Is this possible?

[Atomic Marshmallow]

Hello all,

I have recently discovered that my Novation X-Station 25 which I use for my laptop setup, has an SPDIF connection.

Sorry for the basic question, but does that mean that I could run my laptop setup into Scope, so lessen the CPU strain of VSTs I am running on my desktop? If so, would everything be in sync? Could I use the X-Station as a controller for Scope via SPDIF [somehow I doubt it]? Am I being too ambitious?
Both my music machines are about six years old, maybe going on seven. I haven't bought a computer since then. Maybe it is time for an update, though they still serve me well. But if I can squeeze more life into them in the hope that the answers to my first two questions are a yes and my third answer a don't be ridiculous, my fourth no, then I'll be really pleased!

Thanks

[Fluxpod]

S/pdif is a 2 channel digital audio format.You could send a stereo signal to scope with it.

[Liquid Len]

"Sorry for the basic question, but does that mean that I could run my laptop setup into Scope, so lessen the CPU strain of VSTs I am running on my desktop?"
SPDIF means it has two channels of digital audio (a stereo track). No more no less. "Run your laptop into scope" - you can run the output of that keyboard into scope using the spdif, but unless the laptop is sending audio into that keyboard, you would not get the laptop's audio. You could run the laptop into scope as well, using the analog inputs of scope.

"If so, would everything be in sync?"
You can set scope to sync to a spdif in.

"Could I use the X-Station as a controller for Scope via SPDIF"
Well, you could use it as a controller via MIDI, definitely, keys and controllers. You could use the dials to control the filter cutoff and resonance, that kind of thing.

[Atomic Marshmallow]

S/pdif is a 2 channel digital audio format.You could send a stereo signal to scope with it.

So could I use the laptop to run say Guitar Rig and a couple of soft synths via Ableton or Cubase and use the stereo signal of the master outs from the sequencer going into Scope via SPDIF?

But isn't there a way to run it in sync so I could get two sequencers going? One as a master and the other a slave?

[Fluxpod]

You can run a stereo channel to the scope pc and a midi connection to the scope pc and sync both sequencer with midi timecode.(If scope can recieve and transmit mtc to the sequencer dest).That should work fine,try it out. What sequencer are you running on both pc´s?

[Atomic Marshmallow]

You can run a stereo channel to the scope pc and a midi connection to the scope pc and sync both sequencer with midi timecode.(If scope can recieve and transmit mtc to the sequencer dest).That should work fine,try it out. What sequencer are you running on both pc´s?

Cubase 5 and Ableton 6.0.10. I am tempted by Sonar though.

I already have a master keyboard plugged directly into the MIDI in/out of Scope. My Novation would control the laptop.

I don't quite know how I would set it up. I guess I have to walk before I can run and try and figure stuff out for myself, but it would be nice if someone posted an example setup.

[Fluxpod]

Laptop midi out to scope midi in.Or into your midi keyboard(in) which is connected to scope if it has midi in and out and can pass midi data from in to out(called midi thru).Then set up ableton as mtc master and cubase to mtc slave.I guess ableton is on the laptop.Connect scope midi in in the routing window to seq dest and to the synths you want to use with the midi keyboard.Its a tad complicated with 2 keyboards and just 1 midi in on the pc but it should work.