Cascading 2 x Scope Professional + 1 x Pulsar2

[hesnotthemessiah]

Hello peeps. I have two Scope Professional Z-Links in a PC. Works great. Want to add a Pulsar2 (purchased on this forum).

Once setup correctly, could I have access to all my Scope Professional Z-Links' in/outs PLUS the additional Pulsar2 in/outs via the Routing Window at the same time?

Any advice on cascading 2 x Scope Professional cards and 1 x Pulsar2 card would be much appreciated.

I had intended to put the Pulsar2 in a different PC. I would then connect the Pulsar2 to the Scope Professional Z-Links via an A16Ultra. But I have found out that the A16Ultra will not convert ADAT (from the Pulsar2) to Z-Link (to go to the Scope Professional Z-Links). The ADAT inputs I have in the 2 x Scope Professional Z-Links are being used so I only have their Z-Link inputs spare. By putting the Pulsar2 into the PC with the Scope Professional Z-Links, I would have additional ADAT inputs and could use my Dakota soundcard (which only has ADAT in/outs) instead of the Pulsar2 in the other PC. Then connect the Pulsar2 and Dakota via ADAT. This would also save me money as I wouldn't need an A16Ultra!

[hubird]

that will work fine
just use a STDM cable to connect the cards, you will see all ins and outs in the SFP settings, as well as the extra DSP

[hesnotthemessiah]

Cheers Hubird.

Just did a quick forum "cascade" search and found this http://www.planetz.com/phpBB2/viewtopic ... ht=cascade which seemed to confirm this.

Any other advice before I get delivery of the Pulsar2 and add it to my Professional Z-Links would be much appreciated. Hopefully there should be no need to update the CSET.INI file but, if there is, I will cross that bridge when I come to it.

[hesnotthemessiah]

Duplicated post. Deleted.

[hubird]

you can buy the flatcable and connectors in the better electronica shops.
You don't need special tools, let the seller show you how to open the connectors.
The cable is just to be jammed in the connector, no preparation of the cable should be done.
For about 6 euro you're done

[hesnotthemessiah]

you can buy the flatcable and connectors in the better electronica shops.
You don't need special tools, let the seller show you how to open the connectors.
The cable is just to be jammed in the connector, no preparation of the cable should be done.
For about 6 euro you're done

Sorry hubird, I don't understand, did you post this reply in the wrong forum?

[kylie]

I had intended to put the Pulsar2 in a different PC. I would then connect the Pulsar2 to the Scope Professional Z-Links via an A16Ultra. But I have found out that the A16Ultra will not convert ADAT (from the Pulsar2) to Z-Link (to go to the Scope Professional Z-Links).

afair there is a way to route the adat from outside to z-link. if I'm not entirely mistaken I read in the manual that you have to set the a16u to adat mode and back by pressing a button. the normal operation is the the adcs are routed to z-link while copying the signal to adat out so you can record the session to tape. the adat mode enables you to feed the recorded tape session into the computer (which I would interprete as adat in to z-link operation).

-greetings, markus-

[hubird]

guess I was wrong, yes

[hesnotthemessiah]

The JRR shop were very helpful and got the following reply from Ali Fawaz at Creamware USA & Canada when checking up on the suitability of the A16Ultra on my behalf:-

in the A16 Ultra you either use the ADAT or the Zlink

you can't come in digital ADAT and leave digital Zlink

this converter is an AD/DA not DD converter box

so he can't come in ADAT and take Zlink out.

[kylie]

The JRR shop were very helpful and got the following reply from Ali Fawaz at Creamware USA & Canada when checking up on the suitability of the A16Ultra on my behalf:-

in the A16 Ultra you either use the ADAT or the Zlink
you can't come in digital ADAT and leave digital Zlink

well, then ali or the manual is wrong. the english version is indeed missing a chapter called installation. there are several pages describing the a16u in detail.
and there is a part where the a16u is set to zlink <-> adat interface. maybe this is rubbish, but at least the knob sequence and the corresponding led display works on my a16u. (it displays either ANLG or ADAT). I can try to translate the manual page in question, if you like.

-greetings, markus-

[hesnotthemessiah]

and there is a part where the a16u is set to zlink <-> adat interface. maybe this is rubbish, but at least the knob sequence and the corresponding led display works on my a16u. (it displays either ANLG or ADAT). I can try to translate the manual page in question, if you like.

