• jec
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Topic: Two FF800 via firewire 800

Hello,

Can someone pleas explain how to connect two FF800 units on OSX 10.6 via firewire 800 card.
I tried to create agregate device but i doesnt seem to work.
Im not sure what Im doing wrong HeadScratch
Thanks

  • Jeff
  • Jeff
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Re: Two FF800 via firewire 800

Hello, this video should help. Otherwise, get back and let us know what specific problem you are encountering.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oibj81QIq4s

Regards,
Jeff Petersen
Synthax Inc.

Jeff's Website

  • Registered: 2010-07-02
  • Posts: 34

Re: Two FF800 via firewire 800

I've seen the video, which are the benefits in connecting using the FW800 and which the cons, and which are pro and cons about the adat connection, or adat using wordclock to synchronize the two units?

At a certain point of the video the guy says "sometimes can work better in stand alone specially considering monitoring issues" what does he mean?

Using wordclock I always need to push that 75 switch? Even if I use adat to transfer the tracks?

Thanks

  • Jeff
  • Jeff
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Re: Two FF800 via firewire 800

You can only plug in phones to one unit. If you have both units connected via FW, you can only monitor inputs (with Fireface mixer) from the unit with the phones plugged in*. If you use one unit standalone - connected via ADAT - then you can monitor all inputs on the connected unit (analog + ADAT).

Otherwise, there is no specific benefit to one method over the others, except for bandwidth considerations. Sometimes FW800 may be problematic on Windows computers, or you may need to use some other device on FW.

*You could also create a submix on one unit and route the inputs to the other via ADAT or SPDIF in order to provide input monitoring.

If using Word Clock without a BNC T connector, you should always terminate the FF800 WC input.

Regards,
Jeff Petersen
Synthax Inc.

Jeff's Website

  • Registered: 2010-07-02
  • Posts: 34

Re: Two FF800 via firewire 800

Thanks for the info, so ADAT, to me, is the answer

Anyway, in the past I've connected a Profire 2626 via adat and SPDIF to the Fireface and I've clocked the Profire using the RME as a master via Wordclock, using a normal wordclock cable without BNC T connector, but I haven't pushed the 75 button (nor the profire had one)

Which problems should I have encountered? Because FF control panel told me it was synced

  • Jeff
  • Jeff
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Re: Two FF800 via firewire 800

You don't necessarily have a problem with unterminated WC connections. The termination load stops reflections in the cable that can potentially cause clocking problems.

Regards,
Jeff Petersen
Synthax Inc.

Jeff's Website

  • jec
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Re: Two FF800 via firewire 800

Thanks for the info!