Sync PC to Mac - Read all other threads!

[WFTD]

Hi All,

Im having a right mission with this and hopefully someone has some news ideas or has solved this.
I have seen all the videos and threads on here in regards to linking 2 computers but I have still not got it working. Most of the links are mac to mac etc, but I am looking for help in regards to Mac (OSX Leopard) to PC (Vista)

The current set up and what we ant is as follows:

PC running Vista (SLAVE) to Macbook running osx Leopard (MASTER)
Connection by Ethernet Cable from Macbook to PC.
Both computers run into there own external sound cards then onto the amp etc

On the Macbook it was easy enough for me to set up a network, and also to create a session within the Audi Midi Setup. When I opened Live I could also see this session in my sync preferences.

Firstly I would like to say that PC’s suck….and glad I moved onto Mac sometime ago (sorry about the rant).
On the PC it couldn’t find the network, so we tried it wirelessly (in fact vista doesn’t even have an option to create a LAN network for some reason?? Any thoughts??).
The PC did manage to find my network wirelessly and connected. When looking at the network Diagnosis on the PC, we could clearly see that it was connected as there was a green line between his computer and the wireless network I created. On opening Ableton though, you could not see the session I created in the PC’s Ableton Sync Preferences.

I would be massively grateful if anyone can come up with anything I am doing wrong! Its more than likely something so obvious I have just missed it. But my concern is that Vista (and PC’s in general) are a black hole of continuous disasters that you will never escape.

Thanks all….and looking forward to hearing your thoughts.

[stonee]

I also would like to know how this works. i've never been able to get a network to connect between a mac and pc. the only way i've been able to do it is by either using a synth with a midi clock as a master, or sending my midi through the synth to my freinds computer, but that way sucks, because the delay is crazy.

[8O]

I had exactly the same question a while back and also couldn't get a satisfactory answer.

In the end I went out and bought a cheap USB to MIDI interface and connected the Mac and PC via Midi cable. That worked fine.

Lemme see if I can find my old thread...

[8O]

Original thread to try and sync via ethernet, or wlan or anything short of buying a midi interface: http://forum.ableton.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=98788

No joy, so bought a cheap midi interface and it worked fine: http://forum.ableton.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=99142

[WFTD]

Hi 80!
Cheers for your help mate, and good to see I am not going completely insane here!

The MIDI interface you have got......may seem like an odd question......but how does that fit directly into the PC if it doesnt have MIDI ports...or am I being a complete nooooob???

II want to start using this is a DJ set for my partner and myself and play out using 2 Ableton Live sessions....in sync.

As you say...I am really suprised that this hasn't come up before, and that no-one has been able to answer the question. I personally think it is "windows" out of the box security software already integrated on it...stopping certain connections.

All I want is them both to communicate and to see each other....it really cant be that hard. Especially during the BETA versions, someone must have bought it up while trying it on their home network, or with buddies.

One "goon" actually said to just press start on both at the same time, but Ableton really must have a solution for this....or someone out there??

Lord of the Geeks

[gzifcak]

windows networking is such a pain i would just use midi if you can.

i've done this before by connecting a midi interface to each computer (one to a macbook, one to a pc). just go midi out of one computer to midi in of the other one (make sure they are setup to send and receive sync in the prefs).

even better, if you are using usb controllers, a lot of them have built in midi interfaces, so you could just connect a single midi cable between the controllers.

[8O]

The MIDI interface you have got......may seem like an odd question......but how does that fit directly into the PC if it doesnt have MIDI ports...or am I being a complete nooooob???

One of these:

Connected that to the PC's USB port and the other end of the cable to the midi sockets on the mac's ultralite.

One "goon" actually said to just press start on both at the same time, but Ableton really must have a solution for this....or someone out there??

It's actually not a bad suggestion, the main problem in practise isn't lack of communication between machines, it's when the midi clock starts shifting. If you have two laptops running Live at exactly the same BPM, when you start them running, even without any communication between them, they'll keep time accurately (they'll just be out of phase, which is something you can allow for). I've had plenty of fine jam sessions just using this method. And I just came back from an awesome and very tight Holy Fuck gig which didn't have a midi clock in sight.

But I know what you mean, it does feel like there should be a quick, easy and free way to do this computer to computer, but I haven't found it either...

[WFTD]

I have an evolution UC33e and my mate has an Edirol PCR so I guess we can connect both of them via the Midi ports if it saves all this mucking around.
Having a White Macbook I want to save the USB ports as much as possible for external devices, and use the firewire for the soundcard etc...

Thanks for all your help on this everyone...but it looks like there is noooo answer

GUTTED

[gzifcak]

just try the midi, i've always had good results with midi sync, but networking always causes me problems.

setup:

master computer:
make sure midi interface/controller is set to transmit sync in the Live prefs
make sure the midi interface/controller is set to convert usb to midi out.
plug the cable from the midi out of this interface/controller.

slave computer:
make sure midi interface/controller is set to receive sync in the Live prefs
make sure the midi interface/controller is set to convert midi in to usb.
plug the cable to the midi in of this interface/controller.
press the EXT button in Live next to the tempo.

now the slave computer should start and stop with the master.

[WFTD]

Thats great stuff mate and thanks for that...will give it a go at the weekend and hopefully will work amazingly!! All excited like a fat kid in a sweet shop!

[Lord Kahn]

PCs can't receive midi info over the network like that.

[WFTD]

Lord Kahn...like what exactly?? Like gzifcak says?? Confused by your comment.