Using 2 Computers???

spencer4t · Post by **spencer4t** » Tue Oct 23, 2012 1:06 pm

I thought I would ask to see if anyone here has any experience using 2 computers with DP...if so, how they have them setup and how they work together and what are the benefits. I've looked at those mac minis and was just curious if I could even combine something like that with an iMac I have. Thanks for any suggestions or thoughts.

Spencer

PS...I do mostly VI's with my recording

Tom Brighton · Post by **Tom Brighton** » Tue Oct 23, 2012 2:36 pm

I just started using my macbook pro for 2 track mix down with DP 7.24 and a glyph drive . I use Komplete 6 audio interface which has spdif in/out on 5/6 . I sync it all with my Big Ben and it has been working very well . My MBP is intel so it's where the Native Instruments VI,s are . I just tracked with Absynth and Kontact going strait to my G5 with all digital ins/outs and DP synced it all magnificently . and I don't have to use bounce to disk . I love hearing what I am mixing . It's win win for me .

Marc7777 · Post by **Marc7777** » Tue Oct 23, 2012 4:02 pm

Are you talking about using DP on 2 computers and having them synced???

Or are you talking about DP on 1 and hosting VI's on another? - This is the more typical situation.

I have 1 mac pro (you want this to be the fastest processor speed of your 2 machines) just hosting DP and maybe rewire Ableton Live into it. The 2nd Mac Pro (or could be Mac Mini - this one really just needs to have as much RAM as possible) I use Vienna Ensemble Pro 5 on that second machine. All you need is a CAT 5e or better cable and a gigabit connection. It handles all the MIDI and audio. Very easy to use, and very stable!

This has been my setup for the last few years, and I've been very happy with it!

There are several threads about this on this forum.

Although, if you're talking about the first scenario I mentioned... well then, I have no idea...

Frodo · Post by **Frodo** » Tue Oct 23, 2012 4:05 pm

What Marc7777 said.

williemyers · Post by **williemyers** » Wed Oct 24, 2012 4:30 am

Marc7777 wrote:are you talking about DP on 1 and hosting VI's on another? - This is the more typical situation.

I have 1 mac pro (you want this to be the fastest processor speed of your 2 machines) just hosting DP and maybe rewire Ableton Live into it. The 2nd Mac Pro (or could be Mac Mini - this one really just needs to have as much RAM as possible) I use Vienna Ensemble Pro 5 on that second machine. All you need is a CAT 5e or better cable and a gigabit connection. It handles all the MIDI and audio. Very easy to use, and very stable!

This has been my setup for the last few years, and I've been very happy with it!

Marc, a couple of quick "?"'s about your setup, if I may?
1. When you speak of "a CAT 5e or better cable and a gigabit connection.", are you going thru a router, or just connecting the two Macs directly with a single Cat5e cable?
2. How are you getting DP MIDI to that 2nd machine? MOL?
3. How are you getting the 2nd machine's audio back in to DP?
4. You mentioned a number of threads re: this stuff here. Have you got a link to any of your favourites?
many thanks

spencer4t · Post by **spencer4t** » Wed Oct 24, 2012 6:31 am

Marc7777 wrote:Are you talking about using DP on 2 computers and having them synced???

Or are you talking about DP on 1 and hosting VI's on another? - This is the more typical situation.

I have 1 mac pro (you want this to be the fastest processor speed of your 2 machines) just hosting DP and maybe rewire Ableton Live into it. The 2nd Mac Pro (or could be Mac Mini - this one really just needs to have as much RAM as possible) I use Vienna Ensemble Pro 5 on that second machine. All you need is a CAT 5e or better cable and a gigabit connection. It handles all the MIDI and audio. Very easy to use, and very stable!

This has been my setup for the last few years, and I've been very happy with it!

There are several threads about this on this forum.

Although, if you're talking about the first scenario I mentioned... well then, I have no idea...

The setup you are talking about is what I'm thinking of. So I could have all my VI's on a mac mini with 16 gigs of Ram and then run DP7 on my imac. Sorry to sound like a novice with this sort of stuff (I probably am) but does the audio and MIDI then pass through the cat5 cable and back to the imac during bouncing? I can open the VI's on the imac but they run from the mac mini? Thanks!

bayswater · Post by **bayswater** » Wed Oct 24, 2012 8:45 am

I have two Macs running DP. See my signature. I have the 16 ADAT channels on each system connected (between the 828 and the 2408), and a template on the iMac DP setup that has V-Racks that provide input and output to corresponding channels on the G5 setup.

