Converting a D8B to a full fledged DAW Controller (w/o MIDI)

[High C Double G]

As for the pricing of the package (Software + Custom Cable), We're gonna be asking a selling price of 350$.

Sounds fair, as long as you don't charge $200 for shipping the cables.

I use Digital Performer on a Mac. When will D8Bridge be ready for me?

c-ya,

Dan Worley

Yep, Dan... you been hanging on to your d8b for quite some time, huh?

As previously mentioned a lot of people in audio use the Mac machine, obviously Dan is one of these people.

Good Job Marc! I think you get this years award... I have no idea what it is, but when Beta is up and working I think you will win it. It is amazing you took this on and are willing to keep it going. Truly awesome man, truly awesome.

Michael

[Badbass780]

Marc, that's the best news I've heard all week. Would definitely be willing to part with $350 for the software w/cable... when it works for a Mac, of course. Keep up the good work.

[MOSHWITZ]

Sup?

Hell yeah, that is killer,,,350 is very fair...I'm in.

I'm getting to really like Cubase now that I have been using it for awhile so that is great. I'm trying to get one of the bands I jam with to move from Sonar, as I can do more, quicker in Cubase. I'm playing around with Reaper too as it was cheap enough,, but it still seems a little weird...lol

Keep kicking ass guys.

MOSHON
DAVE

[FrankH]

As interesting as this solution is, it just kills me that it completely throws all audio and monitoring functions out the window (and probably won't work on a Mac any time soon...at least that's the vibe I'm getting from Frank's communiques).

The reason I mention this is because I just did a quick test on the HUI Undo function in Cubase for another thread and it reminded me of how well the D8Bs HUI mode communicates and controls Cubase.

It's just too damn bad a solution to hack the HUI protocol to extend the controls across a single D8B deck's 24 faders can't be done. Now that I'd buy in a heartbeat.

But it (the D8Bridge) is what it is and certainly a reasonable solution for a lot of D8B owners who simply need a big control surface for mixing ITB; no longer requiring any of the D8Bs audio functionality.

My 2 cents.

[eaygee]

Marc put me down for one D8Bridge when it's ready..... Best news I've heard about the D8B in a long while...

[fiverec]

I look forward to the announcement to buy it, a pride for me to have my D8B and more now with the new software will be a perfect machine, I am eager to work with it and very good price Marc will not hesitate to spend that money, very good work, Peter is without doubt the best beta tester an ally, through the insurance will be even more perfect if possible, thanks to all who contributed so much have you here and thanks to mark a man who certainly deserves my respect and admiration, as I say I hope the order to be able to buy it with great enthusiasm!
embrace everyone from Barcelona!

[High C Double G]

As interesting as this solution is, it just kills me that it completely throws all audio and monitoring functions out the window (and probably won't work on a Mac any time soon...at least that's the vibe I'm getting from Frank's communiques).

The reason I mention this is because I just did a quick test on the HUI Undo function in Cubase for another thread and it reminded me of how well the D8Bs HUI mode communicates and controls Cubase.

It's just too damn bad a solution to hack the HUI protocol to extend the controls across a single D8B deck's 24 faders can't be done. Now that I'd buy in a heartbeat.

But it (the D8Bridge) is what it is and certainly a reasonable solution for a lot of D8B owners who simply need a big control surface for mixing ITB; no longer requiring any of the D8Bs audio functionality.

My 2 cents.

Frank,

Nothing is cut, all functions will work but it is not a "switch back and forth" type of deal to toggle back and forth. You would have to physically remove the special cable and plug in the DB25 data cable to make the d8b work as designed and vise-versa to get back into the box. I am pretty sure there would be some turning off of equipment and boot times to consider as an inconvenience too. It is just one a cable non-invasive hack and that is some great verbiage there!

