Yamaha mLAN16E User manual

Owner’s Manual
Bedienungsanleitung
Mode d’emploi
mLAN EXPANSION BOARD
mLAN16E
English
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English
Introduction
Thank you for purchasing the Yamaha mLAN16E.
The mLAN16E is an expansion board that features an mLAN interface. mLAN is a digital
network designed for music and is based on the IEEE1394 high performance serial bus
and data communication protocol. mLAN makes it easy to construct sophisticated net-
works for IEEE1394 (FireWire/i.LINK) audio and MIDI signals without having to re-con-
figure the cabling, as was necessary in older, conventional systems.
The mLAN16E adds two mLAN connectors to an mLAN16E-compatible device, such as
the Yamaha MOTIF ES music production synthesizer.
In order to take full advantage of the mLAN16E’s functionality, please read this manual
carefully. After reading this manual, please keep it available for future reference.
Safety Precautions
Before using the mLAN16E, be sure to read those sections in the owner’s manual
for your mLAN16E-compatible device on “Precautions” and “Installing Optional
Hardware.”
Installing the mLAN16E
For information on installing the mLAN16E, refer to the section in the owner’s
manual for your mLAN16E-compatible device on “Installing Optional Hardware.”
Package Contents
•mLAN16E unit
•Flat cable
•Tools for i88X/mLAN16E (CD-ROM)
•Owner’s Manual (this document)
•Tools for i88X/mLAN16E Installation Guide
About the included CD-ROM
The mLAN16E is shipped with a CD-ROM that contains software that is useful when
used in conjunction with the mLAN16E. This software includes drivers that are
required to connect the mLAN16E to a computer. It also includes “mLAN Graphic
Patchbay,” which enables you to route audio and MIDI signals between mLAN
devices. For more information, refer to the separate “Tools for i88X/mLAN16E Instal-
lation Guide” and the mLAN Graphic Patchbay PDF manuals.

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•The illustrations and LCD screens shown in this Owner’s Manual are for instructional
purposes only and may appear somewhat different from those on your device.
•MIDI is a registered trademark of the Association of Musical Electronics Industry
(AMEI).
•mLAN is a trademark of Yamaha Corporation.
•Company names and product names in this Owner’s Manual are the trademarks or
registered trademarks of their respective owners.
Features
■Fast data transfer via mLAN
mLAN is a digital network designed for music. It uses the IEEE1394 high performance
serial bus and allows you to construct systems that are more sophisticated yet simpler
than ever before. The mLAN16E can transmit data at a transfer rate of up to 400Mbps
(S400).
■Intuitive mLAN connection setup and management via GUI
(Graphic User Interface)
The mLAN Graphic Patchbay software application enables you to establish connections
between mLAN devices using a computer graphic user interface, and simplifies the
routing and synchronization of audio/MIDI signals between mLAN devices.
■Up to 16 audio channel I/Os and six MIDI connector I/Os
Connecting mLAN16E-equipped mLAN devices allows for data transmission via up to
16 audio channel Ins and Outs, and 8 MIDI connector Ins and Outs.
The number of audio and MIDI connectors used for data transfer varies
depending on the mLAN16E device. MOTIF ES can provide up to 4 Stereo In/
16 Mono (8 Stereo) Out audio channels and 4 In/4 Out MIDI connectors.
■Additional options for the wordclock setting
You can set the operational sampling frequency of an mLAN16E-compatible device that
features a limited number of sampling frequencies as a wordclock master. Alternatively,
you can set it as a wordclock slave machine that runs at 44.1 kHz, 48 kHz, 88.2 kHz, or
96 kHz.
Yamaha is not held responsible for damage caused by improper use of or mod-
ifications to the device or for data that is lost or destroyed.
NOTE

