• Registered: 2020-10-01
  • Posts: 22

Topic: DAW not linking w/ control surface after FF800 install

My SSL Nucleus was connecting with Nuendo10 as well as with MixBus6. In fact, Nucleus Remote app still is connected to SSL Nucleus.
After installing Fireface 800, neither DAW is connecting with the Nucleus.
Nucleus is connected to Nuendo as "Mackie Control"and "Mackie Control 2"
Mackie Control - "02. Ethernet MIDI" for both In & Out
Mackie Control 2 - "01. Ethernet MIDI" in & output

Does it have something to do with the 800 MIDI ports or some TotalMix configuration?

Someone please help. I have clients trying to book sessions and need to solve this before I book them.

• Windows 10 Pro
• MSi MPG X570 Gaming Plus w/ AMD Ryzen 5 3600x
• RME Fireface 800
• Solid State Logic Nucleus (gen 1)
• M-Audio Axiom49

***Also, once this is sorted, I'm wondering if there's a way to connect my Akai MPC500 to the MIDI I/O on the FF800 to add it as another VSTi controller. Is there a way to do this? Would I be able to have my Nucleus control surface, Axiom49 for some VSTi, and MPC500 to control other VSTi?
My priority, however, is getting Nucleus to work while running FF800

  • Registered: 2019-10-01
  • Posts: 675

Re: DAW not linking w/ control surface after FF800 install

Hello!

I don't have experience with the Nucleus being used with an RME audio interface, but I have set one up at a friend's studio using an SSL MadiExtreme audio interface and ProTools(HUI Protocol).

I don't know if it will be of any help, but there are a few options in TMFX that might fix this.

These are to be found under Options -> Settings -> MIDI tab
  Check the "Disable MIDI in background" Option
  Aso, you can try unchecking the "In Use" Option for every one of the 4 selections

Now, you can check Options -> Settings -> OSC tab
  (This is what, I think, is creating the conflict in your setup because it involves IPs)

   Uncheck the "In use" Option for every one of the 4 selections

Last one, Option -> Settings -> Aux Devices
  (I don't think this has anything to do with your problem, but it's better to check it)

  Just make sure that the MIDI In and Out Ports are set to "FireFace Midi Port 1"

RME Gear: Digiface USB, HDSP 9632
  • Registered: 2020-10-01
  • Posts: 22

Re: DAW not linking w/ control surface after FF800 install

Assuming I did it right, none of that was the answer.... still not working
I noticed TotalMix gave itself an IP address. Nucleus connects via ethernet so I'm thinking the solution will end up having something to do with networking. The Nucleus stops me from being able to connect to the internet via my usb wifi dongle every other day and the solution for that also has to do with setting up a network.
I really hope RME Support or someone who knows pops up with a solution I can do myself. The whole reason I put off building a Dante system was because of the headaches of having to have someone come to the studio to setup the network.

4 Reply by MC

  • MC
  • MC
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  • From: Germany/Thailand
  • Registered: 2007-04-06
  • Posts: 25,440

Re: DAW not linking w/ control surface after FF800 install

> I noticed TotalMix gave itself an IP address

It doesn't. Unless you intentionally activated the Network Remote host function in TM FX. But why should you do that? You don't use the TM FX Remote service at all.  Go to Options - Network Remote Settings and turn the server off.

Also you can disable basic Mackie protocol (just in case this conflicts) by unchecking 'Enable Protocol support', and by unchecking Options - Enable MIDI Control. Having done all this there is zero possibility that TM FX can interact with your former setup.

> Just make sure that the MIDI In and Out Ports are set to "FireFace Midi Port 1"

That doesn't make sense. It should have NONE selected as you are not using any of the TM FX remote functions.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

  • Registered: 2020-10-01
  • Posts: 22

Re: DAW not linking w/ control surface after FF800 install

MC wrote:

> I noticed TotalMix gave itself an IP address

It doesn't. Unless you intentionally activated the Network Remote host function in TM FX. But why should you do that? You don't use the TM FX Remote service at all.  Go to Options - Network Remote Settings and turn the server off.

Also you can disable basic Mackie protocol (just in case this conflicts) by unchecking 'Enable Protocol support', and by unchecking Options - Enable MIDI Control. Having done all this there is zero possibility that TM FX can interact with your former setup.

> Just make sure that the MIDI In and Out Ports are set to "FireFace Midi Port 1"

That doesn't make sense. It should have NONE selected as you are not using any of the TM FX remote functions.

I made a little progress but still not there yet...

1) Someone on GS suggested that MIDI 1 & 2 might be getting assigned to the Fireface 800 MIDI ports causing it to move the Nucleus down from 1 & 2 to start at 3 & 4.
I changed the ports for "Mackie Control" and "Mackie Control 2" from EthernetMIDI 2 and EthernetMIDI 1 to 4 and 3. The buttons lit right up, the channel that was muted in Nuendo became muted on the board and the scribble strip lit up with the correct names of channels and all that.
However, the board wasn't changing the screen nor the screen changing the board.

2) I, just now, went into TotalMix settings and unchecked Enable Mackie Protocol then went back to Nuendo and switched back to MIDI 2 and 1 for Mackie Control and Mackie Control 2.
Suddenly my control surface works!!!!

Unfortunately, I now have a problem I didn't have yesterday and this problem is with the sound, so this one most likely falls on the Fireface800.
Its stuttering during playback. Something I haven't encountered in years. The buffer rate was at 1024. I moved it up to the highest setting and it makes no difference. 1024 is higher than I wanna record at so I'm kinda glad that wasn't the solution but, if the buffer isn't too low, what could be causing the continual stuttering???

  • Registered: 2019-10-01
  • Posts: 675

Re: DAW not linking w/ control surface after FF800 install

Do you have your system optimized for audio?
You can try these:

- Disable C-states in the Bios
- Optimize Windows for Background Tasks
- Highest Performance power settings
- Disable unnecessary windows services

RME Gear: Digiface USB, HDSP 9632
  • Registered: 2020-10-01
  • Posts: 22

Re: DAW not linking w/ control surface after FF800 install

MetalHeadKeys wrote:

Do you have your system optimized for audio?
You can try these:

- Disable C-states in the Bios
- Optimize Windows for Background Tasks
- Highest Performance power settings
- Disable unnecessary windows services

I'm not sure about BIOS because I use a tech guy for anything in BIOS but, otherwise, yes; everything is optimized for performance.
The record/playback was working fine before I got everything to work. There has to be something I haven't thought of or never heard about that's causing it