How can DP keep playing after MTC stops?

[Sergievsky]

I'm trying to setup a backup DP8/laptop for live shows. It syncs great with MTC (backup slaved to the main laptop), but of course I need to keep the backup playing after (if) the first one stops or crash or whatever. I could have sworn there was an option to set the sync so it freewheels after start.

Only other thing I can think of is both slaved to an external MTC (and what if THAT stops?)

[bralston]

You need to run two separate DP systems controlled by a playback control device that uses/listens a sync tone from Rig 1 to determine if DP rig 1 is still online and functioning. If it is not...it automatically switches to the second unit. There are deivces made just for this "Live use" purpose. MOTU showed it off at NAMM this past year using the Motley Crue road rig.

See here for a video demo and explanation of its use.

http://www.playbackcontrol.com/about.php

...incorporating this: http://www.radialeng.com/r2011/sw8.php

[Sergievsky]

Thanks Brian, it was so damn hard looking for info on the web on this. You'd think it would be a bit more common, running a redundant backup laptop rig that is.

Anyway, I think you (& the video) were referring to something like the Radial audio switcher? That would be awesome, but at the moment I could probably settle on just unmuting the backup on my mixer channel in case the main crashes. I was more stumped on the timecode sync. Though I guess the idea is the same. I think I found in the MIDI interface (MIDI express) what I thought was in DP, the freewheel thing I mean. If DP laptop1/MidiExpress-masterMTC dies the interface will keep pumping out timecode so the laptop2/slave doesn't stop. Is this correct? Or does the masterMTC be a completely separate unit altogether? Trying to find time to experiment now, but would love some help to speed things along.

I'd settle for a usb or bluetooth keypad that can control two macs simultaneously, but even searching for THAT was fruitless. If only the iPad can connect to two destinations then the DP control app would be awesome.

[Sergievsky]

I think I found a solution...http://www.iconnectivity.com/iConnectMIDI2plus

Release is delayed though I think

[diabolo]

Hey i know this is a late reply. but just wondering if you were able to figure out the setup for your live rig

[Sergievsky]

What I ended up doing was setup a slave macbook with its own audio/MIDI interface, MIDI out from my main laptop to MIDI in of the slave mac, then put that slave mac (also with DP and the same exact sequence loaded) in wait-for-note mode. Soon as I press play the slave starts. maybe not sample-accurate sync, but Just about.
It worked for that one show, and will do it again this weekend. i havent figured out the best way to do consecutive songs with no breaks yet, but so far that hasnt been necessary. would like to get this to work with an iPad tho instead of a 2nd mac.

[diabolo]

Ok i figured it out. This is my setup pretty much... Mac System A is connected to MOTU 828x via thunderbolt. MOTU 828x is connected to MOTU MIDI XT. From DP8 System A, I send an MMC command to the MOTU SMPTE program that will kick in and generate MTC on the MOTU 828x. The MTC send back the timecode to Mac System A, as well as too my Mac System B and Video System. Freewheeling is set to INFINITE on the MOTU SMPTE. All systems start to playback and lock in to the MTC. If System A goes down, System B & Video System will keep playing.

I am using CHUNKS for my entire show. System A is setup to Return To Zero and wait and System B is setup to Return to Zero and Play (on the CHUNKS window). This prevents having to manually (slave to sync) after every chunk.

The only issue i have so far, is that someone has to manually "TAP TO STOP" the FREEWHEELING on SYSTEM B. Otherwise MTC we keep being generating and System B would keep on sending TIMECODE to my VIDEO System. System A has been rock solid, so switching to System B should not happen to many times.

[diabolo]

Ok i figured it out. This is my setup pretty much... Mac System A is connected to MOTU 828x via thunderbolt. MOTU 828x is connected to MOTU MIDI XT. From DP8 System A, I send an MMC command to the MOTU SMPTE program that will kick in and generate MTC on the MOTU 828x. The MTC send back the timecode to Mac System A, as well as too my Mac System B and Video System. Freewheeling is set to INFINITE on the MOTU SMPTE. All systems start to playback and lock in to the MTC. If System A goes down, System B & Video System will keep playing.

I am using CHUNKS for my entire show. System A is setup to Return To Zero and wait and System B is setup to Return to Zero and Play (on the CHUNKS window). This prevents having to manually (slave to sync) after every chunk.

The only issue i have so far, is that someone has to manually "TAP TO STOP" the FREEWHEELING on SYSTEM B. Otherwise MTC we keep being generating and System B would keep on sending TIMECODE to my VIDEO System. System A has been rock solid, so switching to System B should not happen to many times.

[Shooshie]

I havent figured out the best way to do consecutive songs with no breaks yet, but so far that hasnt been necessary. would like to get this to work with an iPad tho instead of a 2nd mac.

Three options that I know of:

• 1) Switch the Chunk Chaining button to the "play through" button (as opposed to the "queue-next" button)
  2) Paste entire songs into one chunk for those parts of the show that need to be continuous
  3) Create a "Song" for those chunks that need to play without interruption, and put the Song in the playlist. Move the chunks used for that Song to the end of the chunks list, and put a safety chunk between them.

I would make a safety chunk by creating a blank chunk, then giving it a few thousand measures (Set Manual Start/End Times), and a slow tempo, just in case it accidentally got triggered without my being there to shut it off, such as during intermission or at the end of the show. It's probably unnecessary, but I got used to having one, so I sometimes let the sequences go into the safety chunk at the end of the show while I was out taking bows or talking to people who had come backstage.

If you're looking for a way to set up a playlist quickly from existing chunks, without having to do anything else, you'll have to use the chunk-chaining "play-through" option, though it does create a small gap between chunks as it switches. If you use virtual instruments, you'll need to put them in a V-Rack to avoid the headaches of loading new instruments as you switch chunks.

I presume you know most or all of this, but I'm stating it just in case you don't. If you're looking for other ways for songs to play continuously, I'm all out of options.

Shooshie