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Table of Contents
Introduction............................................................................. 2
Safety Precautions.................................................................... 2
Installing the mLAN16E............................................................ 2
Package Contents .................................................................... 2
Features ................................................................................... 3
Fundamentals of mLAN............................................................ 4
Operational Flow for Sound Output ......................................... 5
Names and Functions .............................................................. 6
Connections ............................................................................ 7
System Examples ..................................................................... 8
Making mLAN Connections ................................................... 12
Troubleshooting .................................................................... 13
Specifications......................................................................... 17
Fundamentals of mLAN
mLAN is a digital network for music that was developed based on IEEE1394, an indus-
try-standard high-performance data communications protocol.
Digital music environments that do not feature mLAN require dozens of cables for vari-
ous devices and purposes, including MIDI cables and audio cables to route MIDI and
audio signals. If you wish to make changes to such systems, you must physically discon-
nect and re-connect these cables.
For example, adding another synthesizer to a system requires two MIDI cables and two
or more cables for audio (for stereo equipment). Making the appropriate connections
may require special knowledge of inputs, outputs, stereo settings, and perhaps connec-
tor impedance.

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The larger the system, the more complicated and expensive these connections
become, increasing the likelihood of errors and difficulties. It takes time and effort to
investigate such errors and their underlying causes. You may have already experienced
the unpleasantness of tracking various cables through a spider’s web of connections.
mLAN simplifies cable connections by using only one type of IEEE1394 cable, thus
enabling you to configure extremely sophisticated systems. There is no need to re-
patch cables to change routings of MIDI and audio signals between mLAN devices.
Operational Flow for Sound Output
1. Install Tools for i88X/mLAN16E.
..............See “Installing the Software” in the Installation Guide.
2. Connect the computer and mLAN devices using the IEEE1394 cables.
..............See page 7.
3. Turn on mLAN Manager (Windows only).
..............See “Confirming the installation” in the Installation Guide.
4. To connect a computer to a single mLAN device directly, first start mLAN
Auto Connector. To connect a computer to multiple mLAN devices, start
mLAN Graphic Patchbay.
..............See page 12
5. Configure connections in mLAN Auto Connector or mLAN Graphic Patchbay.
..............Using Auto Connector: See “Connecting a Computer to an mLAN
device via mLAN” in the Installation Guide.
..............Using Graphic Patchbay: See “mLAN Connection Settings” in the
Graphic Patchbay Online Manual.
6. Specify the audio and MIDI inputs and outputs, following the owner’s manual
for your DAW, audio sequencer and connected devices.
For subsequent steps, refer to the owner’s manual for the software and connected
devices.
In this manual, setting up audio, MIDI, and wordclock routings is referred as
“mLAN connection.”
NOTE

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Names and Functions
AmLAN (IEEE1394) jacks
These 6-pin IEEE1394 standard jacks enable you to connect mLAN devices or
IEEE1394-compatible (FireWire/i.LINK) computers.
If the connecting device features a 6-pin IEEE1394 jack, use a standard 6-pin to 6-
pin IEEE1394 cable. If it features a 4-pin IEEE1394 jack, use a standard 6-pin to 4-pin
IEEE1394 cable. Do not connect the cables in a loop. (See page 15).
Yamaha recommends that you use an IEEE1394 cable with a length of 4.5
meters or less.
BACTIVE indicator
This indicator lights up when the mLAN16E is operating.
The indicator turns off when an error occurs during an operation.
When you click the [ID] button in mLAN Auto Connector or mLAN Graphic Patch-
bay (page 12) to identify the corresponding mLAN device in the network, the indi-
cator flashes.
The indicator also lights up if an mLAN cable is not connected to the unit.
1 2
NOTE
NOTE

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Connections
This section explains how to connect the mLAN16E to other mLAN devices and to your
computer.
Connecting an mLAN (IEEE1394) device
Connect the mLAN (IEEE1394) connector on the mLAN device and IEEE1394-compati-
ble computer to the mLAN connector on the mLAN16E using IEEE1394 (FireWire/
i.LINK) cables. At this time, you do not have to turn off the power to the mLAN device
or the mLAN16E-equipped device.
mLAN (IEEE1394) device
IEEE1394-compatible computer
IEEE1394
cable
IEEE1394 cable
mLAN16E

