Waves Audio DiGiGrid IOX User Guide
IOX
IOX
IOX
Table of Contents
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................................................4
1. Getting Started ..................................................................................................................................................................................5
1.1 System Requirements ..............................................................................................................................................................5
1.2 Registration ..................................................................................................................................................................................5
1.3 Software Installation .................................................................................................................................................................6
1.4 Licenses .........................................................................................................................................................................................6
2. HARDWARE .........................................................................................................................................................................................7
3. Suggested Uses And Congurations .........................................................................................................................................9
3.1 One Computer with a DiGiGrid IOX.....................................................................................................................................9
2
3.2 Adding More I/Os to Your System ...................................................................................................................................... 10
3.3 Adding a Server ........................................................................................................................................................................ 11
3.4 Multiple Computers with a Single DiGiGrid IOX ...........................................................................................................12
3.5 HD Mix Room and Several Smaller Recording/Editing Rooms................................................................................ 13
4. Software Setup And Controls ..................................................................................................................................................... 15
4.1 Device Firmware ....................................................................................................................................................................... 18
4.1.1 Resetting the Unit ......................................................................................................................................................... 18
4.2 Identifying a Device from the SoundGrid Studio Device Rack ................................................................................ 18
IOX
5. Control Panel .................................................................................................................................................................................... 19
5.1 Controls Page ............................................................................................................................................................................ 21
5.1.1 Top Bar............................................................................................................................................................................... 22
5.1.2 Analog Section ............................................................................................................................................................... 22
5.1.3 Clip Indication and Small Meters ............................................................................................................................. 24
5.2 Clock Page .................................................................................................................................................................................. 25
6. Adding A Server To The Iox.......................................................................................................................................................... 27
6.1 Applications of an External Server ................................................................................................................................... 28
6.1.1 eMotion ST mixer .......................................................................................................................................................... 28
6.1.2 StudioRack ....................................................................................................................................................................... 29
7. Moving Audio In A Soundgrid Network ................................................................................................................................. 30
7.1 Using an I/O Device with a DAW ........................................................................................................................................ 31
7.2 Patching I/O to Driver and Driver to I/O ......................................................................................................................... 32
7.3 eMotion ST Mixer Patching .................................................................................................................................................. 39
7.4 Device-to-Device Patching ................................................................................................................................................... 40
7.5 Headphone Patching ..............................................................................................................................................................41
8. Technical Specications ................................................................................................................................................................ 42
8.1 Installation Notes ..................................................................................................................................................................... 44
IOX
INTRODUCTION
Thank you for choosing the DiGiGrid IOX interface for SoundGrid systems. In order to get the most out of your product,
please take some time to read this manual. We also suggest that you become familiar with our support sites, www.digigrid.net
and www.waves.com/support, where you will nd an extensive answer base, the latest tech specs, detailed installation guides,
software updates, and current information about licensing and registration.
About SoundGrid and DiGiGrid IOX
SoundGrid is a scalable infrastructure that provides a variety of cost-eective, high-quality solutions for studio production. It can be
congured in many ways, with many hardware possibilities, to provide a very exible work environment. This framework is managed
by the SoundGrid Studio Application, which congures the network, assigns and manages I/Os, controllers and servers, and patches
audio throughout the system. Any user, anywhere on the SoundGrid network, has access to all available network I/O devices. Adding
a SoundGrid DSP server enables processing, and monitoring.
Ideal for professional facilities with live performance rooms, the DiGiGrid IOX audio interface features a unique I/O conguration:
12 mic/line inputs with broadcast/studio-quality preamps, and 6 line outputs. With 4 customizable headphone outputs that allow
4
individual mixes for each musician, the IOX delivers high-resolution monitoring whether you’re performing in the studio or listening
in the control room.
Connect the IOX to your SoundGrid network with a single Ethernet cable. DiGiGrid IOX can be used as your primary audio interface,
or as an additional I/O expansion to an existing SoundGrid system.
Add an external SoundGrid DSP server, and you’ll be able to run hundreds of SoundGrid-compatible plugins, fully integrated within
your DAW, with incredibly low latency.
IOX
1. GETTING STARTED
Aside from setting up your microphone preamps, there’s not much you need to know to begin working with your IOX.
