H8000FW Ableton routing

[MicrokevH8000]

I'm an Eventide newbie, and I'm hoping for some help on getting my H8000FW up and running. I've scoured the manual and still feel a little lost, so bear with me if I missed something along the way. 

I'm running Mac OS 10.5.8 on a 2.3 gHz G5 (ppc). Eventide Dice is running on my system, FW is linked and working. After reading the FireWire Interface Manual, I created an Aggregate Device with my MOTU 828 and my H8000FW. My 828 is the clock source, and the H800's setup window shows "Source: WORDCLK" and "FIREWIRE1 OK"

I set the H8000's routing to preset 21 – FireWire 8 Track AB and selected the Aggregate Device as my I/O in Ableton. Analog 1 + 2 Out go to my Allen & Heath mixer, which sends back to Analog 1 + 2 In…

My question is how to route audio to and through the H8000. Ableton doesn't seem to find which channels go to the Eventide, and instead sends Outputs 1-8 to the MOTU 828.

Thanks in advance for the patience. 

[DiacK]

a quick solution would be to use not the firewire connection, but to connect the 828 and the h8000 via ADAT in and out.

to connect two devices, the H8000fw and the Motu828 at the same timeto the mac,  i thought it is not possible, but i might be very wrong with this assumption.

[MicrokevH8000]

If I used the ADAT connections, I'd bypass the H8000's AD/DA converters, right? They were a big reason I bought the unit.

And I still can't get any audio to run to the unit, using the analog connections or the Firewire.

I tried to send the 440 hz oscillator, and audio came out, but so far nothing has gone in…

[nickrose]

I suspect that this question has to be directed to Ableton or Mr.Mac, not to Eventide.

But, have you configured the system as described in the User Manual ? Try connecting the H8000 by itself first of all and confirm that you can get audio in and out of it. Then, be sure that you are creating the Aggregate Device as described in the H8000 User Manual. If possible, try accessing it from another application, like a simple playback or record program.

[MicrokevH8000]

Sadly I'm pretty sure I've configured it exactly the way the manual suggests. I configured the H8000 for Throughput, I have connected only the H8000FW and nothing else via FireWire, and used analog connections to monitor the sound.

As the manual suggested, I've used the sound effects menu from the System Preferences. This works as an easy test for any audio interface. It does not get me any sound out of the H8000FW.

[nickrose]

Not quite clear – are you saying that you get no sound out of the H8000 when try to send to it as a device, rather than part of an Aggregate Device ?

If you are having problems, you could start by disconnecting the 828 entirely and getting the H8000 running standalone. I have a memory of another of our users who had problems with the same setup, so it is best to simplify it as much as possible first.

[MicrokevH8000]

Yes, I've tried that, and more. With the 828 disconnected, and only the Eventide connected via Firewire, I get no sound.

With the H8000 set up as only an analog device, I send audio to it, and get nothing back.

I'm sure there's something I'm missing, but I've tried so many possible things, I don't know how to retrace my steps to figure out what's wrong!

Setting the unit to Oscillator gets a tone coming out, so I know at least my analog routing is correct. But then selecting the unit as my only audio interface (nothing else connected) and sending sound via Firewire (not through ableton, just the basic sound effects test from OSX sys prefs) I get nothing. The Mac can connect to the H8000FW just fine. The Dice Control Panel seems to think everything is fine.

I'm convinced there's something I've done wrong in the setup of the unit. But with using the H8000FW's routing preset of 21 – Firewire A-B, I still don't seem to have any luck!!

[nickrose]

As you will imagine, doing this by remote control is difficult.

MicrokevH8000:

Setting the unit to Oscillator gets a tone coming out

Can you see this tone on the Mac ?

MicrokevH8000:

not through ableton, just the basic sound effects test

When you do this, what clock source and presets are you using ?

Is there anything visible on the H8000 meters ?

Have you tried setting the H8000 for factory defaults ?

Are you using the latest H8000 software and drivers (from Web Site) ?

[MicrokevH8000]

I just did a fully analog test using Analog A-B from Routings
Sent analog audio to input 1-2 and green lights appear on the face of the machine, but nothing coming from the H8000's audio out.

When I select Oscillator, the 440 hz tone comes through the analog outs to my board & monitors.

Now I've engaged the Firewire, selected Eventide Dice for my input and output source (both in the Mac sysprefs, and Ableton), and I'm getting the 440 tone in my mixer (which must be receiving it via the H8000 analog out), and I'm seeing a consistent tone reading on the inputs in Ableton.

