FireWire Link

FW Links is a software solution for distribution of computing power and real-time Audio/MIDI streaming between computers. This technology allows to connect a secondary slave computer to a DAW (Nuendo, Cubase, ProTools^*, etc.) running on the primary master computer via standard FireWire connection. The other possibility is to use the secondary slave as an audio processing farm where VST plug-ins, VST instruments, another ASIO compatible host application or ReWire compatible application can run.

FW Link version 1.0 features:

Topology: one master computer, one slave computer.
Platforms: PC (Win XP) – PC (Win XP)

Possible usage models:

• VST/VSTi plug-ins: 8x stereo VST/VSTi slots and 1x 16 ch. VSTi slot
• VSTi-ReWire: 16 MIDI channels from master to slave, 32 audio channels from slave to master.
• VST-ASIO: 8 audio channels from master to slave, 8 audio channels from slave to master. ASIO positioning protocol supported.

* FW Link is based on VST, ASIO and ReWire technologies. Compatibility with Digidesign RTAS format is possible via FXpansion VST-RTAS wrapper.

1. VST/VSTi plug-ins mode

This mode is intended for users who will use their VST host application on the master computer and highly CPU-intensive VST/VSTi plug-ins on the slave computer. FW Link VST host application with independent VST/VSTi slots will be running on the slave computer, where user can open any VST plugin or VSTi instrument. FW Link VST plugin or FW Link VSTi instrument can be opened on the master computer inside the host application as a track insert. It takes care of streaming the audio/MIDI data via FW Link to the related VST plugin slot on the slave computer.

FW Link version 1.0 handles 8 stereo VST/VSTi slots and one 16-channels VSTi slot.

2. VSTi-ReWire mode

In this mode, a VST host is used on the master and ReWire-compatible application on the slave computer. FW Link ReWire host application (ReWire mixer) runs on the slave computer and is visible for all ReWire device applications. On master computer, it is possible to open FW Link VSTi-ReWire instrument inside the VST host application. The FW Link instrument takes care of streaming audio/MIDI data via FW Link to the ReWire host on slave computer.

FW Link version 1.0 handles 16 MIDI channels from master computer to slave computer and can receive up to 32 audio channels from slave to master computer.

3. VST-ASIO mode

This mode allows to run two ASIO compatible applications in sync on two computers. On master computer, the opened FW Link VST-ASIO plugin handles the streaming of audio/MIDI data via FW Link to the slave computer, including timing and tempo information. The FW Link ASIO driver on slave computer also supports ASIO positioning protocol.
The system allows bi-directional audio transport between master and slave computer and running the applications on both computers perfectly in sync.

FW Link 1.0 sends up to 8 audio channels from master to slave computer and receives up to 8 audio channels from slave to master. ASIO positioning protocol supported.