• From: Melbourne Australia
  • Registered: 2007-05-18
  • Posts: 70

Topic: MADI / ADI648 Wake from sleep problem and midi-remote query

Hi fellow RME forum members.

I have recently purchased a PCI Madi/ADI648 combo. Prior to this I had been running two digifaces with my PC. I still require a digiface in the new setup as a way to output a SPDIF stereo master buss to my DAC.

Firstly, is it OK to run both the Digiface and MADI PCI cards together?
I assumed this should work fine as they both use the same new WDM/ASIO driver. Both cards have been flashed to the latest revisions (PCI:54 and Madi:204) and my old setup has always been rock-solid.

I have encountered a few problems with this new setup however.

1) It is now impossible to resume from sleep mode. The PC enters sleep mode as normal, however, upon waking, it can not restart. Fans kick in, peripherals receive power, but do not boot fully, and my screen does not turn itself on. A full power on/off cycle does not fix the problem, as the screen never restarts, and the digiface red light remains lit, showing that the driver can't load. The only way to get the PC to reboot is to turn it off completely, turn off the power supply, and then restart fully from scratch. This has only happened since the MADI PCI card was installed, and remains a problem even after removing the card. Anyone have a similar experience? or potential explanation? I don't think it can be the new WDM/ASIO driver, as I had been using this driver with my Digifaces for the past few weeks without a problem, before the MADI/ADI combo was set-up.

Now after having removed the MADI card, and leaving only the Digicface PCI card, I still cannot wake from sleep mode correctly.

2) The other problem was patchy communication between my ADI648 and the MADI card via Midiremote. I am using the specified duplex optical cable (3 metre length) and whilst the status shows online, it falls in and out, showing 'no response' every 10-15 seconds and not responding cleanly to changes. Is the link usually a little shaky, or is it meant to stay locked solidly at all times, without a hint of breakup. I just downladed the new 1.4 version of Midiremote, after trying 1.31 and am still having the same problem.

(Windows XP SP2, Asus P5AD2E-Premium MB, Cubase SX3.1, Mackie Onyx-800R mic pres, Mackie d8b digital desk).

Any help would be much appreciated.

Kind regards,
George

2 Reply by sf

  • sf
  • ADAT user
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2007-05-20
  • Posts: 15

Re: MADI / ADI648 Wake from sleep problem and midi-remote query

Hi George,

the MIDI communication is usually rock solid, no matter whether connected via MIDI DIN or MIDI embedded in MADI.
I just checked to confirm for MADI card with WDM302 driver and MIDI Remote 1.4.
The only reason I could think of is wrong clock setup, i. e. in your case if both card and ADI-648 are not in sync. What does the Settings Dialog say re. lock/sync, and what is the 648's display? How is your setup clocked?

Kind regards,
Stephan Flock

  • From: Melbourne Australia
  • Registered: 2007-05-18
  • Posts: 70

Re: MADI / ADI648 Wake from sleep problem and midi-remote query

He Stephan,

Thanks for your reply. Well it looks like I may have a bad PCI card. I just got a reply from Matthias to another post I had made regarding the MADI/ADI648 combo and I've exhausted my troubleshooting attempts. At first I thought it may have been a PCI bandwidth issue as the CPU wasn't taxed too badly, and I thought that the MADI card may be consuming lots of bandwidth. But Matthias states that ASIO and the PCI bus only allocate bandwidth to used channels, not all channels of the card continuously.

As regards clocking, I have checked all sync and termination options and all is as it should be, both on unit front panels and in the settings dialog. I generally use a Mytek StudioClock which has never caused any clocking problems. I have also sometimes slaved from the WC out of my digital desk, as it is a little erratic on external clock, but both scenarios have been double-checked.

If the midi communication is meant to be rock solid and mine keeps dropping out then it seems to point to a problem with either the PCI card or the ADI648 (And yes I have tried using Midiremote both as Midi embedded in Madi and via the Din breakout cables on the MADI PCI card). My money is on a problem with the PCI card.

Thanks again for the reply Stephan, but I think it's time to visit my local distributor and see if they can check the card out for me on a test system, or loan me a card to test with.

Kind regards,
George Andrews

  • From: Australia
  • Registered: 2007-05-09
  • Posts: 67

Re: MADI / ADI648 Wake from sleep problem and midi-remote query

Hey George, just house keeping the forum, did this problem get solved aswell?

  • From: Melbourne Australia
  • Registered: 2007-05-18
  • Posts: 70

Re: MADI / ADI648 Wake from sleep problem and midi-remote query

Hi Warrick,

Thanks for taking the time to check up on this. The wake from sleep problem is resolved, thanks to you & Steve sorting out the FUT, however I am still having trouble with the midi communication to the ADI648. The communication is still very patchy, and doesn't really lock for significant periods. I keep getting erratic 'no response' signals from the ADI648, and very rarely does it come up as 'online' for more than a few seconds at a time. This is both via DIN and Midi via Madi.

I have reverted to my old setup, ie two HDSP PCI cards, without the MADI card for the moment. I think that this will be more stable until I either upgrade my Mobo or get my PCI buss issues sorted out. I think I may be maxing out the bandwidth through a non-optimal hard-drive setup, and need to get this aspect settled before I try pushing things with a Madi card. Of course renovating a house in the middle of this doesn't help, so the less complicated I can keep my DAW setup until I am ready to move the gear into its new home, the better.

Keep up the great work! You guys are really on top of your customer service obligations. A very pleasant and welcome change from the norm.

Kind regards,
George