ProSoundWeb Community

Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  

Pages: 1 [2] 3  All   Go Down

Author Topic: Dante/Parallels/Smaart/Focusrite Pro 24/Mac Mini  (Read 8220 times)

Mac Kerr

  • Old enough to know better
  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 7551
  • Audio Plumber
Re: Dante/Parallels/Smaart/Focusrite Pro 24/Mac Mini
« Reply #10 on: January 10, 2017, 05:01:55 PM »

Hi Mac, the only reason for running Windows 10 is that I use some EAW software and dbx software that is still Windows only, thus why I need to run Parallels.  I was thinking that I would use the Focusrite for input to Smaart 8.?.

My main goal is to get a Dante Network up and running so that I can use it to record shows as well as start building a backbone for the Shure ULX/D wireless system that we are about to purchase.  As far as the other software, I am trying to make it so that I only have to have one computer with me rather than a Windows machine and a Mac.  Currently the Midas Pro2 software only runs on a Mac.

You can easily use DVS as your audio I/O for the Mac. I am not a fan of connecting the ULXD via Dante, although I've worked on plenty of shows where it's done. It is a hit or miss proposition in my experience getting control of the mic output level that you need to use instead of a mic pre, particularly if you are also recording. I would always prefer to attach the mics to the console analog into a mic input so I have easy level control that will alway work. The Dante feed will be fine to record a multitrack that will be remixed later.

The Mac can easily handle the audio stuff as well as quite a lot going on on the Windows side.

Mac
Logged

William Schnake

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 592
    • Schnake Sound & Light
Re: Dante/Parallels/Smaart/Focusrite Pro 24/Mac Mini
« Reply #11 on: January 10, 2017, 05:10:01 PM »

You can easily use DVS as your audio I/O for the Mac. I am not a fan of connecting the ULXD via Dante, although I've worked on plenty of shows where it's done. It is a hit or miss proposition in my experience getting control of the mic output level that you need to use instead of a mic pre, particularly if you are also recording. I would always prefer to attach the mics to the console analog into a mic input so I have easy level control that will alway work. The Dante feed will be fine to record a multitrack that will be remixed later.

The Mac can easily handle the audio stuff as well as quite a lot going on on the Windows side.

Mac
Mac, I didn't think about using the console inputs and a set of outs to go to SMAART, but it sounds like a better way of doing what I am wanting to do.

Thanks for the input.

Bill
Logged
Bill Schnake - Owner Schnake Sound & Light

Avid/Crown/EAW/EV/Midas/RCF/Shure/Yamaha

schnakesound.com

Tim McCulloch

  • SR Forums
  • Hero Member
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 23736
  • Wichita, Kansas USA
Re: Dante/Parallels/Smaart/Focusrite Pro 24/Mac Mini
« Reply #12 on: January 10, 2017, 07:22:51 PM »

Mac, I didn't think about using the console inputs and a set of outs to go to SMAART, but it sounds like a better way of doing what I am wanting to do.

Thanks for the input.

Bill

Mac is talking about wireless mics, not Smaart mics.
Logged
"If you're passing on your way, from Palm Springs to L.A., Give a wave to good ol' Dave, Say hello to progress and goodbye to the Moonlight Motor Inn." - Steve Spurgin, Moonlight Motor Inn

Mac Kerr

  • Old enough to know better
  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 7551
  • Audio Plumber
Re: Dante/Parallels/Smaart/Focusrite Pro 24/Mac Mini
« Reply #13 on: January 10, 2017, 07:38:08 PM »

Mac is talking about wireless mics, not Smaart mics.

Both really. First sentence about Smaart, rest about patching ULXDs.

Mac
Logged

Ike Zimbel

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1057
  • I'm not a newbie, I just play one on the internet!
    • Zimbel Audio Productions
Re: Dante/Parallels/Smaart/Focusrite Pro 24/Mac Mini
« Reply #14 on: January 10, 2017, 09:15:01 PM »



Having never setup a Dante Network before, am I on the right track or has the train been derailed before I get started?  This is a feasability questions.

Thanks for your input.