1.1 System Requirements
■
SoundGrid Studio runs on Mac and PC (consult Waves website for current OS and DAW compatibility).
■
Compatible native DAW (Logic, Cubase, Nuendo, Ableton, Pro Tools Native, and many more). A list of SoundGrid-compatible hosts
is available at Waves website.
■
IOX / SoundGrid Studio software installed on the host computer.
■
Cat 5e or Cat 6 Ethernet cables.
1.2 Registration
To download IOX software you will need to register your device at www.digigrid.net or www.waves.com. You must know the serial
number of your IOX in order to register it, so sign up before you mount it in a rack. The serial number appears on a label on the
bottom of the unit or on a sticker on the box.
5
Once you register you will receive two emails:
■
A notication that you can now download the installer.
■
Instructions about authorizing your license.
IOX
1.3 Software Installation
After you register your new IOX, you can download the installer from the Download/Hardware Drivers section of the Waves website.
Since SoundGrid enables you to access an I/O device from any computer in the network, you will need to install the software on
each computer in the network.
The IOX installer consists of:
■
The IOX I/O hardware driver.
■
The SoundGrid ASIO/Core Audio driver, which serves as a bridge between the DAW and the SoundGrid network.
■
The SoundGrid Studio Application, which manages all SoundGrid network resources and assigns devices to computers.
■
StudioRack, a software plugin rack, or chainer, that hosts up to eight plugins and can move their processing from the DAW to
an external SoundGrid server. (External server not included.)
■
eMotion ST, a software mixer that provides low-latency plugin processing and monitor mixing. Requires an external server.
1.4 Licenses
DiGiGrid Native I/O devices do not require a license to operate in a SoundGrid network. However, certain advanced features, such as
using StudioRack and eMotion ST for low-latency recording and monitoring, or ooading processing from the host CPU, require a
6
server and a SoundGrid license. This license is included with the purchase of IOX.
When you register your device, the relevant licenses are deposited in your Waves account. Use the Waves License Center application
to activate your licenses and install them on your computer or on a USB ash drive.
IOX
2. HARDWARE
IOX is a 1U rack-mounted device. Aside from headphone jacks, all connections are on the rear panel.
IOX Front Panel
Front panel LEDs indicate status of essential device functions for each channel.
Input clipping Red = clipping (level can be set through the control panel)
Input signal present Green = signal present
48v phantom power Orange = ON
Network status indicator
7
Blue: Device recognized by the SoundGrid network
Red: Device not recognized by the SoundGrid network
Yellow: Updating
White: Unit malfunction (e.g., rmware did not load properly, unit did not boot properly)
Cycling through colors: This LED is used to identify the unit from the control panel.
Power switch/indicator
Four ¼-inch TRS headphone jacks with individual volume control knobs;
8–600 ohms; gain = OFF to +15 dB
IOX
IOX Rear Panel
Mains input: 90–240 V AC 50/60 Hz
Built-in 1GB Ethernet switch, two ports
3
Recovery/reset button
4
Clock in and out (BNC connectors for external Word Clock)
5
12 mic/line inputs (combo XLR/TRS connectors)
6
6 line out ¼” TRS connectors
8
IOX
3. SUGGESTED USES AND CONFIGURATIONS
There are many ways to use your DiGiGrid IOX. Your existing (or future) equipment, how you work, and what you need to accomplish
are factors to consider when incorporating an IOX into your studio. Project studios with one or two DAWs can share I/O resources.
Studios with several rooms and many DAWs can stream audio between rooms and quickly swap out devices. But no matter how
simple or complex your setup is, connecting an IOX involves only one cable, an Ethernet Cat 5e or Cat 6.
3.1 One Computer with a DiGiGrid IOX
This is the most basic studio conguration. It includes a host computer with a native DAW and a single DiGiGrid IOX that connects
microphones, instruments, headphones, and monitors to the SoundGrid ASIO/Core Audio driver. This driver controls the network
and all its devices.
