A16 Ultra question

[diegomaggi]

Hello Everybody,
I want yto buy an used A16 ultra, but before I need an information.

Z link, like firewire but not firewire. Seems to be like audiowire in MOTU Pci-424 systems (2408mkx, 24 I/O):
same cable, different protocol.


so my question: @48 Khz, is A16 Ultra capable of transfer 32 channels per Z-link cable?
8 ADAT input+ 8 ADAT output + 8 Analog input+ 8 Analoh output

in other words,my Scope could work with ADAT AND Analog at the same time, z-linked to an A16 Ultra?

(my Motu 24 I/O could transfer 24 input AND 24 output @48 and also @96 KHZ, on the same 1394 cable)

(As I understand reading manual, no. Z-Link is only for 16 analog I/O @ 96 KHZ)

Thank you!
Diego

[jksuperstar]

[edit..after reading garyb's post below, I should clarify this description is about the A16, and it's connections.]

Two Z-Link cables are needed to connect an A16 to a SCOPE system. Each cable handles 8 channels in and 8 channels out. These number of channels are supported at 44.1, 48, 88.2, and 96kHz.

There are 4 ADAT connectors, that you can use *INSTEAD* of the ZLink cables. Then you are typical ADAT w/ Channel Rates: 8 channels in one direction for 1 ADAT cable @ 48kHz. 4 channels @ 96kHz. 4 ADAT cables for all 16 inputs and 16 outputs.

[garyb]

yes, the card can use all i/o. you can use z-link for 16 channels in and 16 channels out, at the same time. the card can use all of it's analog i/o and it's 8 channels of ADAT and it's sp/dif all at the same time.

the A16 Ultra can only use z-link OR ADAT at any given time. if you wanted to use the card's ADAT connectors, you would need another additional AD/DA or device with ADAT lightpipe.

[diegomaggi]

Ok, thank you.
1 Z-link cable (1394): only 8 channel input and 8 channel output (analog or ADAT)
Not together.

what a pity, it would have been nice if it had been capable of handle all
I/Os together, 2 ADAT I/O and 16 analog I/O

[djmicron]

Ok, thank you.
1 Z-link cable (1394): only 8 channel input and 8 channel output (analog or ADAT)
Not together.

what a pity, it would have been nice if it had been capable of handle all
I/Os together, 2 ADAT I/O and 16 analog I/O

you can route them over scope software, where is the problem?

[diegomaggi]

Really?
In Scope via dual Z-Link I can route both ADAT I/O and, at the same time, 16 analog I/O?

[djmicron]

you can use z-link to connect the converter to scope and viceversa, then the adat ports of the xite to connect to your adat hardware and yes, you can route them as you need.

This is in reply to your observation:

what a pity, it would have been nice if it had been capable of handle all
I/Os together, 2 ADAT I/O and 16 analog I/O

[Immanuel]

Please do not connect the Z-link cable to your computer's firewire port - ONLY to a Z-link port on a Creamware/Sonic Core or Xite. I once bought a second hand Luna converter "as is" with cable. The guy supplied a firewire 400 cable clearly indicating, that he did not understand this. And yes, the converter was dead.

[djmicron]

Please do not connect the Z-link cable to your computer's firewire port - ONLY to a Z-link port on a Creamware/Sonic Core or Xite. I once bought a second hand Luna converter "as is" with cable. The guy supplied a firewire 400 cable clearly indicating, that he did not understand this. And yes, the converter was dead.

This topic is about a16 ultra and scope compatible cards, but good to remember that.

[diegomaggi]

Djmicron, it's funny, we speak in english, but both of us come from Milano. ))

The problem is: i cannot handle 32 channels in (16 adat+ 16 analog) AND 32 channels out (16 adat+ 16 analog).

Of course, no risk to connect firewire to z-link.
After 10 years in MOTU (and audiowire socket on PCI-424) ....

Let's meet in Milano and go for a beer together!!!
My studio is 100 meters near Officine Meccaniche, in Ludovico il Moro
(via Brunelleschi)

Love this forum! An ocean of useful posts (and members!!)

[djmicron]

Djmicron, it's funny, we speak in english, but both of us come from Milano. ))

The problem is: i cannot handle 32 channels in (16 adat+ 16 analog) AND 32 channels out (16 adat+ 16 analog).

Of course, no risk to connect firewire to z-link.
After 10 years in MOTU (and audiowire socket on PCI-424) ....

Let's meet in Milano and go for a beer together!!!
My studio is 100 meters near Officine Meccaniche, in Ludovico il Moro
(via Brunelleschi)

Love this forum! An ocean of useful posts (and members!!)

yeah, the forum language is english so everybody can talk and understand.
What i meant, is, if you have some of the creamware pci cards with adat, or an xite then you can do all the routing you need, because it's logical that if a converter is 16 analog I/O then you need to route the signal to the desired destination.
There is not reason to compare the motu with the z-link, they are totally different things, z-link is for creamware/cw audio/sonic core products.