-greetings, markus-

The reason I bought the Scope cards with Z-Link was so that I had the option of having more ADAT outputs (by using an a16u). It does seem to limit the z-links usefulness, if the only way you can use that type of connection is either with other Z-links or analogue connections.

If there is a section in your manual that explains where the a16u is set to zlink <-> adat, could you translate it for me markus? I would be interested to find out if the a16u can actually convert ADAT to Z-Link.

Infact, over the last couple of days I have found a way to connect my PCs without using an a16u. It will mean, in my main PC, I have to swap a UAD1 for a Pulsar2 thats due to arrive any day now. The UAD1 will then go in my other PC in which I will use my great Frontier Design Dakota card which only has ADAT connections. I can then connect the two PCs; Pulsar2 <-> Dakota. This will save me money and allow me to cascade the Pulsar2 with my Professional Z-links and give me more DSP to run the instruments that come with the Pulsar2 (the original owner has licenses for quite a few extra instruments)!! So, infact, what originally seemed to be a problem has infact turned out to be a blessing!!

[kylie]

If there is a section in your manual that explains where the a16u is set to zlink <-> adat, could you translate it for me markus? I would be interested to find out if the a16u can actually convert ADAT to Z-Link.

I would be interested in the results of your setup tests. I can not verify at the very moment since some of the components are still in packing cases (but the situation is improving ).

well it's a small part that goes like this:

---Start of Section---

A16 Ultra as Z-Link slave:

If the Z-Link LED is lit green, the A16U is connected to a PC that takes control over the A16U. The sampling rate is selected from the PC, then.
In Z-link mode there is the possibility of connecting up to 2 adat compatible devices to the optical connectors, which the PC can access without rewiring/replugging. The choice, whether the devices can be accessed or not, is made by pressing the "Sample Rate" button:
The meters will display "ANLG" or "ADAT" for a short time, then. With a single keypress the current mode is displayed, two consecutive keypesses will switch the routing mode.

ANLG:
means normal operation of the A16u, while the analog inputs of the ADCs will be routed to the ADAT out jacks, too, so an original ADAT-XT can run in parallel to the recording as backup media.

ADAT:
means that the A16U is now set as Z-Link <-> ADAT interface. So a recording made to tape can be played back to the PC. The DACs of the A16U play back the Z-Link signal pin parallel to the ADAT Outs.

If the sampling rate in Z-Link mode is set to 88.2khz or 96kHz, the ADAT interfaces are automatically set to S/MUX operation.

---End of Section---

well, I hope it works as described

-greetings, markus-

ps. I hope it's ok for cw/sc to republish parts of the manual here. let me know, if not.

[hesnotthemessiah]

Thanks Marcus. Looks like you are reading from the Scope Platform Installation Guide which I also got with my Professional Z-Link cards. The line "indicates that the A16 Ultra is configured as a Z-Link <-> ADAT interface" would seem to suggest that the A16Ultra can be used to convert Z-Link to ADAT or ADAT to Z-Link.

I think the only solution would be to use the tried and tested method of asking PlanetZ users. I will post a new thread and ask A16Ultra users to reply.

Thanks again for your help Marcus.

[kylie]

Looks like you are reading from the Scope Platform Installation Guide which I also got with my Professional Z-Link cards.

well, the "online edition" (on the cw ftp) is missing that chapter (I checked that), and I don't have a printed manual within reach right now...

I think the only solution would be to use the tried and tested method of asking PlanetZ users. I will post a new thread and ask A16Ultra users to reply.

still interested if it works.

Thanks again for your help Marcus.

I have to insist on the K although my parents wanted me to go with a C I ended up with K, and now I'm kinda used to it...

-greetings, markus-

[hesnotthemessiah]

I have to insist on the K although my parents wanted me to go with a C I ended up with K, and now I'm kinda used to it...

-greetings, markus-

Oooops!! Sorry Markus!

[Shayne White]

I have the English version of the installation manual, and it describes the A16U Zlink <-> ADAT selection. The question is whether Ali or the manual is wrong. Sometimes CWA's manuals aren't accurate as I've found out in the past, but Ali could be the one in error this time. I hope A16U users can post their findings here!

Shayne