9.5

Synchronization
Activating VST System Link
your hardware. Most modern ASIO cards support this function. If yours does not, you may want
to change the Offset Samples value on the VST System Link page to compensate for any latency
issues.
RELATED LINKS
ASIO Direct Monitoring on page 172
Setting up a larger network
Setting up a larger network is not much more difficult than a 2-computer network. The main
thing to remember is that VST System Link is a daisy chain system. In other words, the output
of computer 1 goes to the input of computer 2, the output of computer 2 goes to the input of
computer 3, and so on around the chain. The output of the last computer in the chain must
always go back into the input of computer 1, to complete the ring.
Once you have done this, the transmission of all the transport, sync, and MIDI information
to the whole network is handled pretty much automatically. However, where you may run
into confusion in a large network is in the transmission of audio signals back to a central mix
computer.
If you have lots of hardware inputs and outputs on your ASIO cards, you do not have to send
audio via the chain at all, but can transmit it directly to the master mix computer via one or more
of its other hardware inputs. For example, if you have a Nuendo Digiset interface or 9652 card
on computer 1, you could use ADAT cable 1 for networking, ADAT cable 2 as a direct audio input
from computer 2, and ADAT cable 3 as a direct audio input from computer 3.
You can also transmit audio via the ring system if you do not have enough hardware I/Os for
direct audio transmission. For example, in a 4-computer scenario you could send audio from
computer 2 into a channel in the mixer in computer 3, from there to a channel in the mixer in
computer 4, and from there back to the master mixer in computer 1. This can certainly be tricky
to set up, so for complex networks it is generally recommended to use ASIO cards with at least 3
separate digital I/Os.
Application examples
Using one computer for VST instruments(not in Cubase LE)
In this example, one computer will be used as main record and playback machine, and another
computer as a virtual synth rack.
PROCEDURE
1. Record a MIDI track into computer 1.
2. Once you have finished recording, route the MIDI output of that track to VST System Link
MIDI port 1.
3. On computer 2, open up the VST Instruments window and assign an instrument to the first
slot in the rack.
4. Route the VST instrument channel to the desired output bus.
If you are using computer 1 as your main mixing computer, this would be one of the VST
System Link output busses, connected to computer 1.
5. Create a new MIDI track in the Project window of computer 2 and assign the MIDI output
of the track to the VST instrument you created.
6. Assign the MIDI input of the track to be VST System Link port 1.
Now, the MIDI track on computer 1 is routed to the MIDI track on computer 2, which in
turn is routed to the VST instrument.
7. Now activate monitoring for the MIDI track on computer 2, so that it will listen and
respond to any MIDI commands coming in.
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