Cubase, Nuendo And Other Asio Software; What Is Asio; Preparation; Run The Motu Firewire Audio Console - MOTU 896HD User Manual

Cubase, Nuendo and Other ASIO
6
CHAPTER
Software
OVERVIEW
The 896HD includes a ASIO driver that provides
multi-channel I/O and sample-accurate synchro-
nization with Steinberg's Cubase family of digital
audio sequencers, including Cubase VST, Cubase
SX and Nuendo. The 896HD requires Cubase for
Windows Version 3.553 or higher.
What is ASIO? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Preparation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Run the MOTU FireWire Audio Console . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Choosing the MOTU FireWire ASIO driver. . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Number of channels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
ASIO Direct monitoring. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Other System dialog settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Activating 896HD inputs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Assigning inputs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Trimming the analog inputs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Assigning outputs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Changing 896HD settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Processing live inputs with plug-ins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Synchronization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
MIDI Machine Control (MMC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Using a foot switch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
24-bit operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Monitoring system performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

WHAT IS ASIO?

ASIO is an acronym for Audio Streaming Input and
Output. The ASIO MOTU FireWire Audio driver
allows the 896HD to provide multi-channel audio
input and output for any audio application that
supports ASIO drivers.
Sample-accurate sync
The MOTU FireWire Audio ASIO driver supports
sample-accurate sync (via the 896HD's ADAT sync
feature) for applications that support it.
Attention: Cubase VST users
Cubase VST Version 5 is used for the examples in
this chapter. However, there is no significant
difference between the Version 5 examples shown
and what you see in Version 4. The basic
procedures are the same.
Attention: Other software users
The 896HD ASIO driver also provides multi-
channel I/O with any ASIO-compatible audio
software. Cubase is used for the examples in this
chapter. However, the basic procedures are the
same and can be easily applied to any ASIO-
compatible software. Just follow the general
descriptions at the beginning of each main section
in this chapter. Consult your software
documentation for details about each topic, if
necessary.
If your audio software doesn't support ASIO
If your host audio software does not support ASIO,
but instead supports WDM (or legacy Wave) audio
drivers, refer to the next chapter.

PREPARATION

To make sure that everything is ready for Cubase,
install Cubase first (if you haven't already done so),
and then see these chapters before proceeding:
chapter 4, "Installing the 896HD Hardware"
■
(page 17).
chapter 3, "IMPORTANT! Run the 896HD
■
Software Installer First" (page 15)

RUN THE MOTU FIREWIRE AUDIO CONSOLE

Before you run Cubase, launch the MOTU
FireWire Audio Console to configure your 896HD
hardware. The MOTU FireWire Audio Console lets
you configure your audio interface, and it lets you
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