MOTU 828 User Manual
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MOTU 828 User Manual

For macintosh
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MOTU 828
™
User's Guide for Macintosh
1280 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138
Business voice: (617) 576-2760
Business fax: (617) 576-3609
Tech support phone: (617) 576-3066
Tech support fax: (617) 354-3068
Tech support email: techsupport@motu.com
Web site: www.motu.com

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  • Page 1 MOTU 828 ™ User’s Guide for Macintosh 1280 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge, MA 02138 Business voice: (617) 576-2760 Business fax: (617) 576-3609 Tech support phone: (617) 576-3066 Tech support fax: (617) 354-3068 Tech support email: techsupport@motu.com Web site: www.motu.com...
  • Page 2 7. Power Sources - This MOTU 828 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

    Macintosh System Requirements Installing the MOTU 828 Hardware Installing the MOTU 828 Macintosh Software MOTU 828 Control Panel The MOTU 828 and Digital Performer The MOTU 828 and AudioDesk The MOTU 828 and Other Audio Software Sound Manager Troubleshooting Index...
  • Page 4 That license agreement is a contract, and clicking “Accept” binds you and Return Merchandise Authorization Number on the outside of the box below the MOTU to all its terms and conditions. In the event anything contained in this shipping address.

  • Page 7: Quick Reference: Motu 828 Control Panel

    Click on the 828 icon in the Macintosh Control Strip. The MOTU 828 Control Panel above is the same as the “Configure Hardware Driver” dialogs found in AudioDesk and Digital Performer (in their Basics menu). For details about the ‘Auto Monitor’ option, see “Auto Monitor” on...

  • Page 9: About The Motu 828

    Individual front-panel input trim knobs 18 simultaneous inputs and outputs With a variety of I/O formats, mic preamps, All MOTU 828 inputs and outputs can be used no-latency monitoring of live input and synchroni- simultaneously, for a total of 18 inputs and outputs zation capabilities, the MOTU 828 is a complete, (8 analog + 8 ADAT optical + 2 RCA S/PDIF).
  • Page 10 CueMix Plus monitored signal with the Monitor Digital Performer. Therefore, pressing the foot level knob on the front panel. switch is the same as pressing the 3 key. The MOTU 828 Control Panel software lets you program any Optical keystroke you wish.
  • Page 11 16-bit or 24-bit audio files simultaneously, as well as the amount of real-time at either 44.1 or 48 KHz via any of the MOTU 828’s effects processing you can apply to your mix. A analog or digital inputs and outputs. 24-bit audio faster computer with more RAM and faster hard files can be recorded with any compatible host...
  • Page 12 A B O U T T H E M O T U 8 2 8...

  • Page 13: Packing List And Macintosh System Requirements

    CHAPTER Macintosh System Requirements PACKING LIST MACINTOSH SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS The MOTU 828 ships with the items listed below. If The MOTU 828 system requires the following any of these items are not present in your MOTU Macintosh system: 828 box when you first open it, please immediately A G3/300Mhz Power Macintosh or faster contact your dealer or MOTU.
  • Page 14 P A C K I N G L I S T A N D M A C I N T O S H S Y S T E M R E Q U I R E M E N T S...

  • Page 15: Installing The Motu 828 Hardware

    A typical studio setup (no mixer) ... .17 An example setup for computer-based mixing/FX. Using the MOTU 828 with a mixer ...18 An example setup for a mixer-based studio.

  • Page 16: Connect Inputs And Outputs

    1 and/or 2. However, if you are using the MOTU 828 in other If your microphone requires phantom power, move ways, such as in a live performance situation, you...

  • Page 17: A Typical Studio Setup (No Mixer)

    A TYPICAL STUDIO SETUP (NO MIXER) latency monitoring to listen to what you are Here is a typical MOTU 828 studio setup. This rig recording via the main outs. The MOTU 828 can be operated without an external mixer. All...

  • Page 18: Using The Motu 828 With A Mixer

    A word of mixer and the computer. If your mixer is analog, advice: if you would like to use the MOTU 828 with connect the analog section of the MOTU 828 to an external mixer, use the mixer for mixing. Trying your mixer.

  • Page 19: Making Sync Connections

    Figure 3-5: You can run the MOTU 828 under its own internal clock when it has no digital audio connections and you are not synchroniz- ing the MOTU 828 system to an external time reference such as SMPTE time code.

