Carbon AVB Ethernet max throughput

[QuacksMeUp]

What is the max throughput of Carbon's AVB Ethernet? 1Gb/s? 10Gb/s?

I've discovered the 2020 iMac I've been using with Carbon has only the stock Ethernet card (1 Gb/s). However, I do have an upgraded iMac with the 10Gb/s option.

I'm going to swap them, but I've wondered whether the slower Ethernet might have played a role in ProTools losing network sync and random weirdness from the S1 console.

Perhaps the bottleneck is the NetGear 1Gb/s ethernet switch? Considering Ubiquiti 10Gb/s switch.

Carbon port 1 --> iMac (1Gb/s ethernet)
Carbon port 2 --> NetGear 1Gb/s switch --> Avid S1 --> iMac (10Gb/s ethernet)

[dominicperry]

AVB on the Carbon runs at 1Gb/s. There is no need for you to use a 10Gb/s port on your Mac, as it will auto-detect and run at 1Gb/s when the Carbon is connected.

No switches (not even AVB switches) are qualified by Avid to work with Carbon.

You are not meant to connect other devices to the AVB ports on the Carbon, except Carbon Pres.

Dominic

[QuacksMeUp]

Thanks for that info, Dominic. I looked all over and couldn't get a clear answer on that.

You state that the 2nd AVB port on the Carbon is only meant for Carbon Pres. Didn't know that.

So given that Carbon must use the iMac's dedicated ethernet port, switches are out, and I'm not supposed to daisy-chain from the 2nd Carbon AVB port, how does one connect the Avid S1 (which also requires ethernet)?

[I'm supposing a hub like OWC'c Thunderbolt Dock which supplies an ethernet port over thunderbolt]

[dominicperry]

Ah, welcome to the misery of AVB.
And not just any AVB, but Avid's proprietary version of AVB. For which there is no publicly available documentation.

Firstly, there clearly are some people who are managing to use other things hanging off the 2nd port of the Carbon, but if you have a problem, Avid won't help. I'm pretty sure at least one person here is using a MOTU AVB hub (i.e. switch) too. Some people have had success with an S1 or dock. I can't remember, you'd have to search the forum.

Secondly, you need to be very careful about which Ethernet ports work with AVB. Lots of them don't. (The one on your iMac does, but as you'll see below, not all Ethernet ports are created equal).
The same thing goes for Thunderbolt to Ethernet adapters. Avid have tested a lot of them, and a lot of them don't work properly. So this isn't like the usual "not qualified, but probably works" thing that happens with new versions of PT and old operating systems. These are things that really don't work.

If you have TB ports on your iMac (I think the 2020 model has 2 USB-C style TB ports) then you can use a qualified adapter to create an AVB-compatible Ethernet port. There are only a few that work. See this page:
https://avid.secure.force.com/pkb/ar...ements#network

I have the Sonnet and the Apple 'double-dongle' USB-C to TB2 -> TB2 to Ethernet.
You can't use Apple's or Belkin's single USB-C TB3 to Ethernet.
You also can't use any Ethernet port on any TB dock Caldigit or OWC dock - I can't find a single TB dock that supports AVB. Every time a new one is released I check the specs and email the company. I get no reply, or a negative.
There is an older Sonnet 10Gb adapter: (https://www.sonnetstore.com/collecti...ducts/solo-10g)
which is AVB capable, but it's huge, very expensive, not qualified by Avid, and doesn't make any sense to use now that Sonnet make the smaller 1Gb adapter, which Avid has qualified.

So you are limited to your inbuilt Ethernet port and a couple of different qualified adapters on your TB ports. I would connect the Carbon to one and the rest of your AVB stuff to another.

EDIT: Checking your post again, if you just need a standard Ethernet port for the S1 (which I believe is not AVB) then a Caldigit or OWC TB dock that has an Ethernet port would do. But you could also use one of the TB to Ethernet solutions above and then you'd have a "spare" AVB Ethernet port if something went wrong.

Dominic

[smurfyou]

I'd say the best bet is using the built in Ethernet for the Carbon only, since it is qualified and compatible. Then get a decent USB / Thunderbolt Ethernet adapter for actual networking.

[massivekerry]

I bought the little Sonnet AVB adapter. I presently have the Carbon attached to the built-in Ethernet on my (fairly new) Mac Studio, and the Sonnet is not attached to my home LAN into a switch that also has my S1. If my main computer fails suddenly, at least I can use the Sonnet with my laptop. Since setting this up (with Pro Tools 2022.12 in Rosetta Mode on Ventura 13.1) I do sometimes experience EuCon (appears to be) resetting in the middle of working on a session, but I'm hoping that maybe the forthcoming Eucon update addresses that. The Carbon is largely solid, except sometimes when I take mic tracks out of record that go through a lengthy signal chain (like track->Routing Folder->Aux->2 Master Faders) with a lot of chunky plugins in the chain. I'm hoping that's a PT/Ventura thing and will also get fixed in upcoming versions.

[QuacksMeUp]

Moving to Carbon has been a hair-pulling experience. I'm sure some of that is on me... but the rest of the blame is hard to determine since my move coincided with updates to PT Ultimate and Eucon.

I have the S1 now coming off a switch fed by the OWC Thunderbolt dock's ethernet port. (It was previously connected to Carbon's AVB port #2). I will look more into the AVB adapters mentioned in this thread. Thanks for the tips.

An ongoing issue has to do with PT or the S1 losing sync ("waiting for sync"). This happens when I hold the S1 Opt soft key and touch a fader to bring it to unity (0). After that, PT is unresponsive - displaying the sync message whether I try to use a soft key on the S1 mapped to PLAY or hitting spacebar on the keyboard. I have to restart PT to regain functionality.

[QuacksMeUp]

OWC's new Thunderbolt Pro Dock claims to be "AVB ready" and features 10Gb ethernet.

But at nearly $400, it's a bit too rich for my blood. I think the adapter solutions will be sufficient for my needs.

[dominicperry]

Originally Posted by QuacksMeUp

OWC's new Thunderbolt Pro Dock claims to be "AVB ready" and features 10Gb ethernet.

Good find. I will suggest Avid test it before I buy it.

Dominic

[SteveBorne]

I just ordered an OWC pro dock to try on my Mac Studio. I will report back if it works. FYI there is a $50 rebate on them now so it's $329.... and with 30 day returns, I think it's worth a try.