to PCI 424 or not to PCI 424

[NoFi Audio]

I've got a few MOTU devices, I've talked about them here before.

I was running 3 828 MKIIs (FW), and that was a good working configuration for me. I picked up a 2408 MKIII and the 424 PCIe card locally because why not. It was cheap enough. I determined that in Studio One the PCIe card and 2408 show up as one device (MOTU PCIe) and the 828s show up as something different (MOTU AUDIO). It becomes an either/or situation.. I can't use the both at the same time. MOTU tech support explained it, and sent be a 10 minute video explanation... and that really helped clear up a few things.

My current configuration uses 2 828's via firewire an the 2408 MKIII is standalone mode via ADAT through one of the 828s. I get my 24 outs this way, but only 16 in .

If I installed the PCIe card, used the 2408 as my primary device via Audiowire and then used ADAT A and B for the 2 828s, would I be gaining anything to be worth the hassle of having to reconfigure all those cables, and then reconfigure my I/O in studio one?

Sure, I could install it and try it... it's one of those things though that it's a fair bit of effort, and potentially as with any changes, a good way to screw up something that's otherwise working fine.

[mikehalloran]

Unlike the Mac, Windows doesn’t support aggregate devices. Since you already have a 424 card working with a 2408, I will recommend finding additional 2408s as you can connect up to four to the card. Depends on your sample rate if you can get by with the original version or if you need mkIIs or mkIIIs. CueMix is built into the 424 so it will see whatever you have connected.

MOTU recommends an external clock if using three or more interfaces but I don’t know if that is necessary when everything is going through a single 424e card..

[monkey man]

MOTU recommends an external clock if using three or more interfaces but I don’t know if that is necessary when everything is going through a single 424e card..

In my experience it's definitely not-necessary Mike.

I can only assume that the 424 card maintains clock-sync somehow.

[James Steele]

I can only assume that the 424 card maintains clock-sync somehow.

This is true. I remember dealing with that before and looking it up and the MOTU interfaces that are connected to a 424 card all sync though the 424 card. You may need it if you exceed 4 because as I recall there were only three AudioWire sockets on the 424 card?

[monkey man]

Yes James.

IIRC there were 3 on the original card, but the "e" version (latest) had 4.

[James Steele]

Yes James.

IIRC there were 3 on the original card, but the "e" version (latest) had 4.

Yes well I was just guessing and sort of shooting from the hip. I didn’t wanna go rummaging through drawers and find my PCIe-424 just to determine conclusively if it was three sockets or four. If the latest one had four then I would imagine it could synchronize four devices.

[monkey man]

Yup.

I actually realised after I posted that that it probably didn't start with the 424e card, but rather the one before it, the 424.

Too-obvious I guess:

324 = 3 AudioWire sockets
424 = 4 AudioWire sockets

[James Steele]

Yup.

I actually realised after I posted that that it probably didn't start with the 424e card, but rather the one before it, the 424.

Too-obvious I guess:

324 = 3 AudioWire sockets
424 = 4 AudioWire sockets

Hmmm... well if there are four AudioWire sockets then I would imagine it would synch all connected devices. I remember reading that it was not necessary to connect word clock on units that were connected to the same 424 card.

[mikehalloran]

The other difference is that the 424 has CueMix while the 324 does not.

I still own a 2408/324 but I loaned it to a friend years ago. After my wife tossed out my G4 while my studio was being remodeled, I lost interest in ever getting it back.,

[James Steele]

The other difference is that the 424 has CueMix while the 324 does not.

I still own a 2408/324 but I loaned it to a friend years ago. After my wife tossed out my G4 while my studio was being remodeled, I lost interest in ever getting it back.,

I'll tell you what... in many ways I still miss my PCI based system. DP had direct hardware playthrough when using PCI... which often negated the need for CueMix. With my "modern" 828es... direct hardware playthough is longer available. I miss it.

[EMRR]

direct hardware playthrough needs to come back! MOTU wants to compete, make things simple for the end user!

[James Steele]

direct hardware playthrough needs to come back! MOTU wants to compete, make things simple for the end user!

Exactly!! If I can launch the AVB Mixer, and get near zero latency monitoring through my 828es + 24Ai combination, then why can't MOTU build this capability directly into Digtial Performer, thus restoring the direct hardware playthough? I'm not a programmer... maybe it would require TB connection to the computer... but bring it back. It was so much easier when I was using the PCIe-424 card.

[EMRR]

direct hardware playthrough needs to come back! MOTU wants to compete, make things simple for the end user!

Exactly!! If I can launch the AVB Mixer, and get near zero latency monitoring through my 828es + 24Ai combination, then why can't MOTU build this capability directly into Digtial Performer, thus restoring the direct hardware playthough? I'm not a programmer... maybe it would require TB connection to the computer... but bring it back. It was so much easier when I was using the PCIe-424 card.

It’s in CueMix DSP on the PCI card interfaces, and DP has an option to use it under input monitoring mode. If the MOTU interface doesn’t have it it’s greyed out. It could certainly be in the hardware and accessible via web interface like the AVB line routing.