Syncing D8b with Protools 12 and Motu 828x

[tomurf]

I need some serious help on getting my D8b time code to follow ProTools sessions.

I'm using the Motu 828x as well as the Motu 8pre and Avid Eleven Rack. I'm able to start, stop, rewind and fast forward protools sessions using the transport controls on my D8b, but the smpte/time code doesn't follow, thus not allowing me to do any automation.

I've connected the midi out of the D8b to the midi in of the computer, and the midi out of the computer to the midi in of the 828x, and finally the midi out of the 828x to the midi in of the D8b. I've also done every configuration of this circle. I've set Protools to transmit MTC and alternatively, I've set the 828x to transmit smpte. I've also connected the Word Clock in and outs to the D8b ADAT sync cards, to no avail. I don't have the Apogee Word Clock card in my D8b, just the ADAT sync cards. Not sure if this would make a difference with the time code readout.

I am at my wits end and hope that some of you pros can help me find a fix.
Thanks

[Y-my-R]

Hi tomurf

I’m not really a Pro Tools guy, but since nobody else responded yet, I thought I’d try if I can help with anything.

First, you mention 3 devices that can all function as audio interfaces… the 828x, the 8Pre, and the Eleven Rack. Which one are you actually using as an audio interface?

Or are you on a Mac, and using these aggregated, so you can use all the I/O of all of them simultaneously?

Also, without looking this up, I don’t know which of these interfaces have built-in MIDI ports, which brings me to the next question:

When you say that you connected stuff “to the MIDI port of the computer”, which MIDI port is that? One that is built into one of these audio interfaces? If these audio interfaces are all connected to the computer in some way (USB, FireWire, Thunderbolt, etc.), then technically, they ALL are MIDI interfaces to your computer. That’s also where I don’t see why you would need to connect a MIDI cable from the d8b to the “MIDI in of the computer” and then out from there to the “MIDI in of the 828x… which essentially goes back out of the computer, and back in again. That’s one too many devices in the loop, from what it looks like to me.

So, back to the original question, and maybe broken down into individual questions… maybe that’s easier to follow:

1. How is the 828x connected to the computer? Via Thunderbolt? Then the MIDI port on it, would also be considered a “MIDI port on your computer”.
2. Hos is the 8Pre connected? Only as a standalone device, with the ADAT I/O going into the 828x, or do you have that connected to the computer via FireWire as well? If so, then the MIDI port on the 8Pre is also a MIDI port on your computer.
3. How is your Eleven Rack connected to your computer? That one’s USB, I think, but also works standalone. Do you use it connected via USB, or only as a standalone device? With USB, that will also provide a MIDI port to your computer.

Short version of all of this: Pick one interface that is connected to your computer (via USB, FireWire or Thunderbolt), and connect the d8b MIDI I/O to that one. Take whatever extra device you had looped into this out of the loop, or you would have to deal with figuring out how the SMPTE signal gets passed through that device - most audio interfaces don’t do that by default on their MIDI ports, and you might even have to run a separate application, just to make that happen, if that’s what you were planning on.

In Pro Tools, you’ll also have to configure what is being recognized that comes in, and what is being sent. But sounds like that’s already half-way working… so maybe it’s just the extra device you need to remove from the MIDI chain to make this work.

Oh… and I just saw that you “configured the 828x to transmit SMPTE”. Not sure what that’s about… the Time Code should be sent from Pro Tools, through the MIDI port to the d8b. It won’t do any good, if the 828x can generate time code as well and send it out… I’d expect this to just confuse all the device in the chain, if there’s no relation between the 828x time code, and the time code (or MTC) Pro Tools sends.

The ADAT sync clocking and ADAT clocking has nothing to do with Time Code… if that’s not configured right, you’ll hear it in form of clicks an pops in the audio (or no signal at all).

I hope this helps a little… Sorry, I think I wrote all of this down a lot more complicated than necessary. if you have specific Pro Tools config questions, my subscription ends in 2 days, though. So, ask quickly
But I don’t know Pro Tools well anyway, and still think it’s the “extra device in the chain” that is preventing things from syncing up right.

[tomurf]

Thanks for all the info. Your writing was not complicated, but exactly what I needed to hear. I will eliminate some of my configuration out of the loop because I didn't know that midi was also being sent through the firewire/usb/thunderbolt connections as well.