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New Paris hardware project [message #107457]

Tue, 19 February 2013 14:41

Dimitrios

Messages: 1056
Registered: August 2005

Senior Member

Hi to everyone still in here !
I have succeeded in making a portable 36 analog + 6 digital recording Paris system using ONE MEC sized consisiting the heart of three mecs and three analog 8 channel input cards !
All these inside one MEC !!
It costs a hell lot of money to make. Mostly good engineering...
But the idea has been realized with total success.
So now having my PC with three EDS cards inside a rackmount pc chassis plus a modified "MEC" and you are off to liove recording for 36 analog channels plus 6 spdifs if you need some more...
You will need a word clock generator to sync all three mecs , IF SOMEONE SUCCEEDED syncing THREE MECS without external wordclock let me know how !
This looks amazing mostly at the back side with all these inputs and digital connections !
This is ONE OF A KIND , the only existen 42 channel Ensoniq paris recorder using only 9U rack enclosure for PC and "MEC"
Regards,
Dimitrios

p.s : It costed me EXCEPT FOR ALL PARTS ( cards, pc, mecs, etc) 750 $ !!

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Re: New Paris hardware project [message #107461 is a reply to message #107457]

Tue, 19 February 2013 18:53

Will The Weirdo

Messages: 190
Registered: December 2009
Location: On The Lake

Senior Member

Pictures please!

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Re: New Paris hardware project [message #107462 is a reply to message #107457]

Wed, 20 February 2013 03:02

danielcornelius

Messages: 171
Registered: May 2012

Senior Member

Hi Dimitrios,

it seems to be a great projekt, please Post some Pictures !

Dan

----------------------------
- Asio Driver Cubase 5LE,Cubase 12
- Asus Z97-C, LGA 1150
- Intel i5 2320
- 32GB RAM
- 4x Seagate Barracuda 750GB
- Win10 64 bit

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Re: New Paris hardware project [message #107463 is a reply to message #107457]

Thu, 21 February 2013 06:56

Ted Gerber

Messages: 705
Registered: January 2009

Senior Member

Yes. Gear porn please!!

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Re: New Paris hardware project [message #107474 is a reply to message #107463]

Fri, 22 February 2013 03:32

Dimitrios

Messages: 1056
Registered: August 2005

Senior Member

Here are a couple of photos !
Enjoy !@

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Re: New Paris hardware project [message #107475 is a reply to message #107474]

Fri, 22 February 2013 03:37

Dimitrios

Messages: 1056
Registered: August 2005

Senior Member

The technician worked on this project can do this for 500 euros plus all parts and shippings...
He only needs on mec , and the guts of other two mecs plus either three input cards or adat cards...
You may also find someone in USA do that for you now that you have the idea, but my technician does not share any technical information on that project and I will respect that.
He did a remarkable job and it works like a charm.
Regards,
Dimitrios

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Re: New Paris hardware project [message #107503 is a reply to message #107475]

Thu, 28 February 2013 12:55

thesandbox1

Messages: 167
Registered: July 2009
Location: Carmel, IN

Senior Member

So now the mothership has competition!!!

http://www.burlaudio.com/products/b80-mothership

https://www.facebook.com/Sandbox-Productions-Recording-Studi o-Carmel-IN-122733877784336/

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Re: New Paris hardware project [message #107507 is a reply to message #107503]

Fri, 01 March 2013 06:25

mikeaudet

Messages: 476
Registered: February 2009
Location: Canada

Senior Member

Awesome!

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Re: New Paris hardware project [message #107597 is a reply to message #107474]

Sat, 13 April 2013 23:21

John Houston

Messages: 79
Registered: May 2009
Location: Hurricane Utah

Member

THAT'S FREEKIN AWESOME!

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Re: New Paris hardware project [message #107598 is a reply to message #107597]

Sun, 14 April 2013 02:29

danielcornelius

Messages: 171
Registered: May 2012

Senior Member

Its really expensive !!! You can take better some RME Cards and get some Microphone Tube Amps from Universal Audio Twin Finty 4710 with 8 Channels. I use this UA Amp with Paris and RME Card to swap between 48 Khz to 192 Khz.