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System Examples
This section introduces typical system examples that feature the mLAN16E. Refer to
these examples for information on connecting external devices, such as microphones,
musical instruments, and computers.
For information on installing the mLAN16E, refer to the section in the
owner’s manual for your mLAN16E-compatible device on “Installing
Optional Hardware.”
The number of audio channels and MIDI connectors used for data transfer
varies depending on the mLAN16E-compatible device. MOTIF ES can provide
up to 4 Stereo In/16 Mono (8 Stereo) Out audio channels and 4 In/4 Out MIDI
connectors.
Connecting a MOTIF ES to a computer
Use an IEEE1394 cable to connect the IEEE1394 connector on an IEEE1394-compatible
computer to the mLAN connector on an mLAN16E-equipped MOTIF ES. Use the mLAN
Auto Connector or mLAN Graphic Patchbay (See page 12) software application on the
computer to patch the audio and MIDI signals and to set up the wordclock. Connect-
ing the MOTIF ES to the computer via mLAN enables you to do the following:
•Transfer data of multiple audio channels between the MOTIF ES and the computer
•Simultaneously record in the sequence software (a) your performance on the MOTIF
ES and (b) the performance of the computer sequence software that uses the MOTIF
ES as a MIDI tone generator
•Monitor via the MOTIF ES the audio output from the computer and the audio out-
put from the MOTIF ES
If you select “Normal Voice” or “Plug-in Voice” in Voice mode on the MOTIF
ES, audio signals are output only from OUTPUT L/R.
For more information on the MOTIF ES inputs and outputs and corresponding
mLAN IN/OUT, refer to the “Connections,” “Quick Guide–Computer applica-
tions” and “Audio Input Part (AUDIO IN)” sections of the MOTIF ES Owner’s
Manual.
Use Auto Connector or Graphic Patchbay to change the number of audio
channels that communicate with the computer. To minimize the load on the
computer, do not make mLAN connections in Auto Connector or Graphic
Patchbay using any unused channels.
NOTE
NOTE
NOTE
NOTE

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In the following diagram, an mLAN16E-equipped MOTIF ES is connected to
the computer. The relationship between each audio output from the
mLAN16E-equipped devices and the corresponding mLAN audio channel
may vary depending on the devices. For more information, refer to the owner’s
manuals for the corresponding devices.
*1 Refer to the MOTIF ES Owner’s Manual to set parameters for each connector.
*2 Set the MOTIF ES OutputSel parameter to ASSIGNABLE OUT 1-14.
*3 OUTPUT L and R correspond to mLAN OUT channels 15 and 16. You do not need to change
the setting on the MOTIF ES.
*4 Set up each channel using the MOTIF ES AUDIO IN feature.
*5 To monitor the ASSIGNABLE OUT 1-14 and AUDIO IN signals, set the MOTIF ES mLAN Mon-
itorSw parameter to On.
NOTE
MOTIF ES
VOL VOL
IEEE1394 cable
mLAN
OUT
15-16ch
mLAN
OUT
1-14ch
mLAN
OUT
1-4
Ports
mLAN
IN
1-4
Ports
mLAN
IN
1-8ch
(Stereo 4ch)
Monitor system
mLAN
16E
OUTPUT
L/R *3
AUDIO
IN *4
IEEE1394-compatible computer
Sequence
software
mLAN Auto Connector
/Graphic Patchbay
ASSIGNA-
BLE OUT
1-14 *2
MIDI *1
*5
*5
MIDI MIDI AUDIO AUDIO AUDIO

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System configured around Yamaha 01X Digital Mixing Studio
Use IEEE1394 cables to connect an mLAN16E-equipped MOTIF ES, 01X, IEEE1394-
compatible computer, and an i88X mLAN-compatible audio/MIDI interface. Use mLAN
Graphic Patchbay (See page 12) on the computer to patch the audio and MIDI signals
and to set up the wordclock. Configuring an mLAN system around the 01X enables
you to do the following:
•Transfer audio and MIDI data between mLAN devices simply by connecting them via
IEEE1394 cables
•Set up and modify audio and MIDI signal patches between mLAN devices in various
situations using mLAN Graphic Patchbay, without physically re-patching cables
Microphone Guitar/Bass Synthesizer
VOL VOL
IEEE1394
cable
IEEE1394
cable
IEEE1394
cable
Monitor system
IEEE1394-compatible
computer
Sequence
software
mLAN Graphic
Patchbay
mLAN16E
01X
mLAN i88X
ADAT recorder/Mixer
MOTIF ES