SLink Card for computer (PC and Mac)

[Flo84]

Hi everyone !

I had a thought about connecting SQ to a computer to use live plug-ins with low latency for people who don’t need a big setup and on a reasonable budget…
At now we can do it :
– USB connection but with to much latency round-trip for a lot of processing (like comp,…)
– Waves solution available but we need : SQ Waves card, Waves server, Waves rack and… plug-ins. cost is approximately 2000 €
– Waves solution with Dante same + dante interface (bridge). Round-trip latency given by Waves for the Dante Bridge is 1.4 ms and if I’m correct we must add server latency (0.8 ms) = 2.2 ms
Actually we can get the “WSG Bridge Impact Combo for Dante” for approximately 2700 € (it’s probably the best way for a big setup where you can also the Dante stagebox)
– Dante with SQ Dante card and Dante PCIexpress card. Round-trip latency is about 3 ms (without processing). SQ Dante card + Focusrite Dante PCIe card = 1800 €

I don’t know if it’s easily achievable but my idea is as follows: SLink card for computer PC and Mac like the Dante PCIe card that we could use with Live Professor for example with low latency.

I see several advantages:
– protocol used is A&H = no need to pay an extra license
– we could continue to use stagebox SQ have already optional SLink card and its price is not too high.
– used with Live Professor or similar, we could use a lot of different plug-ins which are not currently compatible with the Waves rack
– we could increase SQ capacities while remaining as simple as possible by purchasing a single device (without the computer)

Against :
– the processing capabilities will depend on the power of our computer… but I said for modest setup, not to have 200 plug-ins 😉

For the connection with the computer I see 2 solutions:
– PCI Express port :
advantage: it’s already available in a PC tower
against: need an adaptorbox for MAC
– Thunderbolt port :
advantage: it’s already present on Mac, some PC laptop = you can go on the road with a relative light device
against: need an extra card in you PC tower (but cost is not too expensive if we compare to PCIe > Thunderbolt adaptor)

For me, I think the thunderbolt is probably the best way to have the most economical device and it should be external to be easily mobile.

It also opens other doors…
Recording the audio signal (like Dante Virtual Soundcard), why not also use a stage rack as an interface, …

Well, it was just a reflection… but maybe you also find a meaning in it? I’m in a creative mood today 😀

Best

[STEPHANVS]

Very welcomed, at least from me! One more question here, most notebooks have an ethernet port already on a pcie bus. Could that be used? (Dante has a similar virtual sound card, but it requires Dante card in the SQ). Drum VST-s could send multitrack without using up precious channels AND without unnecessary DA-AD conversions.

[SteffenR]

think before you write…

Audinate developed DANTE over 5 years before the first release
they only did development in these 5 years
or
ALC Networks developed Ravenna as a free solution

we have Ravenna, Lifewire, DANTE, AES67, SoundGrid, Milan, AVB(TSN)
HyperMAC, SuperMAC, MADI, Optocore, Rocknet

what we don’t need is another AoIP protocol
none of the above provides a cheap solution, maybe there could be a reason for that?

[Flo84]

Hi Steffen R,

clearly your observation is right and I agree.
In my reflection the protocol doesn’t need to be created because as you know SLink is the A&H owner protocol and already implemented on many A&H mixers.

Finally, the meaning of my thought would be a solution for people who wouldn’t need to get out of the A&H ecosystem.

STEPHANVS for me the main problem with SQ dante card alone and DVS (dante virtual soundcard) could be the round trip latency,
particularly with the integrated ethernet ports on computer (reason for the specific dante PCIe cards).
For record only it’s not a problem effectively.

[Flo84]

I posted in suggestions forum but it’s more to be discussed than an absolute demand. Maybe some people and allen & heath will see something interesting for the future. 🙂

[SteffenR]

I would suggest a Ravenna Card this would open the broadcast world
chipsets are already available and there is a Virtual Sound Card as well

but even the company behind Ravenna, Lawo uses Waves, they integrated a Waves Server in some consoles
and btw. there is more than Waves

there are some Hosts for all VST/AU plugins
at least Live Professor works well with DANTE
I regularly use it with Delay and Reverb on the dLive

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