What do the red dots in TRack mean?
An SSL audio card such as the MadiXtreme, MX4 or Mixpander can only be addressed by one piece of software at any given time (SSL Mixer, SSL Soundscape, TRack, or Windows Device manager).
A red dot in front of a unit means that it is being used by TRack.
Several actions can cause the red dot to be displayed:
- Right-clicking the unit and ticking "Use Device".
- Right-clicking the unit and ticking "Master Device".
- Right-clicking the unit and clicking "Properties" to acess its settings.
1) If "Use Device" is ticked for a unit, a red dot is displayed in front of that unit. The dot stays, regardless of which unit is later selected as "Master Device".
2) Any unit with "Use Device" selected is unavailable for the SSL Soundscape or SSL Mixer software, and starting that software will result in a "communication error" message, as if the unit was physically absent.
3) Setting a unit to "Master Device" also causes a red dot to appear in front of it, even if "Use Device" is not ticked for that unit. The unit is indeed "in use" by TRack (it cannot be used by other software). However, as soon as another unit is selected as "Master Device" in its place, the red dot disappears and it becomes available again for other SSL software (this does not happen if "Use Device" is also ticked).
NB: Setting a unit to "Master Device" also causes all other units to take on its Sample rate setting.
4) After TRack is closed, all units become available for other SSL software again (or for the Windows Device manager). Any "Use Device" selections made in TRack are cancelled.