Blue Cat Audio releases "Connector" Streaming Plug-in (20th January 2022)

Blue Cat Audio has released Blue Cat's Connector, a new universal connection plug-in that can be used to route audio and MIDI almost anywhere "in the box".

Also described as a "virtual cable for your virtual studio", Connector can stream audio and MIDI in real time, between any locations that can load plug-ins, inside one or several applications, on one or several machines connected to a network.

The plug-in offers total control over the streaming to achieve the lowest possible latencies (down to 0 samples, when used in a single application), and its built-in resampling and drift compensation algorithms take care of any potential synchronization issues between hosts for a very stable connection, even when no master clock is available.

Blue Cat's Connector Main Features:

• Universal connection plug-in available in VST, VST3, AAX or Audio Unit format.
• Create your own audio/MIDI routings inside your DAW (feedback loops allowed).
• Create connections between any audio software on one or multiple computers.
• Minimal latency, with full control over buffering.
• Supports multiple sampling rates on a single connection (built-in resampling).
• Built-in drift compensation.
• Send and receive back audio/MIDI with a single instance.

System requirements:

• Intel or M1 Mac running Mac OS 10.9 or newer.
• PC running Windows Vista or newer.

Introduction Pricing: 39 USD/EUR (Reg. 49 / 20% off) until February 20th, 2022.

www.bluecataudio.com/Products/Product_Connector/

 

Very interesting indeed.
Thank you for the head-up!

 

There's a similar free plugin called 'reastream' by cockos, might wanna check that out

 

Cockos - ReaStream v2.36 VST - Network Audio Plugin - Win 64 - Free
www.kvraudio.com/product/reastream_by_cockos

 

Good way to turn every other DAW into Reason.

 

I use ReaStream since it comes with Reaper [newer version than in ReaPack FX]. It works very well [low latency - depends on your network cards and switcher] and it's so easy to configure. Call one "reastream1", 2nd "reastream2" etc. so you can get more than 8 MIDI and audio channels, depending on your local network bandwidth. I'm pretty sure you can get quite a lot with with just 1Gbps cards and switcher. 1 Gbps = 125 MB/s, but there is some network overhead, so you usually get around 100 MB/s.

24 bit 96KHz Stereo = 576 KB per second, so you can do your own calculations.

24 bit 48KHz Stereo = 288 KB per second.

However, ReaStream sends 32 bit FP audio, so it's a bit [8 bit more, more precisely ] more per channel.

1 ReaStream that sends 8 32 bit audio channels at 48kHz should use about 1.6 MB/s with MIDI and network overhead. That's pretty good, eh? I mean, 10 ReaStreams sending 80 channels use about 16 MB/s.

 

Last edited: Jan 23, 2022

I tried reastream (the separate ReaPack VST) and couldn't get it to work. Some network permission I guess.
Reaper's ReaMote worked fine though.

 

Maybe this thread should be merged with the one from last week:

https://audiosex.pro/threads/blue-cat-connector-send-audio-and-midi-anywhere-anytime.62955/

 

Are you sure you used the right IP numbers? Because that's what happened to me once. I use static IPs, not DHCP. Maybe try static IPs if you haven't already.

You should also be able to browse another computer's files, of course, although if I remember correctly ReaStream uses pure TCP/IP for transmit/receive, no need for netbios and similar MS stuff. I think you have to have UDP enabled, too. Check if your switcher or router has UDP turned off. Also, your firewall may be blocking ReaStream.

 

Last edited: Jan 24, 2022