The HAL1 uses a daisy-chain FireWire expansion bus able to support up to four EXP1 devices with a total of 32 output channels and 64 input channels. The maximum cable length for FireWire is 14.8 feet (4.5 meters).
For more information about the HAL1 FireWire expansion bus and EXP1 expansion unit, see Overview of HAL1 Expansion Unit (Discontinued).
The HAL1x expansion bus uses a proprietary protocol running on a gigabit Ethernet physical layer with expansion devices connected in a daisy-chain configuration as before. The new expansion bus supports 512 output channels and 512 input channels with a maximum cable length of 330 feet (100 meters). There are currently four expansion devices for the HAL1x: EXP1x, EXP3x, EXP5x and EXP7x. The new bus is a significant improvement over the original FireWire bus.
For more information about the HAL1x expansion bus and expansion units, see Overview of HAL1x Expansion Units.
You cannot use the new (x) version expansion devices with the discontinued HAL1. The new HAL1x requires (x) version expansion devices.
The device connections that are possible on a HAL1 are as follows:
- 4 Remote Audio Devices (RADs)
- 8 Digital Remotes (DRs)—Can add up to 4 more by plugging them into the RAD ports
- 1–4 Expansion Unit Devices (EXP1 devices) (FireWire Expansion Bus)
- 8 Mic/Line Inputs
- 8 Line Outputs
- 4 Logic Inputs
- 2 Relay Outputs