Using Your Old Computer as a Plug-in Server - Vista and XP Together for Music

Many people find themselves looking for a second system, something that will bring them better performance and newer technology than what they've been working with for the last few years. Once their new computer is plumbed in the old one can quickly become obsolete and finds itself sitting sad and silent in the corner. Just the other day it was running your whole studio and so to let go of all that power seems strange and unfortunate. Why not harness that power alongside your new system? With a couple of bits of software, a network cable and little bit of know-how you can breath new life into its dusty circuits and have it running as an effects processor and sound module.

In this article i'll show you how to use FX Teleport to run plug-ins on a slave computer all controlled from your nice shiny new master computer. This is also ideal for people who are moving to Vista on their new system and still have software that's not yet compatible. I have a TC Electronic Powercore PCI and at the time of writing it has no Vista drivers. FX Teleport allows me to run a brand new Vista based DAW while accessing the Powercore plug-ins on my old XP machine – which doesn't even have a soundcard.

Intrigued? Read on.

FX Teleport

When this software was released in 2003 it answered the question of how you can run two or more computers side by side but working on the same project. Steinberg's System Link had a go at this using the digital I/O of soundcards to flow audio from one machine to another. The drawback was that each machine needed a soundcard with the right digital interface as well as host software. What FX Teleport was able to do was utilise the high speed network capability that already existed on computers to move the audio from one computer to another – this meant that the slave computers didn't need a soundcard at all. Each slave computer runs a piece of FX Teleport client software which awaits connection from the master computer and points it to the installed plug-ins. The Master computer then scans the slave plug-in folders and detects whatever effects and instruments it can find. The plug-ins are then directly available on the master computer in the DAW software you're using. Insert a slaved plug-in and it loads and runs on the slave computer, the audio being routed out and back over the network. The only thing missing is the ability to move the controls as the GUI appears on the slave computer, not the master – with Windows Remote Desktop this is easily resolved.

FX Teleport isn't freeware but they do allow you to try out a fully working demo version to make sure that your system is up to the task. Download it here - http://www.fxteleport.com/

Hardware Setup

All the computers need is to be on the same network. If you are using just two machines then you can use a crossover network cable and specify an IP address on each machine. Much easier if you are already going into a router for the internet then the old computer just needs to plug into a spare socket. The router will supply IP addresses so you are up and running automatically. Wireless networking speeds are not really up to the task. Ideally you need to be using Gigabit LAN but you can get away with 10/100. If you've got a handful of machines then get a hub and connect them all up that way. You don't need to share any folders or anything (although this is probably helpful) just as long as each computer can “see” the others when you explore the network.

Setting up Remote Desktop

It's helpful to do this before you install FX Teleport so you can start using the two machines with the one screen, keyboard and mouse. On your old XP machine right-click on the My Computer icon and select “Properties” (or choose “System” from the Control Panel). Click the “Remote” tab and tick the “Allow users to connect remotely to this computer” box.

Your default administer user name and password will be automatically set up for access. If you have different user profiles set up then you may have to select the user you want to use here. Remote desktop won't work if you haven't set a password for your user account – so make sure you do. Lastly, click on the General tab and make a note of your computer name.

On the Vista machine click on Start and type “Remote” and select “Remote Desktop Connection”. Your XP computer may not appear automatically so just type in its name and click “Connect”.

Type in your user name and password and click “OK”. You get a warning message at this point because the machine you are connecting to is not running Vista – click “Yes” you want to connect anyway. In a moment or two your XP desktop should arrive. You can resize the window and simply move your mouse onto the window to control it.

You can't transfer files directly using Remote Desktop so set up a shared folder in case you need to move files from one to the other.

Setting up FX Teleport

Before we start, try tidying up and consolidating your plug-in folders on your old computer. If you are anything like me then you would have acquired all sorts of freeware, shareware and purchased plug-ins, many of which you never actually use – why not get rid of them so it's easier to find the ones you do want. It's also a good idea to run each plug-in first and make sure it's installed properly, authorised and is pointing to the right sample or instrument folder and doesn't need it's CD put in like Battery always seems to. Warning messages that come up while FX Teleport is scanning the plug-in folders have a tendency to crash the software or leave it hanging around waiting for you to click “ok” on a slave system you're not looking at.

Once you're happy install FX Teleport and choose “Slave” as the install option. The FX Teleport Server will run ready to be accessed by the master computer.

Click on the hammer and spanner icon to open the options window.

Add your plug-in folders. If you're not sure then the usual suspects are:

C:\Program Files\Vstplugins

C:\Program Files\Steinberg\Vstplugins

C:\Program Files\Steinberg\Cubase\Vstplugins

Tick the “Auto start” box which means that it will run on Windows startup and click “OK”. The FX Teleport Server will then sit there waiting to be scanned by the master computer.

For the master computer I'm going to use Vista Ultimate but the process is the same or possibly easier on an XP machine.

Install FX Teleport and this time choose “Master”. Once installed we will need to punch a hole in the Windows Firewall to allow FX Teleport to send and receive data through it. You can access the Firewall settings through the Network and Sharing Centre or through the Security Settings window.

Select the “Allow a program through the firewall” option on the left and click on “Add Program”. First you can choose Cubase (or your DAW software) as that will be using FX Teleport but you'll need to browse to locate the FX Teleport program. You'll find it in C:\Program Files\FX Teleport\ and the file is called “Configure”, although in the list it comes up as “Install Effects”. Make sure both are ticked and click “OK”.

Now, click on the Vista Start button and start typing “install effects” and the FX Teleport application called “Install Effects” should appear, press enter to open it. This program scans your slave computers for plug-ins and displays them in a list in the left hand column. You select which ones you want to install and click the “Install” button. This will create a “wrapper” which is like a virtual plug-in file that references the plug-in on the slave machine.

This is potentially where you get problems if the plug-ins are not installed correctly on the slave machine – it will just appear to hang. If nothing comes up in the left column then check your network connections, the Firewall and check the slave machines to see if any pop-up windows have appeared.

Once you've installed all the plug-ins you want to use you can quit the program.

Using FX Teleport in Cubase

On the first time you load Cubase after installing the plug-ins it will scan through the new arrivals. Again there's some possibility of hiccups and occasionally it might not find a plug-in or two. Often the “Update” button in the “Plug-in Information” window will sort that out. Once you're into Cubase then you'll find the plug-ins and instruments in the usual places under a heading of FX Teleport.

When you select the instrument or plug-in FX Teleport runs a test to detect the network latency.

Once done you can then play it like any other instrument. The MIDI is being routed over to the slave machine – including any controller data from external knobs and sliders you might have – and then the audio is generated and routed back into Cubase. With effects plug-ins the audio from the track is routed out to the slave computer and returned via the FX Teleport wrapper.

If you need to edit the instrument then simply logon to Remote Desktop.

FX Teleport is so easy, so integrated, that it quickly becomes part of your natural way of working. Each time you move to a new computer, or each time you need to expand your studios power you simply buy another license for instant access to another plug-in server. It's a great way to use old and once powerful computers that you might of otherwise thrown away. Do be aware though that the sounds and plug-ins reside on the other machines so if, for instance, you use a laptop and take it away from the network you'll find that all your FX Teleport plug-ins are disabled.