MOTU 24i User Manual
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MOTU 24i User Manual

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MOTU 24i
™
User's Guide for Windows
Mark of the Unicorn, Inc.
1280 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138
Business voice: (617) 576-2760
Business fax: (617) 576-3609
Tech support fax: (617) 354-3068
Tech support email: techsupport@motu.com
Web site: http://www.motu.com

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  • Page 1 MOTU 24i ™ User’s Guide for Windows Mark of the Unicorn, Inc. 1280 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge, MA 02138 Business voice: (617) 576-2760 Business fax: (617) 576-3609 Tech support fax: (617) 354-3068 Tech support email: techsupport@motu.com Web site: http://www.motu.com...
  • Page 2 7. Power Sources - This 24i audio interface should be operated only from the type of power source indicated on the marking label. If you are not sure of the type of power supply to your location, consult your local power company.

  • Page 3: Table Of Contents

    Contents Quick Reference: 24i I/O Front Panel Quick Reference: 24i I/O Rear Panel Quick Reference: PCI-324 Audio Card Quick Reference: 24i Expansion I/O Quick Reference: MOTU 324 Console Window About the 24i Core System Packing List and PC System Requirements...
  • Page 4 (b) rent, lease or grant sublicenses or other rights to the program; (c) permission of MOTU, or if the product serial number has been removed or defaced. provide use of the program in a computer service business, network, time-sharing,...

  • Page 7: Quick Reference: Pci-324 Audio Card

    Digital Timepiece for resolving the 24i to external time code (or other external clocks). If you are using the 24i with one or more ADATs, use this standard ADAT SYNC INPUT to connect the PCI-324 card to the end of your ADAT sync chain. Doing so allows you to resolve the 24i system with the ADATs so that audio trans- ferred between them stays in sync.

  • Page 9: Quick Reference: 24I Expansion I/O

    For details, turn to chapter 10, “Expanding Your 24i System” (page 43). SYNCHRONIZATION AND CLOCK SOURCE For details about synchronizing a multiple-I/O system, see “Synchronizing multiple 24i’s” on Figure 1: You can connect up to three 24i I/Os to a PCI-324 card. page 44.

  • Page 11: Quick Reference: Motu 324 Console Window

    Cubase routing” on page 35. VST or other host audio applications that support the 24i. And any tracks assigned to that pair of outputs will be heard from them. Notice that you can choose one of the24i’s own inputs as a source for a 24i output, allowing you to directly route audio from the 24i inputs to its own outputs.

  • Page 13: About The 24I

    2 gold-plated, balanced +4dB TRS analog provide a dynamic range of 111 dB. outputs with 24-bit D/A converters Up to three 24i I/O units can be connected to the One RCA “coax” S/PDIF stereo output (24-bit) system’s single PCI card for a maximum of 72 One optical “TOSLink”...
  • Page 14 ADAT indicate the current sample rate (44.1 or 48 kHz). optical, Tascam TDIF, S/PDIF and RCA analog. Up to two 2408s can be connected to a core 24i system Headphone output for a total of 72 inputs and 66 outputs.
  • Page 15 Tascam DA-38/88/98, you can use a Digital channel Windows Wave (.WAV) driver that allows Timepiece to synchronize your 24i/2408 system you to record, edit, play back and mix your 24i with Tascam tape decks to perform sample- projects using your favorite Wave-compatible accurate transfers in the same manner as just Windows software.
  • Page 16 A B O U T T H E 2 4 I...

  • Page 17: Core System Packing List And Pc System Requirements

    A 200 MHz Pentium CPU or faster items listed below. If any of these items are not A Pentium II processor or faster is present in your 24i box when you first open it, recommended please immediately contact your dealer or Mark of At least 32 Mb (megabytes) of RAM (64 Mb is the Unicorn.
  • Page 18 C O R E S Y S T E M P A C K I N G L I S T A N D P C S Y S T E M R E Q U I R E M E N T S...

  • Page 19: Installing The 24I Windows Software

    PCI-324 Cue Mix Console....20 24i Setup Wizard......20...
  • Page 20 “Even lower latency with Cue Mix” on page 48. 24I SETUP WIZARD Check out the Setup Wizard. It helps you figure out how to connect your gear to the 24i, and it even configures the PCI-324 driver for you based on your setup.