9
External
Clock
Host Computer
DiGiGrid IOX
Ethernet
Analog
Clock
IOX
3.2 Adding More I/Os to Your System
Add a DiGiGrid IOC and you pick up another 2 mic inputs, 16 AES inputs and outputs, 8 line inputs and outputs ADAT I/O, and 2
more individual headphone outputs. Connect the IOC to the built-in Ethernet switch on the rear of the IOX. You can add up to eight
SoundGrid I/O devices to a single host. Each of these can be accessed by any computer on the network.
Audio and clock pass through the same Ethernet cable. This means of distributing clock is called “Sync over Ethernet” (SoE) and is
used between all SoundGrid devices. To clock the entire network to an external clock source such as house sync, use Word Clock or
Digital In as clock master for the IOX. If the IOX is the SoE master, then the entire network will be locked to this external source.
DiGiGrid IOC DiGiGrid IOX
External
Word Clock
10
Host Computer
Ethernet
Analog
Clock
IOX
3.3 Adding a Server
Adding a SoundGrid DSP server to a SoundGrid Studio system provides the processing power for the eMotion ST mixer
and the StudioRack plugin. This enables low-latency recording and monitoring, and increases the number of plugins you
can use simultaneously.
Some SoundGrid I/O devices are equipped with internal servers. With these devices, the server will appear under the Servers section
and the I/O under the Rack A: Hardware I/O Devices section. Congure these I/Os as you would any similar I/O device. All servers
initially appear as “SGS.” Once assigned, a server can be renamed.
DiGiGrid IOX
External
Clock
11
Host Computer
Ethernet
Analog
Clock
SoundGrid Server
IOX
3.4 Multiple Computers with a Single DiGiGrid IOX
If you want to stream audio between several computers in order to combine multiple mixes or elements, connect several DAWs to
one IOX interface. Each DAW can send and receive an audio stream, and any one computer can control the I/O. Any native DAW—
or combination of dierent native DAWs—can be a part of this network, so each computer must have the IOX software installed.
Two computers can be connected to the DiGiGrid IOX Ethernet switch via a single Cat 5e or Cat 6 Ethernet cable. If you want to add
further computers, you will need to connect them to an approved external 1GB Ethernet swtich.
DiGiGrid IOX
External
Clock
12
Ethernet
Computer 4Computer 2Host Computer Computer 3
Analog
Clock
IOX
3.5 HD Mix Room and Several Smaller Recording/Editing Rooms
Let’s say you need lots of channels of audio between the control room and the live room. And you need exibility.
■ You record and mix with a large HDX system, and you’re happy with your present workow.
■ You want to be able to easily add I/O devices without signicant conguration changes.
■ Your studio is part of a large facility, and you’d like to have access to available I/O devices throughout the facility.
■ You want to move your local processing from your Pro Tools system to a DSP server in order to allow a greater plugin count.
Inventory
■ Pro Tools HD/HDX or HD Native system
■ Avid HD I/O (96, 192, Omni, etc.)
■ Two IOX I/O devices
■ Three IOC I/O devices
■ 1 GB network switch
The DLS serves as a bridge between a SoundGrid network and the control room’s Pro Tools HD. Once this link is established,
Pro Tools can access any device on the network.
13
In this example, Studio A’s control room uses a Digilink I/O interface for monitoring, but additional I/O channels can be added by
connecting one or more IOX interfaces to the DLS.
The live room is equipped with two input-rich DiGiGrid I/Os. This results in a large number of lines between the live room and the
control room over a single Ethernet Cable.
This conguration is part of a larger facility-wide network, so the control room’s Pro Tools HD has access to I/Os throughout the
building. The SoundGrid Studio Application on Studio A’s control room computer is used to manage all the Hardware I/Os on the
network and to connect them to the software I’Os (ASIO/Core Audio drivers) in Studios B, C, D.
IOX
HD Mix Room and Several Smaller Recording/Editing Rooms
DiGiGrid DLS
WC / Loopsync*
Out
DigiLink Interface
Primary PortInExpansion Port
Live Room 1 Live Room 2
DL1Ethernet
DL2
Studio A
1 2
DiGiGrid IOXDiGiGrid IOX
14
Ethernet
Analog
Clock
DiGiGrid IOCDiGiGrid IOC DiGiGrid IOC
Studio B
* Dependent on Clock Mode setting in the DLS/DLI control panel
Studio DStudio C
Loading...