Now as you know, people are considering pulling the Power supply out of the CPU and finding a home for it in the d8b console. Having been in machine rooms bigger than my house (of course I am exaggerating) I do not see an advantage except for the real estate why you would do this. Forgoing all d8b functions just is not what I am after. I think there are some that have their d8b's gathering dust and can not afford or do not like what is on the market now. This for them is the perfect advantage. Still yet more great verbiage... wow.

I think it's great that this software and special cable does not foul up the d8b in any way shape or form. If I was an only in the box guy, I might be looking to get power to my "new" controller; and If I were a in the box guy that also still uses recorders, I might be looking at a solution to make quicker the time I can switch between the two.

You have some very valid points especially on monitoring and the original design of the d8b. As Marc says, "it's a whole new way of working" that is the way I intend to look at this modification. It is something new.

my .02,
Michael

[FrankH]

Nothing is cut, all functions will work but it is not a "switch back and forth" type of deal to toggle back and forth.

Yes, I'm well aware of this. It wasn't the focus of my post. It's an inconvenient switchover. I'd like to have my cake and eat it too.....hence: 24 channels of HUI control being the dream.

Now as you know, people are considering pulling the Power supply out of the CPU and finding a home for it in the d8b console. Having been in machine rooms bigger than my house (of course I am exaggerating) I do not see an advantage except for the real estate why you would do this.

The original design of the D8B had the whole thing encased in the console*. No external CPU. That concept was killed early on because of space, RFI/EMI emissions and heat issues. I wouldn't recommend shoving a PSU in it. What might be interesting is figuring out a way to fire up the PSU without firing up the whole CPU through a relay shunting the supply rails only to the connector when Frank's cable is to be used.

* I have one of these protos in my garage.

[Axeman098]

The simple way to disable the CPU is to simply unplug the 20pin and 4 pin connectors on the motherboard. I don't believe this will affect the power to the console in any way, as those 2 connectors are specifically for the CPU/Motherboard. The CPU Power Supply will still be "running" per se, but it wouldn't be connected to anything, it would just be another fan running in the rack. If nothing else, it would be interesting to find a way to bypass power to it entirely and eliminate the need to have it running entirely. Would be cool if you could remove it entirely from the rack(along with the board and CPU), and just have the rack for console power. I'm sure this could be done somehow with a bit of rewiring work. Gutting all that out of the rack unit would certainly lighten the load a bit as far as the weight of the rack peice is concerned.

Keep in mind also, that Marc's solution factors in the fact that the Analog Pre's in the D8B are "dated" at best. The purpose of the D8Bridge is to simply convert the board's surface into a dedicated control surface only. This is not a big factor to MOST of the people that would use it, as most would be using dedicated Pre's anyway, that are also connected to the PC. In MY case, I use 3 M-Audio Profire 26/26's, so losing the D8B I/O is not an issue.

[High C Double G]

Well yeah... the thing I like about the d8b is its flexibility... I do not think there is any piece quite like the d8b. I like the idea of getting both old school d8b and "a whole new way of working" to co-exist easily and on the fly. So I am with Frank on this that I'd like to have my cake and eat it too. As mentioned this is what the HUI channel in v5.1 does but there is a lot of channels not being used on that original HUI system and I am hopeful that Marc's solution is tighter and smoother - this and with the benefit of multiple channels and function - should make a marked difference in how the d8b responds as a HUI controller. (this book is writing itself... )

The d8b has good pres for a lot of stuff and good compressors too. Even by today's standards not bad at all (for some things not all). There is so many ways to do the same thing and this mans opinion is that options are good. Is the computer the wave of the future in audio recording?... I think it is the wave of now and the future is here. This is old news. Truth be told, I need the mixer and I need the computer for what I am doing.

It is quite simple really once the cable comes I will modify a simple switch to toggle between the 24pair (DB25) and the special cable (DB25 modified) using only 12 of the 24 (I am guessing on this). All data from the CPU comes from the DATA cable and all data from the computer comes from the special cable. So if you flip-flop your wiring the d8b console will not get confused it will just read what it's given. Simple really. I'm rich now!!! no... still Michael. Should work though.