  • Page 21: Installing The 24I Hardware

    Connect the 24i interface....23 then put it back in after installing the 24i software.

  • Page 22: Install The Pci-324 Audio Card

    INSTALL THE PCI-324 AUDIO CARD 6 Remove the PCI-324 card from its anti-static 1 Switch off and unplug your computer. bag. Failure to do so may result in serious shock or 7 Gently but firmly insert the card into any injury.

  • Page 23: Connect The 24I Interface

    DIN-8 (Control Track) socket. Step 2 Figure 6-2: Connecting the 24i I/O to the PCI-324 audio card. I N S T A L L I N G T H E 2 4 I H A R D W A R E...

  • Page 24: Connect Inputs And Main Outputs

    You can Figure 6-3: The 24i gives you 24 inputs and stereo main outputs in three formats: 24-bit analog, optical S/PDIF and RCA S/PDIF. I N S T A L L I N G T H E 2 4 I H A R D W A R E...

  • Page 25: Connect Word Clock

    Figure 6-5: Slaving another digital audio device to the 24i. For the 24i’s clock source, choose any source besides ‘24i: Word clock’ . Figure 6-4: You can run the 24i under its own internal clock when it Audio MIDI Timepiece AV...
  • Page 26 Figure 6-7: To synchronize sevearal devices with the 24i, use a dedicated synchronizer like a MOTU Digital Timepiece. Notice that you can use Control Track for the 24i to free up the other sync formats (ADAT Sync and Word Clock) for other devices.

  • Page 27: Using Control Track Or Adat Sync

    (on PCI-324 card) 24i System Figure 6-9: The 24i system can also be placed at the end of an ADAT sync chain. I N S T A L L I N G T H E 2 4 I H A R D W A R E...
  • Page 28 I N S T A L L I N G T H E 2 4 I H A R D W A R E...

  • Page 29: Motu 324 Console Window

    From within Cubase VST, go to the Audio menu, 24i Interface settings......33 choose System and then click the ASIO Control Working with multiple 24i I/Os .

  • Page 30: Quick Reference

    24i. page 32. The ‘Output Source’ menus determine what you’ll hear from the 24i’s outputs. When it says ‘From Computer’ , then the output pair will The ‘Mono appear as outputs in Cubase VST or other host Routing’...

  • Page 31: Pci-324 Settings

    I/Os connected to it. can operate the 24i system on its internal clock, and then slave the DAT deck to the 24i, either via the Sample rate S/PDIF connection (usually DAT decks slave to...

  • Page 32: Samples Per Buffer

    Use this setting when you are using the 24i system example, you might have MIDI instruments, with one or more ADATs. Make sure the PCI-324 samplers, microphones, guitars (or other live card is connected to the end of the ADAT sync instruments), a digital mixer or other live audio chain.

  • Page 33: 24I Interface Settings

    Reducing latency with the ‘Samples Per Buffer’ setting has another benefit: it lets you route live Figure 7-2: Choosing a 24i I/O when there are two or three interfaces inputs through the effects processing and mix connected to your PCI-324 card. In this example, the expanded automation of your audio software.

  • Page 34: Enable Inputs

    You can then disable individual inputs, and make basic routing from 24i inputs to outputs without the use of host The Total PCI use status display tells you the audio software.

  • Page 35: Mono Routing

    When the Mono Routing check box is checked, the The Interface options button opens a dialog that 324 Console window displays input and output tells you the version number of the 24i I/O channels independently, instead of in pairs, as currently being viewed in the 324 Console window.
  • Page 36 on, you can quickly load the configuration file, have the exact same settings, the program displays without having to remember how the 324 Console the inputs and outputs that were in effect when the window was configured. file was last saved. Some host audio applications remember the 324 Some host applications, however, lose their input Console Window’s input and output settings at the...

