getting signal from the tracking room to my comp with minimal latency

jgrif08 · 1st November 2005

I have converted a room in my basement into a 'psuedo' sound-treated tracking room. I would like to leave my computer upstairs to make monitoring the recording easier during tracking. I sit more or less right above the tracking area and can get cabling down there fairly easily. How much money would I be looking at spending to get a snake to run down to the basement? (prob 30-50 feet long max) Would a long firewire cable be a plausible solution? I know this may be a dumb question, as I have would have to leave the interface downstairs and run the firewire cable from there. My only thought is that this might decrease latency. Like I said though, I am not sitting too far from the tracking room distance wise, a 30 foot snake would more than likely be enough, and I have a fairly fast interface (Fireface 800), so hopefully latency won't be too big of an issue either way. Any thoughts? Fairly new to all this so any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Harley-OIART · 1st November 2005

If I remeber correctly (someone stop me immediately if I'm off)

Firewire Cables are limited to 14 feet. That or Less is probably your best bet.

Now as far as a snake goes - To save money and still get a great product ;

Buy Installation Grade Wire (Twisted Pair Plus Shield - thin gauge)
each wire = 1 channel
run as many channels as you need
braid them all together to form a large snake
put ends and connectors on and your good to go (Neutrik or Switchcraft)

1st November 2005	#1
jgrif08 Lives for gear Joined: Jul 2005 Location: Mar Vista, CA Posts: 740 Thread Starter	getting signal from the tracking room to my comp with minimal latency I have converted a room in my basement into a 'psuedo' sound-treated tracking room. I would like to leave my computer upstairs to make monitoring the recording easier during tracking. I sit more or less right above the tracking area and can get cabling down there fairly easily. How much money would I be looking at spending to get a snake to run down to the basement? (prob 30-50 feet long max) Would a long firewire cable be a plausible solution? I know this may be a dumb question, as I have would have to leave the interface downstairs and run the firewire cable from there. My only thought is that this might decrease latency. Like I said though, I am not sitting too far from the tracking room distance wise, a 30 foot snake would more than likely be enough, and I have a fairly fast interface (Fireface 800), so hopefully latency won't be too big of an issue either way. Any thoughts? Fairly new to all this so any advice would be greatly appreciated.

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1st November 2005	#2
Harley-OIART Lives for gear Joined: Mar 2005 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 1,129	If I remeber correctly (someone stop me immediately if I'm off) Firewire Cables are limited to 14 feet. That or Less is probably your best bet. Now as far as a snake goes - To save money and still get a great product ; Buy Installation Grade Wire (Twisted Pair Plus Shield - thin gauge) each wire = 1 channel run as many channels as you need braid them all together to form a large snake put ends and connectors on and your good to go (Neutrik or Switchcraft)