So I have 440 across the board. However, when I change to a different program, I still get the 440 signal (i switched to "Amp U Lation"). Then I switched the routing preset back to 21- Firewire 8 Track AB. Got a little rumble for a second, but the 440 kept on going.

[nickrose]

When you were doing this, what preset did you have in DSP B ?

[MicrokevH8000]

Ah, I just checked and it was also the oscillator…

[nickrose]

MicrokevH8000:

Ah, I just checked and it was also the oscillator…

As I thought. Sounds like you can send from the H8000 but not receive. Is this your understanding?

Would you also be kind enough to give clear answers to the following questions I asked earlier ?

When you do this, what clock source and presets are you using ?

Is there anything visible on the H8000 meters ?

Have you tried setting the H8000 for factory defaults ?

Are you using the latest H8000 software and drivers (from Web Site) ?

[MicrokevH8000]

nickrose:

MicrokevH8000:

Ah, I just checked and it was also the oscillator…

As I thought. Sounds like you can send from the H8000 but not receive. Is this your understanding?

You're correct about that. But there's an update below…

Quote:

Would you also be kind enough to give clear answers to the following questions I asked earlier ?

I'm sorry, you're right, I skipped over answering these. My apologies.

Quote:

When you do this, what clock source and presets are you using ?

Is there anything visible on the H8000 meters ?

Have you tried setting the H8000 for factory defaults ?

Are you using the latest H8000 software and drivers (from Web Site) ?

I have gotten lights on the H8000 meters when sending audio to it.

I'm not sure how to set the H8000 for factory defaults.

I am using the latest drivers from the website, but don't know how to check if I've got the latest H8000 software.

**A new development, I am now able to send and receive audio via the H8000. A major hurdle crossed, and I thank you for that.

The next hurdle is how to send signal from the computer through the H8000 <<without>> using the effects. I've set DSP B to Thru, but I don't exactly understand how to separate the routing to DSP B and DSP A. (This was why I planned to use it in conjunction with the Motu 828).

[nickrose]

MicrokevH8000:

don't know how to check if I've got the latest H8000 software.

It will show the version at the second startup screen. Should be V5.3

MicrokevH8000:

I am now able to send and receive audio via the H8000

Great !!!

MicrokevH8000:

but I don't exactly understand how to separate the routing to DSP B and DSP A

First step is to see if one of the factory routings suits your purposes. Look at the diagrams in the User Manual and see which is closest to what you want.

[DiacK]

one thing has not been asked here is your need to use both the H8000fw and the motu828.

it looks like you do not need the motu at all, if you want to use the Harmonizers converters.

i would suggest to disconnect the Motu, and make a new routing starting from Routing#26 Firewire

A | | B .

In my current setup i am using the H8000FW in Firewire mode and connect the analog output to my monitors. I use DSP A and DSP B in parallel , receiving the 2 stereo processed signals in my sequencer, use them in the mix, and sending the whole main mix out a different firewire channel to the Analogue out of the Harmonizer.

[MicrokevH8000]

nickrose:

MicrokevH8000:

don't know how to check if I've got the latest H8000 software.

It will show the version at the second startup screen. Should be V5.3

Yup. I'm running 5.3

Quote:

MicrokevH8000:

but I don't exactly understand how to separate the routing to DSP B and DSP A

First step is to see if one of the factory routings suits your purposes. Look at the diagrams in the User Manual and see which is closest to what you want.

I think the one I'm running is probably the best at the moment. Firewire 8 track AB. Am I correct in thinking that to route audio from the computer to DSP B, I should select channels 5-8 from my workstation, and then set DSP B to 'THRU' ?

[nickrose]

If you use "Firewire 8 track AB", FireWire input channels 5-8 are indeed connected to the first 4 inputs of DSP B.  See the diagram in the User Manual for details.

[MicrokevH8000]

Cool, got it.

Does that correspond to Analog outs 3 and 4?

Thanks, Nick, for your patience and your help.

[nickrose]

With this routing, DSP A goes to Analog 1-4 and DSP B goes to Digital 1-4. Obviously these assigments can be changed (SETUP/outputs).

Sounds like we're getting there ..

[MicrokevH8000]

Hmm, that actually sets me back a bit. Because now I can't use DSP A for effects and still have a clean monitoring line coming back to me in analog.

Would I have to go to setup to change DSP to analog outs?

Ultimately I would like to have a set of channels selected from my workstation that send out through FW to the interface, and back out to the monitors. Otherwise I'm only hearing the wet signal from DSP A.

Would another routing preset work for this? Or am I headed towards (SETUP/outputs) ?

[nickrose]

Look over the other routing presets and see if anything floats your boat, otherwise you are going to have to spend some time with the User Manual. Shock ! Horror !

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