• Registered: 2011-01-24
  • Posts: 13

Topic: Help with FireFace800 Dropping FireWire Comm w/Windows 7-32 bit!?

I just bought a Dell E5510 w/ Win 7 32 bit.  I had to install the Legacy firewire driver, and that seemed to work (with the newest driver the internal FF800 clock was set to 456k sample rate and could not be changed-obvious error).  Today (the second day using it) it will drop the firewire communication and the Host light comes on, which was intermittent yesterday (again the legacy driver seemed to fix it).  The FireFace 800 disappears from the device manager list, and I have to reboot to get the communication established.  This happens when I open Reapear 3.74 and go into the audio preferences and try to access the FF800 using ASIO drivers.  This was seeming to work last night, I had the configuration set I thought!

Help!

Frank

  • Registered: 2008-01-01
  • Posts: 3,025

Re: Help with FireFace800 Dropping FireWire Comm w/Windows 7-32 bit!?

If you don't try we won't know. wink

  • Registered: 2011-01-24
  • Posts: 13

Re: Help with FireFace800 Dropping FireWire Comm w/Windows 7-32 bit!?

For what is worth...  I called Dell.  They are asking me to send the laptop in for repair.  Is this a waste of time?  Is this just not going to work even if the laptop is "functioning"?

Frank

4 Reply by MC

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Re: Help with FireFace800 Dropping FireWire Comm w/Windows 7-32 bit!?

We don't know. Sometimes they exchange boards for a newer revision (highly classified info), in that case good chance. If your FW port is unstable a new board even of the same revision might help too. But if they just check and say 'it works'...

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

5 Reply by FrankC (edited by FrankC 2011-01-25 21:50:47)

  • Registered: 2011-01-24
  • Posts: 13

Re: Help with FireFace800 Dropping FireWire Comm w/Windows 7-32 bit!?

I will send it in and let you guys know how it turns out.  I assume that somebody is running a FF800, Windows 7, and Reaper?  I just wanted to see if the combination is compatible and is not the problem.

I assume it was working because the host light is not lit, I can open the settings and turn on and off the phantom power for mic inputs, and I can change the faders and see levels from a connected microphone in the RME FF800 total mix application.  It is only when I try to access it through Reaper to enable inputs, etc. that the host light goes on and I lose connectivity and the ability to control the FF800 altogether.

Could this be some kind of conflict between FF800 control and Reaper for the firewire bus?

  • Registered: 2011-01-24
  • Posts: 13

Re: Help with FireFace800 Dropping FireWire Comm w/Windows 7-32 bit!?

I have a confession.   I found out what was causing my problem.  I didn't have TotalMix open while I was making input/output changes within the Reaper DAW.  When I opened TotalMix first, there was no drop of the firewire connection.  I tried this several times to make sure, and each time, it worked flawlessly when TotalMix was open on the desktop before Reaper was opened.  I hope this Duh moment helps someone else - sort of like the "is it plugged in" troubleshooting question!  Each time I opened Reaper first it would stop and I would lose the firewire device.  So, if you load the legacy driver, a Dell with Windows 7-32bit and on-board Ricoh chipset can work!

My apoligies for wasting bandwith...

Frank

7 Reply by MC

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Re: Help with FireFace800 Dropping FireWire Comm w/Windows 7-32 bit!?

Are you talking about opening the TotalMix window, or is it enough to have the program started as icon in the notification area (which is the default)?

I never heared about this effect, and it makes no real sense. IMHO the error is still there and will come back to you later.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

  • Registered: 2008-01-01
  • Posts: 3,025

Re: Help with FireFace800 Dropping FireWire Comm w/Windows 7-32 bit!?

Disable the following options in Reaper's Preferences -> Audio:

- Close audio devic when stopped and application is inactive

- Close audio device when inactive and tracks are record armend

- Close audio device when inactive and ReWire devices are open

- Close audio device when stopped and active (less responsive)

Does that help?

9 Reply by FrankC (edited by FrankC 2011-01-26 17:30:42)

  • Registered: 2011-01-24
  • Posts: 13

Re: Help with FireFace800 Dropping FireWire Comm w/Windows 7-32 bit!?

MC- I have to open the TotalMix view.  It is not enough to have it open in the notification area (icon in the lower right corner).  Windows 7 only displays it when you move your mouse over the notification area and it is not always visible like in XP, so maybe there is something going on different there in Windows.  I tried it several times (it is repeatable), rebooting the machine each time, and it definitely makes a difference being fully open.

I also notice that the TotalMix view doesn't display properly.  Its default opening window hides part of the right side of the mixer view.  I have to collapse it and then re-stretch it to view the complete right side of the mixer - no big deal but a bug on my machine/settings at least.