Bill
Bill, you can get some basic Dante training on the Audinate site https://www.audinate.com/resources/training-and-tutorials
I just did the Level 1 and Level 2 training and it was well worth it. Level 1 can definitely be done on line and I believe they are working towards that goal for Level 2.
Best,
Ike
Logged
~Ike Zimbel~
Wireless frequency coordination specialist and educator.
Manufacturer's Representative (Canada)
Radio Active Designs
Pro Audio equipment repair and upgrades.
~416-720-0887~
ca.linkedin.com/pub/ike-zimbel/48/aa1/266

William Schnake

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 592
    • Schnake Sound & Light
Re: Dante/Parallels/Smaart/Focusrite Pro 24/Mac Mini
« Reply #15 on: January 10, 2017, 11:48:38 PM »

Bill, you can get some basic Dante training on the Audinate site https://www.audinate.com/resources/training-and-tutorials
Best,
Ike
Thanks Ike, I appreciate the info.

Bill
Logged
Bill Schnake - Owner Schnake Sound & Light

Avid/Crown/EAW/EV/Midas/RCF/Shure/Yamaha

schnakesound.com

William Schnake

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 592
    • Schnake Sound & Light
Re: Dante/Parallels/Smaart/Focusrite Pro 24/Mac Mini
« Reply #16 on: January 11, 2017, 07:20:38 AM »

The Mac can easily handle the audio stuff as well as quite a lot going on on the Windows side.

Mac
Thanks for the help everyone.  I am going to start getting the Mac Mini setup this week.  I will probably have more questions so bare with me as I work through this the first time.

Have a great day everyone.

Bill
Logged
Bill Schnake - Owner Schnake Sound & Light

Avid/Crown/EAW/EV/Midas/RCF/Shure/Yamaha

schnakesound.com

Bryan Hargrave

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 40
  • I'm one jammin' dude.
    • Soundworks of VA, Inc
Re: Dante/Parallels/Smaart/Focusrite Pro 24/Mac Mini
« Reply #17 on: January 11, 2017, 06:52:36 PM »

my $.02,

Tracks Live. It's free and you can give people the raw wave files. Easiest way to record a show, hands down. Cubase, sure, if you feel like paying for it and offering a mixed product. Tracks if you want to give them the freedom to mix their own show on their preferred DAW. Tracks interfaces with DVS for 64 channels. Also, Reaper as a DAW is only 60 bucks.

http://www.waves.com/downloads/tracks-live

As for the rest of your setup... no reason you can't do what you want and more. I don't use a mac but I do use one single windows laptop for all of my audio software. Dante Controller, DVS or Via, Wireless Workbench, Wireless Systems Manager, Tracks Live, Smaart, All of my consoles software, Lake, PodWare, Cafe, Intellidrive, LSP 500 Pro controller, Ease, and whatever I'm forgetting. The truth is, most of that won't need to run during a show unless you are monitoring which is kind of redundant unless the gear you are monitoring is hiding in a closet or something. Even then, monitoring doesn't even really make my little Lenovo breathe heavy. DVS writing 64 channels to my drive... that will make it sweat. If I was going to run your setup, I would just make sure I ran as much as I could on the native OS and then whatever is left on the emulated OS. Also, if it doesn't need to run during the show, close it.

As far as your network switches, you can blow all the money you want on great stuff (mine are Cisco SG-300 10 port) but when it comes to that secondary network, you don't need to care about directing traffic. It will only be running Dante and will not need you to prioritize. Ubiquiti makes a great little managed guy called the Toughswitch which will be more than enough for your secondary network. Very little to mess with and mess up. Audinate doesn't even spec a managed switch that I can remember. As mentioned by another user, your computer's Dante won't be redundant. Just something to keep in mind. You might want to have a second computer to run a redundant recording (i know i know, you wanted to get it all to one computer) if you are going to be using that as a selling point. It is something that I made sure to do when I was charging for a multitracked show.

I'm probably doing everything wrong.

