HDX recording help...

[JoshRose]

So I have been recording in LE with FWX, but am going to upgrade to HDX. It appears you need a 192, or 96 HD interface to make it work. I'm slightly confused though...

Is it a fire wire cable that runs from the HDX card into the HD interface? Some of these interfaces don't even have firewire? Also, what about inputs? If you want to take advantage of all of the outputs that the HDX can provide do you need multiple interfaces? Or do you simply need an HD interface so you can run PTHD, and the firewire from the HDX goes straight in the the computer and the computer recognizes the VENUE as the interface, like it does when using PTLE and FWX?

[drshane]

when you get a HDx 64 or 128 interface it should come with everything you need to record 64 or 96 inputs, you just have to select PCI or PCIe cards to go into your computer, you need a PCI/PCIe slot for every 32 channels, so 2 slots for 64 or 3 for 96. You use DigiLink cables to connect from the FOH HDx output to the cards in the computer.

[JoshRose]

Thanks. The article i read was misleading and indicated a PTHD interface was required along with the HDX. Does PTHD software come with the card, like PTLE does with FWX?

[sonicboost]

Yes. Software is bundled with the hardware (core card).

[Sheldon Radford]

Hi Josh,

Does PTHD software come with the card, like PTLE does with FWX?

Just so there's no confusion, Pro Tools HD software is bundled with the Pro Tools Core card. It is not included with the VENUE HDx card.

Sheldon

[JoshRose]

Ok, another question... FWX has 2 firewire connections... can I connect each of them to a different PT rig simultaneously, and record 18 on each computer? I imagine it would be the same 18, because you couldn't patch 36 outs to FWX. But it would still work for what I want to do, and save us at least 10 grand.

If this is possible, how long can the firewire run? 200ft?

[Sheldon Radford]

Hi Josh,

The FWx card can only be connected to one Pro Tools system at a time. The two ports on teh FWx card are included to facilitate different cabling configurations, for example when an external FW drive is used and doesn't provide a second port (note that the recommended config is to daisy chain the drive between the console and computer).

Also, the max cable length for FireWire is around 15 feet (4.5 meters). To go any further would require some type of converter/extender. These exist, but can be a bit spendy.

What's the need to record to two systems simultaneously, as opposed to recording on one system and then copying/sharing the files afterward?

Sheldon

[JoshRose]

Ok, here's the need...

In the past I have been multi-tracking our services with FWX and LE. In the past few months we have been talking about upgrading to HDX to get a larger track count because we plan on doing a lot more post production. We are going to make the music portion of our services available online, and we want to do good post mixes, so having more than 18 tracks would be great.

We are also going to be doing live streams of our services, including the music. The ideal place for this would be our studio, which is probably a 150 ft run away. The ideal way to do these live streaming mixes would be on a PTHD rig.

The problem is that if we are mixing them live in PTHD, it would be difficult to also be recording the audio. All plugins would have to be TDM, and they would all have to be inserted before the event starts. This means we would need multiple processing cards, and have pretty limited flexibility.

It's looking like the easiest way to do this is with a bunch of snake cabling and an analogue console. But I would still need a bunch of trs outputs at FOH.

[beefpitas]

I recently did my first HD tracking session with the profile. Really enjoyed exploring the features, and hope to expand our usage at the rental facility where I work. We actually cross rented the protools HD system.

"when you get a HDx 64 or 128 interface it should come with everything you need to record 64 or 96 inputs, you just have to select PCI or PCIe cards to go into your computer, you need a PCI/PCIe slot for every 32 channels, so 2 slots for 64 or 3 for 96. You use DigiLink cables to connect from the FOH HDx output to the cards in the computer."

We have two stage racks and one HDx card. Our stage racks have 6 input cards and one output card each. We only employed the one stage rack, and I was able to track 48 channels direct and 16 assignable, I recall. But I was thinking, to add 96 channels direct, wouldn't you need four PCI cards? I used both digilink connections to an HD2 system. The second HDx card will also have two digilink connectors, correct?

I saw in the webinar you had an HD3 system with two HDx cards and only 3 of the digilink connections. This gets you 96 directs and 32 assignables?

Also I was wondering if you could shed some light on the monitoring. I brought the output of my stereo master in protools back to the assignable outputs, then to a stereo track on the profile and assigned it to the FOH outputs through the direct out. So it didn't interfere with his mix at all.
But it normally routes to any of the outputs in the stage rack, if you didn't want to hit the profile? This was unclear in the protools IO, for me. At least with my configuration, in the way the card slots were labeled for the Stage Rack. Like, it should have been card G, but I don't think it was. I was using ProTools HD version 8.

thanks so much,
beefpitas