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How To Setup Your MOTU Hardware For Optical Expansion

The purpose of this document is to outline the steps necessary for setting up your MOTU hardware as a standalone ADAT-optical converter. As an optical converter, the analog inputs on your MOTU Hardware are routed to the ADAT-optical outputs, where the signal can be sent to an ADAT-equipped audio interface, digital mixer, or other device.

Hardware models which are capable of running in this expansion mode are the 828mkII, 828mk3 Hybrid (or FireWire model), 828x, 896HD, 896mk3 Hybrid (or FireWire model), Traveler Original, Traveler-mk3, or Track16.

Note: The 8pre FireWire and 8pre USB are also capable of acting as ADAT converters, but this setup is done automatically when the 8pre is running in converter mode (disconnected from the computer). When in converter mode, the analog inputs are routed directly to the corresponding ADAT outputs, (analog input 1 is routed to ADAT output 1).

This process involves using two units. In this example, we will call one unit the "satellite" unit, and the second unit the "primary" unit. This setup is for the satellite unit, which is your expansion device. After setup, the satellite unit will be connected via ADAT Lightpipe to the primary unit, the device that will be connected to the computer using FireWire or USB.

Before connecting the two devices together, connect only the satellite unit to the computer, and open CueMix. Refer to the instructions below that apply to your unit.

CueMix DSP Setup

For 828mkII, 896HD, or Traveler Original

Note: Apply what is shown in each picture to all eight analog inputs, or which ever analog inputs you wish to route to an ADAT output.

• Using the MONO/STEREO buttons above each fader, split your analog inputs into mono channels.
• Pan all odd numbered inputs hard left, and all even numbered inputs hard right.




Hints:

1. Hold the Command(Ctrl) key when adjusting the pan knob for one input (analog 1), and its "paired" input (analog 2) will pan inversely.
2. Hold the Command(Ctrl) and Shift keys when adjusting the pan knob for one input, and all groupings of "paired" inputs on the mix you are viewing, will pan inversely.
3. Hold the Command(Ctrl), Shift, and Option(Alt) keys when adjusting the pan knob for one input, and all groupings of "paired" inputs, on all mixes, will pan inversely.

• Make sure all input channel faders are muted.

Hints:

1. Hold the Shift key while clicking on a channel strip's mute button to mute all inputs on the visible Mix.
2. Hold the Shift and Option(Alt) keys while clicking on a channel strip's mute button to mute all inputs on all Mixes.

• Using the Mix drop-down menu on the bottom right, select Mix 1, (displayed as Bus 1).
• The fader furthest to the right is this Bus' Master Fader. Use the drop-down menu above the fader, and select ADAT 1-2. Unmute the Bus Master Fader, and position the fader to unity gain (0.0dB).
• Unmute analog 1 and analog 2 channel faders, (which should be hard-panned left and right) and adjust their faders to unity gain as well.


Hint: Hold the Command(Ctrl) key while clicking on a channel strip's mute button (analog 1) to also unmute its "paired" input channel (analog 2).

• Mix 1 has successfully been setup.


• Repeat this process for Mixes 2-4. Use the Mixes drop-down menu on the bottom right to select the next mix. Set the outputs of each successive Mix to ADAT 3-4, ADAT 5-6, and ADAT 7-8 respectively.
• Make sure only the corresponding analog inputs for each mix are unmuted (analog 3/4 for Mix2, analog 5/6 for Mix3 and analog 7/8 for Mix 4) as well as each Bus's Master Fader. Also make sure all unmuted input channel faders and Bus Master Faders are positioned at 0.0dB.



• Skip below to "Finishing Expansion Setup".

CueMix FX Setup

For 828x, 828mk3 Hybrid (or FireWire model), 896mk3 Hybrid (or FireWire model), Traveler-mk3, or the Track16.

Note: Apply what is shown in each picture to all eight analog inputs, or which ever analog inputs you wish to route to an ADAT output.

• Using the MONO/STEREO buttons in the Inputs tab of CueMix, split all of your analog inputs into mono channels.
• In the Mixes tab of CueMix, pan all odd numbered inputs hard left, and all even numbered inputs hard right.




Hints:

1. Hold the Command(Ctrl) key when adjusting the pan knob for one input (analog 1), and its "paired" input (analog 2) will pan inversely.
2. Hold the Command(Ctrl) and Shift keys when adjusting the pan knob for one input, and all groupings of "paired" inputs on the mix you are viewing, will pan inversely.
3. Hold the Command(Ctrl), Shift, and Option(Alt) keys when adjusting the pan knob for one input, and all groupings of "paired" inputs, on all mixes, will pan inversely.

