MOTU 1248 question

[bozmond]

Hi All,

I have a project where I need to address 56 discreet outputs and I'm on the verge of purchasing a 1248 and 2 x 24Ao to do the job. I have a couple of quick questions about it to make sure I'm understanding how it works.

If I connect the 1248 to my Mac via Thunderbolt when I pull it up as my I/O in software (Pro-Tools, Ableton, etc) will that software be able to address 128 discreet ins and outs?

Will I then be able (via AVB) to see the 2 x 24Ao and send to them via the 128 outs provided by the 1248?

i.e.:
Software Outputs 1-24 via AVB Streams 1-4 to 24Ao #1
Software Outputs 25-48 via AVB Streams 5-8 to 24 Ao #2
Software Outputs 49-56 to 1248 Analogue Outs 1-8

Thanks for you help!

Boz.

[nick danger]

I don't own any of these, but I think you'd need to get one of the MOTU AVB switches to be able to connect multiple units. But my understanding is that you can then control and use all of the inputs and outputs of all the units, as well as all the DSP.

[bozmond]

Hi All,

Just to round off this thread for future reference the answer to my questions is yes. I just went ahead and purchased the 1248. It shows up in software as having 128 in's and out's and I'm then able to stream signals to and from 24Ao's via AVB.

In answer to Nick, yes you need (and I have have) an AVB router (MOTU's or another AVB capable router).

As an aside, I think that the MOTU description on the Ao/Ai 24 is slightly misleading. If you use it as an AVB device, you can indeed see 72 channels of I/O however if you use it as an audio interface (via USB or as an ethernet network interface in Yosemite on Mac) you can only ever address 24 I/O via the interface driver.

Furthermore, if you use it as an network audio interface in Yosemite you can no longer use it as an AVB device, no matter if you connect directly or via an AVB router. There is a note on this on the MOTU site here - at the bottom of the page: http://www.motu.com/techsupport/technot ... chterm=AVB

However, Yosemite takes over each device for exclusive use, so they can only stream audio to and from the Mac, not each other. The same is true for all AVB devices connected to the Mac.

So, while you are using AVB in this scenario, it works more as if you are plugging into the machine directly via USB - if that makes sense. This might be something that changes in the future as the ethernet network audio device drivers mature in the Mac OS.

B.