Waves MultiRack SoundGrid V9.7 User manual

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Waves
MultiRack SoundGrid V9.7
for DiGiGrid MGO/MGB
MADI-Enabled Consoles
Troubleshooting Guide

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Table of Contents
1. Introduction......................................................................................................................... 3
2. Components Required for Establishing a MultiRack SoundGrid System.............................. 4
3. Proper System Configuration............................................................................................... 6
4. Troubleshooting .................................................................................................................. 9
SoundGrid Preferences....................................................................................................... 9
SoundGrid Inventory..........................................................................................................10
SoundGrid Connections.....................................................................................................13
5. How Do I Know Which Version Is Installed? .......................................................................14
6. What Is installed?...............................................................................................................16
7. Physical Connection...........................................................................................................17
8. FAQs .................................................................................................................................21
Installation..........................................................................................................................21
Usage................................................................................................................................21
Licenses ............................................................................................................................23
9. Appendices........................................................................................................................24
Appendix A: Servers ..........................................................................................................24
Appendix B: How to Reset the MGB/MGO .........................................................................28
Appendix C: SoundGrid-Compatible Switches....................................................................29
Appendix D: Ethernet Cables for SoundGrid Systems........................................................30
Appendix E: Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6)...........................................................32
Appendix F : Compatible Plugins & Latency Chart..............................................................34
10. Contact Waves Tech Support.............................................................................................39

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1. Introduction
The objective of this document is to help you troubleshoot Waves MultiRack SoundGrid for
MADI-enabled consoles. This guide is written under the assumption that you have read and
followed the setup instructions available on our website before attempting to fix your problem.
This guide is divided into five major sections:
1. Illustration of a functioning SoundGrid system
2. Guide to resolving problems with a non-functioning SoundGrid System
3. General information about SoundGrid system components
4. Frequently asked questions
5. Appendices

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2. Components Required for Establishing a MultiRack
SoundGrid System
•DiGiGrid MGO/MGB – The DiGiGrid MGB/MGO interfaces let you plug any MADI-
enabled console.
•MGB (coaxial): http://www.digigrid.net/portfolio/mgb/
•MGO (optical):http://www.digigrid.net/portfolio/mgo/
•Waves-qualified SoundGrid server: A multi-core PC used for real-time audio
processing. See a list of Waves-qualified Servers in Appendix A: Servers.
•Network switch: See a list of Waves-qualified switches in Appendix C: SoundGrid-
Compatible Switches.
•Ethernet cables: Standard Cat 5e or Cat 6 Ethernet cables. See a list of supported
length per cable type and application in Appendix D: Ethernet Cables for SoundGrid
Systems.
•USB flash drive with activated licenses for Waves SoundGrid-compatible plugins and
the MultiRack SoundGrid application.

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3. Proper System Configuration
This section displays the basic windows and settings of an operational Waves MultiRack
SoundGrid system. To establish a proper system configuration, follow the setup instructions
below, which are also available online on our Downloads page:
1. Launch the MultiRack SoundGrid application.
2. Go to the Preferences window.
a. PC – File > Preferences
b. Mac – MultiRack SoundGrid > Preferences
3. General Tab Settings:
Link Status = Up Link Speed = 1000 Mbps
SoundGrid Network Found

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4. Plug-in Manager Tab Settings:
The plugin version you intend to use and have licenses for is checked.
5. Go to Audio > SoundGrid Inventory

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SoundGrid Inventory Settings:
Sample Rate: Matches the state of the console.
Network and Driver Latency: Correct settings depend on the server in use; driver
latency depends on the driver (host computer).
IO: MGB or MGO is assigned and status is On.
MR: MultiRack is assigned and status is On.
SG Server/s: Assigned and status is On.
Minimum Network Latency Settings
48 kHz
96 kHz
Extreme Server
40 samples
80 samples
Server One
40 samples
80 samples
Impact Server
56 samples
112 samples
Compact Server
96 samples
N/A
Please Note: In the SoundGrid Inventory window, the Network Latency range is 40 / 56 /
80 / 96 at a 48-kHz sampling rate, and 80 / 112 / 160 / 192 at a 96-kHz sampling rate.
6. Go to Audio > SoundGrid Connections.
7. SoundGrid Connections Settings:
MGO-1 connection to MutliRack is checked.
MutliRack connection to MGO-1 is checked.

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4. Troubleshooting
If the message ERR appears in the MultiRack SoundGrid status window at any point after
MultiRack SoundGrid has loaded, take the following steps to inspect all settings and system
components:
SoundGrid Preferences
1. Go to the Preferences window.
PC: File > Preferences
Mac: MultiRack SoundGrid > Preferences
2. If you see the SoundGrid network NOT found message, and Local LAN Port is set to
None, open the dropdown menu and set it to the LAN port connected to your SoundGrid
network.

