• Registered: 2010-04-21
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Topic: TotalMix FX hardware output to SPDIF with FireFace 400

I have a Fireface 400 which has SPDIf coaxial connections.  However, when viewing output channels, by default, SPDIF is not displayed. After spending hours trying to troubleshoot the problem ( I went so far as to even try using the ADAT out as an SPDIF optical out), I randomly found that pressing the "assign" button in the mixer control room section displayed a dropdown list and when one of those items was selected, one of the items in the sublist was SPDIF. Then I noticed that SPDIF was one of the channels displayed and I could get a signal. It seems to be working ok now but I don't understand why or if the steps I took were correct or if I was just lucky. This brings up several issues.
1. Is there a manual that explains this behavior? I don't like to bring up questions unnecessarily for things that are documented in a manual but I can't find a manual anywhere.
2. Since SPDIF has it's own labeled output on the hardware, why is it not, by default, one of the available channels?
3. In this case, I selected the main output channel and assigned SPDIF.  My monitors which I use for my main output are AN1/2 and I'm running SPDIF out to an external DAC I use for supplemental monitoring.  Was I using the Main out the correct way to set this up or is there a better way?

The setup of SPDIF out is anything but intuitive so it seems like some clear documentation could go a long way to making it usable.

2 Reply by MC

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Re: TotalMix FX hardware output to SPDIF with FireFace 400

On the RME website click Downloads on the top, then Manuals below it, then scroll down to USB & FireWire.

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Matthias Carstens
RME

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  • Registered: 2010-04-21
  • Posts: 16

Re: TotalMix FX hardware output to SPDIF with FireFace 400

I was looking directly for a TotalMixFX manual... now I see it was included on the latest FF400 manual.  Thanks.
After going through that, I was able to make more sense of how to set it up but there are still some things that leave me puzzled.

When I set up routing in the matrix view to south AN1/2 to SPDIF, no signal is showing the the SPDIF channel's meter when I play something back.  However if I add SPDIF to AN1/2's output I can get that provide the SPDIF signal and route it to Phones 2. In the matrix this connection appears to be controlled by Out9 and Out 10.  Does this mean that Output9/10 are really SPDIF?  How to I route it so that the SPDIF channel in Software Playback receives the signal?http://arokandela.com/zShare/Screen%20Shot%20Fireface400.jpg

4 Reply by MC

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Re: TotalMix FX hardware output to SPDIF with FireFace 400

Software playback is named Software playback because only software playback will show up there. Play back something on channel 9/10 by your audio software and SPDIF level meters in Software Playback row will come to live.

If you click the NAMES button you will see that you assigned SPDIF as Phones 2.

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Matthias Carstens
RME

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  • Registered: 2010-04-21
  • Posts: 16

Re: TotalMix FX hardware output to SPDIF with FireFace 400

Assigning SPDIF to Phones2 was intentional.  It was the only way I could get a signal to successfully output.  I have my system working ok for now so my questions here are now not for finding an immediate fix but rather to understand how routing in TotalMix FX works so I can handle more complex routing needs as they arise without resorting to blackbox trial-an-error.

Wouldn't the routing in the matrix I shared previously be routing the software playback to 9/10?  How else would I do it?   So shouldn't playing back something route the signal to the 9/10 (SPDIF) channel in the mixer view? I think one of my problems may be in understanding exactly what Software playback is supposed to do. It seems like in my case, I'm not using it for anything and can ignore it? 

Also, in my setup, AN1 and AN2 are separate. When I click on AN1/Out1 Out2 is automatically selected in the matrix. Shouldn't they be independent since the input is independent, i.e. I would set AN1/Out1 and AN2/Out2 so it would show ip in the matrix similar to how AN7/8 used Out1/Out2.  As it is, do I need to select AN2with Out1 or 2 (doesn't seem to matter which since they act as a pair) so the block of 4 is highlighted? From my black box approach, it seems that AN1/Out1/2 pair is sufficient.  Is that true?

6 Reply by MC

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Re: TotalMix FX hardware output to SPDIF with FireFace 400

> Wouldn't the routing in the matrix I shared previously be routing the software playback to 9/10?

Sure. But you seem to have never played back something on channels 9/10 from your software.

>  I think one of my problems may be in understanding exactly what Software playback is supposed to do.

I explained that already, and the manual even has a more detailed explanation. You don't route anything to Software Playback. You route the software playback of your software to any of the hardware outputs. Sorry to ask this, but are you aware that there exists software which allows to play back 18 different tracks on 18 different output channels? These would then all show up separately in the Software Playback row.

> Also, in my setup, AN1 and AN2 are separate.

Hit the button Mono Mode to the right.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

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7 Reply by cblane (edited by cblane 2014-11-28 06:49:02)

  • Registered: 2010-04-21
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Re: TotalMix FX hardware output to SPDIF with FireFace 400

OK, I think I've got it. In the TotalMix matrix they are only enabled, not assigned. What I was missing was that I needed to go into Audio I/O setup in my DAW and assign the output there.  I'm aware that all of the DAWs I've used over the last 15 years are capable of outputting to multiple channels, depending on the hardware limitations (18 channels in case of FF400).  My recordings are almost always 2 or 3 acoustic musicians so my mixes are relatively simple and I haven't found the need to use more than 2 channels of output. 

Sometimes it's relatively simple step that can make all the difference. Now the rest makes more sense. Thanks.