Topic: UFX+ MADI and Protools 32channel limit

I just upgraded to a UFX+, which i think will be a great location recording set up with a pair of XTCs.

I’ve managed to get the XTCs working with protools via MADI using loopback, but just wondered if there was any update on a mac driver that would allow inputs to be turned off to work more easily with the protools 32 input limitation.

At 96khz total mix doesn’t show ADAT 8-16 for obvious reasons, but they are still present in the driver - so it further eats into protools 32 channels since ADAT 8-16 aren’t available for loopback, but still eat into the protools limit.

I know this was much discussed a year or two back...

2

Re: UFX+ MADI and Protools 32channel limit

Yep, and it is still on our to-do list.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

Re: UFX+ MADI and Protools 32channel limit

Thanks Matthias, good to hear.

Re: UFX+ MADI and Protools 32channel limit

Good to hear this. I’m also waiting for a reordering of channels in macos driver.

5 (edited by jetwolf 2019-07-19 02:00:42)

Re: UFX+ MADI and Protools 32channel limit

Any update on selecting the channels for Pro Tools?    Patiently waiting now for several years.   I was one of the first to buy a UFX+.

Please!!  I am running a Burl Mothership via MADI/UFX+.   Windows 10 using Thunderbolt.

Thanks

Jetwolf

6 (edited by Origringo 2019-09-04 04:49:50)

Re: UFX+ MADI and Protools 32channel limit

MC wrote:

Yep, and it is still on our to-do list.


Is there an ETA with being able to deactivate channels? I guess I realize that at the core it’s an Avid problem, and I’ll happily submit a ticket with them, but it seems other manufacturers have figured out how to accomplish this within their software in the past. I ended up just looping the MADI 1-8 back to ADAT 9-16 but it was after wasting most of my evening trying to figure a workaround that allowed me to use my Analog inputs for my outboard gear. 

However. This solution doesn’t work at 96k where the outputs still show as available in PT but they are in fact inoperable.

Jeff

7

Re: UFX+ MADI and Protools 32channel limit

It's still on our to do list for this year. But I can't guarantee anything...

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

Re: UFX+ MADI and Protools 32channel limit

MC wrote:

It's still on our to do list for this year. But I can't guarantee anything...

That's cool, thank you for responding. I had a nice chat with Jeff in support (who has been so awesome while I transitioned to RME btw) and he explained the complexities of making that kind of change to the driver.

Really, it's an Avid problem. Even at 96k when the inputs disappear from total mix they still appear in pro tools. It's really poor programming on their part (as usual.) As the user, if I am limited to 32 inputs I should be able to choose what 32 I want and not just arbitrarily the first 32 and it shouldn't be left to the hardware manufacturer to spend R&D on something that fundamentally changes their drivers that should easily be handled on the other end. I opened a support ticket with them expressing my displeasure, but I've been flirting with Studio One since they double the cost for a perpetual license for a while now anyway.

I suppose I could always record in Reaper when I need that many channels and import into PT at that point.

Thanks again for your reply. Loving my new RME products and your teams prompt attention and support.

jeff

Re: UFX+ MADI and Protools 32channel limit

Just wanted to bump this to see if it was still on the to do list.
Thanks,
Jerry

10

Re: UFX+ MADI and Protools 32channel limit

Yes it is.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

Re: UFX+ MADI and Protools 32channel limit

Hi Matthias ...

Is the concept to be able to change the order in which blocks of inputs are presented, e.g., move the first 8 MADI channels in front of the 12 UFX+ Analog channels; or, to be able to select and specify any of the potential channels in a new matrix the way UAD does for the Apollo?

I'd love the latter designs with presets, so I could leave all my gear connected as I wish, but have different configurations instantly available for different applications.

Thanks.

DF

UFX+, ADI-648, Win 10, i7 10 core 3Ghz 64 Gb, Cubase 9, PT 12.8

Re: UFX+ MADI and Protools 32channel limit

Was wondering about the same question that bienpegaito posted. I also would love to have the preset option. Is this something that might be on the table for 2020.

