Topic: multiple Digiface AVB in same network

Hi I have an issue:
I have changed the setup in my studio to am Rme system. M 32 Da Pro II, M 32 da Pro II, 1610pro & 2x Digiface AVB.
We work with Macs in the Studio. I bought the Digiface AVBs (allthough MacOS has implemented AVB in their System) that we can have seperate configs in the different controlrooms no matter which laptop ist connected to the interface. Also the two systems need to have different samplerates, when two people work on different projects. But the Interface acts just as Bridge from the computer to the Network (Streamsonnections are computerbased and not soundcardbased). Allthough Totalmix recognizies the other Interface. But RME AVB Controller doesn't. And as far I understand the RME AVB app has to run to use the interface. I use Hive for routig and clockpurposes but cannot dedect the soudcards but only the Computers (apps) show not the soundcards.
So my question: is it possible to make the Digifaces AVB the divices in the AVB Netwok and not the Computers? If not is there a possibility in the RME AVB Controller to store and recall different setups?
Thanks in advance, Martin

Re: multiple Digiface AVB in same network

Hi Martin,

(Hive) cannot dedect the soudcards but only the Computers (apps) show

I don't quite understand what you mean by the difference between "soundcards" and "computers". Do you have the MacOS native AVB enabled?

Can you please post a screenshot of a Hive instance in the network? I think that will make thinks clearer.

Best regards
Marc

3

Re: multiple Digiface AVB in same network

blacknap wrote:

as far I understand the RME AVB app has to run to use the interface

Correct.

blacknap wrote:

is there a possibility in the RME AVB Controller to store and recall different setups?

No.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

Re: multiple Digiface AVB in same network

Windows and Mac OS implemenations of the avb app are slitely different. In Windows you can disable / enable the digiface AVB device from the menu. The digiface device is implementet as a service. You can close the controller app and the digiface device (service) keeps running in the background.
In mac OS you can also close the controller an keep the device running (with the latest version only), but the app must stay open. You stop the controller within the menu of the app.
You can use the digiface either with Hive or the RME Controller (if the RME Controller is running).

5 (edited by blacknap 2024-09-23 22:13:51)

Re: multiple Digiface AVB in same network

Thank you for all the answers,
@Marc S: my problem is that in the AVB Network the Digiface is noticed as the same interface wheter the Digiface A or the Digiface B is connected. Totalmix does notice the difference. The inputstreams of the m32 and 1610 notice that this are different interfaces but the Digiface uses the same input streams. Here are the screenshots:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/wz3i6tf1x4tmj … 5.png?dl=0
this is the Digiface A in the 1610 environment and this:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/j3k9zhowh1ztl … 3.png?dl=0
is the Digiface B in the m32 environment. The Digiface inputstrems stay the same thou it are different Cards and the streams were connected to the m32 ad. Thats what I meant with "computers" and "soundcards".

@MC: I thought with the storage of setups I could work arround this problem.

@uwekirst: thank you for the info

Re: multiple Digiface AVB in same network

Please try to rename the Digifaces to something unique, like "Digiface A" and "Digiface B". Either using the RME AVB Controller ("Entity -> Name...") or Hive (View -> Discovered Entities, doubleclick on the name in the list).

Re: multiple Digiface AVB in same network

I allready tried. Keeps The Name Digiface A thou I am connected to the Digiface B. Thats why i renamed it to "Digiface". When an other computer is connected it shows RME Digiface when you don't rename it. Thou it's named otherwise in my computer the Digifaces keep the name an other computer gives them. This works when you have one Digiface in your setup, but not when you have more.

Re: multiple Digiface AVB in same network

When it works with your system (macOS+multible avb digifaces) it is maybe the driver i have installed?? or the firmware?
can you tell me which driver or firmwareversion i should use?

Re: multiple Digiface AVB in same network

Wait, now that I reread your initial post and have a second look at the screen shots: You do have 2 Mac systems right?
It's not that you have both Digifaces connected to one Mac, correct? Because that won't work. Each computer only supports one connected Digiface at a time.