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3. If you see the SoundGrid network NOT found message, and Local LAN Port is already
set to the LAN port connected to your SoundGrid network, check the following:
a. If Link Status is UP and Link Speed is 1000 Mbps, this means that the I/O and the
SoundGrid server are disconnected.
b. If Link Status is DOWN and Link Speed is N/A, this may be for one of the
following reasons:
i. The switch is turned off or not compatible – please refer to Appendix C:
SoundGrid-Compatible Switches.
ii. The Ethernet cable is disconnected or defective on the console (host)
computer.
iii. Some or all cables may be too long or not compatible – please refer to
Appendix D: Ethernet Cables for SoundGrid Systems.
If the SoundGrid Preferences are set correctly and the issue persists, check the SoundGrid
Inventory window next.
SoundGrid Inventory
Go to Audio > SoundGrid Inventory.

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IO: MGB/MGO
Sample Rate
If the sample rate appears as N/A, this may be for the following reasons:
•MGB/MGOis not assigned.
•If MGB/MGO is assigned but appears as N/A, the unit is not properly connected to the
network or power supply.
To resolve this issue, take one of the following steps:
•If the MGB/MGO Status is On, assign the device. It should be functional now.
•If the MGB/MGO Status is not On, unassign the MGB/MGO and click Refresh.
•If the MGB/MGOappears as Not Compatible, click Update. Once the firmware update is
complete, you will be prompted to restart the MGB/MGO unit. Disconnect and reconnect
its power supply.
If MGB/MGO has disappeared from the list, this may be for one of the following reasons:
•Ethernet cable is disconnected from MGB/MGO or switch.
•Ethernet cable is disconnected from host or switch.
•Ethernet cable is defective.
•Network switch is turned off.
•Network switch is not compatible (switch does not have 1GB connection): please refer to
Appendix C: SoundGrid-Compatible Switches.
•Ethernet cable is not compatible (not Cat 5e or Cat 6).
•Ethernet cables are too long: please refer to Appendix D: Ethernet Cables for SoundGrid
Systems.
•The MGB/MGO power supply is not connected properly or defective.
•MGB/MGO unit is defective.
If all else fails, use the Reset option for the MGB/MGO unit: please refer to Appendix B: How to
Reset the MGB/MGO.

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SoundGrid Servers
Once you’ve confirmed that the I/O is functioning properly and is not the cause of the problem,
check the SoundGrid server/s:
1. If SG Server Status is On, assign the device. It should be functional now.
2. If the SG Server Status is N/A, unassign it and press Refresh.
3. If SG Server appears as Not Compatible, press Update. Once the firmware update is
complete, the server will automatically restart and the Server Status will be On. Next,
assign SG Server to 1. If a second redundant server is in use, repeat the same update
process, and upon completion assign the redundant server to 2.
If the SoundGrid server has disappeared from the list, this may be for the following reasons:
•Server is OFF.
•Ethernet cable is disconnected from server or switch.
•Ethernet cable is disconnected from host or switch. (Hint: in this case the I/O status will
appear as N/A.)
•Ethernet cable is defective.
•Network switch is turned off.
•Network switch is not compatible (switch does not have 1GB connection): please refer to
Appendix C: SoundGrid-Compatible Switches.
•Ethernet cable is not compatible (not Cat 5e or Cat 6).
•Ethernet cables are too long: please refer to Appendix D: Ethernet Cables for SoundGrid
Systems.
If the SoundGrid server changes status from On to N/A upon assignment, this means that
Internet Protocol Version 6 (iPv6) is not checked in the computer’s Ethernet Card Preferences.
Please refer to Appendix E: Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6).

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SoundGrid Connections
Go to Audio > SoundGrid Connections.
1. Make sure that the following connections are set up properly:
a. Source MGB/MGO (1-128) to Destination MultiRack (1-128).
b. Source MultiRack (1-128) to Destination MGB/MGO (1-128).
2. Turn individual connections On.

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5. How Do I Know Which Version Is Installed?
Which version of MultiRack SoundGrid is installed is noted in the loading screen when you
launch the MultiRack SoundGrid application. There are two other ways to determine which
version is installed:
1. Go to the About window in the MultiRack SoundGrid application.
•Windows: Go to Help > About
•Mac: Go to MultiRack SoundGrid > About
2. Check the properties of the MultiRack SoundGrid application:
•Windows : Navigate to C:\Program Files(x86)\Waves\ MultiRack folder, right click on
the file named MultiRack SoundGrid, select “Properties,” and check the General tab.
•Mac: Go to Applications > Waves > MultiRack, right-click on the file named MultiRack
SoundGrid, and select “Get Info.”
Only the latest installer for each major version is available on our website. To make sure
you have the latest version installed on your machine, check at
http://www.waves.com/downloads/multirack under the installer’s contents and compare
versions.

