14+ years on a D8B?

[Star AV]

Wow! $200 and $35 for good working units. Just proves what I mentioned above, they are way undervalued, not sure why.

[yeskeys]

The downside for me was...now I had to get everything else! Ended up w/6 DIO cards, another MFX card, a couple DA88 and ADAT machines, and finally the HDR. Not to mention cables... Still, it's a amazing system....

[fishtail]

I have had mine for ten years now, and I am just as excited using the automation as I was when I first learned how to drive this girl. There are periods where the board has not been powered down for four or five months at a time, and I have not had any issues that were not quick fixes or pilot error. Aside from a few battery changes, an increase of ram, and the odd reseat of the bfc, this desk is charmed and I would be thrilled to keep this going for another ten years. I do have one sticky fader on channel 12, so that has become my drum buss group channel by default. Seems that it is a common problem along with the jumpy volume pot which is always a shock when it suddenly goes too loud after a "little adjustment."
Long may they live.
marco

[FrankH]

I have two. One is a fully working "proto" boxed up in the garage. This run was made before the release versions I'm sure all of you have. There is no BFC...just a cable feeding out of an ungrommeted hole. The arm rest has a floppydrive enclosure molded into it. That's how early this one is. The original plan was to build the CPU/power supply into the board itself...but that changed early on. No room, too noisy, RFI/EMI issues. It has MFX cards that can't be used in the production models. This is probably one of (if not) the oldest working D8B in existence.

The other one was amongst the first group of ten off the line...delivered to Bob, Peter, Greg, the Mackie recording studio, the testing dept and me. I'm guessing it's at least 14 years old. It's been in continual use since I took possession of it. Still works fine.

[Crash]

The arm rest has a floppydrive enclosure molded into it. That's how early this one is. The original plan was to build the CPU/power supply into the board itself...but that changed early on. No room, too noisy, RFI/EMI issues. This is probably one of (if not) the oldest working D8B in existence.

The other one was amongst the first group of ten off the line...delivered to Bob, Peter, Greg, the Mackie recording studio, the testing dept and me. I'm guessing it's at least 14 years old. It's been in continual use since I took possession of it. Still works fine.

I too, have the floppy armrest enclosure armrest, though my unit is not as old as yours. I have probably some of the first mixes ever done on a d8b but can't post them since the artist has not given said permission to do so. I did some mixes from a band that Keith Medley recorded on ADATs, probably a 32x8 analog console, just to get a vibe of the d8b in it's infancy. I imagine we are talking pre version 2 software, I remember the compressor GUI was all askew. My CPU power switch is also not production. I am not sitting in front of mine but I believe everyone has green plot light and mine is red.... or vice a versa.

[FrankH]

I have probably some of the first mixes ever done on a d8b

I guess I can top that. Did the first digital multitrack recordings and mixes on the D8B using that proto in NYC. Recorded an interesting and talented guitarist named Vicky Genfan and her band. We used those recordings for the first show demos. Used DA-88's for that.

BTW...I'm gonna guess yours is a single molded slot. There were two armrests proto'd for the floppydrive. Mine is the earliest: a hinged cover panel. Two pieces and easily breakable. Abandoned within weeks after every single door broke off on the protos. The single molded slot version actually went out the door on a few production models because they ran out of "no slot" armrests.

[Crash]

I have probably some of the first mixes ever done on a d8b

I guess I can top that. Did the first digital multitrack recordings and mixes on the D8B using that proto in NYC. Recorded an interesting and talented guitarist named Vicky Genfan and her band. We used those recordings for the first show demos. Used DA-88's for that.

BTW...I'm gonna guess yours is a single molded slot. There were two armrests proto'd for the floppydrive. Mine is the earliest: a hinged cover panel. Two pieces and easily breakable. Abandoned within weeks after every single door broke off on the protos. The single molded slot version actually went out the door on a few production models because they ran out of "no slot" armrests.

I was sure I didn't have the "first" but some of the first. Yep, I have the single molded slot, probably given to me by the ME (AH) at the time. I don't remember any of those armrests going on in production though.

[FrankH]

I don't remember any of those armrests going on in production though.

A couple slipped through the cracks. I remember talking about this in the Testing Dept. They sent out production replacements to those who asked for 'em.

[Axeman098]

I just got mine a few months ago, and it works like a champ! Dates back to 1998. I too am looking at the RME RayDAT PCIe card as I have 3 ADAT cards installed. I picked mine up used for $500 because the guy thought a channel or two was bad. A little tweaking and checking proved this to be incorrect, and I was quite pleased.

The one question I have at the moment though is this, if I use the RayDAT PCIe card with my DAW (Either Pro Tools 9 or Sonar X1), am I correct in assuming I'll only have limited control via MIDI or HUI? How much control can I map using my D8B in this fashion? I am unfamiliar with the HUI protocol and I know the single MIDI card will only provide 8 channels of control assignments?? What is the best way to get as much control as I can until something like Marc's project becomes a reality? I can live without the luxuries until then if I could just get Transport and minimal Fader control in my DAW. Can anyone offer suggestions or experience on this?

Also, someone correct me on this, but using the RME card, I can still use the Mackie pre's, once I switch to Marc's Serial port control solution the D8B then becomes JUST a control surface and I need to use external Pre's and simply ignore the Mackie recording software entirely...am I understanding that correctly?

[NigelC]

1. Using the RayDAT PCIe card is to enable passing audio to/from the D8B and DAW, therefore really HUI is not of paramount importance. However if all you want is to manipulate the levels within the DAW without passing audio to the D8B then its not needed.

2. HUI although on 8 channels on the surface allows you to switch banks as many times as needed so it can control many channels, just not all at once (but then how many hands do you have?).

Me I use the RayDat because I like the fact I can play back audio via the D8B. Also I combine this with HUI so I can say submix DAW instruments. I am effectively using the DAW mixer for plugins/AUs only and using the D8B for level/pan automation. But in my opinion currently its a waste to use a D8B just as a MIDI controller as HUI only uses 8 faders and MIDI Mapping is not fully enough implemented for me to use on all faders.

However if you just wanted Pan and Level it would be fairly straightforward to map for every bank. But if you do this you then lose them as audio channels as otherwise every time you adjust audio you will also adjust the DAW mixer as it will also transmit MIDI data every time you move a fader or pan.

Personally if the money was not an issue I think most people would plump for an MCU and 2 extenders if all they wanted was DAW control as its already fully implemented. For me the 44.1khz limitation for audio is not a big deal as I am not recording jazz and anyway not convinced how much better it is.