Can I use it as a stand alone midi controller. I have 4 old poly synths. I have an old tower with windows something on it. It was a gamers computer and he had it beefed up. It has ethernet and lightpipe connections. I fired it up a few months ago and it was still coming on line.
I remember those, it was one of those units people were distraught when Windows 7 came out and they didn't make 64 bit drivers for it. Only worked on a 32 bit OS unless they finally got around to writing a driver. Which I doubt it.
Maybe it would work for this as an interface for my keyboards? I have an older beefed up gaming tower computer, maybe 2015? Nor sure. Windows 10 I think. Anyway, I found a bunch of CDs and one had Cakewalk 6 and another Cool Edit. I haven't used windows for years, I run a Linux system on everything I use now. I managed to install both and have both running. I have five MIDI keyboards, two Alesis QS8s, two Ensoniqs and a Korg. In 1999 I bought the Alesis, my step son gave me an older Mac and I bought a version of Cakewalk for 99 bucks. Loaded it, hooked up the Alesis, I don't remember how? I think I had some kind of MIDI box or something? I told the MAC and Cakewalk, that it was working with an Alesis QS8 and set the switch on the back of the Alesis to MAC, set the MIDI channels etc and it was quite seamless. Cakewalk had all the preset libraries etc. for the QS8. I tried the same thing after that with a Windows OS and never could get it to work. So, If I want to use this, where do I go from here? There are no MIDI ports on the computer, it has USB and one light pipe for sure. I have a cord around here somewhere with a dual MIDI plug and a USB on the other end, can I use that? I don't really know what that cord is for, it came with a bunch of stuff in a trade. The software may be bootleg? " I was able to do this in 99 and would like to fool around some more.
Sounds like those USB to midi interfaces. They work with most systems because they are usb compliant. They would even work in linux. I do remember someone making linux divers, did you see if it works in linux? I can't remember if that driver was added to their firmware db (linux firmware).
The old computer I am speaking of is a dual boot, I can select either windows or Linux Unbuntu.
I have a mic and headphones plugged in. I have read the manual, very little detail on stand alone. I see the signal coming in but no matter how I set anything I can hear nothing. I do not have it connected to the computer. I will try and download the software, install it if it will take it and go from there.I have no idea.... At that point, I was using my Yamaha recorder, not a computer. You said you downloaded the manuals, so I guess the answer is,,,,,,,
RTFM!
Apparently it can be used stand alone. Page 28 of the owners manual says:
4 – Control Surface Modes and Operation
4.3 Monitor Mix Mode – (General Notes)
The FW-1884 can be used as a stand-alone 18x2 mixer
in MON MIX mode. The primary benefit of MON
MIX mode is to provide a means of monitoring your
audio inputs in a zero-latency environment. By using
MON MIX mode to monitor the audio from your
inputs along with the audio return from your DAW
application, it is possible to overdub tracks to your
DAW software with none of the audio processing
delays inherent in DAW applications.
Also, it has mic preamps:
4. Mic Inputs 1-8 – Balanced XLR inputs at +4
dBu featuring high-quality mic preamps. These inputs
are wired in parallel with their associated Line Inputs.
That is what the deal with what I call pro-sumer equipment.
I use a Yamaha 02R and an Alesis HD24. Everything is outboard. I have only used a computer for midi 24 years ago. I know the editing would be quicker on the puter but this stuff does all I need. In case you haven't heard anything I have recorded, we did this on that equipment. If I can do this without a computer I am a happy camper.
You can sync HD24s for 48 channels. They are getting cheaper but rarer.