----------------------------
- Asio Driver Cubase 5LE,Cubase 12
- Asus Z97-C, LGA 1150
- Intel i5 2320
- 32GB RAM
- 4x Seagate Barracuda 750GB
- Win10 64 bit

[Updated on: Sun, 14 April 2013 03:09]

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Re: New Paris hardware project [message #107637 is a reply to message #107457]

Sun, 28 April 2013 07:28

imajon

Messages: 55
Registered: June 2009
Location: Wisconsin

Member

Thanks Dimitrios for the inspiration to do this!
After I inquired with getting ahold of your tech I decided to tear into it myself as I dont think I could justify the cost especially overseas shipping working with your tech. I worked on it all day and successfully have 2 mecs combined into one. Mec A has 4 open slots and Mec B has 3 open slots. I Tested it last night and it worked. Passed audio and it acts just like normal. Everything shows up in the patch bay etc.Only thing I need to do is re cable the power supply as I believe it can handle both units since you only are actually running no more than you would if you had a pretty well stocked mec anyways. Only modification on the chassis is moving 2 of the card slot guides which is just a matter of drilling new holes in new position, an added mount for the 2nd short board, an additional mounting hole for the master front plate. And of course cutting the boards and combining the end termination with the new short board. I figured out a pretty easy way of doing that. That is what I tested last night. I havent cut the 2nd board yet but is just a duplication of what Ive already confirmed will work. I will post pics when it is all completed. I spent $2 on screws for the board mod. And whatever I need for the power supply recabling which I am sourcing out now.

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Re: New Paris hardware project [message #107655 is a reply to message #107637]

Mon, 29 April 2013 23:54

Jim Drago[2]

Messages: 102
Registered: December 2008

Senior Member

Gotta love modding the MEC

http://kerrygalloway.com/ParisForums/index.php?t=msg&got o=106307&#msg_106307

http://kerrygalloway.com/ParisForums/index.php?t=msg&got o=106390&#msg_106390

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Re: New Paris hardware project [message #107656 is a reply to message #107655]

Tue, 30 April 2013 06:01

imajon

Messages: 55
Registered: June 2009
Location: Wisconsin

Member

Yes it is fun!
I had acces to a Bridgeport mill when in Idaho but now gotta do the drilling by hand. KB Audio preamps and "Rack Mac" computer I built using the Bridgeport for the drilling. Today I am jury rigging a PS cable and fire up both modded bords with some modules. Biggest pain was sourcing the parts to build longer PS cable. I will snake it around through the space between the back plane and front lower panel to the second card. I ordered a new 2nd power supply from skynet $39.00 if I decide to run with 2 power supplies but I think one should be OK since really it shouldn't have more draw than a pretty full mec chassis. Ill get better pics when finished.

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[Updated on: Tue, 30 April 2013 06:16]

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Re: New Paris hardware project [message #107657 is a reply to message #107656]

Tue, 30 April 2013 06:15

Dimitrios

Messages: 1056
Registered: August 2005

Senior Member

COOL !
You need two main boards though for them to work.
Maybe one power supply will be enouph anyways...
I guess you just don't have pictured the second mainboard MEC.
Congrats on your project.
I remember my technician saying that you cannot cut the board wherever you want but at specific points...
Hope this project will be safe and running !!!
Good luck.
Dimitrios

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Re: New Paris hardware project [message #107658 is a reply to message #107657]

Tue, 30 April 2013 06:19

imajon

Messages: 55
Registered: June 2009
Location: Wisconsin

Member

Yes the second Main section isnt in there. I moved, repositioned the board guides if you look close. It slides in there and mates with the second board.

Yes He is right. Each connecter has a termination cap thingy unique to it so have to cut after that point. the 4 card board worked.

Just Fired up the 3 Slot mec section. Success!

Your Basic 32 channel rig + 8 ADAT I/O! (not counting the mec master section)

Lots of potential for modding these! The main Mec section could be squeezed down to a 2 slot width by relocating the front panel light section in the lower section. If I had access to the Bridgeport I would have done this. I really wanted a dual 4 slot mec.
I think Ill name it MecDuet

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[Updated on: Tue, 30 April 2013 15:11]

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Re: New Paris hardware project [message #107661 is a reply to message #107658]

Tue, 30 April 2013 10:39

kerryg

Messages: 1529
Registered: February 2009

Senior Member
Administrator

Wow, really cool hardware projects!