Thanks

Jerry

Re: UFX+ MADI and Protools 32channel limit

Jlg2advise wrote:

Was wondering about the same question that bienpegaito posted. I also would love to have the preset option. Is this something that might be on the table for 2020.

Thanks

Jerry

I'm pretty sure that the worse part of this is after you exhaust your 12 analog inputs from, for example, the Fireface UFX+ and possibly the AES, you are left with 18 channels. But if you want to record above 48k, that is cut in half to 9 chanels as Pro Tools still is counting those as 18. You now have a total of only 23 usable channels.

There is a work around to use channels above MADI 3 (the 33rd channel as counted by Pro Tools) using your Totalmix configuration presets assuming that there are some connections among the 32 seen by Pro Tools that you don't need every time.

For an example, let's say you can live without ADAT 15/ 16 sometimes and want to access what is connected to MADI 23/ 24 which you use rarely. Select stereo linked output ADAT 15/ 16 and set it to loopback and then raise the fader from input of MADI 23/ 24 (could do the same from software input in the middle row).

In Pro Tools if you select ADAT 15/ 16 input, you will get the feed from MADI 23/24. You can keep this setup by using one of the Total Mix presets.

DF

UFX+, ADI-648, Win 10, i7 10 core 3Ghz 64 Gb, Cubase 9, PT 12.8

Re: UFX+ MADI and Protools 32channel limit

Bump! I've been hoping for this for years and I'm about to have a gig where the lack of ability to reorder is going to give me a lot of pain. It would make a big difference for me as a customer. Thanks!

Re: UFX+ MADI and Protools 32channel limit

Same here, really hoping there'll be something for this soon!! Thanks RME!!

Re: UFX+ MADI and Protools 32channel limit

Time for my annual bump pleading for this feature.   Any progress?

Re: UFX+ MADI and Protools 32channel limit

Hello.
I just bought the ufx + and just realized it is useless since I can't use the madi with protools.
I really need this feature or I will have to send it back.

Re: UFX+ MADI and Protools 32channel limit

charlyston wrote:

Hello.
I just bought the ufx + and just realized it is useless since I can't use the madi with protools.
I really need this feature or I will have to send it back.

The workaround works pretty well.

I summarised here.

https://forum.rme-audio.de/viewtopic.php?id=31211

Re: UFX+ MADI and Protools 32channel limit

Been waiting for this feature for few years now. Hope it's still a work in progress.

Although this is a very specific problem with Pro Tools, I personally would welcome a feature where you could re-arrange your channel order at driver level with any RME interface.

Or this some kind of ASIO/CoreAudio driver specification/convention, where the channel order needs to be fixed and not modifieable by the end user? Just guessing because haven't seen this feature anywhere.

Re: UFX+ MADI and Protools 32channel limit

Avid is not likely to change this at their end, so please, RME, help us out here.

Re: UFX+ MADI and Protools 32channel limit

well, it is not an efficient workaround. it sacrifices 32 of my outputs.

It would be nice to have some feedback from rme.
a lot of people are asking for that feature. and it is on the to do list for a while now.

Re: UFX+ MADI and Protools 32channel limit

I bought a madi interface for my UFX + and now I can't use it with pro tools. Is RME still working on a solution?? (good luck getting pro tools to help!)
I really hope RME can do something otherwise I have bought a very expensive useless piece of gear and also only have 12 channels of IO!

Re: UFX+ MADI and Protools 32channel limit

+1

I thought that's what he meant, anyway! smile

On a more serious note, though,

@benoit.morier, you could use another DAW for recording(Reaper for example), and import laler into ProTools for mixing!

RME Gear: Digiface USB, HDSP 9632

Re: UFX+ MADI and Protools 32channel limit

Annual bump.

Re: UFX+ MADI and Protools 32channel limit

Maybe the solution will appear for christmas

Re: UFX+ MADI and Protools 32channel limit

Hello RME, I would also very much appreciate a solution! smile

Re: UFX+ MADI and Protools 32channel limit

Yep, this limitation is reason I can't buy UFX+. If I want to run a couple of the 12mic pre's over MADI, I simply can't use Pro Tools with this interface.

I know the issue is Avid's, but this deliberate "flaw" in their software has been there for a decade now! I don't want a work-around, I want simplicity!

28 (edited by byronb 2021-05-29 11:23:00)

Re: UFX+ MADI and Protools 32channel limit

@ RME any update on this? It basically renders my MADI IO useless which means I may have to move to something like rednet which I really don’t want to do sad

Re: UFX+ MADI and Protools 32channel limit

Avid has just released Protools 2021.6 - and this changes the 32 channel limit to 64.

I just checked on my UFX+ and I can now get input in Protools for up to MADI 32.

So can finally remove all those loopback workrounds!

Would be nice to be able to address all the MADI channels - but that's certainly enough for anything I can use!

Re: UFX+ MADI and Protools 32channel limit

Maybe 10y later you get 96 wink

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13

Re: UFX+ MADI and Protools 32channel limit

You might be right that it will take that long, or longer!

32 (edited by arnojordan 2021-11-16 21:07:39)

Re: UFX+ MADI and Protools 32channel limit

I want to officially thank RME here for not releasing this fix, because it finally created enough pain and hassle to make us switch completely to Reaper after working with PT HD / Ultimate for nearly 15 years in one of germanies bigger recording studios. 
First it felt like learning to walk again, but now after one year i have realised how much more flexible and modern Reaper is, and the stability is amazing too. My workflow has speeded up at least 30%, thus saving a lot of my precious time. I would never had expected that from a 69 € software. Kudos Cockos, and goodbye Pro Fools, forever ! ( well, we still have a lot of international clients who want us to run the session on PT, but it feels so weird each time we have to to go back so we convince as many as possible to dare a change too ;-)

Re: UFX+ MADI and Protools 32channel limit

+1

M1-Sonoma, Madiface Pro, Digiface USB, Babyface silver and blue

Re: UFX+ MADI and Protools 32channel limit

Quote: “I would never had expected that from a 69 € software. Kudos Cockos, and goodbye Pro Fools, forever !”


Bravo!

Congratulations on having the courage to take this astutely rational, intelligent step.

I trust it will assist in actively educating and mobilising, those who previously sheep like followed whatever monopolistic entity, appeared to dominate.

Like RME, the Reaper developers provide many excellent instructional video tutorials with compressively detailed written manuals, user forums and easily contacted, direct support.

Program updates occur seemingly to a schedule, regularly but not inconveniently so, and are easily and quickly installed without hassle. Best of all, the cost for what you get represents genuine value.

The professional recording world has long suffered repeatedly from various, monopolistically dominate companies which have come and gone, that would have us believe they are absolutely essential to livelihoods.

Whilst at times, providing appallingly lamentable, limited product support and even worse, suddenly withdrawing it prematurely, forcing commercial studios to costly upgrades or to purchase entirely new platforms altogether.

For many smaller studios the cost of such equipment often takes considerable time to acquire completely. The palpable frustration of those who find a manufacturer’s support dramatically withdrawn, just as they finally acquire the whole system, is a repeated complaint I have been appalled and disturbed to observe over the years.

The remaining noteworthy aspect regarding Reaper is the immense flexibility it affords engineers who prefer to work using variously differing methodologies. That there are often several different ways one can accomplish any given task, depending on how one likes to do things. Whilst for myself, who essentially comes from a musical background, this can seem a complexity, to engineers it brings natural fluidity to ones preferred workflows. Saving time!


The RR’s have it!

RME and Reaper appear to be a winning combination.

As the charming headmistress of a famous school explained with a twinkle in her eye.

"Rreading Rriting and Rrithmatic are all essential. As in life it’s a wonderful help, to have your RRR’s to fall back on!"

Re: UFX+ MADI and Protools 32channel limit

Annual Bump!