I used this mainly to access the UAD-1 plugins on the G5 from the iMac. Some additional delay compensation is required to keep all the channels in sync because the iMac cannot see the delay compensation information provided by the UAD to the G5. I keep the channels not processed by the UAD in sync by running a submix of these through one of the ADAT loops without processing.

This setup can also use network MIDI in OS X to run VIs on the G5, but given it's limited processing capacity, I don't use it a lot for that.

Marc7777 · Post by **Marc7777** » Wed Oct 24, 2012 2:31 pm

williemyers wrote:Marc, a couple of quick "?"'s about your setup, if I may?
1. When you speak of "a CAT 5e or better cable and a gigabit connection.", are you going thru a router, or just connecting the two Macs directly with a single Cat5e cable?
2. How are you getting DP MIDI to that 2nd machine? MOL?
3. How are you getting the 2nd machine's audio back in to DP?
4. You mentioned a number of threads re: this stuff here. Have you got a link to any of your favourites?
many thanks

1) You could do either way. Mac Pros (not sure about Mac Minis) Have Network Cards with 2 ethernet ports. These are gigabit - meaning 1000Mbps. I connect the 2nd of each Mac Pro to each other. Then use the first port to go to internet or a router. If you do choose to have a router, make sure it has Gigabit ports. A Gigabit switcher will accomplish the same thing. As far as the cable goes - CAT 5e - CAT6 are a minimum requirement for VE Pro 5. Not sure the reasoning, but it's probably something to do with Gigabit.

2 & 3) VE Pro does MIDI AND Audio through a single Ethernet Cable. Pretty remarkable stuff. I use to do it via MIDI Over LAN - MOL. then have the audio return back via MOTU 2408's - ADAT. But now since VE Pro accomplishes all that, I have a pile of 2408s!!! There are programs like Plogue Bidule that can use MOL and return audio via the 2408's. (This was my old setup)

4) This is a good one! Many of us chimed in on this thread to spread our knowledge!! http://www.motunation.com/forum/viewtop ... 26&t=48838

Cheers!

~Marc

williemyers · Post by **williemyers** » Fri Oct 26, 2012 4:39 pm

M7, I *really* appreciate your response! I'm going to sift thru the 6+ pages of that link and will no doubt have follow on questions. again, many thanks!

rikp · Post by **rikp** » Mon Oct 29, 2012 8:36 am

Three computers in my studio:

Mac Pro running DP8 in 64 bit mode with Bidule 64 Bit
Mac Pro running sound libraries via VEPro 64 Bit
iMac running more sound libraries via VEPro 64 Bit

I have a huge orchestral template. The thing is ROCK Solid and never crashes. I am one happy composing type guy right now!

Rik

mikehalloran · Post by **mikehalloran** » Mon Oct 29, 2012 9:05 am

Mac Pros (not sure about Mac Minis) Have Network Cards with 2 ethernet ports

The Mini, iMac and portables have only one. If you need more ports, get an ethernet switch rated 10/100/1000. Do not get a hub or splitter - these degrade performance. You want a switch that has "auto detect" on the uplink port (or all ports) as this eliminates some potential wiring headaches.

If you have extra ports on your router, these will work as long as it is fast enough. The majority of cable/dsl company supplied routers are still 10/100 (the fastest standard home internet is around 26). If that's the case, get a switch, connect everything to it and uplink that to your router for internet.

According to an Apple engineer I know whose job is testing network speeds and capability, CAT 5e is fine. CAT 6 is great, of course, but not necessary. CAT 5 or lower will slow you way down or might not work at all (I once had a networked printer take 20-20 minutes per print job - turned out someone had a piece of CAT 5 cable going to it - replaced the wire and it worked as it should).

Shielded CAT 5e is available but a lot more expensive. Unless you detect audio interference in other devices, extremely rare, it is not necessary.

Marc7777 · Post by **Marc7777** » Mon Oct 29, 2012 2:28 pm

williemyers wrote:M7, I *really* appreciate your response! I'm going to sift thru the 6+ pages of that link and will no doubt have follow on questions. again, many thanks!

Glad to help! Let me know if you have any other questions!

MOTUnation.com

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