Topic: Fireface 400, Windows 10, Legacy driver, Video problems, Power spike

I have a new Dell XPS 8940 (64-bit, 32 gigs of RAM, Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-10700 CPU @ 2.90GHz)  on which I've installed a PICe firewire port (TI TSB82AA2 Chipset). It works most of the time, but suddenly crashes a couple or few times per day with blue screen etc.

So, I installed/activated the legacy driver (from: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/top … ea06c5fe).

Audio seems to be working; mostly: I did at one point get weird problems with using a lot of power and processing, maybe because I was using bus-power, which I now avoid.

It also causes any video streaming (e.g., on YouTube or Amazon, regardless of browser) to stutter drastically and eventually lock up. Is there a fix for this? My system audio etc. settings are fine as far as I can tell, and I get no such issues when I switch back to the TI driver (aside from crashing).

Most of what I've seen online about this stuff suggests that my Fireface 400 is never going to work as well as it does on my Windows 7 Dell. Time to get a new interface? Can the unit itself be modified for USB?

Any suggestions or advice?

Re: Fireface 400, Windows 10, Legacy driver, Video problems, Power spike

Hello!

Have you optimized your system for Audio work?

These are some basic steps, you can try:
- Disable C-states in the Bios
- Highest perfomance settings(Windows)
- Optimize for Background tasks(Windows)
- Disable unnecessary windows services

Also, if you have an nVidia graphics card, try setting it to highest performance, as well and check the nVidia site for their "Studio" driver(not all cards are supported)

RME Gear: Digiface USB, HDSP 9632

3 (edited by jdwall 2021-02-19 19:24:27)

Re: Fireface 400, Windows 10, Legacy driver, Video problems, Power spike

Thanks for the reply! I've done a good amount of optimizing - though disabling C-states is new to me. (Haven't tried that... have seen mixed advice on it).

I have an NVIDIA GeForce card as well as in Intel(R) card (I think this is called "integrated" - right?). I downloaded/installed the NVIDIA Studio thing, and tried to make an account, but it won't let me finish the process (says I don't "qualify"). Additionally, I can't open the NVIDIA control panel from my desktop (says I don't have a display connected to an NVIDIA GPU).

In other words, the Intel(R) card must be doing the relevant work here; don't know if I can change that (EDIT: I checked the advanced display settings, and the Intel(R) is indeed the one listed). I read somewhere the other day to simply disable the Intel(R) card, and (with trepidation) I did. Ended up having to do a system restore point in safe mode - ha.

(In case it matters, I looked at the IRQ's for the graphics cards and legacy driver; they're all different.)

Anyway, I've got the most recent drivers and so on. Still can't stream video online on any browser or at any website I've tried.

QUESTION:  For about $200, is there a USB unit with two XLR inputs that'll give the same quality as the Fireface 400 (including latency - I'm using amp sims real-time)?

Thanks again!

4 (edited by ramses 2021-02-19 19:58:10)

Re: Fireface 400, Windows 10, Legacy driver, Video problems, Power spike

$200 ? New price ? No. Not even used.
I just checked eBay. Used Babyface (older / original model) still around €320 on eBay.

New device ? Only solution Babyface Pro FS: €698
https://www.thomann.de/de/rme_usb_audio … 4-last=32#

And it has even much better converter, currently the fastest from all RME devices
in terms of conversion time for AD/DA (not RTL):
at 44.1 kHz:
BBF Pro FS: AD    5   samples + DA   7 samples  =  0,11 + 0,16 = 0,27ms
FF400       : AD  43,2 samples + DA 18 samples =  0,98 + 0,63 = 1,61ms

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13

Re: Fireface 400, Windows 10, Legacy driver, Video problems, Power spike

Ah, I was thinking two inputs total, preferably both XLR/Line. Like the Scarlett 2i2. I just don't know if the sound and latency and so on are as good. Is it, as far as you know?

(I'll keep using the Fireface 400 on my Windows 7 computers.)

6 (edited by ramses 2021-02-19 20:06:55)

Re: Fireface 400, Windows 10, Legacy driver, Video problems, Power spike

jdwall wrote:

Ah, I was thinking two inputs total, preferably both XLR/Line. Like the Scarlett 2i2. I just don't know if the sound and latency and so on are as good. Is it, as far as you know?

(I'll keep using the Fireface 400 on my Windows 7 computers.)

The proposed Babyface product line is already the smallest interface in the RME world of USB interfaces with mic preamps and analog line inputs (as well as ADAT for extensions).

For a quick comparison of RME USB interfaces you can check out my blog article, it contains an excel with a lot of interesting technical information from manual, forum, etc: https://www.tonstudio-forum.de/blog/ind … B-MADIfac/

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13

Re: Fireface 400, Windows 10, Legacy driver, Video problems, Power spike

Thanks, that's unfortunately way out of my budget right now. I'll keep using the Fireface 400 without legacy drivers and try to minimize crashes (haven't had one yet today). Maybe Microsoft will support an updated (W 10) legacy driver at some point.

8 (edited by MetalHeadKeys 2021-02-19 20:34:22)

Re: Fireface 400, Windows 10, Legacy driver, Video problems, Power spike

Quote from manual:

Bandwidth
Allows to reduce the amount of bandwidth used on the FireWire bus. See chapter 7.6.

All channels (default) activates all 18 input and output channels
Analog + SP. + ADAT 1-4 activates all 8 analog channels plus SPDIF plus 4 ADAT channels
Analog + SPDIF activates all 8 analog channels plus SPDIF
Analog 1-8 activates only the first eight analog channels

The string Errors does not refer to buffer errors, but FireWire transmission errors. The display
will be reset on any start of a playback/record. More information can be found in chapter 30.3.

Have you tried setting this to : "Analog 1-8" ? If you only need the analog Ins and Outs.
Maybe this helps?

Also, about the nVidia Studio driver, maybe your card is not supported.

Also, how many WDM Devices have you set? You can try reducing them to "1".

RME Gear: Digiface USB, HDSP 9632

Re: Fireface 400, Windows 10, Legacy driver, Video problems, Power spike

Hello, I recently changed my PC and bought this: https://www.monpcsurmesure.fr/achat-pc- … round.html

I had a PCI express card installed to connect the fireface 400: https://www.monpcsurmesure.fr/achat-car … 1394a-2-1- ports-.html

Finally I have cubase 11. Everything is connected correctly, updated drivers. As soon as I start, the red host light comes on, unable to operate the RME ... Feedback from users? what is the problem ?

Thank you in advance.

10

Re: Fireface 400, Windows 10, Legacy driver, Video problems, Power spike

The FireWire card. You have to try a different one.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

Re: Fireface 400, Windows 10, Legacy driver, Video problems, Power spike

Hello MC,

like a PCI EXPRESS PCIe vers FireWire 400 IEEE1394a - 2+1 ports 6 points - CHIPSET TI XIO2200A ?

Re: Fireface 400, Windows 10, Legacy driver, Video problems, Power spike

ok all is good with this one, thank you MC