  • Page 20: Do You Need A Synchronizer

    ADAT SYNC port on audio software to MIDI Time Code. When the the MOTU 828 lets you do so without a separate MOTU 828 is continuously resolved, audio synchronizer — and with sample-accurate playback will never drift with respect to the time precision (if you’re using AudioDesk, Digital...

  • Page 21: Sample-Accurate Sync

    Digital Performer Figure 3-8: These recommended combinations of hardware and software offer the tightest sync possible between the MOTU 828 and digital audio tape decks in the form of sample-accurate locating between the software and the tape decks. Sample accurate locating is possible with ADATs even without a MIDI Timepiece AV or Digital Timepiece, although you give up transport control from the computer without them.

  • Page 22: Sample-Accurate Sync With Adats

    Sync In Figure 3-10: Connections for sample-accurate sync between one or more ADATs and the MOTU 828. I N S T A L L I N G T H E M O T U 8 2 8 H A R D W A R E...

  • Page 23: Adat Sync With No Synchronizer

    To set the MOTU 828 hardware clock source for sample-accurate sync: 1. Choose MOTU Audio System>Configure Hardware Driver from the Basics menu in AudioDesk or Digital Performer, or run the MOTU 828 Macintosh computer running Control Panel.

  • Page 24: Sync To Smpte, Word Clock, Video

    Figure 3-12: Resolving the MOTU 828 to an external time base, such as SMPTE time code, word clock, or video. In this example, an S-VHS video deck is supplying SMPTE time code (address) and video (as the time base). For examples of other sources, consult the MIDI Timepiece AV manual (or other synchronizer).

  • Page 25: Syncing Optical Devices

    Figure 3-13: Three setups for synchronizing an optical device with the MOTU 828. You can slave the optical device to the MOTU 828 or vice versa with their optical connections. For more elaborate setups, you can slave both to a digital audio synchronizer like the Digital Timepiece.

  • Page 26: Syncing S/Pdif Devices

    Figure 3-14: Two setups for synchronizing an S/PDIF device with the MOTU 828. In the top diagram, sync is achieved via the S/PDIF connection itself. In this case, you have to choose S/PDIF as the MOTU 828’s clock source when recording from the S/PDIF device. If you don’t want to have to worry about switching the Clock Source setting depending on the direction of the S/PDIF transfer, you can slave the S/PDIF device to word clock from the MOTU 828 or vice versa (not shown).

  • Page 27: Syncing Large Systems

    SYNCING LARGE SYSTEMS If you are connecting the MOTU 828 to a lot of other digital audio gear, get a Digital Timepiece. It can synchronize a wide variety of devices, and it offers sample accurate synchronization for devices that support it, such as ADATs. You will also be able to control everything from the transport controls of your audio software.
  • Page 28 I N S T A L L I N G T H E M O T U 8 2 8 H A R D W A R E...

  • Page 29: Installing The Motu 828 Macintosh Software

    MOTU Folder ......30 MOTU 828 Control Panel ....30...
  • Page 30 AudioDesk and Digital Performer. It also holds the real-time effects processing plug-ins used by AudioDesk and Digital Figure 4-2: The MOTU 828 Control Panel gives you access to all of the Performer. settings in the MOTU 828 hardware.
  • Page 31 ASIO drivers. edit, mix, process, bounce and master multi-track digital audio recording projects. Advanced features The ASIO MOTU 828 driver is only required if you include real-time 32-bit effects processing, sample- are using Cubase VST (or another audio program...
  • Page 32 I N S T A L L I N G T H E M O T U 8 2 8 M A C I N T O S H S O F T W A R E...

  • Page 33: Motu 828 Control Panel

    Accessing the MOTU 828 settings ... .33 MOTU 828 Settings ......34 Sample Rate .

  • Page 34: Motu 828 Settings

    If you would like help determining if this is the proper clock setting for your situation, see “Do you Figure 5-1: The MOTU 828 Control Panel gives you access to all of the need a synchronizer?” on page 20. settings in the MOTU 828 hardware.
  • Page 35 S/PDIF device connected MIDI Timepiece AV. to the MOTU 828’s optical input. This setting can be used to slave the MOTU 828 directly to the For further details, see “Sample-accurate sync with optical input connection. Most of the time, you can ADATs”...

