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Fundamentals of mLAN
mLAN is a digital network for music that was developed based on IEEE1394, an industry-standard
high-performance data communications protocol.
Digital music environments that do not feature mLAN require dozens of cables for various 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 disconnect 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 connector impedance.
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 13.
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 20
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 Patch-
bay 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 connec-
tion.”
NOTE