Connections / Interface
Provisions to connect external hard disks, solid state storage, headphones, microphones/instruments/audio equipment to FEA computers, and/or audio interfaces are provided via external patching systems and/or USB hubs. Details for specific devices / bus interfaces will be provided below.
Please do NOT connect any devices DIRECTLY to FEA computers or hardware!
Also, FEA computer lab hosts and audio suites are permanently cabled. THERE IS NEVER ANY NEED to disconnect or alter existing cabling in computer labs or audio suites. If you encounter a problem, please contact the Service Desk in the FEA Post Production Open Lab or Robert via contact information above.
Storage
FEA students using their own computers are responsible for providing appropriate storage for all coursework and media; for all classes, appropriate storage is a hard drive conforming to specifications outlined below. Network storage is provided for specific classes to submit coursework and distribute shared assets or for small, collaborative projects.
FEA labs contain both Apple Macintosh and Windows PCs.
Current OS version:
- macOS 12.6.2
- Windows 10
- External hard disk drives intended for picture or sound editing and/or color correction must have USB 3.x bus interface and connecting cable must terminate in a USB type A connector.
- FEA lab hosts do NOT support Thunderbolt hard disks or peripherals.
- FEA lab hosts do NOT support USB type C cabling (no direct connection to host). Please provide a cable terminating in USB type A connector.
- It is also STRONGLY RECOMMENDED to have a full backup of your hard disk drive. For technical filesystem considerations, it is CRITICAL for ExFAT users to have backups.
USB 3.0 hubs with multiple USB type A jacks for your USB devices are provided on every FEA lab host; please connect to these hubs. Do NOT connect your USB device directly to the USB ports (either type A or C) on the host computers.
The following partition map scheme and file system are REQUIRED for proper operation with FEA software (primarily Avid Media Composer and Avid Pro Tools):
- PARTITION MAP: GPT / GUID
- FILESYSTEM / PARTITION MAP, macOS ONLY: Mac OS Extended (Journaled) / GPT / GUID
- FILESYSTEM / PARTITION MAP, Windows ONLY: NTFS
- Mixed-platform users (Mac OS X + Windows) MAY use the following partition filesystem:
- FILESYSTEM: ExFAT
Post Production Open Lab Windows hosts also include MacDrive, a utility to provide read / write access to HFS+ drives on Windows. Please note that this utility is known to have issues with Avid Media Composer.
IMPORTANT NOTES:
Re-partitioning and re-formatting a hard disk will destroy your existing data so BACK UP YOUR DATA prior to doing so.
Partitions formatted as Mac HFS+ will NOT be recognized under Microsoft Windows; however, MacDrive will allow read / write access to HFS+ drives.
Partitions formatted as NTFS are readable but NOT writable under Mac OS X.
Do NOT use partitions formatted as VFAT / FAT32 / ‘MS-DOS’; these will NOT work. While readable / writable under both Mac OS X and Windows, this filesystem will NOT work properly with our software. Note that some older "Mac-compatible" hard disks use this filesystem.
Partitions formatted as ExFAT are readable and writable under both Mac OS X and Windows. While this is not explicitly recommended by Avid, it has been tested by post-production head Susan Bloom and Robert and does seem to function properly, with caveats (below).
With ExFAT, some operating system compatibility issues exist.
For ALL filesystems, please refer to the following for filesystem naming convention:
Here's a quick summary of proper file naming:
- NO whitespace in filenames
- Legal characters in filenames
- A - Z
- a - z
- 0 - 9
- underscore (_) and dash (-)
- everything else is not recommended
- Be mindful of case (uppercase and lowercase)
While backups are strongly recommended regardless of filesystem, they are absolutely critical when using ExFAT.
If you require assistance with any of the above, please contact Robert <robert.rhyu@csulb.edu> or visit the Service Desk in PH1-208.
Important Notes
The abbreviated procedure from the instructions outlined below is that all devices and the host computer must be powered OFF when connecting or disconnecting data (USB) cables.
A 'MASTER POWER' switch is provided at every edit/audio station. This may be a simple power strip, rack power unit or a wall-mounted switch. A power strip - controlled by the master power switch – is also provided for your hard disk drive / peripherals.
Connection Procedure
- Find the MASTER POWER switch and ensure that it is OFF.
- Connect the power supply for your hard disk drive / peripheral into the power strip provided.
- Connect USB cable between your hard disk drive / peripheral to the USB hub provided.
- Turn on MASTER POWER switch
- Power up your hard disk drive / peripheral.
- Start the host computer.
Disconnection Procedure
- Save your work and quit all open programs.
- Shut down the host computer.
- Power down your hard disk drive / peripheral.
- Turn off the MASTER POWER switch.
- Disconnect data (USB) cable
- Disconnect hard disk drive / peripheral power cable.
Audio suite connections/ considerations
UTC will have the only audio suites equipped for recording.
Wall-mounted XLR3-F connectors are provided in the studios for microphone / microphone-level balanced inputs to the hardware audio interface. ALL sources to Pro Tools must use these connectors. Please DO NOT connect directly to hardware audio interfaces.
Unbalanced and line-level sources MUST use DIs (Direct Injection boxes, ‘Direct Boxes’) to connect to the wall-mount XLR connectors.
1/4" TRS long-frame telephone patch panels are intended for diagnostic purposes ONLY. Be aware that standard 1/4" phone plugs ("instrument" plugs) are incompatible with 1/4" long-frame telephone jacks.
Lastly, wall-mounted signal flow diagrams are available for both suites.
If you are unfamiliar with any of the above, please visit the Service Desk in PH1-208.
