Seeking Advice for Audio ND Midi over lan between 2 PCs XP

[TheHobbit]

Hi

Have a new DAW with 6GB RAM and was hoping to goto to 64 bit OS to take advantage particularly for using samples (Native Instruments Kontakt 3), however due to lack of support from hardware manufactures (drivers) and not wanting to spend out on a new midi interface I thought I would use the existing old PC for satellite handling of the VSTs (Kontakt) and Audio send/returns.

What software will allow me to use Cubase 5 on the DAW and send midi to the second machine and route audio to and from the PCs (hope Im making sense here).

For example :

PC 1 Daw Cubase 5 has the midi interface and external synths/gear
PC 2 Slave with Kontakt and 16 audio outs.

The second PC does have an Echo Gina 24 soundcard providing 4 stereo (or 8 mono) outs and can be routed into the Mackie 1620 Firewire which is hooked into the DAW machine.

Im I better using the soundcard on the second machine and only worry about midi over lan to control Kontakt/Vstis or going down the midi/audio lan route.

Have seen various software

FXTeleport (but appears only to do audio)
Wormhole2 (appears only to do midi)
Midi over Lan (Again midi only)

I maybe mistaken on the above 3 as I am just starting to venture down the route, as Kontakt is running out of BFD memory allocation in Cubase and will only load with outputs(audio engine) off.

Any advice mucho appreciated

Thanks

1 PC I7 2.66 mhz 6GB RAM XP32/64bit dual boot
2 PC P4 3.0 mhz 4GB RAM XP32/64bit dual boot

Midi interface Emagic Unitor 8 do have an Access Virus which could be hooked up and used on 2nd machine for MIDI so maybe route from 1pc -> Unitor8 -> Virus -> 2ndPC but I dont think I can use both Virus and Echo soundcards simultaneously so would loose the 4steroe/8mono option from the Echo Gina24.

Its a bit of a conundrum mand am looking for best set up to

1. Not use up all system memory with Samples.
2. Reduce latency on midi and audio
3. Get it all running smoothly and of course saving projects with easy recalls on loading.

Please help my minds in dire straits....

Thanks

[annikk.exe]

I ran into a similar problem with this. :S
I decided to just go with a 32 bit OS. Hopefully by the time I accumulate enough sample banks to fill my RAM Access will have developed a VC for 64 bit OS's..

It's an interesting idea, daisy-chaining two computers together like that.

My guess is that you'd have to have an audio interface and a sequencer on both PCs. The 32 bit PC can receive midi clock and messages from the 64 bit PC to tell it what notes to play.

If you run into timing issues, I think you can fix that somewhat by using a word clock. Big Ben is a good one, as I remember.


As a working practice you would need to take a disciplined approach to saving your work on both sequencers. I'd suggest networking the PCs, making a folder on the 64 bit PC to save your work in, and sharing it. Map that folder as a drive on the 32 bit PC. Then, if your working title is "song1" you would create a "song1a" for the first PC, and "song1b" for the second PC.

Similarly, you would load up both song files on both PCs when loading a song.


Finally, you probably don't want to lose too much desk space, so consider getting a KVM switch. This allows you to seamlessly switch your monitor, mouse and keyboard between computer A and computer B at the touch of a button.
Remember to check whether it supports DVI and USB - a lot of them only work with dsub and ps/2.


-Annikk

[TheHobbit]

You've got a point regarding saving projects and so on. I was intending to run PC2 with a program like VST stack rather than a second sequencer to save everything on the PC1 using Cubase 5.

I have been looking at KVM switchs retail around £150 for DVI and USB. But have several good monitors so not an issue...but deskspace is not a problem as already set up.

I'm at the point where I want to give it a go but trying not to spend a shed load of cash on various kit/software to find out its not working properly...the rabbit hole could be deep and dark.

Simple solution is possible go back using a standalone sampler but Kontakt3 imho works well except for the memory issues.

Some one in another forum has pointed out this Vienna? Not sure why :

http://vsl.co.at/en/65/71/1598/1273.vsl#VE_Pro

Thanks An*

[annikk.exe]

I can recommend this KVM switch. Very stable operation, nice switching feature, USB keep-alive thingy, awesome glowy lights on the front, a single extra USB port for a USB stick or whatever, and it's built like an absolute tank. Looks pretty awesome too :>

It's only £85...




-Annikk

[TheHobbit]

Very nice and on first glance exactly what I need...next months budget spent now, this months already blown - misses wanted a Nintendo WII/Fit (keeps out of my creative hair) lol

Back to topic looks like Vienna3 maybe the answer to Audio/Midi over Lan as well aas getting software it will do both Lan midi/audio and host 3rd party VST's. Not sure on the price but seems like a top solution.

Will keep you posted

Thanks for the KVM recommendation - going to get it ordered once I've done my research

Homework done : http://www.hexus.net/content/item.php?item=14590&page=1

Ordering now - perfect solution thanks for the tip.

[horsegrip]

Try looking at these interfaces also:
http://plasq.com/wormhole
and
FxTeleport

Otherwise, System Link. But, you need a second Cubase and Audio Interfaces that handle Dig I/O (SPDIF or ADAT)