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The MIDI IN connection is used to bring in
MIDI Time Code (MTC) from a Modular Digital
Multitrack (MDM) recorder or other external
device. It is also used to receive Program
Changes and Sysex dumps from outboard gear.
The MIDI OUT connection is used to send
out MIDI Machine Control (MMC) commands
to an MMC-compatible recorder. It is also used
to transmit Program Changes and Sysex
dumps to outboard gear.
The SERIAL port is a 9-pin D-Sub connector
provided for external control of optional sur-
round-sound functions and data I/O from the
internal CPU.
The PARALLEL port is a 25-pin D-Sub con-
nector provided for connecting an external
backup drive or printer.
The Ethernet port accepts an RJ45 telco
connector. It is used to connect to Mackie Cen-
tral, which provides software upgrades of the
Mackie Real Time OS and plug-ins. It can also
be used to make peer-to-peer connections with
other Digital 8•Bus consoles. See Appendix H
in the Digital 8•Bus Owner's Manual for more
information on upgrading.
Flip the POWER Switch on the front of the
Remote CPU to the UP position to turn on the
Digital 8•Bus. The Fat Channel Display lights
up and the console starts the Mackie Real
Time OS operating system, goes through its
self-test routine, initializes the DSPs, and lets
you know when it's ready to start mixing.
The IEC connector is where you connect the
supplied detachable linecord. Make sure the
linecord is pushed all the way in to the IEC
connector. A second connector is provided for
connecting an optional color monitor to the AC
power. This second AC connector is not con-
trolled by the power switch. In other words, as
long as the Digital 8•Bus' linecord is plugged
in to an AC outlet, the second AC connector is
live, regardless of whether the power switch is
on or off.
Automation
One of the most powerful features of the
Digital 8•Bus is its automation. In fact, it has a
built-in 166MHz Pentium®-compatible computer
whose only purpose is to run the powerful
Mackie Real Time OS Automation System. No
need to connect a separate sequencer for auto-
mation and tie up the MIDI ports.
For the purposes of this Quick Start Guide,
it is not our intent to go into any depth in de-
scribing how the automation works, but to
simply introduce the idea and let you know
that it's there. Refer to the Automation section
in the Digital 8•Bus Owner's Manual for an in-
depth look at automation.
Suffice it to say that virtually all control
changes on the Digital 8•Bus can be stored
and played back, referenced to time code. The
primary use for automation is in the mixdown
stage of the recording process, when multiple
controls need to be varied in real time. You can
use automation to move many faders at once,
create custom fadeouts, and change EQ, com-
pression, gate, and effects parameters. You can
mute tracks until just before a musical passage
begins, then mute it again just after the pas-
sage is over to reduce noise build-up in the
final mix.
Touch Mode
For the beginner, the easiest way to get
started learning about automation is to use
touch mode. When touch mode is active and
ALL is on, as soon as you touch a control and
move it, or press a button, the change is auto-
matically written into automation. Once
touched, the parameter continues to be written
into automation, overwriting anything that was
previously there, until either it is taken out of
automation by turning off its WRITE button, or
STOP is pressed in the Transport Section.
Let's run through a quick automation sce-
nario. We assume that all connections are
properly made between the tape recorder(s)
and the Digital 8•Bus at this point.
1. You might want to run through the pro-
gram once and get a rough mix to start
with before you begin automating the mix.
2. Rewind the tape back to the beginning of
the program by pressing the REWIND but-
ton.
3. Press the BYPASS button in the Automa-
tion Section to enable automation. Then
press ALL and AUTO TOUCH.
4. Press PLAY in the Transport Section. Time
code begins to run in the POSITION dis-
play, synchronized to the time code display
in the tape recorder(s).
5. Move some faders. You'll notice that as
soon as you move a fader on a channel the
WRITE button lights up to indicate that
the channel's fader moves are being writ-
ten to automation.
6. When you're done press STOP, then press
REWIND in the Transport Section. Play
the tape back. All the fader moves that you
made play back, too.
Digital 8•Bus Overview
39
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