at my wits end with 828mk3 hybrid

[HARDDRlVER]

i honestly don't know where to start.
well, my wife of 43 years passed away a few years ago, and for a few years previous to that, i had stopped recording to tend to her needs.
so i'm finally crawling out of the hellhole where this had left me.
but it's been so long since i ran any gear that i'm lost on even the most basic setup. i cant seem to make any sort of connection to the mk3 to save my life. Ive spent weeks now at around 3 hours every single night, and end up throwing my hands in the air and giving up.

my setup consists (to begin with) an alesis 8.1 for my controller
running into 2 Roland xv 5080 rack synths.
Im running win 10/64 and Studio One v.6, along with a Faderport 16. (but all that gear is useless so far.) i have to get a signal, get those meters bouncing in the mk3 before i stress over Studio One, right?
these are connected to the 2 toslink connections on the mk3
in the audio control i have both the connections in the mk3 set to toslink

the only thing that shows up on the mk3 front panel is that when i strike a key on the controller i DO see that the MIDI light shows up.under the clock.
but i cant get an audio signal to show up anywhere.

lve searched the owner's manual for "how to" but the manual wasn't written that way. what i get from the manual is {this knob does this, turning that knob does that}. it's not written in a HOW TO fashion.
in the old days of reel to reel the manuals were straight forward. {plug a guitar cable in jack 1, turn up {this} knob to preference.

I started gathering my gear together about a year ago, updating to win 10, 2TB SSD, Studio One, Faderport, etc. so everything including the 828mk3 hybrid has been reset to ground zero.

for a 70 year old widower i believe i have a decent setup to start with. I have mics and guitars waiting in the wings...if this baby ever gets off the ground.

Oh, I also have a MOTU MIDI express XT usb ready to be put into use (because i have several other MIDI devices to add...eventually). and on that note, speaking of a 'next' step, how does the 828 deal with MIDI where it will send the MIDI info into Studio One where Studio One will pick up that info and use it on virtual software?
I just can't believe I have forgotten so much...i mean EVEYTHING.
BTW, i purchased both MOTU units as new. and they both appear to be working properly. But nothing shows up on the front panel or in CUEMIX. also btw, I have everything set to 48k, otherwise the 828hybrid wouldn't show data being received in the clock area, correct? (very bottom light on the rightunder the 2 adat lights. the clock 48k is also lit up.

But not being able to even get going in the most rudimentary fashion has just about sent the 828 out the window. I don't know how many more fruitless nights i can take.

Speaking of Studio One, there are literally hundreds of help videos showing HOW TO...when I eventually get to that point. the reason I mention this is...why arent there any help videos for MOTU gear? Ive searched but can't find any...but then, giving up is becoming a very common practice for me of late.

i seriously hate to make anyone feel like {i need to take this user by the hand and show him everything}. I think losing my wife to cancer did something to my thinker. And at 70 (and also battled cancer 6 months after my wife passed} I feel time is sooo important now. It's not to be wasted.

Ive been nearly at the point of giving up...today, Christmas of all days...emotions getting the best of me...so I just took a shot at searching for a MOTU forum and once I found you guys I remembered I've been here before.

Look, I won't blame anyone if they have no desire to help me. But i will say, I retain what I learn very well. It's not like you're gonna have to remind me over and over again,

Ive even searched for users who specifically own the 828mk3 hybrid AND MIDI express XT usb AND Studio One v6 to no avail.

i don't know what other info I can give you that might help you. I've reset the unit several times. (value, etc).

Im just hoping someone will come to my aid before I throw in the towel.

and hey, if you want to shy away from this can of worms, I wouldn't blame you, but thank you for reading my post , just the same.

oh, and im using headphones throughout

Sincerly,
Jon

win 10/64
2TB SSD
Motu 828mk3 hybrid (updated firmware)
motu MIDI express xt usb
Studio One v6
Presonus Faderport 16
Alesis 8.1 (controller)
'

[cuttime]

I certainly want to help, but I’m a bit confused as to where to start. I’m not an expert in Studio One, but I'd look at Cuemix to check your routings. Take a deep breath and I'm sure some of our experts will help you work it out. I know the feeling of having forgotten more than I’ve learned.

[HARDDRlVER]

thank you for your reply. I've looked at cuemix a hundred times but still i'm perplexed. I'm not even going to guess where to start. i put focus on toslink, i've upped the trims, nothing. i just don't know where to go from there. Thank you for your input. and youre right, I've forgotten more than i learned.

[HARDDRlVER]

So I started looking closely at cuemix and loe and behold, the mute was on for the toslink.
Ok, that 'sort of' fixed things. But while I get a signal to the main outs on the 828 and a signal to Studio One, I have no action on the toslink meters on the 828. Furthermore, the signal seems to be wrapped in on itself: that is, like I'm hearing a doubling effect of the signal from the toslink connection. If I plug my headphones directly into my xv 5080,I get a beautiful clean stereo signal, but when I plug the headphones into the 828 it's almost like mono, although I do hear a bit of stereo separation (running keys up and down my controller, I can hear a bit of left/right stereo, but the signal is definitely wrapping itself in on itself, if that makes any sense. And this is all happening on the 828. It has nothing to do with Studio One. The sound is very 'honky'(?)

[cuttime]

I have no action on the toslink meters on the 828. Furthermore, the signal seems to be wrapped in on itself: that is, like I'm hearing a doubling effect of the signal from the toslink connection. If I plug my headphones directly into my xv 5080,I get a beautiful clean stereo signal, but when I plug the headphones into the 828 it's almost like mono, although I do hear a bit of stereo separation (running keys up and down my controller, I can hear a bit of left/right stereo, but the signal is definitely wrapping itself in on itself, if that makes any sense. And this is all happening on the 828. It has nothing to do with Studio One. The sound is very 'honky'(?)

Is Toslink selected in the Optical Bank selection of MOTU Audio Setup? What are your default Inputs and Outputs? Are the correct Optical channels selected? The correct channels aren't what you'd always expect them to be in my experience. The "honky sound" sounds like a signal is being doubled up, as if an output is being routed to an input. CueMix could again be the culprit here, or perhaps it is cabling. Bear in mind that I'm on a Mac here, so I'm kinda spitballing. Windows users?

[HARDDRlVER]

Well I've gotten a tad further after reading other posts but I still have 2 issues. I believe these (or at least one) can result in a positive result.
This concerns the toslink inputs.
I have both toslink connections used by my 2 roland Xv5080 rack synths.
They are set to 48k.
I have the audio control in windows set to toslink. Both outputs are set to disable.
I get an audio signal at the main outs but nothing registers on the digital inputs on the front panel of the 828mk3 hybrid.
I also can get an audio signal to my DAW.
You might reply "then what else do you need?"
Well, I believe I should be getting a signal on the digital meters on the 828 front panel, no? I mean, you need to set proper levels accordingly, correct?

On another note, I can't seem to adjust my headphone levels on the front panel.

But one thing at a time;

How do I get a signal to show up on the digital meters on the front panel of the 828? Surely someone might know this.

Thank you for any help you can pass my way.

P.S. If I don't get an answer here (because there's a lot to read through before this,I might post it as a new thread (if allowed). Perhaps it might get a reply if posted separately.

Joni

[HARDDRlVER]

Answered by Motu tech.
Apparently [toslink] connections do not affect the front panel digital input meters (as per Motu tech)

I have not tried a digital coax cable, but surely some type of digital connection must cause those puppies to fire off.

Just thought I would post this in case anyone else goes searching the same rabbit hole.

Jon