The Ten Most Asked Questions About mLAN

Q: What is mLAN?

A: mLAN FireWire Music Networking is an acronym for music Local Area Network. It is a Firewire-based protocol for high-speed transmission and control of multiple channels of audio and ports of MIDI over a network. It includes intelligent connection management that allows connection and control over the entire music network without ever having to plug or unplug a single cable.

Q: What's the difference between mLAN and Firewire?

A: Most other Firewire audio solutions are either simple point-to-point solutions (one audio product connected to one computer) or company-specific proprietary designs.) mLAN manages that audio routing over a network of multiple devices from multiple companies. Audio and MIDI can be routed in any configuration and these configurations can be saved and recalled at any time. The configurations are automatically re-established if a device is disconnected from the network and then reconnected. mLAN protocol has been adopted by many different companies so larger music networks can be created using a variety of products from different companies. Simply put, it gives you freedom of choice.

Q: What OS platforms support mLAN?

A: mLAN is currently supported in Windows XP, Mac OS 9 , Mac OS X. Linux support is planned for the future.

Q: Do I need an mLAN interface card or box of any kind for it to work with my computer?

A: No, all you need is a Firewire connection.

Q: How many Audio channels can mLAN handle?

A: The number of audio channels supported by mLAN is influenced by several factors. The speed of the bus directly affects the bandwidth of the network, and how many channels the total network can support. Current network speeds of S400 (400Mbps) should easily support 150 or more audio channels at 24bit/48k. As S800 bus speeds become more common, these channel counts will double. These numbers do not reflect the capabilities of individual pieces of equipment however, but rather the total audio traffic on the network. Manufacturers will produce gear that can handle from 8 to 128 channels of audio I/O on a single device. For example, a single device capable of 128 audio channels would nearly fill the network with traffic, while you could have a dozen 8-channel devices taking up the same bandwidth.

Q: How many MIDI channels can mLAN handle?

A: It is safe to say that mLAN will support thousands of MIDI cables - tens of thousands of MIDI channels. Again, this reflects the capabilities of the total network and not individual pieces of gear. It is however, very common for manufacturers to make equipment with 8 MIDI ports supporting 128 MIDI channels per device.

Q: What software can I use with mLAN?

A: Because mLAN works at the driver level on your computer, it can be used with any Sequencer/DAW software on the market that supports multi channel ASIO drivers. You can also simultaneously use mLAN for any application that uses WDM stereo audio. This allows you to use the WDM portion of mLAN for your standard Windows sounds, games or PCM editing software without switching your driver setup. Any software using Macintosh Core Audio and Core MIDI will also run.

Q: Is mLAN just for use with Yamaha Products?

A: No, over 60 companies are licensees at the current time, and this number is constantly growing. Yamaha developed mLAN, and make it available as a royalty free license to any companies that are interested in utilizing the technology.

Q: Can I use I use my non-mLAN gear with other mLAN products?

A: Yes, you can add non-mLAN gear to your system by connecting to mLAN devices with regular analog audio, digital audio (SPDIF, ADAT) and standard MIDI connections (5 pin DIN, USB). The mLAN devices then convert these signals into the mLAN protocol and connect them to the mLAN network.

Q: Can I upgrade my products to mLAN?

A: Yes, some companies do offer mLAN upgrades. Please check with the respective manufacturers listed on the Partners page