Steinberg Cubase 8 Manual

							Setting Up Your System
Setting Up Video
21
Setting Up Video
Cubase plays back video files in a number of formats, such as AVI, QuickTime, or 
MPEG. QuickTime is used as the playback engine. Which formats can be played 
back depends on the video codecs that are installed on your system.
There are several ways to play back video, for example, without any special 
hardware, using a FireWire port, or using dedicated video cards.
If you plan to use special video hardware, install it and set it up as recommended by 
the manufacturer.
NOTE
Before you use the video hardware with Cubase, we recommend that you test the 
hardware installation with the utility applications that were provided with the 
hardware and/or the QuickTime Player application.
RELATED LINKS
Video on page 980
Video Output Devices on page 982 
						

							22
VST Connections
To play back and record in Cubase, you must set up input and output busses in the 
VST Connections window. Here, you can also set up group and FX channels, 
external effects, external instruments, and the Control Room (Cubase Pro only).
The bus types that you need depend on your audio hardware, on your general audio 
setup, for example your surround speaker setup, and on the projects that you use.
VST Connections Window
The VST Connections window allows you to set up input and output busses, group 
and FX channels, external effects, and external instruments. Furthermore, you can 
use this window to access and configure the Control Room (Cubase Pro only).
• To open the VST Connections window, select Devices > VST Connections.
Inputs/Outputs Tab
The Input and Output tabs allow you to set up and configure input and output 
busses.
The following options are available above the bus list:
+- All
Expands/Collapses all busses in the bus list.
Add Bus
Opens the Add Input Bus dialog, where you can create a new bus 
configuration. 
						

							VST Connections
VST Connections Window23
PresetsOpens the  Pres
 ets menu, where you can select bus configuration presets. 
The  Store button 
 allows you to save a bus configuration as preset. The 
Delete  button 
 deletes the selected preset.
The following columns are available for the bus list:
Bus Name Lists the busses. Click the name of a bus to select or rename it.
Speakers Indicates the speaker configuration (m ono, stereo,
  surround formats (Cubase 
Pro only)) of each bus.
Audio Device Shows the currently selected ASIO driver.
Device Port Shows which physical inputs/outputs on your audio hardware are used by the 
bu
s. Expand the bus entry to show all speaker channels. If the bus entry is 
collapsed, only the first port that is used by this bus is visible.
The  De
vice Port  pop-up menu displays how ma ny busses are connected to 
a given port. The busses are shown in square brackets next to the port name.
Up to three bus assignments can be  displayed in this way. If more 
c
 onnections have been made, this is indicated by a number at the end of the 
port name.
For example, “Adat 1 [Stereo1] [Stere o2
 ] [Stereo3] (+2)” means that the 
Adat  1 port is already assigned to three stereo busses plus two additional 
busses.
Click (Outputs tab only) You can route the metronome click to a specific output bus, regardless of the 
actual  Control Room  out

put, or even when the Control Room is disabled.
Group/FX Tab
This tab allows you to crea te group and FX channels/t racks and to make output 
assignments for these.
The following options are available above the bus list: 
						

							VST Connections
VST Connections Window
24
+- All
Expands/Collapses all busses in the bus list.
Add Group
Opens the Add Group Channel Track dialog, where you can create a new 
group channel track.
Add FX
Opens the Add FX Channel Track dialog, where you can create a new FX 
channel track.
The following columns are available for the bus list:
Bus Name
Lists the busses. Click the name of a bus to select or rename it.
Speakers
Indicates the speaker configuration (mono, stereo, surround formats (Cubase 
Pro only)) of each bus.
Output Routing
Lets you select the output routing for the corresponding bus.
External FX Tab (Cubase Pro only)
This tab allows you to create send effect or return busses. You can use these to 
connect external effects which can then be selected via the effect pop-up menus 
from inside the program.
The following options are available above the bus list:
+- All
Expands/Collapses all busses in the bus list.
Add External FX
Opens the Add External FX dialog, where you can configure a new external 
FX.
Favorites
Lets you store external effect configurations as favorites that you can recall.
The following columns are available for the bus list: 
						

