• Registered: 2010-01-19
  • Posts: 6

Topic: FF800 Issue when using 3 FF800's

Gday everyone - something new, and weird...

the scenario - the studio has 3x 800's, running XP & Cubase 4.
I recorded a band using all the units, 21ch or so, did all overdubs just using 1 unit. Did all the editing on my FF400, and now Im back in the studio to mix.

Now, when I change the output routing in cubase to send out 24ch to the console, there is no audio, cubase wont meter any of the channels. The transport still works, the line that shows where you are in the song moves across the screen, but no audio.

I can reload the track, make no changes to the routing and it will work fine, pass audio etc, like it has been during all overdubs and edits (just in stereo) and shows up on 2 ch on the board, but then when i change routing - same issue.

My RME driver says all the right things - 1 is master clock source, 2 is autosync from WC, 3 is also sync from WC, so im pretty sure its not a clocking thing. Windows sees all the units individually, as does Cubase.
My Cubase sessions are 88.2k. My routing in Cubase is using all the analogue outputs from units 1-3 so there is no digital paths being used.

Some side thoughts - during the tracking days it was very hot. The 3 units are racked on top of each other with no gap between the units. They got very hot, and caused some crashing of the computer during tracking. I hope that one or more units wasnt damaged due to overheating..., ive been using my FF400 for all the edits, but i dont think that should matter..., ive loaded old songs that were mixed across the console, and they also wont play.

My questions - can some damage occur due to overheating?  Am i missing something obvious (i hope not:) What else can i try??

Thanks in advance for your help and support, ill try anything no matter how strange it might sound. The deadline is fast approaching so all suggestions are appreciated.

Steve.

2 Reply by MC

  • MC
  • MC
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  • From: Germany/Thailand
  • Registered: 2007-04-06
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Re: FF800 Issue when using 3 FF800's

I expect that your project has been changed for the FF400 I/Os somehow. Maybe after loading it into the studio machine you have to reset the I/Os and reconfigure the routing within Cubase (key F4).

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

  • Registered: 2010-01-19
  • Posts: 6

Re: FF800 Issue when using 3 FF800's

Thnx Matthias,
The computer is the same laptop, the only thing that changes is the interfaces. FF800 - FF400 and back. I do use F4 to adjust the cubase routing, but thats pretty much where the problem starts.
Cheers. S.

4 Reply by MC

  • MC
  • MC
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  • Registered: 2007-04-06
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Re: FF800 Issue when using 3 FF800's

That's what I mean. If you change the interfaces you MUST reset the I/Os in the Input/Output list (not F4). Then you have to use F4 to set the connections.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

  • Registered: 2010-01-19
  • Posts: 6

Re: FF800 Issue when using 3 FF800's

yeh, ok..right...ive been doing that, resetting in the devices - vst audio and then the sub category under vst...(cant remember exactly what is says).

But Im at the studio right now, and ive tried the following -

1. used each unit independently. everything works great. even all my cubase routing, even though it tells me that there are some units 'not connected', works ok.
2. connected unit 1 & 2, and as above, everything is great.
3. connected all units together and im back to the same issues.

- one thing i forgot to say is that my laptop is a intel mac (dual 2.3Ghz, 4 Gb Ram...) running XP thru bootcamp. I read on another thread about the speed of firewire800 being reduced or something..?

6 Reply by MC

  • MC
  • MC
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  • From: Germany/Thailand
  • Registered: 2007-04-06
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Re: FF800 Issue when using 3 FF800's

Who cares if it worked before?

I wonder if you use the units with Bandwidth Limited to 8 or 10 channels, as you are never using the ADAT I/Os.

Another workaround would be to use only 2 unit and connect the tird one via ADAT, using it as stand-alone AD/DA converter.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

  • From: Gothenburg, Sweden
  • Registered: 2007-05-01
  • Posts: 441

Re: FF800 Issue when using 3 FF800's

Could this have something to with SP2 or SP3 and XP ?

check threads about BootCamp and XP here in this forum

regards S-EH

  • Registered: 2010-01-19
  • Posts: 6

Re: FF800 Issue when using 3 FF800's

MC - Limit Bandwidth is set to 'all channels' on all interfaces. Should i set it to something else..??
I thought of that same workaround last night, so Ill be trying/doing that one tonight.

S-EH - Thanks, Ive read thru some of the threads about this...
Thanks for your help guys.

Cheers.

  • marQs
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  • Registered: 2007-08-20
  • Posts: 194

Re: FF800 Issue when using 3 FF800's

Try to reset Cubase' audio engine in the device menu (think it's called 'vst audiobay', the page where the sound driver can be chosen) and click 'reset' to the lower left.

That what solves such problems for me (appearing from time to time when changing projects from laptop to desktop but both with a single FF800).