New d8b user

[angelsharestudios]

Hi. Have a pro tools HD8 system. How do I interface with my 3.1v d8b so I can mix surround 5.1 and record overdubs via the desk? Probably a lot to sort but can read up if pointed in right direction.
Have 3 analogue I/o and Apogee card. Desk about 10 + yrs old but unused for 7 so in decent cond.
Any help gratefully received. Kelvin

[Y-my-R]

Hi Kelvin,

I haven't done surround mixes, so I won't be able to answer all your questions, but I should be able to help get you on the way.

First thing, what interface are you using with your Pro Tools HD rig (e.g. 96 I/O, 192 I/O, etc.). Also, as far as I remember (I got rid of my HD rig over 10 years ago), these Pro Tools interfaces can be expanded with various option cards in the external rack-interface. Do you have any of those installed?

Or to ask differently, what Inputs and Outputs do you have on your Pro Tools Rack-Interface/Converter-Box?

Since you have 3 analog cards for the D8B, you're probably planning to connect the analog inputs/outputs between the D8B and the Pro Tools interface. That's of course possible - but just to make sure that's clear... every time you would then be sending a signal out of Pro Tools to the D8B, it would be converted from Digital to Analog on the way out of Pro Tools, and back from Analog to Digital on the way into the D8B.

If the 5.1 mix goes out of analog jacks as well (I think that's usually done via the BUS outputs on the D8B), then it's the same thing in reverse again - at least if you're sending that back to Pro Tools or another Digital Recorder. Digital to Analog (D8B out), and back to Digital (Pro Tools interface in).

So, just by sending the signal to the D8B, and the mixed signal back to Pro Tools, you would convert the signal 4 times. Not counting the time when the original sound source was recorded and converted to digital.

You likely won't immediately notice a quality difference, but if the signal gets converted even more often than that for some reason (e.g. analog auxes and external digital processors, etc.), then a lot of conversions add up, and you'll eventually notice some signal degredation, IMO.

Having said that - for a lot of applications, the quality decline will NOT be easily noticeable.

Personally, I find it advisable to stay in the digital realm as much as possible, but this would require different cards for the D8B, and also depends on what digital I/O you have available in your Pro Tools Rack Interface (Converter Box).

Maybe let's figure out that part first, before dealing with surround specific things (the basic stuff I'm mentioning above is the same anyway). So, what I/O options do you have on the Pro Tools rig?

Next, I have never used the Mackie OS 3.1. Elsewhere on this forum, there are threads that describe 2 different options to hack Mackie OS, to run version 5.1 (has nothing to do with surround - just happens to be that version number), and get all the plug-ins authorized. I heard other board members here point out that it's not advisable to stay on an older OS version if not absolutely necessary. Just repeating what I've heard, though. But I'd probably try to get everything to talk to each other first (Pro Tools and D8B), and when you're sure it works, then deal with the OS update.

When you say you have an Apogee card, you mean the Apogee Clock Card, right? Or do you mean one of the Apogee Digital Interface cards, such as the DIO.8?

An Apogee Clock Card is more or less necessary when connecting the D8B with any other digital audio device DIGITALLY. If you end up only using analog connections, then that doesn't matter, and the Mackie "stock" clock card is enough.

Finally... and sorry, I should have asked this first, the D8B boots up fully and passes audio, right? Just asking, since the internal battery would be pretty old by now, and when that's empty, the D8B forgets all it's settings and typically boots up with an "Error 43" until you install a new battery and re-do all the BIOS settings they way they're supposed to (there's an article in the Database, for the two different mainboards your D8B rack unit may have).

OK... let's start with that. Sorry - lots of questions, and not yet any answers, really. But it's best to take it one step at a time