							VST Connections
VST Connections Window
25
Bus Name
Lists the busses. Click the name of a bus to select or rename it.
Speakers
Indicates the speaker configuration (mono, stereo, surround formats (Cubase 
Pro only)) of each bus.
Audio Device
Shows the currently selected ASIO driver.
Device Port
Shows which physical inputs/outputs on your audio hardware are used by the 
bus. Expand the bus entry to show all speaker channels. If the bus entry is 
collapsed, only the first port that is used by this bus is visible.
The Device Port pop-up menu displays how many busses are connected to 
a given port. The busses are shown in square brackets next to the port name.
Up to three bus assignments can be displayed in this way. If more 
connections have been made, this is indicated by a number at the end of the 
port name.
For example, “Adat 1 [Stereo1] [Stereo2] [Stereo3] (+2)” means that the 
Adat
 1 port is already assigned to three stereo busses plus two additional 
busses.
Delay
Allows you to enter a value to compensate for an inherent delay (latency) of 
your hardware effect device during playback. You can right-click the Delay 
column for the effect and select Check User Delay to automatically 
determine the delay value.
NOTE
The latency of the audio hardware is handled automatically by Cubase.
Send Gain
Allows you to adjust the level of the signal that is sent to the external effect.
Return Gain
Allows you to adjust the level of the signal that the external effect sends.
NOTE
Excessive output levels from an external effect device can cause clipping in 
the audio hardware. You cannot use the Return Gain setting to compensate 
for this. You must lower the output level on the effect device instead.
MIDI Device
When you click in this column, a pop-up menu opens where you can 
disconnect the effect from the associated MIDI device, select a MIDI device, 
create a new device, or open the MIDI Device Manager to edit the MIDI 
device. 
						

							VST Connections
VST Connections Window
26
Used
Whenever you insert an external effect into an audio track, this column shows 
a checkmark (x) to indicate that the effect is being used.
External Instruments Tab (Cubase Pro only)
This tab allows you to create input/output busses that can be used to connect 
external instruments.
The following options are available above the bus list:
+- All
Expands/Collapses all busses in the bus list.
Add External Instrument
Opens the Add External Instrument dialog, where you can configure a new 
external instrument.
Favorites
Lets you store external instrument configurations as favorites that you can 
recall.
The following columns are available for the bus list:
Bus Name
Lists the busses. Click the name of a bus to select or rename it.
Speakers
Indicates the speaker configuration (mono, stereo, surround formats (Cubase 
Pro only)) of each bus.
Audio Device
Shows the currently selected ASIO driver.
Device Port
Shows which physical inputs/outputs on your audio hardware are used by the 
bus. Expand the bus entry to show all speaker channels. If the bus entry is 
collapsed, only the first port that is used by this bus is visible.
The Device Port pop-up menu displays how many busses are connected to 
a given port. The busses are shown in square brackets next to the port name. 
						

							VST Connections
VST Connections Window
27
Up to three bus assignments can be displayed in this way. If more 
connections have been made, this is indicated by a number at the end of the 
port name.
For example, “Adat 1 [Stereo1] [Stereo2] [Stereo3] (+2)” means that the 
Adat
 1 port is already assigned to three stereo busses plus two additional 
busses.
Delay
Allows you to enter a value to compensate for an inherent delay (latency) of 
your hardware effect device during playback. You can right-click the Delay 
column for the instrument and select Check User Delay to automatically 
determine the delay value that is used for delay compensation.
NOTE
The latency of the audio hardware is handled automatically by Cubase.
Return Gain
Allows you to adjust the level of the signal coming in from the external 
instrument.
NOTE
Excessive output levels from an external effect device can cause clipping in 
the audio hardware. The Return Gain setting cannot be used to compensate 
for this. You must lower the output level on the effect device instead.
MIDI Device
When you click in this column, a pop-up menu opens where you can 
disconnect the instrument from the associated MIDI device, select a MIDI 
device, create a new device, or open the MIDI Device Manager to edit the 
MIDI device.
Used
Whenever you insert the external instrument into a VST instrument slot, this 
column shows a checkmark (x) to indicate that the instrument is being used.
Studio Tab (Cubase Pro only)
This tab allows you to enable and configure the Control Room.
The following options are available above the bus list: 
						