• Make sure all input channel faders are muted.

Hints:

1. Hold the Shift key while clicking on a channel strip's mute button to mute all inputs on the visible Mix.
2. Hold the Shift and Option(Alt) keys while clicking on a channel strip's mute button to mute all inputs on all Mixes.

• The fader furthest to the right is this Bus' Master Fader. Use the drop-down menu above the fader, and select ADAT 1-2 as the output for this mix. Unmute the Bus Master Fader, and position the fader to unity gain (0.0dB).
• Unmute the analog 1 and analog 2 input channel faders, (which should be hard-panned left and right) and adjust their faders to unity gain as well.
• Once you have these three faders unmuted, you will notice a blue bar illuminate at the bottom of the corresponding Mix and Output meters in the Meters tab, which is available to view on the right side of the CueMix FX window.


Hint: Hold the Command(Ctrl) key while clicking on a channel strip's mute button (analog 1) to also unmute its "paired" input channel (analog 2).

• Mix 1 has successfully been setup.


• Use the disclosure menu to the right of the word "MIXES" on the Mixes tab, and select another Mix Bus. Except for the Track16 (see below), you are free to use any available Mix Bus for the following setup, however we will use Mix Two (displayed Bus Two), for convenience.

Note: The Track16 has pre-assigned outputs for each Mix. When clicking the disclosure triangle to the right of the word "MIXES", you will see the Bus name (Bus 1-8), and the output it is assigned to. To complete this setup, you must use Buses 4-7, which are hardwired to consecutive pairs of ADAT Outputs.

• Repeat this process for Mixes 2-4. Use the Mixes drop-down menu on the bottom right to select the next mix. Set the outputs of each successive Mix to ADAT 3-4, ADAT 5-6, and ADAT 7-8 respectively.
• Make sure only the corresponding analog inputs for each mix are unmuted (analog 3/4 for Mix2, analog 5/6 for Mix3 and analog 7/8 for Mix 4) as well as each Bus's Master Fader. Also make sure all unmuted input channel faders and Bus Master Faders are positioned at 0.0dB.



• Continue reading below.

Finishing Expansion Setup for Both CueMix DSP and CueMix FX

Now your satellite unit has been setup to route each analog input to the corresponding ADAT output. Disconnect your satellite unit from the computer and optically connect it to your primary device using an ADAT Lightpipe cable (optical OUT of satellite unit, to optical IN of primary unit). Connect your primary device to the computer via FireWire or USB, and power both units on.

Open the CueMix application. If your primary unit uses CueMix DSP, you should be able to scroll to the right of the CueMix page and see the primary unit's ADAT inputs. Pass signal through an analog input on your satellite device, and confirm signal is visible in CueMix for the primary unit's corresponding ADAT input.

If your primary unit uses CueMix FX, you should be able to scroll to the right in the MIXES tab of CueMix, and see the ADAT input meters in similar fashion. Or, reach for the METERS tab on the right hand side, where you can visualize all of the input activity in your hardware. Pass signal through an analog input on your satellite device, and confirm signal is visible on CueMix for your primary unit's corresponding ADAT input.

Clocking Considerations

Always be sure to correctly assign your clock settings in MOTU Audio Setup when connecting two units optically. For more information, check out this MOTU TechNote on Clocking.

If you are only using one ADAT Lightpipe cable (ADAT OUT from satellite to ADAT IN on primary), your satellite unit will be the master device. Before disconnecting your satellite unit from the computer (after going through the above CueMix setup), be sure to set its clock setting to INTERNAL using the MOTU Audio Setup/Console application. Your primary unit will be the slave device; make sure to change its clock setting to ADAT OPTICAL using the MOTU Audio Setup/Console application when you connect this unit to the computer. In this situation, your primary unit is receiving audio and clocking information through the ADAT Lightpipe cable.

If you would like to make the primary unit the master device, you will need to use two ADAT Lightpipe cables (from satellite ADAT OUT to primary ADAT IN / primary ADAT OUT to satellite ADAT IN). Before disconnecting your satellite unit from the computer (after going through the above CueMix setup), be sure to set the satellite unit's clock source to ADAT OPTICAL in the MOTU Audio Setup/Console application. Once you connect primary unit to the computer, set its clock source to INTERNAL using the MOTU Audio Setup/Console application. In this situation, the primary device is sending clocking information to the satellite unit through the primary unit's ADAT output port, while audio information from the satellite unit is being received through the ADAT input connection.