Timur- That sounds like experience.  I will try that tonight when I get home and let you know.

BTW, absolutely love the RME and Reaper DAW.  Both superbly designed!  I just need to get some more experience with the DAW and Windows 7.

Nice to join the RME and Reaper family...

Thanks for the help!

Frank

10 Reply by 19 frets (edited by 19 frets 2011-01-27 03:44:34)

  • Registered: 2009-12-30
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Re: Help with FireFace800 Dropping FireWire Comm w/Windows 7-32 bit!?

FrankC wrote:

MC- I have to open the TotalMix view.  It is not enough to have it open in the notification area (icon in the lower right corner).  Windows 7 only displays it when you move your mouse over the notification area and it is not always visible like in XP, so maybe there is something going on different there in Windows.

I am pretty sure there is a parameter for each tray icon that can be set to have any or all icons display or not display.  Right click in this tray area in the bottom right corner and use the option to "customize notification icons" for a list of all icons in the tray.  Then choose to have total mix always display in the tray area if it is not already set up that way.

11 Reply by FrankC (edited by FrankC 2011-01-27 00:05:40)

  • Registered: 2011-01-24
  • Posts: 13

Re: Help with FireFace800 Dropping FireWire Comm w/Windows 7-32 bit!?

Timur,

FWIW:  Only the "- Close audio device when stopped and application is inactive" was checked.  Unchecking this did not matter.  It definitely has to be open or it will crash the firewire connection.  Only rebooting gets it back.  I may look more into what is going on with "background programs" in this machine.

Frank

  • Registered: 2008-01-01
  • Posts: 3,025

Re: Help with FireFace800 Dropping FireWire Comm w/Windows 7-32 bit!?

Sounds like a serious issue then. I doubt any background program is at fault. How do other audio applications behave? Does using something simple like Media Player work?

For testing ASIO with other applications you can download a trial of Ableton Live or just use Foobar.

13 Reply by MC

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Re: Help with FireFace800 Dropping FireWire Comm w/Windows 7-32 bit!?

...and DIGICheck...

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

14 Reply by FrankC (edited by FrankC 2011-01-28 16:01:05)

  • Registered: 2011-01-24
  • Posts: 13

Re: Help with FireFace800 Dropping FireWire Comm w/Windows 7-32 bit!?

With the FF800 up and running, and TotalMix view on the desktop...   I went to the Control Panel, Sound Card settings.  On the playback tab, I tried to select out 9/10 headphones for the FF800 output as default.  I opened Windows Media player and played a song.  I could hear it in the phones connected to the FF800.  Then, after about 30 seconds of the first song, I selected a second song and it crashed.  I saw the output meters in TotalMix with random levels on all outputs when it was crashing. 

Is it possible to select the FF800 from the sound card control window instead of the built in soundcard and headphone jack on the PC for playback of Windows Media Player?  Or is this not recommened?  The same crash happens when I select the recording tab in the sound card control panel and select on of the FF800 inputs as default.  This is the way I used to do it in XP.  When using reaper I don't even go into the soundcard settings, I just use the ASIO drivers and leave TotalMix on the desktop and it works.

Is this a firewire issue or sound card issue?  I have a SIIG FW800 express card coming to compare.  I'm hoping a TI chipset and Unibrain 800 drivers will make it work right.  Otherwise, it is no big deal to leave the TotalMix open on the desktop, but it is frustrating not to be able to use FF800 as a playback device for DVD's, etc.

Frank

15 Reply by FrankC (edited by FrankC 2011-01-30 03:55:43)

  • Registered: 2011-01-24
  • Posts: 13

Re: Help with FireFace800 Dropping FireWire Comm w/Windows 7-32 bit!?

OK.  I got the SIIG Firewire 800/400 Express/54 Card with TI chipset and installed the microsoft (legacy) driver.  The UniBrain uBswitch utility automatically installs microsoft 400 drivers when using the 400 port.  After the switch, I had to manually go into the device manager and update the driver for the SIIG card to the legacy driver for it to function correctly.  Otherwise, I would see the weird 454k sample rate instead of 44.1k when opening the FF800 settings utility.

Now , it's working like its supposed to work.  I do not have to have TotalMix open, just running in background is fine.  I can go into the Windows sound card settings and select the FF800 as my playback or record device and it works, it works!  Just like good ol' XP!  I did not disable the onboard Ricoh firewire port, and it still is using the latest Ricoh driver.  It is having no effect on the SIIG PCI Express card's 400 performance.

Last question:  Do you think it is worth even sending this laptop to Dell for "repair"?  I really like the Dell and Windows 7, just disappointed that they cannot make a firewire port functional...

Thanks for all of the help.  Hopefully, someone can learn from my experience.

Frank C