I could probably type all day. I will stop now.
« Last Edit: January 11, 2017, 06:56:11 PM by Bryan Hargrave »
Logged
Like us on facebook at Soundworks of VA, Inc.

William Schnake

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 592
    • Schnake Sound & Light
Re: Dante/Parallels/Smaart/Focusrite Pro 24/Mac Mini
« Reply #18 on: January 12, 2017, 08:22:25 AM »

my $.02,

Tracks Live. It's free and you can give people the raw wave files. Easiest way to record a show, hands down. Cubase, sure, if you feel like paying for it and offering a mixed product. Tracks if you want to give them the freedom to mix their own show on their preferred DAW. Tracks interfaces with DVS for 64 channels. Also, Reaper as a DAW is only 60 bucks.

http://www.waves.com/downloads/tracks-live

As for the rest of your setup... no reason you can't do what you want and more. I don't use a mac but I do use one single windows laptop for all of my audio software. Dante Controller, DVS or Via, Wireless Workbench, Wireless Systems Manager, Tracks Live, Smaart, All of my consoles software, Lake, PodWare, Cafe, Intellidrive, LSP 500 Pro controller, Ease, and whatever I'm forgetting. The truth is, most of that won't need to run during a show unless you are monitoring which is kind of redundant unless the gear you are monitoring is hiding in a closet or something. Even then, monitoring doesn't even really make my little Lenovo breathe heavy. DVS writing 64 channels to my drive... that will make it sweat. If I was going to run your setup, I would just make sure I ran as much as I could on the native OS and then whatever is left on the emulated OS. Also, if it doesn't need to run during the show, close it.

As far as your network switches, you can blow all the money you want on great stuff (mine are Cisco SG-300 10 port) but when it comes to that secondary network, you don't need to care about directing traffic. It will only be running Dante and will not need you to prioritize. Ubiquiti makes a great little managed guy called the Toughswitch which will be more than enough for your secondary network. Very little to mess with and mess up. Audinate doesn't even spec a managed switch that I can remember. As mentioned by another user, your computer's Dante won't be redundant. Just something to keep in mind. You might want to have a second computer to run a redundant recording (i know i know, you wanted to get it all to one computer) if you are going to be using that as a selling point. It is something that I made sure to do when I was charging for a multitracked show.

I'm probably doing everything wrong.

I could probably type all day. I will stop now.
Bryan, thanks for all of the great advice.  I thought that Dante wanted all of the switches to be the same and on the same firmware level?  I may have misunderstood that.  Also, am I correct when I say that Dante and for instance Crown System Architect can run on the same switches and CAT6 cable?

Thanks
Bill
Logged
Bill Schnake - Owner Schnake Sound & Light

Avid/Crown/EAW/EV/Midas/RCF/Shure/Yamaha

schnakesound.com

David Sturzenbecher

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1966
  • So. Dak.
    • Sturz Audio
Re: Dante/Parallels/Smaart/Focusrite Pro 24/Mac Mini
« Reply #19 on: January 12, 2017, 09:02:38 AM »

Bryan, thanks for all of the great advice.  I thought that Dante wanted all of the switches to be the same and on the same firmware level?  I may have misunderstood that.  Also, am I correct when I say that Dante and for instance Crown System Architect can run on the same switches and CAT6 cable?

Thanks
Bill

They can if the Dante and Audio Architect (you should no longer be using System Architect really...it hasn't been updated in 4 years) devices are all running on the same subnet.   Dante primary auto-discovers to 169.254.X.X, which is also where crown amps will live natively out of the box.  I personally like to keep my amps on static IP's and haven't gotten over "a bad experience" with setting Dante to static, so i just run two NICs in my computer.
Logged
Audio Systems Design Engineer
Daktronics, Inc.
CTS-D, CTS-I
AES Full Member

ProSoundWeb Community

Re: Dante/Parallels/Smaart/Focusrite Pro 24/Mac Mini
« Reply #19 on: January 12, 2017, 09:02:38 AM »


Pages: 1 [2] 3  All   Go Up
 



Site Hosted By Ashdown Technologies, Inc.

Page created in 0.058 seconds with 25 queries.