  • Page 36: Samples Per Buffer

    The Samples Per Buffer setting lets you control the processor-intensive tasks) you are using in your size of these buffers in the MOTU 828 driver. A recording project. Try settings below 512 and if higher setting reduces the processing load on your your computer begins to act sluggish, try raising computer;...

  • Page 37: Optical Input/Output

    MOTU 828. As another example, you could route in the menus) to reduce bandwidth and processing audio from a pair of MOTU 828 inputs into a third- overhead. Note that you can operate the input and party Sound Manager-compatible audio output independently.

  • Page 38: Monitoring Live Input

    Figure 5-2: There are two ways to monitor live audio inputs with the MOTU 828: 1) through the computer or 2) via CueMix™ Plus hardware monitoring. This diagram shows method 1 (through the computer). When using this method, use the MOTU 828’s ‘Samples Per Buffer’ setting to reduce the slight delay you hear when monitoring the live input, but don’t lower it too much, or your computer will act sluggish.

  • Page 39: If Motu 828 Settings Are Grayed Out

    IF MOTU 828 SETTINGS ARE GRAYED OUT If the MOTU 828 FireWire driver is currently in use by an audio program (or Sound Manager), some of its settings cannot be changed and are therefore grayed out in the MOTU 828 Control Panel menus.
  • Page 40 M O T U 8 2 8 C O N T R O L P A N E L...
  • Page 41 Setting up your system..... .41 present in your FreeMIDI setup. The MOTU 828 settings.....41 THE MOTU 828 SETTINGS Be sure you have enough voices .

  • Page 42: The Motu 828 And Digital Performer

    Digital Performer to external SMPTE time code, choose Internal. If you are slaving the MOTU 828 to the ADAT sync Input connector, choose ADAT 9-pin. If you have digital audio devices connected to the MOTU 828, or if you are not sure about the clock source of your setup, be sure to read “Making sync...
  • Page 43 Monitor. If you hear distortion, or if the Performance meter is peaking, try raising the Samples Per Buffer setting. Optical input and output To make a MOTU 828 optical input or output Figure 6-3: To enable the CueMix™ Plus Auto Monitor feature in available in Digital Performer, choose the AudioDesk or Digital Performer, be sure the ‘Direct hardware playth-...
  • Page 44 4 As you feed signal to the input, adjust the input’s corresponding trim knob on the front panel of the Figure 6-4: Fine-tuning the timing of audio playback and recording. MOTU 828 until peaks in the level meter are as high as possible without clipping (hitting zero dB). SYNCHRONIZATION...
  • Page 45 Instead, use sample-accurate sync as described in the next section. USING A FOOT SWITCH Use a foot switch connected to the MOTU 828 to Sample-accurate sync to ADAT trigger recording punch-in and punch-out, or any Together, Digital Performer and the MOTU 828...
  • Page 46 AudioTap that allows you to route AudioDesk.) any Sound Manager audio into Digital Performer’s mixing environment. From there, you can route it to your MOTU 828 interface via any of Digital Performer’s extensive audio routing features. For details, consult your Digital Performer documen- tation.

  • Page 47: Setting Up Your System

    MOTU 828 installer CD.) The MOTU 828 settings.....47 Be sure you have enough voices ....50 If you are using a MIDI Timepiece AV or Digital Trimming the analog inputs .

  • Page 48: The Motu 828 And Audiodesk

    AudioDesk to external SMPTE time code, choose Internal. If you are slaving the MOTU 828 to the ADAT sync Input connector, choose ADAT 9-pin. If you have digital audio devices connected to the MOTU 828, or if you are not sure about the clock source of your setup, be sure to read “Making sync...
  • Page 49 Monitor. If you hear distortion, or if the Performance meter is peaking, try raising the Samples Per Buffer setting. Optical input and output To make a MOTU 828 optical input or output available in AudioDesk, choose the appropriate format (ADAT optical or TOSLink) from the optical input and/or output menu.

  • Page 50: Be Sure You Have Enough Voices

    MOTU 828 until peaks in the level meter are as SMPTE time code or ADAT sync (sample address). high as possible without clipping (hitting zero dB).