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On Mac computers, if a plugin added to the latest installer is missing, simply run the latest
installer from our website and it will update your plugins.
The images below illustrate how hovering the mouse over a component in the Inventory window
displays the current firmware version installed. (It is not possible to see this information if your
firmware is listed as incompatible.)
1. Hovering mouse over SoundGrid Servers to view firmware version:
2. Hovering mouse over I/O: MGB/MGO to view firmware version:

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6. What Is Installed?
After you run both the MultiRack application and the plugin installers, files will automatically be
placed in their designated locations as listed below. Do not move files manually.
•Mac
oApplications > Waves > SoundGrid
oApplications > Waves > MultiRack
oApplications > Waves > Plug-Ins V9
oApplications > Waves > Waveshells
oMacintosh HD > Users > Your User > Library > Caches
oMacintosh HD > Users > Your User > Library > Preferences
oMacintosh HD > Library > Application Support > Waves > SoundGrid Firmware
oMacintosh HD > Library > Application Support >Waves > SoundGrid IO Modules
•PC
oC:\Program Files(x86)\Waves\SoundGrid
oC:\Program Files(x86)\Waves\MultiRack
oC:\Program Files(x86)\Waves\SoundGrid Firmware
oC:\ProgramData\Waves Audio\SoundGrid IO Modules
oC:\Program Files(x86)\Waves\Plug-Ins V9
oC:\Program Files(x86)\Waves\Waveshells
oC:\Users\Current User\AppData\Roaming\Waves Audio – Caches & Preferences
folders.
Caches
When you load MultiRack SoundGrid for the first time, the application scans the system and
creates cache files for the plugins. Cache files are created only when MultiRack SoundGrid is
loading and licenses are being recognized. Since the files are created “on the fly,” loading time is
longer when MultiRack SoundGrid loads and recognizes new licenses for the first time.
All installed plugins will appear in the plugin list regardless of the licenses recognized by the
system. There is a difference between loading and instantiating a plugin. When trying to
“instantiate” an unlicensed plugin within a session, the system will issue an authorization prompt.
This may happen, for instance, when you add a plugin to a rack or open a session.

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7. Physical Connection
The basic connections are illustrated in the image below:
Switch
A 1GB switch is required due to the amount of information flowing between the I/O and the
servers. Insufficient link speed of various components will result in missing or N/A listings within
the Inventory window. You can determine the link speed by looking at the indicators on the
switch itself. There are indications on the Ethernet ports as well.
Switch
Led State per Port
Activity
ProSafe 8-Port Gigabit Ethernet
Switch GS108v3
Left LED – 100 Mbps link
Right LED – 10 Mbps link
Both LEDs – 1000 Mbps link
Blinking
HP 1410-16G (J9560A) 16-Port
Rack Mountable Switch
Link/Act – 10 or 100 Mbps
Speed ON – 1000 Mbps Blinking
Preferences Window
The Preferences window includes three tabs:
1. General (Local LAN Port): Lists all available network adapters. Choose the network
adapter that is connected to the SoundGrid network. Network adapters are displayed by MAC

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address and port name. When you select the proper port and all components are connected
and recognized, the message “SoundGrid Network Found” will be displayed.
2. Control: Midi Control the MultiRack SoundGrid via your iLive serface.
3. Plug-in Manager:
Please note: MultiRack V9.7 supports V9 plugins only.

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Rescan Present Licenses
When you prepare a session and are routing without licenses, the plugin does not process audio,
but you can still assign inserts and FX and load the plugin.
To enable a disabled plugin:
•Connect your USB flash drive (V9).
•Go to the Edit menu and click on “Rescan Present Licenses.” All disabled plugins will be
enabled.
•You can re-enable plugins individually by right-clicking on any disabled plugin and
choosing the Enable option from the menu.
Inventory Window
The Inventory window lists all of the SoundGrid components on your network and lets you select,
assign, and update the devices you are using. The Device column lists all available components:
I/O card, MultiRack (the processing device) and SG Servers (MultiRack’s processing engine).
Please remember: A device is not usable until it is assigned. Devices may be listed in the
inventory window even if they are not connected or recognized. (Previously connected and
assigned information is saved to a preference file).
It is important to pay attention to the Status column. There are four possible modes:
1. On: Connected and available to be assigned.
2. In Use: A different MultiRack SoundGrid or driver is connected to the same network and is
controlling this device. The current instance of MultiRack SoundGrid will not be able to use
this particular device.
3. N/A: The device was originally assigned but is currently disconnected or unrecognized.
4. Incompatible: The I/O or server firmware version does not match the version of MRSG
installed. In such a case, click the “Update” button on the same device line.

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Sample Rate: This field displays the sample rate. MultiRack SoundGrid is slaved to the
console’s sample rate at all times, and this field cannot be edited. Sample rate information is
derived through the M-Waves I/O. If the I/O is faulty, disconnected, unrecognized, or unassigned,
the Sample Rate field will display N/A.
Network Latency: The network latency value (40, 56, 80 or 96 at 48 kHz; 80, 112, 160 or 192 at
96 kHz) sets the buffering delay used by the processing SoundGrid server. For correct latency
setting per server, see the list of Waves-qualified servers in Appendix A: Servers.
Plugins can introduce or add latency to the overall system latency. A plugin latency chart can be
viewed in Appendix F: Compatible Plugins & Latency Chart.