Instruction manual

SMPTE SYNC AND MMC WITH A WINDOWS SEQUENCER
22
interface as shown below in Figure 4-2. All
channelizing and filtering is applied before the
input data arrives at any software input port and
after it is sent from any software output port. This
is a great advantage as it frees up your computer
and MIDI software from having to deal with the
mundane (and time-consuming) chore of such
processing. Just configure your MOTU interface
and let it do all the work!
Sync Port
You’ll also see several other special MIDI ports in
addition to the regular MIDI ports. The first is the
“Sync” input port where all MIDI real time and
MIDI Time Code messages will arrive, regardless
of the physical MIDI input jack from which the
MOTU interface receives them. All other received
data will arrive at its input port as appropriate.
Out All port
You’ll also see a port called “Out All”. This port also
appears in your MIDI programs, allowing you to
send the same MIDI data out all MIDI output ports
at once.
MIDI ports and the console software
You do not need to have the MOTU interface
console software running in Windows to use the
MOTU interface with your sequencer. Also, as the
console does not compete with other MIDI
applications for the Windows MIDI ports, you can
freely open and close the console to make
adjustments or simply check the current settings
during your Windows session.
SLAVING A SEQUENCER TO SMPTE
To slave a sequencer to SMPTE time code via a
MOTU MIDI interface, just connect the sequencer
to the Sync port, as demonstrated below in
Figure 4-3 for the Express XT and CakeWalk Pro™:
Figure 4-3: Slaving to the Sync port for SMPTE synchronization via
MIDI Time Code (MTC).
YOUR SEQUENCER AS A MMC CONTROLLER
If your sequencer supports MIDI Machine Control
(MMC), then it has the ability to serve as a MIDI
Machine Control transport master for any MMC
device in your studio, allowing you to play, stop,
and the device directly from your sequencer’s main
transport controls.
Your MOTU MIDI interface has the ability to serve
as a MMC transport slave, while at the same time
generating time code for other devices in your
studio. In doing so, the MOTU interface becomes a
central, stable time code “hub” for all of the devices
in your studio, allowing you play, stop, and cue
them all directly from your sequencer.
Figure 4-4: Your MOTU interface (a MIDI Express XT in this example)
can serve as a time code “hub” while you control it from your
sequencer via MMC transport commands.
MOTU MIDI interface
MIDI Time Code (MTC)
MIDI Machine Control
(MMC)
SMPTE (LTC)
Examples of
devices that can
slave to time code
Akai DR8
Roland VS-880
MIDI Time Code (MTC)
Cakewalk Pro or any other Windows
sequencer that support SMPTE sync and MMC
!USB Interfaces Manual Book Page 22 Tuesday, October 10, 2000 12:43 PM