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eMotion LV1 Tutorial 0.2: Introduction – Installation

Mar 01, 2017 | 45,710 Views

Learn how to setup the hardware, connect the SoundGrid network, and download, install & activate the software for the eMotion LV1 live mixing console.

This video is about installing an eMotion LV1 system. You’ll learn how to set up the hardware and download and install the software.

eMotion LV1 handles up to 64 channels and 32 mixer busses and it processes a very large number of plugin instances. To make this possible, processing is carried out on a high-speed server not on the host computer. This server is part of a Waves SoundGrid network, so the first thing you need to do when getting started is to set up the network.

A SoundGrid network consists of these four hardware components:

  • Host computer – The computer runs the mixer and is used to control the SoundGrid network. The mixer application and sessions, as well as plugins and preset files, are located on this computer.
  • SoundGrid server – This is the mixer’s ‘number cruncher’. All plugin processing is carried out on this server, not on the host computer.
  • SoundGrid audio interface(s) – You need at least one SoundGrid audio interface (I/O device). I/Os range from small 2-channel preamps to massive 128-channel MADI interfaces, with many options in between.
  • 1Gb Ethernet switch – links the I/O devices, server, and host computer. The network’s star configuration enables you to add a secondary Ethernet switch.

Connect all devices to the Ethernet switch. You can patch up to 16 I/O devices—any combination of hardware I/Os and software I/O drivers. Use Cat 5e or better Ethernet cables. Do not use Cat 5 cables.

Maximum cable lengths depend on what you’re connecting to what, and can range from 10 meters to 300 meters.

Maximum cable lengths depend on what you’re connecting to what, and can range from 10 meters to 300 meters. Consult waves.com/support for up-to-date cable specifications.

Connect the Ethernet switch to an unused port on the host computer. We suggest that this port is used exclusively for the SoundGrid network.

All SoundGrid-approved servers will work with the mixer. Server performance has a direct impact on processing power and on the number of mixer channels that can be played simultaneously, so do your homework when buying a server. Visit waves.com/hardware to learn about SoundGrid-compatible I/Os, servers, and Ethernet switches.

eMotion LV1 can accommodate up to four displays. Adjust monitor resolution for optimal performance in the full-screen display mode.

The mixer can be controlled in a number of ways:

  • 5-Point (or more) multi-touch interface
  • A control surface supporting Mackie Control protocol
  • A MIDI controller
  • With a mouse and keyboard.

External controllers are discussed in Chapter 6.

The mixer runs on Mac and Windows. Visit Waves Support for specifications. For Windows users, the Windows Power Plan must be set to ‘High Performance’.

To get started with the software, you’ll need a Waves Account. If you don’t already have one, go to the Waves homepage and click create account in the top right corner.

Each time you buy a Waves plugin or other product, a license is placed in your account. To activate the license, and download and install the software, use the Waves Central Application, which you can download from waves.com.

Waves Central is also used to manage licenses, uninstall plugins, and other such things. Learn more about using Waves Central at www.waves.com/support.

When installation and authorization are finished, restart the host computer.

Launch the eMotion LV1 application. Your mixer hardware and software should be up and running.

You’re now ready to configure the SoundGrid network and assign devices to the mixer. This is done in the Setup window, and that’s what you’ll study in all the next chapter.

But first you need to get familiar with some basic tools of the mixer and learn how to navigate through it. That’s what the next lesson is about.

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