• Registered: 2017-08-14
  • Posts: 12

Topic: The software playback channels

Hi!

In our studios we are all in on RME interfaces. We have 7 rooms now, and like them a lot.

One thing that has always mystified me is the naming of the software playback channels. Why are they (tex on the UFXII) called Analogue 1-8,Phones 7/8, 9/10, AES, Adat 1-16. The channels are not connected in any way to the actual inputs as far as I can tell. And they are easy enough to rename.

This is mostly not a big deal. But However when I am mapping the outputs in Pro Tools to the RME interface those names come up. And the names I have given do not appear in the I/O setup in Pro Tools. Which can be a bit of a pain. Esp when the channels have different settings.

So I guess this is a feature request:
Please make it an option to have the naming of the channels in Totalmix transfer to the I/O setup in Pro Tools.
There is also no reason for sorting the channels into analog, Digital and Optical, like it is in the PT setup. They should just be called Software Playback.

Thanks.

Frode
Filmreaktor
Norway

  • Registered: 2017-08-14
  • Posts: 12

Re: The software playback channels

Not something that inspires a lot of discussion?

In Norway there is a saint that those that are quiet agree, so I guess this is something all users agree on should be implemented.
;-)

3 Reply by ramses (edited by ramses 2023-03-24 14:58:11)

  • ramses
  • DAW Mastermind
  • Offline
  • From: UTC+1
  • Registered: 2012-10-14
  • Posts: 12,859

Re: The software playback channels

I fear it makes no sense from the overall / underlying concept.

The application gets a list of I/Os from the driver, the names in the driver are fix.

Now lets look at the two operational modes 1st:

a) In TM FX "DAW mode" you have no middle row / SW playbacks
    There you can only use the names of the real HW outputs, any other name make no real sense in this context.
b) In TM FX "full mode" you get the middle row
    As the DAW/application doesn't know any other names than being told by the driver.
    It makes no sense here to use other names or orders than the fix order in the driver.

There are exceptions / additions to this basic concept:
1. you can at least change the order of interfaces (not I/O ports) in driver settings (see Sort ASIO devices)
2. you can choose user defined names for all ports, see TM FX "Show Names" and "Channel Layout".

With Layout Presets you can bring certain ports into the focus and blend/filter out the other ports.

But you can't change the order of I/O ports in the driver, this is fix.

I like it as it is, there is a logic behind it that is easy to remember:
- Analog Ports in a certain order (line, Mic/Ins, Phones)
- AES
- ADAT
- MADI.

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

4 Reply by MC

  • MC
  • MC
  • Administrator
  • Offline
  • From: Germany/Thailand
  • Registered: 2007-04-06
  • Posts: 25,432

Re: The software playback channels

tha_lode wrote:

One thing that has always mystified me is the naming of the software playback channels. Why are they (tex on the UFXII) called Analogue 1-8,Phones 7/8, 9/10, AES, Adat 1-16. The channels are not connected in any way to the actual inputs

Correct. The default routing is 1:1, so they are referenced to the actual outputs (!) that they feed. Which is easly visible when looking at TotalMix FX.

It is very complicated to change these names and make them appear in any software like that, so I don't think this will happen.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

  • From: Houston, TX
  • Registered: 2007-05-11
  • Posts: 1,191

Re: The software playback channels

I know in Cubase/Nuendo, you can re-name I/O's in the DAW itself.  These names are then what show-up in the DAW's Input Mixer/Outputs when assigning from the pull-down.  I do a combo of relative input#, which AD/DA unit and I/O; which RME/TM Channel; and even the mic/pre or normalled gear in the input/output name.

You can do it once, and likely save it as an I/O template or similar for your DAW.  You can even go as far as adding detailed names in TM and in your DAW - matching or otherwise relative to suit your workflow.  It seems this is likely to be the only solution available (not ever likely to happen in the ASIO driver itself), and has helped me stay organized with the massive I/O count on my MADIface-XT since 2013.

cool

MADIface-XT+ARC / 3x HDSP MADI / ADI648
2x SSL Alphalink MADI AX
2x Multiface / 2x Digiface /2x ADI8