• Registered: 2007-05-06
  • Posts: 6

Topic: Short Some Output Channels on Multiface 1

This has been driving me nuts. I am running a Win10 64 Lenovo laptop with a PCMCIA card and cardbus 34 adapter. All works fine unless I enable more than 6 analog outputs in which case playback slows down, lowers in pitch and sounds "grainy". Windows seems to recognize the card just fine. Further, when I add a Presonus Digimax FS via ADAT I can use 6 of those outut channels or any combination of 6 between the two cards.

I have two Multifaces and two PCMCIA cards and any combination does the same thing. Everything seems to work fine on an older Lenovo laptop that has a PCMCIA slot and does not require the cardbus adapter. I would suspect the cardbus adapter if it didn't work at all but as it is recognized by Windows and by Reaper I think there might be another problem.

I have spent a fair amount of time the last few weeks checking forums and fussing with this and I don't know what else to do.

Any ideas? I don't want to part with my RME!

  • From: Houston, TX
  • Registered: 2007-05-11
  • Posts: 1,191

Re: Short Some Output Channels on Multiface 1

Can you obtain a native Cardbus HDSP card?

I believe those PCMCIA-to-Cardbus adapters don't play well with realtime/low-latency stuff like Audio.  I once used a PCMCIA-to-PCI adaptor with a PCIMCIA HDSP and it worked, but not as good (efficient) as a native PCIe HDSP card in the same PC.  I think going from parallel PCI (PCMCIA) to serial PCIe (Cardbus) is part of the issue there...

If not - any of RME's current USB interfaces should leave a classic MultiFace in the dust :-)  I still own a few MF1's myself - but the newer TM-FX interfaces are much nicer to work with IMNSHO (MF-XT + ARC over here)...

cool

MADIface-XT+ARC / 3x HDSP MADI / ADI648
2x SSL Alphalink MADI AX
2x Multiface / 2x Digiface /2x ADI8
  • From: Germany
  • Registered: 2007-04-10
  • Posts: 9,774

Re: Short Some Output Channels on Multiface 1

Hello,

make sure to disable PCie power saving in the BIOS and in Windows (full performance power profile), plerhaps that will help.

This is an Expresscard based adapter for a Cardbus card, right?

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

RME Support's Website

  • Registered: 2007-05-06
  • Posts: 6

Re: Short Some Output Channels on Multiface 1

Thanks for your replies.

I have had my eye out for a cardbus 34 card. They are not available very often or are bundled with other equipment. I am reluctant to pay high dollar for one from Europe if I can't be sure it will even work.  Replacing everything with new gear, unfortunately, is not on the horizon.

Oddly enough the most stable setup I have is my older laptop using the cardbus adapter. Even though it has a PCMCIA slot as well, I can get all 18 channels open for record and playback using the adapter in the cardbus slot. For some reason I had to use an older driver for this to work.

My desire is to use the newer laptop as it has more horsepower, more memory and a 64 bit OS. The older one doesn't meet spec for some of my plugins and virtual instruments. I just am unable to get more than 6 output channels to work.

Thanks for your tip, Daniel. I had switched power saving in Windows but it was not an option in BIOS.

Thanks again.

Hank