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Gear / Technical Help => Ask The Tapers => Topic started by: 6079 on November 10, 2008, 11:46:41 PM
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Is it possible to connect a PC to a soundboard via the USB or firewire and record mutliple tracks separately? Meaning each channel to its own file, or those files that contain multiple audio channels?
If so, the next question would be how common is it for a soundboard to have a firewire or USB output? Are there any good shortcuts, like creating those files that have multiple audio files within it, or is the only way to get individual tracks by connecting a cable to each output?
I was told it could be done, but . . .
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Is it possible to connect a PC to a soundboard via the USB or firewire and record mutliple tracks separately? Meaning each channel to its own file, or those files that contain multiple audio channels?
If so, the next question would be how common is it for a soundboard to have a firewire or USB output? Are there any good shortcuts, like creating those files that have multiple audio files within it, or is the only way to get individual tracks by connecting a cable to each output?
I was told it could be done, but . . .
simple answer is no.
more complex answer is, it depends on the soundboard.
chances are, you are not going to run into a console in a small bar/club that has this ability, but on some higher end digital consoles, there are output cards that can be added to the console that will spit out a digital signal to each individual channel. normally this is done with a toslink connection, not with firewire or usb, and, normally it's done in groups of 8 (meaning 1 toslink cable sends 8 individual signals to the recorder).
but to specifically answer your question, no, there is no soundboard that i can think of...i take that back...there are NO soundboards with individual usb/firewire outputs for each channel.
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Actually, the Mackie Onyx boards and the new Presonus board have firewire outputs which will route individual channels through the pipe to a PC.
You are very unlikely to find either in your local club though.
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Actually, the Mackie Onyx boards and the new Presonus board have firewire outputs which will route individual channels through the pipe to a PC.
You are very unlikely to find either in your local club though.
how many channels can be spit down a single firewire port at the same time?
i don't have any experience with either of these boards.
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Actually, the Mackie Onyx boards and the new Presonus board have firewire outputs which will route individual channels through the pipe to a PC.
You are very unlikely to find either in your local club though.
how many channels can be spit down a single firewire port at the same time?
i don't have any experience with either of these boards.
All of them. I believe these boards are only 16 channels though. Firewire can easily handle 32 or more over FW400 though.
I have a Tascam DM4800 with the ifFW-DM (firewire) card at home and it can easily send 32 simultaneous channels of 24 bit audio to my Mac Pro and back to and from the program of my choice. I've never seen one in a club though.
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StudioLive includes PreSonus’ award-winning FireWire technology with JetPLL™ synchronization delivering 22 channels of recording and 18 channels of simultaneous playback. Each FireWire recording channel can be set to record either pre or post Fat-Channel signal processing giving total flexibility and power. StudioLive can also return 18 FireWire playback channels from your recording and production software for remixing and live performance with pre-recorded tracks, as well as studio mixing using the mixer’s internal signal processing and summing algorithms. StudioLive is compatible with Mac and Windows audio recording and production software including Logic, Nuendo, Cubase, Sonar, Digital Performer, Audition and more.
/intersting
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Is it possible to connect a PC to a soundboard via the USB or firewire and record mutliple tracks separately? Meaning each channel to its own file, or those files that contain multiple audio channels?
If so, the next question would be how common is it for a soundboard to have a firewire or USB output? Are there any good shortcuts, like creating those files that have multiple audio files within it, or is the only way to get individual tracks by connecting a cable to each output?
I was told it could be done, but . . .
simple answer is no.
Arent there lots of mixers that do this now...?
Like this...
http://www.alesis.com/multimix16usb20
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Arent there lots of mixers that do this now...?
Like this...
http://www.alesis.com/multimix16usb20
i thought that we were talking about mixers, not piles of turd.
/sorry, couldn't resist
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Is it possible to connect a PC to a soundboard via the USB or firewire and record mutliple tracks separately? Meaning each channel to its own file, or those files that contain multiple audio channels?
If so, the next question would be how common is it for a soundboard to have a firewire or USB output? Are there any good shortcuts, like creating those files that have multiple audio files within it, or is the only way to get individual tracks by connecting a cable to each output?
I was told it could be done, but . . .
simple answer is no.
Arent there lots of mixers that do this now...?
Like this...
http://www.alesis.com/multimix16usb20
I'm not positive but I think these Alesis mixers send a stereo buss out through the USB.
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You can buy a firewire soundcard interface to go between the soundboard and your PC. I use an Edirol FA-101 connected to the soundboard's "direct out" connections for 8 channels with my 8 channel snake, and then my PC is using n-Track to capture each individual channel that I can mix later on. Sometimes the "direct out" connections are called "Line Out". Some boards may not have direct outs, but if the insert connections are not used (which are for effects) you can plug your snake in using the "one-click" trick.
Edirol also has a USB2 version of the same unit.
The FA-101 cannot be chained together to get more channels, but other types of units can be such as the Echo AudioFire12 can be chained together.
As noted - Firewire (and USB2) can easily handle 32 channels at 24 / 44.1. HOWEVER - if you have a regular laptop with a 5400 rpm drive, you might not be able to handle that many channel. On my 5 year old laptop with a 7200rpm drive, I can take 24 channels via Firewire IF my PC has nothing else going on - I even have to minimize nTrack so that the screen activity isn't using up some of my processing. If your PC isn't up to the task, you'll get clicks and pops. I've got the buffering in nTrack set to the maximum it can take.
Jay
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I like rokpunk's first answer: no.
It's more simple than mine:
If (and that's a resounding 'if') you happen to find a FireWire-enabled mixer 'in the wild', there's a 99% chance that the FOH personnel are feeding FireWire audio to their very own DAW. Now; if you ask really nicely and bring your own blanks, you might just talk said FOH personnel out of a DVD-R of the raw WAV files so that you can play with them at home. It's not likely that they'll do it (in fact, it's extremely unlikely) but I guess it wouldn't hurt you to ask them.
As far as I know, there's no commercially-available device for passively intercepting FireWire or USB data (which is what you'd have to do to "patch in" to that feed). And your patch had best not f--k up their feed or physical assault and ejection from the venue would be the least of your worries. Anyway...
Absent a miracle of modern wire-tapping technology, getting that multi-track feed is probably out of the question unless you do it analog (which requires outboard equipment for your laptop as mentioned above). PreSonus FirePods, for instance, can be daisy-chained for up to 16 channels (but you need an analog snake or a whole lot of 1/4" phone cables to hook up to the board's line outputs). The cables/snake you use will depend on what board you're hooking to and if you're getting aux (or FX if you're crafty) sends of certain things... There are a lot of variables to consider. And you'll also need to bring an extension cord, gaffer's tape, and a power strip for your gear. Ready to get out your wallet and duffel bag?
I really don't want to discuss my (vehemently negative) opinion of multi-tracking from a FOH mixer that you're not familiar with (or currently working behind). Seriously. :-X
A line-level feed from the main outs (to mix with your AUD source) is how I made some of my favorite recordings when I was still using PortaStudios for location recording. But I was working behind the FOH console...