www.solidstatelogic.com XLogic Delta-Link / Alpha-Link / Digidesign Pro Tools® Get started quickly with a Delta-Link, Alpha-Link and Pro Tools combination Setup Guide V1.0 XLogic. This is SSL.
Document History November 2009 V1.
Contents Introduction 1 Connecting the Delta-Link, Alpha-Links and Pro Tools 2 Connection Diagram 2 Clock Connections 2 MADI Connections 3 Digilink Connections 3 Power Connections 3 Alpha-Link Settings (Front Panel) Connection Mode WordClock 4 4 6 External Clock Source 6 Internal Clock Source 6 Audio I/O Routing 7 Getting Audio into Pro Tools 7 Getting Audio out of Pro Tools 7 Powering up the Delta-Link and Pro Tools System 8 Delta-Link Settings (Controlled from the Pro Tools S
Introduction While the Delta-Link and Alpha-Link documentation provides detailed information about their respective features and settings, this setup guide is intended to help you get started quickly with a Pro Tools, Delta-Link and Alpha-Link combination.
Connecting the Delta-Link, Alpha-Links and Pro Tools Connection Diagram 75 Ohm WordClock cable from clock master device (if available). This could be a Digidesign Sync I/O. Clock, MADI and Digilink (Power connections omitted for clarity) Alpha-Link 1 Alpha-Link 2 MADI cable pairs (Delta-Link MADI port A to Alpha-Link 1, Delta-Link MADI port B to Alpha-Link 2) Delta-Link Digilink cable (supplied) connected to Pro Tools HD CORE card. Use the cable provided for correct operation.
MADI Connections Use 50/125 µm multimode fibre cables with SC connectors to make the following connections: • Alpha-Link 1 MADI to Delta-Link MADI port A • Alpha-Link 2 MADI to Delta-Link MADI port B MADI cables are normally paired, and the input and output connectors at each end are keyed and linked, so that it is almost impossible to insert them the wrong way around into the MADI head. The connectors may also be marked or colour-coded to distinguish cable 1 from cable 2.
Alpha-Link Settings (Front Panel) Connection Mode By default, MADI input and output channels 1 to 24 of the Alpha-Link will be routed to its AES/EBU or ADAT outputs and inputs, while MADI input and output channels 25 to 48 will be routed to its Analogue outputs and inputs.
3. Press the Output button three times to select Option 4 (indicated by LED 12 being lit in the Metering section). Press repeatedly Option 4 selected 4. Press the Input button to change the connection mode (LED 4 will be turned off ). Option 4 status changes Press 5. Press and release the Sample Rate and Clock buttons again to return to normal operation and save the new setting (if you just power off the new setting will be lost).
WordClock At this point the connection mode has been set, and you should have returned the Alpha-Link to normal operation by exiting diagnostics mode. You can move on to the clock and routing settings. External Clock Source If you have connected your Alpha-Links according to our connection diagram using an external clock master device, both Alpha-Links are synchronized to an external source: • The external clock source must be set to provide a 44.
Audio I/O Routing Getting Audio into Pro Tools Analogue and Digital inputs to MADI outputs: In order to receive external signals in Pro Tools, the Alpha-Links’ Analogue and Digital (AES/EBU or ADAT) inputs need to be routed to the Alpha-Link MADI outputs (the signals will then reach the Delta-Link MADI inputs).
Powering up the Delta-Link and Pro Tools System At this point you can start up the Delta-Link and Pro Tools computer and the Pro Tools software. However, do not load a session with a different sample rate from the one received by the Alpha-Links and Delta-Link. The Delta-Link expects to receive a clock signal at the sample rate determined by the session.
Output Trim settings are irrelevant to the Delta-Link because its inputs and outputs are all digital. We can therefore use the Analog Out tab of the Pro Tools software’s Hardware Setup window to control internal Delta-Link settings. 4. Click the Analog Out tab, then apply the following settings: • Set Ch 1 to ‘A’ to match the Alpha-Links setting, which defaults to 56 MADI channels (or see the manual to switch the Alpha-Links to 64 MADI channels). 3.
Pro Tools Menu: Setup I/O Click ‘I/O’ in the Pro Tools Setup menu to make the settings described in this section. Each Digidesign 192 unit provides 16 inputs and outputs. Therefore the first two 192 units in Pro Tools correspond with Delta-Link primary port A and Alpha-Link 1, and the last two 192 units with Delta-Link primary port B and Alpha-Link 2 (28 or 32 input and output channels down each Digilink cable, depending on MADI channel count). 2.
3. Think of the first two 192 units as one giant 32 channel 192. The first 24 inputs are Analogue inputs 1-24 of Alpha-Link 1. The last 8 are AES/EBU or ADAT inputs 1-8 of Alpha-Link 1. For the other two 192 units, the first 24 inputs are Analogue inputs 1-24 of Alpha-Link 2 (analogue inputs 25-48 of the system). The last 8 are AES/EBU or ADAT inputs 1-8 of Alpha-Link 2 (AES/EBU or ADAT inputs 9 to 16 of the system). In the column on the left hand side you can name the inputs as required. 4.
In our example Pro Tools inputs/outputs A1-B8 are ANA 1-24 of Alpha-Link 1, and Pro Tools B9-B16 are AES or ADAT 1-8 of Alpha-Link 1. Pro Tools C1-D8 are ANA 1-24 of Alpha-Link 2, and Pro Tools D9-D16 are AES or ADAT 1-8 of Alpha-Link 2. If you prefer to have all the Analogue inputs/outputs of both Alpha-Links listed first, followed by the all the AES/EBU or ADAT of both Alpha-Links, select A9-B16 and B9-B16 in the left-hand side column and click the Delete Path button. Then click the Default button again.
Testing the System The system is now configured to provide 64 inputs and outputs at 44.1 or 48kHz (24 Analogue and 8 AES/EBU or ADAT inputs and outputs per Alpha-Link). Use the following procedures to check that it is working as expected. Testing the Outputs • In Pro Tools, open the Mix window • Click ‘New…’ under the Track menu in Pro Tools and use the dialogue to create one Aux Input track • Insert the Signal Generator (mono) plug-in into the aux input track.
• Make sure all the audio tracks are selected (not the aux input track!), so that the following changes can be applied to audio tracks only. The track names should be highlighted to indicate that they are selected, which should be the case just after they have been created. Otherwise, press and hold the Shift key (PC or Mac) and click the name field of the first and last tracks to select the whole track range.
Testing the Outputs Audio track inputs set to Bus 1 (to receive signal from the Signal Generator plug-in inserted in the aux track) Partial view of the Pro Tools Mixer Signal Generator plug-in Aux track input (no input selected) Aux track output (Bus 1 selected to feed the audio tracks) Audio track outputs (incremented to transmit signal to the first 32 channels of each Alpha-Link.
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