The most simple device for mobile recording with laptop - 4 digital in

[ISedlacek]

So far I had Lynx AES-16 installed in the old Magma PCI expansion - but it is somehow a bit unreliable device and I am never sure whether it will work or not, recently I could not make it working at all.

Since the time I set it (few years ago), I am sure there must be some new simple devices easily connectable to a laptop and useable with common DAW (like Samplitude in my case).

I absolutely do not need any preamps, MIDI etc. - as on some "all-in-one" interfaces. I just need 4ch digital in (96kHz) and 2ch digital out. My Lavry AD has just AES EBU outputs, but I suppose it is not difficult to change it in SPDIF if the interface would have just SPDIF ?

Would you have some tip for a simple, yet reliable and not very costly interface ? (most probably firewire ?)

[t_chance]

Echo Digital Audio Corporation

This is a simple solution, not the cheapest. I don't know of anything four channels new without MIDI or preamps. The older Echo Laylas are available with a pcmcia card. There may be some other older USB solutions as well. If you still have the Magma, a LynxTWO B has four ins and a pair out. I have a workstation with that and am happy with it.

[DrDeltaM]

The much requested AES I/O Firewire interface

Weiss is working on one, you can see a pic of one side of the prototype here (inputs are on the other side): http://www.for-tune.de/de/images/vesta241.jpg
The picture gives an idea of the size of the unit.

[summer_room]

Maybe tc digitalkonnektX32 (not a simple device, though):

HTTP://www.tcelectronic.com/Default.asp?Id=11617

-jon

[sonare]

Having owned an AES16 an used a Magma before, I really doubt the AES16 is the culprit.

If you would rather spend money than fix the problem, look at the new Lynx Express34/AES card-- it will do what the AES16 does, but simply plugs into the express 34 slot. If you have an older laptop, then why not spend a little to fix what you have rather than alot to explore new problems?

Rich

[Mike O]

Originally Posted by sonare

Having owned an AES16 an used a Magma before, I really doubt the AES16 is the culprit.

If you would rather spend money than fix the problem, look at the new Lynx Express34/AES card-- it will do what the AES16 does, but simply plugs into the express 34 slot. If you have an older laptop, then why not spend a little to fix what you have rather than alot to explore new problems?

Rich

Can you point me to a link for this product? I am very interested in Express 34 solutions.

Thanks!

[sonare]

Don't be put off with the pic of the AES16-- they say the release date is VERY soon--

AES16e

Rich

[tenor39]

Originally Posted by sonare

Having owned an AES16 an used a Magma before, I really doubt the AES16 is the culprit.

If you would rather spend money than fix the problem, look at the new Lynx Express34/AES card-- it will do what the AES16 does, but simply plugs into the express 34 slot. If you have an older laptop, then why not spend a little to fix what you have rather than alot to explore new problems?

Rich

Actually, the only card that Lynx has that's close to that description is the AES 16 PCIe, which is the PCI Express version of the card. That is not an Express 34/54 interface, which is germain to newer laptops. Magma does make an Express 34/54card adapter for the expansion chassis that offers higher performance than the PCMCIA version. They are also moving towards an external PCI Express chassis, but it's not available as of yet.

[HughH]

Hello,
I've used the RME ADI-4dd, an aes<>lightpipe converter. Flawless but not cheap.
H

[clownjuggles]

Guys I think he was looking for a laptop card the Lynx everyone is pointing to is a desktop.

[sonare]

The picture is indeed an AES16 PCI card, but the description is of a PCMCIA card.

Rich

[ISedlacek]

Does it mean that a PCMCIA card which you insert into your laptop will be directly connected with 16 AES I/O ?? And this is the unit that will be the new Lynx card ?

[sonare]

Those are questions that only Lynx can answer.

Rich

[xxm]

not exactly cheap, but a magma express allows you to use your PCI soundcard with a laptop... Pyramix was using these before for portable job.

Magma ExpressBox1: Cabled PCI Express for Desktops and Laptops

Maybe it could help

Regards, Vincent

[ISedlacek]

I have Magma - the older one and have Lynx AES-16 in it. But it makes all kinds of troubles ... That´s why I am looking for something more reliable

[David Spearritt]

Originally Posted by sonare

The picture is indeed an AES16 PCI card, but the description is of a PCMCIA card.

Rich

I don't see anything in the link posted to suggest a PCMCIA card. The new Lynx cards announced on their website, including the link above are all PCI or PCIe cards, nowhere does it say anything about CardBus or ExpressCard interfaces for a laptop.

Ivo, there are very few simple devices for laptops for recording. They all have "value added" features which are excessive to your needs. RME used to make a CardBus interface but it appears to be discontinued. Firewire seems to be the adopted standard interface now.

I just purchased a StudioKonnekt 48 firewire interface for laptop recording, because it has the lowest jitter spec of any of these devices, and I wanted 4 more good quality mic pres in the box.

[ISedlacek]

Originally Posted by David Spearritt

I just purchased a StudioKonnekt 48 firewire interface for laptop recording, because it has the lowest jitter spec of any of these devices, and I wanted 4 more good quality mic pres in the box.

It looks very big and impressive (and not that expensive), it has zillion I/O, but no AES/EBU... I just want to simply connect 4ch AD and 2 ch DA to Lavry Blue ...
Without some extra ADAT/AES EBU converters etc. Pity.

[ashurek]

Hi... I just wanted to mention that I ran across something that seems to look like what you are looking for. Not entirely very knowledgeable so hope this fits the bill!

RME: ADI-642
RME offers the express card interface to connect to it. Seems expensive though!

Moe

[0VU]

Originally Posted by ashurek

Hi... I just wanted to mention that I ran across something that seems to look like what you are looking for. Not entirely very knowledgeable so hope this fits the bill!

RME: ADI-642
RME offers the express card interface to connect to it. Seems expensive though!

Moe

I have a couple of ADI-642s but I'm not aware of them being connectable via Cardbus/ExpressCard.

RME does still make (afaik) the Cardbus interface, together with a recently released ExpressCard interface but I don't think that any of their companion I/O boxes offer the AES/EBU I/O configuration that Ivo's looking for. They seem to run various combinations of multichannel analogue, ADAT Lightpipe, MIDI, wordclock, and never more than a single SPDIF i/o. I can't find any with AES/EBU interfacing but there's a new one imminent with a MADI interface (that would talk to the ADI-642 (and anything else with a MADI interface) but it's a bulky and expensive solution that's nowhere near what I think Ivo is looking for. There must be a better way.)

On a slightly different angle, I had nothing but frustration running my AES16 cards with Sequoia and after several months of fighting with them I ended up getting rid of them and replacing them with RME cards which seem to work perfectly. It wasn't so bad under Sequoia 7 but when I went to V9 the intermittent problems and irritation started. If Ivo already has a Magma chassis that works with his laptop it might be worth trying one of the RME PCI cards instead of the Lynx. It's not the simple, compact solution that'd be ideal but it could fix the reliability problems. But if possible borrow new or buy a cheap secondhand card that can be re-sold with minimum loss rather than buying new just in case the problem is with some aspect of the Magma chassis/it's interface rather than the Lynx card.

[ashurek]

oh! when I saw the Madiface ( RME: HDSPe MADIface ) i didnt even notice the "upcoming" next to it! I can see how all this can get very expensive really fast though :P

[ghellquist]

I used to run a setup with RME ADI4-DD converting from AES to Lightpipe and then into RME Digiface (a box) with the PCMCIA card. Lately I changed the Digiface into a Fireface 800 going firewire in. Both combinations work flawlessly and are very stable.

Gunnar