Hello
Just small question: there are two ports on this card,1 2, - are they the same? When I connect Motif XF to DAW in my computer, do I use one port ?
If so, what is the purpose of having two such ports on the card? They work in parrallel?
Thanks
Regards
Mike

You can use either one. There are two because Firewire supports daisy chaining of devices.

Just small question: there are two ports on this card,1 2, - are they the same? When I connect Motif XF to DAW in my computer, do I use one port ?
If so, what is the purpose of having two such ports on the card? They work in parrallel?

No. Either one. One is a through port.

FW devices connect in what is described as a “daisy-chain”.... A system using the Yamaha Steinberg FW driver can connect three devices in a 44.1/48kHz chain… For example, in my studio I currently have the following devices connected to my computer:

Computer > Steinberg MR816csx > Motif-Rack XS w/FW16E > Motif XF w/FW16E

Each of the connected devices has the two ports, I’m using both on the 816csx, and I’m using both on the Motif-Rack XS… One of the ports is an IN the other is a through to the next device.

These are the actual connection.... In the virtual world of digital signal each device is connected directly to the computer. What I mean by this is - it would require a computer to have 48 inputs if this were done with analog cables… Instead a simple connecting thread, daisy chain, is all that is necessary. Each cable is bi-directional carrying signal to and from the computer. The chain of connected devices uses a single FW port on your computer. Unlike analog signal, digital signal in FW has a destination encoded with the data so it “knows” where it is going - even if you don’t always :-)

The computer is receiving 16 inputs from the MR816, 16 inputs from the Motif-Rack XS, and it is receiving 16 inputs from the Motif XF… All are not really connected to each other, they are all connected directly to the computer

The daisy chain signal does not stop in any of the devices it simply travels through them on the way to the computer - making the connection intelligent, neat, and easy.

The returns from the computer arrive only in the device looking for returning signal. FW is a “smart” connection. There are six audio returns going to the Motif XF, for example. Signal leaves the computer with a designation like “to the XF Main L/R outputs” and that is the only device on the daisy chain that will read that data. Another packet of signal could be routed “to the XF Asgn L/R outputs” that signal will be directed to the Assignable left/right outputs on the back panel of the XF… This could be used to setup a headphone amp when I need to record several musicians at once.

The cabling that allows all the routing possibilities are the three FW cables, 48 inputs, 14 pairs of stereo outputs… Your XF for example sends 16 audio buses and receives 3 pairs of stereo returns via the daisy chain. It is exactly the same for the Motif-Rack XS and it’s connection. Totally discreet audio pathways to and from the computer - simple daisy chain!

Thanks for reply.
So assuming that I am on stage of configuring new PC - how many Fire Wire sockets would be enough for comfortable setup for now and also enough not to worry about any eventual expansion in the future? I plan to have a sound card connected via firewire, XF with FW16E and also one sound module with Fire Wire port.
With these daisy chain + sound card - 3 sockets I guess - am I right?
Regards
Mike

I plan to have a sound card connected via firewire

No, the FW16E turns your Motif XF into your computer’s sound card. The FW16E takes the place of the computer soundcard, you cannot use it in addition to a soundcard, it IS a soundcard!

And unless the sound module is capable of using the driver (YSFW ASIO), you cannot just connect anything to this daisy chain.

Items that use the driver include Motif XS, Motif XF, Motif-Rack XS, which all use the FW16E, also Steinberg MR816X, and MR816CSX, also the Yamaha n8/n12 mixing consoles. Unless your items use this driver they will probably not work on this daisy chain.

You better rethink your goal and how to achieve it… What do you want to accomplish?

The FW16E provides your computer with 16 digital inputs simultaneously via the XF. This 16 buses can be used for the following:

Any internal Motif XF PART (includes the synth engine, the A/D Input Part, and redirecting any FW input from the computer)

Therefore if you want to record your external sound module you would connect its analog outputs to the XF’s A/D Input, from there you can route that to your computer via the FW16E. The A/D input can handle any mono or stereo input from microphone to line level. You can route it on any of the available output buses including to the computer via the FW16E… Remember it turns your XF into a soundcard for your computer.

This means it is capable of routing both internal and external signals on to the computer and is capable of routing audio of the computer on to your speakers which are connected to the audio outputs of the XF… Because again, acting as the soundcard it is responsible for all audio going to the sound system.

Hello
Thanks a lot Bad_Mister for taking your time to explain me all these. Now things age more clear, I just did not realize that XF would become an actual soundcard for computer.
What I want to accomplish - you asked? Well, I want to have a computer based system, where Motif XF would be a main controller as the keyboard, probably Cubase 7 or Reaper would be a DAW, and for recording I want to use a combination of software synths like Omnisphere or Kontakt/Komplete from NI, etc. with hardware synths like Korg M3 for example (which has FireWire port), or occassionally sounds from hardware synths borrowed from my musician friends (so like Kronos, Jupiter 80, Vsynth, etc.) - which have digital outputs. Therefore I thought more conventinally, that I would need a sound card with midi ports and all kinds of in/outs (analog, optical, coaxial) and I will use hardware synths as needed via those connections and mix them with software synths. So I treated XF traditionally as controller and thought that Firewire connection is the easiest setup. But after reading your post I realized, that XF would be a main component, to and from which all the signals will be routed. Well, not easy task for me to organize it, since I am novice, but well .., have to try :). I just think now how to route signals to achieve the best sound quality. I thought using digital in/outs would be a good idea, but since everything will be routed via XF, this will not be possible I guess. Well, I guess I have a long way to go before I reach the setup I thought of :)
Thanks a lot for advices
Regards
Mike

Until you’ve done it you will probably still be a bit confused. Connecting each device to your computer digitally is not going to happen without you switching to the DRIVER everytime you connect a different digital device. Because they all use different drivers. there is no one FW audio protocol - each will have its own driver which you will need to use.

We think the way to go is to use the XF as your audio/MIDI interface… Connect whatever device you want to record to the XF and route the signal digitally from there. Since it is you recording and you don’t need to connect everything at once, this is doable.

When you wish to record an external synth, connect its audio outputs to the AD INPUTS of the XF. Connect the MIDI in/out to the XF.

That external synth will be seen by your DAW as port 3 for MIDI, and it will have its own stereo channel for discreet digital audio routing…

Or you can connect each keyboard via USB for MIDI, either way, any of them can be used as a controller, any of them can trigger your VSTi ... Etc.

MIDI routing is easy. All devices can share MIDI resources within the computer. In other words, each keyboard could be connected via USB, provided you have enough USB ports.

It is the conversion of analog to digital audio that you will need to work out… Switching drivers and attempting to record each using it’s own digital output, is only for the very experienced, and in the end may not be worth ll the hoopla you will need to go through to achieve this.