  • Page 37: Using The 24I With Cubase Vst

    1 Choose System from the Audio menu. Activating 24i inputs......38 Assigning inputs to channels ....39 2 Choose MOTU PCI-324 from the ASIO device Assigning outputs to busses .
  • Page 38 Some versions of VST lose their input and bussing assignments when you modify ASIO If some of the 24i’s inputs do not appear in the driver settings. To avoid this, you can save a 324 Audio Inputs window, check in the MOTU 324 setup on disk with your VST file.
  • Page 39 For example, if you have a DAT machine connected to the 24i via S/PDIF, you need to make Figure 8-4: Assigning a 24i input to a VST audio channel: control-click sure that their audio clocks are phase-locked. If you the input button at the top of the channel strip.
  • Page 40 VST as instructed in your VST CPU and disk buffers. If the meters get too high, manual. The 24i system always supplies VST with a you can reduce the load by reducing the number 24-bit data stream, and when you enable 24-bit VST plug-ins you are working with.

  • Page 41: Using The Pci-324 Wave Driver

    Figure 9-1: Check the ‘Enable Routing’ check box to expand the middle portion of the window. Then check the box next to any input tab, be sure to choose a 24i output and input for pair you would like to use in your audio program. For outputs that playback and recording timing.
  • Page 42 CakeWalk Pro Audio advanced settings In the Advanced settings tab of the Audio Options window, you will experience more accurate timing with the 24i if you turn on the Use Wave Out Position for Timing option. OTHER WAVE-COMPATIBLE SOFTWARE The 24i can be used with any Wave-compatible audio software.

  • Page 43: Expanding Your 24I System

    You can also add MOTU 2408, 1224 and 308 expansion interfaces to a core 24i system. Connecting additional 24i’s ....43 Multiple 24i’s in the 324 Console window ..43 Audio routing.

  • Page 44: Audio Routing

    Figure 10-4: The menus in 324 Console show the inputs and outputs Audio of all connected 24i’s. You can use these menus to route any input to Wire 1 any output. In this example, the AES/EBU inputs of a connected 1224 (circled) are being routed to the main outputs of the 24i.

  • Page 45: Word Clock Connections Are Not Necessary

    Figure 10-6: You can connect up to three ADATs, three DA-88s, eight analog and two S/PDIF devices to a 2408 I/O. Two 2408 I/Os can be added to a core 24i system. E X P A N D I N G Y O U R 2 4 I S Y S T E M...
  • Page 46 E X P A N D I N G Y O U R 2 4 I S Y S T E M...

  • Page 47: Reducing Latency

    first enters a 24i input, passes through the 24i used by the MOTU Audio System to transfer audio hardware into the computer, through your host to and from the 24i hardware. This setting can be audio software, and then back out a 24i output. used to reduce latency.
  • Page 48 EVEN LOWER LATENCY WITH CUE MIX allows you to lower the latency and still apply VST The 24i software driver has a more direct method plug-ins to the live input. However, you can reduce of patching audio through your 24i system. This the latency further —...
  • Page 49 The 324 Cue Mix Console is installed with the rest This fader, on the right-hand side of the mixer, of your 24i software on the top level of your startup controls the overall Cue Mix level. Use the hard drive.
  • Page 50 These buttons let you send the input to as many as four different output pairs on the 24i, if you want. Most of the time, you’ll probably want to simply monitor all inputs on a single output pair, so you’ll use only one of these buttons at a time.

  • Page 51: Performance Tips & Troubleshooting

    24i system. In general these lines can be removed from the config.sys file 1. Don’t select any of the 24i’s output channels as without causing problems. Also, for the same your Preferred Device in the multimedia control reason, don’t have DOS boxes or DOS programs...
  • Page 52 The serial number of the 24i system. This is performance in Cubase VST, try turning off the printed on a sticker placed on the bottom of the 24i Recorded Buffers go direct to disk option in the rack unit. You must be able to supply this number System dialog (Audio menu).
  • Page 53 PCI-324 Control Track setting software installation PCI-324 Cue Mix Format conversion 24i Setup Wizard PCI-324 Cue Mix Console From Computer setting 24i Word Clock In setting Performance Front panel 11, 29, 30 324 Console Rear panel Hardware installation ADAT Sync...
  • Page 54 I N D E X...

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