User guide

MOTU AUDIO CONSOLE
44
Optical input/output
The Optical input and Optical output settings let
you choose between ADAT optical (‘lightpipe’) and
S/PDIF optical (‘TOSLINK’) as the format for the
896mk3’s two banks of optical input and output
(Bank A and Bank B). Choose the format that
matches the device connected. If you are not using
the optical connections, it is recommended that
you turn them off (by choosing Disabled from the
menu) to reduce bandwidth and processing
overhead. Note that you can operate each optical
port independently. For example, you could use the
ADAT optical format on the Bank A input (for a
digital mixer) and optical S/PDIF on the Bank A
output (for a DAT deck).
Main Out Assign
Choose Main Outs from the Main Out Assign menu
to treat the Main Outs as their own independent
output pair. Choose any other output pair to cause
the MAIN OUT jacks to mirror (duplicate) the
output pair you choose.
Return Assign
The Return Assign menu lets you choose any pair of
896mk3 audio outputs. The audio signal from this
output pair is then sent back to the computer via
the Stereo Return 1-2 bus. This stereo return bus
from the 896mk3 appears in your host software
alongside all other 896mk3 inputs, wherever your
host software lists them.
The 896mk3 stereo return bus can be used for a
variety of purposes. For example, you could use it
to send a final mix being played through the
896mk3 back to the computer, where you could
record it for mastering or archiving purposes.
As another example, you could use the stereo
return bus to capture tracks played from your host
software, along with live inputs being routed
directly through the 896mk3 hardware via CueMix
FX (with or without CueMix effects processing on
the live inputs).
Programmable Meters
This option lets you choose which bank you wish
to monitor with the eight programmable meters on
the MOTU 896mk3 front panel. Your choices are:
Analog Out, Optical A In, Optical A Out, Optical B
In, Optical B Out, or Digital In/Out. This last
option displays AES/EBU input, S/PDIF input,
AES/EBU output and S/PDIF output, in order
from left to right. You can also adjust this setting by
turning the METERS knob on the 896mk3 front
panel.
Sample Rate Convert
The Sample Rate Convert option (Figure 4-17 on
page 32) lets you control AES/EBU sample rate
conversion. Sample rate conversion is available
when the 896mk3 is operating at the 1x sample
rates (44.1 and 48kHz) or the 2x sample rates (88.2
or 96kHz). AES/EBU is disabled entirely at the 4x
samples rates (176.4 and 192kHz). Each option is
explained below.
None
To make the AES/EBU output sample rate match
the System sample rate, choose None (Figure 4-17
on page 32). No sample rate conversion occurs
when this setting is chosen.
AES Out slave to AES In
To make the AES/EBU output sample rate match
the sample rate currently being received by the
896mk3’s AES/EBU input, choose AES Out Slave to
AES In (Figure 4-17 on page 32). This setting
requires a connection to the 896mk3’s AES/EBU
input from a device that is transmitting an AES/
EBU clock signal.
☛ Be careful when both the 896mk3’s AES/EBU
input and output are connected to the same
external device: this option is likely to create a
clock loop.
896mk3 Hybrid book Page 44 Friday, August 19, 2011 2:04 PM