Solved -> How to sync pro tools and a digital mixer?

[B.J.]

Hello.
I just got a digital mixer in my studio, a Mackie d8b.
I want to hookup this with my MIX3 rig.

Can anyone help me with the best hookup order of the interfaces and sync-cables? I've got the apogee card in the d8b.
In the mac the I've got the core card - then the farm - then the second farm.
The interfaces I want to hookup are 1xADAT24 bridge, 1x888|24, 1x882|20 and an USD.

Until now I just got the rig to work with the d8b as the masterclock, but isn't it best to use the USD as the master?


regards
b.j.

edited the subject to a better title...

[B.J.]

bump...
Anyone with some suggestions?

[MASTERLINKSTUDIOS]

are you trying to use the d8b for the pres and then want to send data from the d8b to your mix interfaces and or adat stuff?first,what cards do you have in d8b?does your interfaces have word clock inputs?exactly what inputs do all of your interfaces have?

[James Drake]

Do you just want to run everything to the same clock, or sync the transport for mixing & automation?

If you're just worried about clock, then yes, use your USD as master. Run all your Digi hardware in the way they were designed, with the old SuperClock system.

What clock inputs does your mixer have? The USD will output video, AES or WordClock, all of which are suitable if your mixer will understand them.

If you are thinking about syncing transport then that's another thing. The USD will output LTC, which your mixer may understand. To get the buttons on your mixer to run the PT transport, does your mixer have MIDI I/O? If so it probably outputs MMC, get a MIDI interface for your computer and then PT will understand this MMC.

[drenkrom]

Actually, linking the controls will be the easy part, as the d8b has a HUI mode that is perfectly compatible with PT as soon as a MIDI connection is established. Only the first 8 faders will be used, if I remember correctly. As stated above, details are seriously lacking about the d8b's IO to sort out the clock issue.

[B.J.]

Thanks guys...
Yes Masterlinkstudio... I want to use the d8b pres when recording multiple tracks (like drums) and feed 16 tracks digitally through the Mackie DIO-8 cards to the Digidesign ADAT bridge. The d8b has the Apogee clock
I'm using the 888|24 to get inputs from my analog pres and the 882|20 to connect my analog outboard fx.

To James Drake, Yes I just want to run everything to the same clock.

The only way I get it to work together is to use the mixer as the master. But I want to use the USD as the masterclock.

To drenkrom: No it's not for hui use... for thatI use the command 8.

Apogee clock:
http://www.mackie.com/support/FAQ/d8...ed.html#apogee

Mackie DIO-8
http://www.8thstreet.com/prod.asp?pid=3098

[James Drake]

Does your mixer have a wordclock input?

Have you read this:
http://www.mackie.com/support/FAQ/d8....html#wordsync

[MASTERLINKSTUDIOS]

i used to have a d8b,so i know it has wordclock in and out.he must first have adat cards installed in the d8b then put the outputs of the adat cards on the d8b to the ins of your pro tool interfaces and you should see the signal going to pro tools,but remember on the d8b mixer you must be on channels 1-24 to change the level output going to pro tools and actually if i remember correctly you will also be able to use the eq & comp in d8b before goint to pro tools if you like.now the syncing of things.i believe the appoge card in the d8b may be better then the other clocks,so i would use that as the master,but if you dont choose to,set the clock on the d8b to external,then your other clock should be the master of the set-up.i also think you should try the hui mode on d8b(if you have software version 5.0 on d8b) and set pro tools to recieve mtc(midi time code)and you will be able to use the transport control,fader,and pots on d8b to control pt.i would also send the outs of pt to d8b(has a place for stereo input sources)then you can also use the monitoring system on d8b to monitor from 2 different sets of speakers and you could hook the headphones up to d8b and use the talkback feature and really get a good bang for your buck.lots of info but you could also use the d8b as a summing bus too if you like

[B.J.]

Thanks James... I'll check it out.

I just found this:
"The Protools system only require one word clock connection. Do not connect word clock cables to Protools super clock BNC connectors. This is a high resolution clock not compatible with the D8B word clock. Ancillary Protools devices connect to these super clock connections."

Maybe I used the super clock output when I connected the USD as the master. But after this - it seems that I should have used the ordinary word clock output?

I have made a chart to show how I think the clock connection should be,
Can this be the way?
http://pow.no/download2/studio/fig1.jpg
Btw. the fig shows different cards in the d8b. I have 3x dio-8 cards.

On the d8b
Should the selection be Word Clock (Locked)?
http://pow.no/download2/studio/fig2.jpg

What is the right selection on the USD Clock reference (Word Clock?):
Video (Video Reference Input)
Video (Video Input)
Linear Time Code (LTC),
Digital (AES/EBU)
Digital (Super Clock)
Digital (Word Clock)
Pilot Tone
Bi-Phase/Tach
Internal/VSO

Thanks for the help!


regards
b.j.

[B.J.]

Thanks Masterlinkstudios!
Do you mean that the Apogee card in the d8b is better than the USD?
(I just want to use it as the master for the vari-speed. I think that's not possible with the usd in slave mode)

Do you also mean that I should use the sync output from the mackie dio-8 cards to the interfaces?


regards
b.j.