• diggo
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Topic: Digiface Dante LABs

I'm sysadmin for a studio which uses Digiface Dante on final version of Win 10 with DAD converters (32 channels) and 8 channels of MADI (other converters) with Sequoia 16.

For a long time now, we've been fighting random occurrences of LABs which have no apparent cause.

The DAW is very stable and properly tuned. Most of the time, everything is OK. There's been an ongoing problem related to changing sample rates (the MADI channels FUBAR, but not always) but that's not the problem for this post.

Here's the reason for the post - the fix we've discovered which works every time if LABs appear is to re-apply the Digiface Dante firmware.

Doing that stops the LABs.

What could be causing a problem which is fixed by re-applying the firmware?

Thanks

Diggo

  • ramses
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Re: Digiface Dante LABs

And LAB stands for what ?

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub14
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Re: Digiface Dante LABs

Lost Asio buffers

  • diggo
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Re: Digiface Dante LABs

Yes, Lost Audio Buffers.

But really, the question is what kind of problem causes the device to malfunction in a manner where re-applying the firmware update fixes the problem?

Thanks!

  • From: Germany
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Re: Digiface Dante LABs

No known issue or explanation I could think of. Makes no sense. LAB aren't typically an issue of the audio interface...

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

RME Support's Website

  • diggo
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Re: Digiface Dante LABs

That's what we thought! (ie it doesnt make sense, but it works every time)

It's made us wonder if there's an electrical issue....

  • diggo
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Re: Digiface Dante LABs

I think we'll make a decision to move to a RME MADI based solution instead of Dante.
That will still work with the 2 x DAD AX32 and will eliminate the "changing sample rate" complexity which complicates Dante.
We just have to decide which MADI device is the best fit.

  • ramses
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Re: Digiface Dante LABs

Excellent devices are
UFX+ - USB3 / Thunderbolt (also useable as USB2 devices without MADI sw playbacks over USB)
     - 1 MADI bus
     - a lot of useful ports (8x analog, 2xphones, 4xMic/Inst, 2xADAT, AES
     - stand-alone operation, operateable through display
     - same high quality mic inputs like 12Mic, support Autoset
     - has full implementation of RME FX chip inside (the only PCIe card with FX chip)

HDSPe MADI FX
          - PCIe
          - 3 MADI busses (optional card available as daughter card to have also 3rd bus as optical port)
          - redundancy features
          - resource optimizing driver (each group of 8 ports only allocate PC resources if at least 1 port in such a group is being in use)
         - AES port very useful to e.g. connect an ADI-2 Pro FS R BE for monitoring
         - analog output for phones or other use cases (line output)
        - has full implementation of RME FX chip inside (the only PCIe card with FX chip)


There are also other products available for MADI, these two are IMHO the best / most useful.

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub14
  • diggo
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Re: Digiface Dante LABs

Thanks for the suggestions. Already have extensive converters - DAD X32 x 2, Lavry Gold, Apogees, Benchmark etc.
So we really just need the digital I/O offered by the HDSPe MADI FX.

Is there any kind of diagnostic utility to determine if the Digiface Dante is perfectly functioning?

I've worked with many RME devices since the first Multiface was released. This is the first time I've encountered a reoccurring problem which is fixed every time by re-applying a firmware update.

It's a very odd thing which I'd normally suggest points towards a problem with the device. But I have no way of diagnosing this.

Thanks

10 Reply by ramses (edited by ramses 2022-06-14 16:10:42)

  • ramses
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Re: Digiface Dante LABs

You can also consider smth like MADIface USB
https://www.rme-audio.de/de_madiface-usb.html

Costs €850
HDSPe MADI FX for €1439 is not that far away with a lot more features...

> Is there any kind of diagnostic utility to determine if the Digiface Dante is perfectly functioning?

Sry can't tell. Would check on a different PC or ask dealer to exchange if this is still possible.

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub14

11 Reply by diggo (edited by diggo 2022-06-15 19:29:07)

  • diggo
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Re: Digiface Dante LABs

The device has been installed and used daily for over a year.
We've been hoping a firmware update might sort the problem, but it keeps reoccurring.
Previously, 2 x AES32 worked perfectly in same DAW.

We've grown tried of dealing with it, so time for a different device.

We'll stick with RME but give up on combo of MADI + Dante in lieu of a MADI-only solution.
Digiface Dante will be sold.
The HDSPe MADI FX is our choice of replacement.

Thanks