Re: multiple Digiface AVB in same network

On the screenshot i used the same computer to make it simpler. Not connected to both digifaces the same time. But on the first screenshot: in room a connected to digiface a. And the 2nd screenshot: same computer in room b connected to digiface b

Re: multiple Digiface AVB in same network

Everybody in the studio should be able to use his/her own laptop. With the setup stored to the digiface depending in what room they are ( what digiface they are connected to). Thats what I thought would be possible. Normally there work two systems the same time, sometimes with different samplesrates. So the systems shouldn‘t be connected. Sometimes you set the system up that you get 1 avb stream from the other studio. (Thou this is not the usual working case it should work undependent and the computer should react to the interface connected)

Re: multiple Digiface AVB in same network

Ok, I think I understand your requirements now. The connections to and from each Digiface, as well as other settings, should be unique to the actual hardware device and not the computer connected.
So the problem is not that multiple Digifaces connected at the same time to the same network don't behave as expected, but swapping Digifaces and Macs doesn't yield the expected results.

It is important to know that the actual Digiface hardware doesn't have non-volatile storage. All the settings, including the entity name for example, are stored on the computer it is connected to. They are only identifyable by their serial number/hardware id.

So what you request is that the RME application on the computer stores one setup per hardware id, correct? So that when you connect Digiface A to Computer 1, and then swap it with Digiface B to Computer 1, they show up as different devices with different settings and thus make different connections within the network?

Re: multiple Digiface AVB in same network

Hi Marc S,
Yes, regarding your last paragraph it is correct. The solution would be that the computer would identify the digiface by the hardware id. That would also be the case if somebody uses a digiface in the studio and anotherone at home.
Will it be possible to change that? Or at least  a workarround with the storage of different inputstream setups (on the computer, when there is no non-voltatile storage on the hardware)

Re: multiple Digiface AVB in same network

any news on this:
Will it be possible to change that? Or at least  a workarround with the storage of different inputstream setups?

Best Regards

Re: multiple Digiface AVB in same network

Hey there blacknap,

Did you ever find a solution to this? Like a human solution or differing approach?

We've just done the same thing in our research lab of three rooms using one AVB network, I didn't anticipate that the digiface's would be this difficult to handle and it's a big mess...

To Marc S:

"So what you request is that the RME application on the computer stores one setup per hardware id, correct? So that when you connect Digiface A to Computer 1, and then swap it with Digiface B to Computer 1, they show up as different devices with different settings and thus make different connections within the network?"

Yes! And also when there are multiple users (digiface avb) on the network, they don't all show up with the same name!

I have other issues that would be solved with non-volatile memory, but perhaps there is a way to store the stream assignments via the device it is connected to? E.g. a 12Mic, or a 1620?

Please help Marc!

Re: multiple Digiface AVB in same network

Hi MarkCables,
My solution is to put all other devices streams to the maincard streaminputs -> passthrough to output streams and with hive i just set the inputs of the digiface to the outputs of the mainconverter in the studio. The other cards remember the outputstreams of the hardware device id and so this workarround is pretty simple. Just connecting diagonal dots when i change with the same computer the studio room.

Re: multiple Digiface AVB in same network

The digiface AVB Controller supports storing the configuration of the (current) selected device or of all devices detected in a network in one file / a set of files. Storing is by network id (mac address). The solution in you case should be just reopen the file with the configuration you want after you connected the digiface. The loading will fail of course, if the mac address(es) stored in the file(s) do(es) not exist within the network. The files are .xlm, so you can view them.

Re: multiple Digiface AVB in same network

uwekirst wrote:

The digiface AVB Controller supports storing the configuration of the (current) selected device or of all devices detected in a network in one file / a set of files. Storing is by network id (mac address). The solution in you case should be just reopen the file with the configuration you want after you connected the digiface. The loading will fail of course, if the mac address(es) stored in the file(s) do(es) not exist within the network. The files are .xlm, so you can view them.


Thanks, I am aware of this capability already... In our case it is more helpful to recall digiface settings (share the settings with other users) - the Milan Mode, CRF I/O and stream sizes - because the rest of the config is indeed done from Milan Manager. We would rather not use AVB Controller at all, but completely understand its function here.

I saw a video of RME USA showcasing a device called the "Firenet AOI" - seemingly the successor to the AVB Tool and with a Dante version too. This video was from 2024, we still need a complete and Milan compliant 128ch AVB > USB Interface!

Re: multiple Digiface AVB in same network

blacknap wrote:

Hi MarkCables,
My solution is to put all other devices streams to the maincard streaminputs -> passthrough to output streams and with hive i just set the inputs of the digiface to the outputs of the mainconverter in the studio. The other cards remember the outputstreams of the hardware device id and so this workarround is pretty simple. Just connecting diagonal dots when i change with the same computer the studio room.

Thanks for getting back! I don't think we can follow suit because of our particular setup but this is a cool solution.