Topic: Maximum Track count over Firewire?

what is the physical limit of through-putting multitracks from an interface (2xFF800) to the DAW?

AFAIK its 32 Channels input?
More than than FW cant handle? Is that true?

I am recording a project next week, feeding from Yamaha M7Cl Adat out.
So in order to record 40 trakcs, i would have to couple FF800 and FF400 (i use MBP) and then another laptop for another FF800?
24 Tracks on the coupled system, and 16 on the other one.


any suggestions?

2

Re: Maximum Track count over Firewire?

Download the FF 800 manual, it's in there.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

Re: Maximum Track count over Firewire?

Thank you,

I am aware of the manual, however i still have my question unanswered.

I want to use only ADAT Ins from 2 FF800's. Having (2x16) 32inputs over FW800 to my MBP ready to record.
Am i to experience any problems? 32inputs over Firewire?

I will use another FF400 (big RME fan, hehe) on a different computer with 8 additional channels (adat in).

I need to capture total of 40 channels send to me from a yamaha M7Cl. the Yamaha will act as a master, and all three FF's as slave.

The concert is about 80 minutes long, and i want to record in one go. I will not use any syncing between the machines (timecode wise, Word clock is a must) i will synchronize the tracks in post.

Is it a better and safer option to use ff800 and ff400 in a combination to reduce the 32 track count over FW?
The manual doesn't address this question quite adequately.
Also there isnt away of me reducing the bandwith of the FF800 in the settings, since i am only using ADAT and no AD/DA conversion? there is no option.

Re: Maximum Track count over Firewire?

I use 2x FF800's with all 2 ADAT I/O's connected to both devices.  Works great.

Is it possible for you to use FF800 preamps for some channels?
You could redirect those channels back to mixing desk thru FF800 outputs.

sonarmods.com

Re: Maximum Track count over Firewire?

Hi, Thanks for the response.

I would only use the inputs. But i need to record 40 channels.
So i will use 2 FF800 and 1 FF400 on 2 computers. (both MAcbook Pro)

I will get all 40 channels from the yamaha, via ADAT cards.
No need for preamps, and no AD conversion.

I jsut fear that 32 channels or more via FW will cause problems.
And i dont want to find out the problems in the middle of the concert.

Re: Maximum Track count over Firewire?

11miles wrote:

Hi, Thanks for the response.

I would only use the inputs. But i need to record 40 channels.
So i will use 2 FF800 and 1 FF400 on 2 computers. (both MAcbook Pro)

I will get all 40 channels from the yamaha, via ADAT cards.
No need for preamps, and no AD conversion.

I jsut fear that 32 channels or more via FW will cause problems.
And i dont want to find out the problems in the middle of the concert.

Have you thought about testing beforehand?

You can run 3 x FF800's together off one Firewire 800 port. If you have 1 800 and 1 400 port on your laptop you could go that way.

Also might work with 2 x 800 - 400 convertors on the FF400.

Isaac.

Re: Maximum Track count over Firewire?

I know i can run 3 FF800 on one FW port.

It might be that i didnt write my issue quite clearly.

I am afraid of recording 40 tracks to one DAW through one FW800 port. Is the FW throughput sufficient?

I will get 40 channels of ADAT, no conversion necessary.

Re: Maximum Track count over Firewire?

You see the problem as i see it, is using 5x8 channels of ADAT ports on 1 FW bus.
that is 40 Channels on 1 FW bus, going only one direction, i will only capture the 40 tracks, i will not route anything anywhere.

As MC kindly suggested, diving into the manual, it got me even more concerned... Since the data and the issue regarding the Number of Channels and Bus Loads only addresses the limit the Bandwidth with the use of multiple FF's if doing the AD conversion.
Since i am only using ADATs, there is no way i can limit the bandwith, and although i am not using any AD, i cant limit it.

Therefore i would be using 2 FF800 and 1 FF400 on 1 FW800 hub (MBP internal), with no BandwidthLimit at all.

Should i be worried?

Re: Maximum Track count over Firewire?

There should be no bandwidth problems if you use 44,1 or 48 kHz (and if FW port works OK and cables are good).
But I would test it beforehands to be sure that system can record smoothly for hours without problems.

sonarmods.com