clock in there is no sync and there are many clicks and pops, but same thing happens when a BNC is connected to the word clock in on the Avid HD I/O... (I should mention that the "internal" light is still on on the HD I/O)
Only when I have the word clock out of the AD-16X connected to the "loop in" on the Avid HD I/O is when it is locking to the AD-16X, but, only in single speed.
I know I can solve this with an external clock but this shouldn't be the case.
Why would the Avid HD I/O not lock? or why wouldn't it switch to 'external'?

[JFreak]

Try connecting that wordclock out of Apogee into ext.clock input of the Avid box, and then set clock master to "external". You should be able to control your Apogee from its faceplate and then the Avid box would follow the external clock.

I'm not sure, I have a Rosetta800 w/XHD and haven't tried to couple it with Avid boxes but try that.

Loop sync is for putting all those Avid boxes together. Apogee XHD card does not have loop sync.

[track]

That doesn't work, when setting the clock source to 'external' the apogee goes to external mode as well, I'm pretty sure that is because pro tools recognizes it as an HDX I/O.

Basically when I select 'word clock' ('external' is not an option actually) as clock source, the apogee is going to external mode as well...

[JFreak]

I have a button on my Rosetta800 that easily switches clock source. I don't remember how it is on the AD-16X, but you should be able to override it to internal clock at all times.

[jbrown7282]

How are you connecting the AD16? Directly to your HDX card?? or off of your Avid IO?? I was just working on a system that required me to connect directly to the HDX card for everything to work properly...

[track]

I'm connecting the ad16x strait to the hdx card.
The ad16x does have a button to switch clock source, but I want it to be the clock master, the avid IO is the unit I want as slave and doesn't have any button on the front...
Also, the software takes over the button on the front of the ad16x, meaning that if I select the ad16x as master clock then it switches the ad16x clock source to internal, if I select the avid IO as clock master than the clock source on the ad16x switches to external.

The avid IO on the other hand always shows internal unless 'word clock' is selected (external) but in this case the ad16x goes to external mode as well... having to hard switch it on the unit back to internal + selecting the correct frequency for every session open/close is a pain!

there must be a better solution

[JFreak]

Originally Posted by track

the software takes over the button on the front of the ad16x, meaning that if I select the ad16x as master clock then it switches the ad16x clock source to internal, if I select the avid IO as clock master than the clock source on the ad16x switches to external. The avid IO on the other hand always shows internal unless 'word clock' is selected (external)

That's what it should, because there can only be one clock master! It is either Apogee box or Avid box. Internal means it is the clock master and external means it gets its clock from somewhere else.

Originally Posted by track

having to hard switch it on the unit back to internal + selecting the correct frequency for every session open/close is a pain! there must be a better solution

There is, and it is called "Master Clock", such as Apogee Big Ben or something like that. You set clock from there and distribute that clock to each of your digital boxes and set all your digital boxes to accept external clock as a clock source.

So... in your case... which is "better", the cheaper way which requires more manual work or the way which eliminates manual work but costs more?

[track]

Originally Posted by JFreak

That's what it should, because there can only be one clock master! It is either Apogee box or Avid box. Internal means it is the clock master and external means it gets its clock from somewhere else.



There is, and it is called "Master Clock", such as Apogee Big Ben or something like that. You set clock from there and distribute that clock to each of your digital boxes and set all your digital boxes to accept external clock as a clock source.

So... in your case... which is "better", the cheaper way which requires more manual work or the way which eliminates manual work but costs more?

Actually, it doesn't work in manual mode, the software won't let go of the ad16x, when selecting 'word clock' (external) as source, the ad16x goes to external and the front panel button can't make it switch to internal.

I hear what you're saying, although it will surly work, in my books, a dedicated clock master (i.e. big ben) is for more integrated systems that runs more than just a couple of converters running in series, like digital input speakers or digital fx units and so and so...

That leaves me with 1 option only, having the avid IO be the master clock (not my 1st choice...).