							VST Connections
VST Connections Window28
+- AllExpands/Collapses all busses in the bus list.
Add Channel Opens a menu where you can select the ty pe
  of channel that you want to add. 
You can add the following channels:
• External Input
•T

alkback
•Cue
• Headphone
• Monitor
Presets Opens the  Pres
 ets menu, where you can select bus configuration presets. 
The  Store button 
 allows you to save a bus configuration as preset. The 
Delete  button 
 deletes the selected preset.
Control Room Activates/Deactivates the  Contro
 l Room.
Control Room Mixer Opens the  Control Room Mixer  
 window, where you can set up the  Control 
Room .
Configuration Displays the selected channel configuration.
The following columns are available for the bus list:
Bus Name Lists the busses. Click the name of a bus to select or rename it.
Speakers Indicates the speaker configuration (m ono, stereo,
  surround formats (Cubase 
Pro only)) of each bus.
Audio Device Shows the currently selected ASIO driver.
Device Port Shows which physical inputs/outputs on your audio hardware are used by the 
bu
s. Expand the bus entry to show all speaker channels. If the bus entry is 
collapsed, only the first port that is used by this bus is visible.
The  De
vice Port  pop-up menu displays how ma ny busses are connected to 
a given port. The busses are shown in square brackets next to the port name.
Up to three bus assignments can be  displayed in this way. If more 
c
 onnections have been made, this is indicated by a number at the end of the 
port name. 
						

							VST Connections
Renaming the Hardware Inputs and Outputs
29
For example, “Adat 1 [Stereo1] [Stereo2] [Stereo3] (+2)” means that the 
Adat
 1 port is already assigned to three stereo busses plus two additional 
busses.
RELATED LINKS
Control Room (Cubase Pro only) on page 352
Renaming the Hardware Inputs and Outputs
Before you set up busses, you should rename the default inputs and outputs of your 
audio hardware. This allows transferring projects between different computers and 
setups.
For example, if you move your project to another studio, the audio hardware may be 
of a different model. But if you and the other studio owner have agreed on identical 
names for your inputs and outputs, Cubase corrects inputs and outputs for your 
busses.
NOTE
If you open a project that was created on another computer and the port names do 
not match or the port configuration is not the same, the Missing Ports dialog 
appears. This allows you to manually re-route ports that are used in the project to 
ports that are available on your computer.
PROCEDURE
1. Select Devices > Device Setup.
2. On the VST Audio System page, make sure that the correct driver for your 
audio hardware is selected.
If this is the case, your audio card is listed in the Devices list on the left of the Device 
Setup window.
3. In the devices list, select your audio card.
The available input and output ports on your audio hardware are listed on the right.
4. In the Show As column, click on a port name and enter a new name.
5. Repeat the previous step until you have renamed all required ports.
6. Click OK.
RELATED LINKS
Re-Routing Missing Ports on page 76 
						

							VST Connections
Adding Input and Output Busses
30
Hiding Ports
You can hide ports that you are not using. Hidden ports are not displayed in the VST 
Connections window.
PROCEDURE
1. Select Devices > Device Setup.
2. In the devices list, select your audio card.
3. In the Visible column, deactivate the ports that you want to hide.
4. Click OK.
Activating and Deactivating Ports (Mac only)
On Mac operating systems, you can specify which input and output ports are active. 
This allows you to use the microphone input instead of the line input or to deactivate 
the audio card input or output.
NOTE
This function is only available for built-in audio, standard USB audio devices, and a 
certain number of other audio cards.
PROCEDURE
1. Select Devices > Device Setup.
2. In the devices list, select your audio card.
3. Click the Control Panel button.
4. Activate/Deactivate ports.
5. Click OK.
Adding Input and Output Busses
PROCEDURE
1. In the VST Connections dialog, click the Inputs or Outputs tab.
2. Click Add Bus.
The Add Input Bus dialog opens.
3. Configure the bus.
4. Optional: Enter a name for the bus.
If you do not specify a name, the bus is named according to the channel configuration.