Using the D8B to contol an HD24

[gilcharron]

Hi, new to the forum.
I Recently purchased a D8B for a ridiculously low price, and absolutely love it! (before this, I was running a Tascam DM24 with myriads of menus etc... hated it, navigating though the menus and sub-menus destroyed all my initial enthusiasm...)
I am using the D8B (OS 3) mixer with an Alesis HD24 (optical X3).
My question is: as it stands, the D8B transport controls seem to only function for "Stop" & "Play", nothing else.
I have been searching high & low for a definitive answer as to how to accomplish full control, but not getting solid feedback.
I am not concerned with controlling DAWs as I am strictly working with the HD24, so, only need the cheapest, easiest, straight-forward way to make the D8B communicate with the HD24, any ideas?
Thanks for any help & suggestions

[Bruce Graham]

Hi Gilcharron and welcome to the d8b Forum!

the d8b uses the serial port and a db9 to MIDI IN-OUT Din Connectors.

If your Alesis HD24 has MIDI capabilities using MMC (MIDI Machine Control), it SHOULD work. I am no expert by any means but others may be able to help you.

Check pages 68, 69, 70 of your Alesis manual for possible answers.

Cheers
Bruce

[anyhorizon]

Unfortunately, play and stop is all that is available to control from the d8b to the Alesis. It's been known for a long time. It's Alesis' midi implementation that is not up to speed.

Peter

[Bruce Graham]

Thanks Peter.

It was worth a shot!

Cheers
Bruce

[gilcharron]

Thanks Bruce and Peter, that is what I thought... On another note, I am thinking of changing recorders to a Tascam X48 MKii. I know I can get playback for all 48 tracks by using channels 1 - 24 on the d8b, going in through line inputs, and tracks 25 -48 the regular way through channels 25 - 48. My question is: is there a way to configure the d8b to control the X48 track arming etc... across all 48 tracks? I assume when I would arm channel 25 on the d8b, that would arm track 1 on the Tascam? In other words, can the d8b send machine control for 48 tracks somehow? I am new to machine control, and don't know much about it, but I assume the software on the d8b should be configurable for 48-track control (hopefully).

[Bruce Graham]

Hi Gil;

I have no knowledge of making the d8b arm 48 tracks. I have never seen documentation regarding arming 48 tracks, even in a dual HDR 24/96 configuration.

The Track Arm button is the same button (signal path wise) on all four layers of the d8b, so I doubt it. It was designed for interfacing with the HDR 24/96.

Not sure if the Remote 24 could be used to arm the other 24 channels? It is a thought.

I looked on line and the "remote" 9 pin connector on the back uses the Sony RS422 protocal. I have a Tascam remote (I will have to check the model), but it controls 48 channels but I am unsure if it is RS422. If it is and you discover it will work for you we can talk about it. I do not use it any more.

Cheers and good luck.
Bruce

[Bruce Graham]

I'm Back;

The remote I have is a Tascam RC-848 and it is an RS422 device.

More to come.

Cheers
Bruce

[gilcharron]

Thanks Bruce, appreciate all your help. Actually, I am trying to configure the d8b so i can control the X48 remotely. Ideally I would like to be able to do all this from the d8b alone.

[Crash]

Thanks Bruce, appreciate all your help. Actually, I am trying to configure the d8b so i can control the X48 remotely. Ideally I would like to be able to do all this from the d8b alone.

How do you like your X48?

[gilcharron]

Three words: absolutely love it! Very user-friendly, and, if I wanted to, could do everything right out of the box using the the built-in DAW, but i'm a hands-on, visual kinda guy