• Registered: 2021-11-02
  • Posts: 5

Topic: Building new Windows computer - owner of an RME FF400

Hello dear all at the forum. I'm a long-time RME FF-400 user, it covers all my needs and I just cannot leave it behind.
My previous Macbook Pro computer died, so this time I am building a new computer, Windows tower this time.
I would love to continue using the RME FF400 if it's possible somehow. I don't have a power adapter, would I need one?
Also, what should I ask the technician to include in my new computer, a FW port or something? Or should I do the FF400-to-FF800-to-??? solution?
I am used to my old setup, so I didn't get informed about the last 10 years changes in this connection-type technologies.
Sorry for asking too much. Any help would be appreciated smile

Thanks in advance, Kosmas

  • Registered: 2021-11-02
  • Posts: 5

Re: Building new Windows computer - owner of an RME FF400

Noone knows?

  • mkok
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Re: Building new Windows computer - owner of an RME FF400

FireWire card with Texan instrument chipset. Apparently win 10 no longer supports FireWire but my older pc is running an interface on FireWire still. What about the future though?

Babyface Pro Fs, Behringer ADA8200, win 10/11 PCs, Cubase/Wavelab, Adam A7X monitors.
  • Registered: 2021-11-02
  • Posts: 5

Re: Building new Windows computer - owner of an RME FF400

Ooh, so I take it that there is no way I can use my FF400 with a new computer running Windows 10? I googled about it, there's some workarounds for FW devices, but I don't know if same applies for the Fireface 400.. will buy a FW400 card with TI chipset, supposedly it says that is works in Windows 10. Otherwise, I don't know..

5 Reply by ramses (edited by ramses 2021-11-02 21:05:40)

  • ramses
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Re: Building new Windows computer - owner of an RME FF400

Try this
https://www.studio1productions.com/Arti … wire-1.htm
https://geizhals.de/exsys-ex-16415-a375938.html

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13
  • Registered: 2021-11-02
  • Posts: 5

Re: Building new Windows computer - owner of an RME FF400

Thank you Ramses. Was thinking about this one (don't need the FW800, as I use the Fireface 400):

https://www.lindy-international.com/Fir … p;pi=51180

Is this one OK?
In the article you posted it mentions that: "You may have people tell you that you need a Firewire Card or IEEE 1394 card with a TI chipset.  That is not true anymore.  I have tested over a dozen Firewire cards and the cards with the VIA chipset, like shown below actually worked better than the cards with the TI chipset.  The TI chipset are found on the more expensive cards, but they don't seem to work very well in Windows 10".

Still a bit confused..

7 Reply by ramses (edited by ramses 2021-11-02 22:16:34)

  • ramses
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Re: Building new Windows computer - owner of an RME FF400

Unfortunately there is no technical specification for that card on that webpage, which TI chipset is being used.
But if you enlarge the picture (see below), then you can see that it is the TI XIO2200A chipset, which has design flaws.
Unfortunately this firewire chipset has been largely used by many vendors although it doesn't work well.

According to TI's website: "Not Recommended for New Designs (NRND)"
http://www.ti.com/product/XIO2200A?keyM … =Search-EN

Technical background: this card does not issue reliable an interrupt after the transmission of data, which is required to tell the (in this case RME) ASIO driver to pick up some new data that just arrived and to hand it over to the application layer.

Therefore I proposed to you the card which has a good working TI firewire chipset.
It's not a hindering point for your that it also has FW800 ports.
More important is that it has a good working TI chipset and Exsys usually makes PCB's of good quality.
So simply use the FW400 ports...

BTW .. no guarantee that the legacy Firewire will still work fine. Microsoft is always tweaking Windows 10.
At least there is a good chance that it could work with the driver and that card.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/x3dv07rwo7dkajy/2021-11-02%2022_14_15-FireWire%20Card%20with%20TI%20Chipset-%202%20Port%2C%20PCI%20Express%20-%20LINDY%20International%20Limited.jpg?dl=1

EDIT: added information, please reload this thread, thanks.

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13
  • Registered: 2021-11-02
  • Posts: 5

Re: Building new Windows computer - owner of an RME FF400

Excellent, thank you for making this clear to me. Appreciate it much! If I need anything else, I'll return to the post. For now I'm complete. Thank you!!

  • ramses
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Re: Building new Windows computer - owner of an RME FF400

your welcome wink

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