"... being bitter is like swallowing poison and waiting for the other guy to die..." - anon

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Re: New Paris hardware project [message #107673 is a reply to message #107661]

Fri, 03 May 2013 16:26

imajon

Messages: 55
Registered: June 2009
Location: Wisconsin

Member

Done. It Works

2 mecs (MecDuet) in one. Four slots in Right Mec A and 3 in Left Mec B. The space in the middle on Front Panel is where 4th card resides in Mec A . I would have had to cut the 2nd mec front plate and remove the indicator lights and didn't feel it necessary as the Output card in that slot doesnt have any front panel anyways. Actually any card will work there without a front indicator panel. the absence of it does not cause any issues except not seeing leds.

Power supply cable parts, crimp connectors,crimp tool, wire about $75.
I did all the drilling and cutting myself so no outside cost for that.

500 for someone to do this as a first time endeavor is not unreasonable. Most of the work is planning figuring out where to cut and the mechanical stuff, drilling, cutting.
The electronics actually was the easiest part.

Pics

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Re: New Paris hardware project [message #107674 is a reply to message #107673]

Sat, 04 May 2013 05:04

Dimitrios

Messages: 1056
Registered: August 2005

Senior Member

Cool !!
Glad you succeeded !
If I had the guts to do it myself then I would save me some good money but these things need some expert hands so I trusted someone else !!
I am glad also thet I have three mecs witha total of 36 analog inputs plus 6 spdif ones for live recording and studio too...
Nice times !!
Cheers,
Dimitrios

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Re: New Paris hardware project [message #107680 is a reply to message #107674]

Sat, 04 May 2013 20:07

imajon

Messages: 55
Registered: June 2009
Location: Wisconsin

Member

Hey Dimitrios
Thanks for the kind words.
24 at once channels for me is enough. This will do 32 so I'm ok with that plus additional adat IO so its versatile for me. Not fully tested yet. Only prob I am having is gettting sync via word clock. Using ardvark with bnc to each unit works but tried my presonus adat bridge as master and daisy chaining doesn't. I need to try a terminator for that scenerio which I havent. It might be the issue. I still think the old mac os9 runs Paris better but I dont have as much experience on the pc side. Some more testing this week... make sure it is road worthy.
once I get it all tweaked out I will post.

[Updated on: Sat, 04 May 2013 20:18]

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Re: New Paris hardware project [message #107681 is a reply to message #107680]

Sun, 05 May 2013 01:33

danielcornelius

Messages: 171
Registered: May 2012

Senior Member

If you put 2 MECs in one, do you need 2 EDS Cards ?

----------------------------
- Asio Driver Cubase 5LE,Cubase 12
- Asus Z97-C, LGA 1150
- Intel i5 2320
- 32GB RAM
- 4x Seagate Barracuda 750GB
- Win10 64 bit

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Re: New Paris hardware project [message #107682 is a reply to message #107681]

Sun, 05 May 2013 07:14

Dimitrios

Messages: 1056
Registered: August 2005

Senior Member

Yes each mec needs one eds card.

Also two mecs DON'T NEED external wordclock. Just put internal clock and daisy chain wordclock out to in from one mec to the other

Regards,
Dimitrios

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Re: New Paris hardware project [message #107683 is a reply to message #107682]

Sun, 05 May 2013 14:56

Wayne

Messages: 206
Registered: July 2008
Location: Las Vegas

Senior Member

How does it show up in the patch bay? The same as having two normal MECs with all the cards labeled the same?

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Re: New Paris hardware project [message #107684 is a reply to message #107683]

Sun, 05 May 2013 22:03

imajon

Messages: 55
Registered: June 2009
Location: Wisconsin

Member

Yes, It functions just like to separate normal Mecs. Patchbay config is the same. If in my case a four slot and a 3 slot unit, it still displays all 9 slots but since you physically can only put X number modules in that particular mec, only those that are present show up in the appropriate slot. Slots 5-9 in the four slot mec are displayed but since you can't put a card in the non existant slot, it doesn't matter. In other words... empty slots displayed is a software function. What shows up in the slot when is a combination of the hardware there and the software seeing it.
You can run one eds card with one Mec if you want, the other one will just sit there doing nothing. They are not tied together in any way except for being the same box. In my case, they share the same power supply but that only means both units will be on but still are seperate entities as far as Paris is concerned. For a multi eds card set up you still have to do all the same things as far as syncing them together.
Update
All is working fine with Mec Duet. Just did another... 4 slot X 3 slot, reducing all the mecs Ive collected over the years.

[Updated on: Sun, 26 May 2013 21:39]

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