As far as I know it is not. But I´m not quite sure. If it is a video-format (for the Fairlight VIVID) it is definitely not. I´ll have a look...

Yes it is. They are relaeasing anew software version for the mfx3plus that will do the new ml4 format. It also allows compatibilty with 48 track sessions. Meaning, you select wich group of 24 tracks you want to listen.

Sorry spigots, for my obviously wrong answer.

But this interesting for me: hey Mark, does that mean, I can open DREAM- or Merlin 48-Track-files in my MfX3plus? I didn´t ever hear of the ML format, I always thought the project-files in my MfX are MT files (cause of the ending .MT)? Are ML files like MfX project files?

And spigots, I´m just curious: what did you mean with AV-transfer then, could you specify?

Originally posted by Christoph Bette:
Sorry spigots, for my obviously wrong answer.

But this interesting for me: hey Mark, does that mean, I can open DREAM- or Merlin 48-Track-files in my MfX3plus? I didn´t ever hear of the ML format, I always thought the project-files in my MfX are MT files (cause of the ending .MT)? Are ML files like MfX project files?

And spigots, I´m just curious: what did you mean with AV-transfer then, could you specify?

Yes, you should be able to import them in the future from what i understand. The ML format is what you do when you do an export of the session.

Originally posted by Christoph Bette:

And spigots, I´m just curious: what did you mean with AV-transfer then, could you specify?

It's new file interchange software. Looks intriguing.

http://www.fairlightesp.com/products/partnerproducts/avtransfer/avt-pd-40173.htm

If this link doesn't work, go to the Fairlight web site and link from there.

Frank

Sorry Frank, I must have had a blackout. Of course I´ve heard of this software. It really seems to be a very useful tool for file exchange.

But I talked to the fairlight rep in germany and he told me, that the MfX3plus only can read or write data on disks with Fairlight format (FLS), Mac format or FAT16. This means, If you want to exchange data with your PC (AVtransfer is only running on Windows PC´s) by changing the disk, you can only put max 2 GB on a partition.

And: to exchange data with ProTools or other Mac-based software you need another tool like MacOpener (from DataViz, also a useful thing), to read or write Mac files on Mac formatted disks with your PC. I didn´t ask, because I don´t have a Mac, but he also talked about a Mac software doing the same thing as AVtransfer.

If you are proud owner of the network option for your MfX3plus (IMO much too expensive), these problems are minimized to a network cable between PC/Mac and MfX.

He also told me, that digidesign propose to "lock" their data format, so that in future nobody else but PT users can read genuine PT files. We have to im/export OMF then.

That´s all I could find out, I find this topic really interesting, cause being compatible is a very important thing for my business.

Hi folks.
Just a couple of points. Your Fairlight people in Germany were correct Christoph. In a recent interview with Fairlight's Product Director Russ Caston (with Simon Leadley and Christopher Holder
in Aussie mag AudioTechnology) this was discussed.

In discussing file compatability (a fairly long and detailed interview) Russ mentions Fairlights collaboration with AV Media, I'll give you a couple of excerpts (if you don't already know this - if you do, hey have another cup of tea!):

"(AV Transfer) a multi-format export of our EDL that you do on the Fairlight by just hitting the Export button, and that generates a text file in about 15 seconds from a very large 5000-clip 48 track project. It generates a machine- and human-readable ASC11 format file that AV Transfer can read and has all the information that is needed to completely recreate that Fairlight project. From that ASC11 file you can burn any of the AV Transfer - supported file formats (including doiing sample rate conversion, bit depth conversion and format conversion) onto either Mac or PC format disks - HFS, HFS Plus, FAT. FAT32, NFTS, anything you like.

Q. And I imagine it works much the same way in reverse?

RC. Yes. Going the other way AV transfer can take any of the supported formats and burn for us the same text format from which we can then open and access the original audio files. Furthermore, it checks it and, as an interim stage, gives you a multi-track version of the file that you can play, listen to, and check. And you can pick clips out of it and export them as individual WAVs or OMFs and break apart a project and send those out as a combination of formats if yoy sou choose. It's an excellent toolkit program.

AT. And what are the file formats it deals?

RC. Currently it does AES31, Open TL. OMF1, OMF2 and Fairlight projects. Unfortunately there's no ProTools compatibility. There's an issue with Digidesign in that they won't release their file format to anybody at this point - which doesn't make anybody's life particularly easy."

Kind regards
Stedel
:cool: