• tdc
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  • Registered: 2017-11-04
  • Posts: 79

Topic: Digiface AVB and HIVE Controller

I have a Digiface AVB running in my system and was experimenting with other AVB Controller Apps and have not been able to the the Hive application to recognise the RME AVB.

I am using HIVE v1.2.1, and have tried all three available ethernet interfaces. "feth1", "feth5001", "en5". Initially on "feth1" I was able to see the two 12Mic units but no DF AVB, now after a restart, I can see no units. I have made sure that there is no other AVB Controller running when booting Hive.

I have tried to get the Apple AVB Controller to see any of the RME network but it appears to not be able to see through to the Ethernet connection that is being run through the DF AVB.

Am I incorrect in assuming I can use other Controllers to do the routing?

Many thanks,

Tony

 

AVB System:
MacBook Pro - 2020 16" || Big Sur 11.0.1 || Apple USB-C - USB-A Dongle
RME DigiFace AVB: fw v219, d v3.19 || RME AVB Controller: 0.9541 (15) || 2 x 12Mic Units v1.3.0.(69)
Presonus SW5E AVB Switch || Cordial 50m Cat5e Reel || Cordial short Cat5e Patch cables

  • Registered: 2019-04-21
  • Posts: 160

Re: Digiface AVB and HIVE Controller

As far as I understood, Hive and Digiface avb doesn't work together. The digiface appears as an audio interface to the computer. All the avb networking is done inside the digiface avb...

  • tdc
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  • Registered: 2017-11-04
  • Posts: 79

Re: Digiface AVB and HIVE Controller

Thanks mruebsamen,

Its points like this that are frustrating to discover after you have been chasing issues all afternoon. Perhaps we can start a Wiki of sorts for AVB'er as they embark on the AoIP journey.

I spent a day learning that whilst MacOS "supports" AVB, unless you have an old machine with an Ethernet Card, you need to rely on dongles, or expensive third-party thunderbolt / Ethernet interfaces, or even use two dongles! Not sure my clients would like to see their costly orchestral session depending on two apple dongles joined together!

  • Marc S
  • RME Developer
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  • Registered: 2019-06-11
  • Posts: 110

Re: Digiface AVB and HIVE Controller

tdc wrote:

I am using HIVE v1.2.1, and have tried all three available ethernet interfaces. "feth1", "feth5001", "en5". Initially on "feth1" I was able to see the two 12Mic units but no DF AVB, now after a restart, I can see no units. I have made sure that there is no other AVB Controller running when booting Hive.

Make sure, that in Hive under Preferences -> Network, the protocol selected is PCap. Otherwise Hive only receives external traffic.

tdc wrote:

Am I incorrect in assuming I can use other Controllers to do the routing?

Yes.

mruebsamen wrote:

Hive and Digiface avb doesn't work together

In general they do, but controlling a soundcard is much more difficult than controlling a standalone device.
This is why certain parameters (especially stream formats) should be set via the RME AVB Controller.

tdc wrote:

Its points like this that are frustrating to discover after you have been chasing issues all afternoon. Perhaps we can start a Wiki of sorts for AVB'er as they embark on the AoIP journey.

I agree, the AVB/Milan education story is not great yet. There are signs that this might change soon, but for the time being, this forum is a great place to unload all your questions. Not only are the RME developers who are concerned with AVB monitoring these posts, it also helps our support people to curate a list of frequently asked questions (and frequent points of confusion/frustration), so that we can come up with better support/education material in the future.

tdc wrote:

I spent a day learning that whilst MacOS "supports" AVB, unless you have an old machine with an Ethernet Card, you need to rely on dongles, or expensive third-party thunderbolt / Ethernet interfaces, or even use two dongles! Not sure my clients would like to see their costly orchestral session depending on two apple dongles joined together!

It's the same with, for example, Dante. For editing on the road, if the musician wants to present sketches in the studio or other lower key requirements, Dante's Virtual Soundcard is great.
But you probably wouldn't want to rely on it for playbacks during a live show with a 1000+ audience, same for orchestral recording sessions. This is why Digiface Dante or Audinate's PCIe card exist. Both approaches have their place.

Best regards
Marc

  • Marc S
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  • Registered: 2019-06-11
  • Posts: 110

Re: Digiface AVB and HIVE Controller

tdc wrote:

Am I incorrect in assuming I can use other Controllers to do the routing?

Missed the "in" in "incorrect"...

No, you are not incorrect. Yes, you can use other controllers :-)

  • tdc
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  • Registered: 2017-11-04
  • Posts: 79

Re: Digiface AVB and HIVE Controller

Hi Marc, thanks for your comments, its a great help in learning this new technology.

Marc S wrote:

Make sure, that in Hive under Preferences -> Network, the protocol selected is PCap. Otherwise Hive only receives external traffic.

Thanks for the tip with this. My initial attempts with Hive and the MacOS / double dongle setup without the RME DF AVB, seemed to work better with the setting on Mac, not PCAP. I could have been making some other errors in my setup though.

tdc wrote:

Am I incorrect in assuming I can use other Controllers to do the routing?

Marc S wrote:

Yes.

I had thought that only one controller could be running at a time, but I may have misunderstood something I read. Trying Hive now set to PCAP appears to be working fine.

mruebsamen wrote:

Hive and Digiface avb doesn't work together

Thanks I have got this working ok now.

tdc wrote:

Perhaps we can start a Wiki of sorts for AVB'er as they embark on the AoIP journey...

Marc S wrote:

I agree, the AVB/Milan education story is not great yet. There are signs that this might change soon, but for the time being, this forum is a great place to unload all your questions. Not only are the RME developers who are concerned with AVB monitoring these posts, it also helps our support people to curate a list of frequently asked questions (and frequent points of confusion/frustration), so that we can come up with better support/education material in the future.

That is very encouraging to hear Marc. Switching to an AoIP based system is an intimidating task, so knowing that the team are here to assist with questions is comforting. Whilst I generally enjoy discovering new technologies, I am quite conservative when it comes to changing systems that we rely upon for business. Its only because of the quality and standards of RME equipment and the ethic of the company that has allowed me to be undertake a large change to the way we work. 

tdc wrote:

Not sure my clients would like to see their costly orchestral session depending on two apple dongles joined together!

Marc S wrote:

It's the same with, for example, Dante. For editing on the road, if the musician wants to present sketches in the studio or other lower key requirements, Dante's Virtual Soundcard is great.
But you probably wouldn't want to rely on it for playbacks during a live show with a 1000+ audience, same for orchestral recording sessions. This is why Digiface Dante or Audinate's PCIe card exist. Both approaches have their place.

Point taken. I actually run a Digiface Dante with 32 AVIO elements here in the studio for that very reason. :-)

  • Registered: 2008-06-26
  • Posts: 152

Re: Digiface AVB and HIVE Controller

The correct ethernet interface to select under mac OS is named "Digiface (feth1)". If you see just "feth1" you are using an outdated version either of the netifc daemon or of Hive.

  • Registered: 2008-06-26
  • Posts: 152

Re: Digiface AVB and HIVE Controller

In the current version of netifc (Mac OS) the ethernet interface is called "Digiface (feth10000). Within Hive you select "feth10000". If you have a Digiface Dante instead, you select also select "feth10000". You could also use "feth10002". In that case you must configure a static IP address by yourself.