Setting up a larger network

Setting up a larger network is not much more difficult than a 2-computer network. The main thing to remember is that VST System Link is a daisy chain system. In other words, the output of computer 1 goes to the input of computer 2, the output of computer 2 goes to the input of computer 3, and so on around the chain. The output of the last computer in the chain must always go back into the input of computer 1, to complete the ring.

Once you have done this, the transmission of all the transport, sync, and MIDI information to the whole network is handled pretty much automatically. However, where you may run into confusion in a large network is in the transmission of audio signals back to a central mix computer.

If you have lots of hardware inputs and outputs on your ASIO cards, you do not have to send audio via the chain at all, but can transmit it directly to the master mix computer via one or more of its other hardware inputs. For example, if you have a Nuendo Digiset interface or 9652 card on computer 1, you could use ADAT cable 1 for networking, ADAT cable 2 as a direct audio input from computer 2, and ADAT cable 3 as a direct audio input from computer 3.

You can also transmit audio via the ring system if you do not have enough hardware I/Os for direct audio transmission. For example, in a 4-computer scenario you could send audio from computer 2 into a channel in the mixer in computer 3, from there to a channel in the mixer in computer 4, and from there back to the master mixer in computer 1. This can certainly be tricky to set up, so for complex networks it is generally recommended to use ASIO cards with at least 3 separate digital I/Os.