  • Page 51: Midi Machine Control (Mmc)

    MIDI MACHINE CONTROL (MMC) SMPTE time code If you have ADATs and a MMC-compatible ADAT If you need to slave AudioDesk and the MOTU 828 synchronizer like the MIDI Timepiece AV or system to SMPTE time code, choose Receive Sync...

  • Page 52: Audiodesk And Midi Sequencing

    AudioDesk, along with powerful, state-of-the-art MIDI sequencing. Talk to your authorized MOTU dealer for details about upgrading from AudioDesk to Digital Performer. T H E M O T U 8 2 8 A N D A U D I O D E S K...

  • Page 53: Asio Driver Support Is Required

    Using a foot switch ......56 Changing MOTU 828 settings ....56 Attention: Digital Performer users Reducing delay when monitoring live inputs .

  • Page 54: The Motu 828 And Other Audio Software

    If you can’t find it, run the MOTU 828 installer again and do a Custom Install. Figure 8-2: The MOTU 828 Control Panel gives you access to all of the settings in the MOTU 828 hardware, including the clock source, optical I/O enable/disable and CueMix™...

  • Page 55: Number Of Audio Channels

    Figure 8-3: Activating the MOTU 828 driver in Cubase. The Audio activate them, click the Active light next to each Clock Source setting shown here is for the MOTU 828. You can also choose the clock source in the MOTU 828 Control Panel or Control input.

  • Page 56: Trimming The Analog Inputs

    Figure 8-4: Use the output buttons at the bottom of each channel to reduce — and eliminate — this audible strip to assign MOTU 828 outputs to busses. You can then assign channels in the Monitor window to each bus as desired.
  • Page 57 Synchronizing digital audio connections For details on how to connect your hardware for If you have devices connected to the MOTU 828 sample-accurate sync, see “Sample-accurate sync” digital inputs (optical or RCA S/PDIF), you need to on page 21. For software setup, consult your audio be concerned with the synchronization of the software documentation.

  • Page 58: Midi Machine Control (Mmc)

    See “Sample-accurate sync to ADAT” on page 57 which provides sample-accurate transport control for details on how to set this up. of the MOTU MIDI Timepiece AV (or other 24-BIT OPERATION MMC-compatible synchronizer) from the Your MOTU 828 hardware fully supports 24-bit transport buttons in Cubase itself.

  • Page 59: Sound Manager

    Sound Manager. This support support 48 kHz). Therefore, you must set the allows your Power Macintosh to use any pair of MOTU 828 to run at 44.1 kHz to use it with Sound inputs and outputs (analog or digital) on the Manager.
  • Page 60 Figure 9-2: Choosing the MOTU 828 for Sound Manager input. This tation. allows any Sound Manager compatible software to receive audio from a MOTU 828 input (that you’ll choose later in this procedure). 5 Choose the desired MOTU 828 input source from the menu provided (as shown above in Figure 9-2).

  • Page 61: Troubleshooting

    You won't be able to Monitoring MOTU 828 input via Sound Manager record from the MOTU 828 to a MDM until it is With the MOTU 828 and Sound Manager, you switched to digital input. Tip: configure this in monitor input via CueMix™...
  • Page 62 You won't be able to record from the MOTU word lock. 828 to a tape deck until it is switched to digital Clicks and pops under ADAT Sync input. Tip: configure this in ClockWorks or...
  • Page 63 This is printed on a sticker placed on the bottom of application that you are using. If your application the MOTU 828 rack unit. You must be able to does not support input monitoring, you will need supply this number to receive technical support.
  • Page 64 T R O U B L E S H O O T I N G...

  • Page 65: Index

    Aardvark Aard Sync software Cubase 5, 11 Activity LEDs Installer CD 828 inputs/outputs ADAT 9-pin 10, 34 replacing enabling the 828 ASIO driver ADAT lightpipe Internal (sync setting) troubleshooting ADAT optical 6, 10 11, 37 CueMix Plus clock source setting choosing inputs...
  • Page 66 Fine-tune Audio I/O Timing 44, 50 Pro Tools Digital Performer 44, 50 input/output timing Problem-solving Synths location Punch in/out connecting MOTU Folder System requirements location minimum 20, 21 11, 13 MTC sync recommended computer Registration Neutrik jacks Technical support S/PDIF...

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