update, **
with the AEB installed in my newer PC ( made around 2008 so has the newer PCI slots on)
the AEB will not sync up to the digi 9636 after 1 reboot , the sync check flickers
(lock>no lock >sync >no lock> lock)
incidentally,the digi9636/52 works fine on its own in the newer machine.
With the AEB installed in my two older PC's ,the sync check says ! "sync"!! not a flicker.
And when i play music or a test tone through the AEB into nuendo it works great! But, when i stop playing music through it, the AEB input clicks and pops peaking a 0 db at the same randomness as the ( lock, unlock sync , unlock lock problem on the) newer motherboard ,not good at all! The clicks sound just like a sync irregularity. Even when I pull the 1/4 inch jacks out of the AEB inputs it still clicks and pops ( so its not from the audio source) and the Vu meters of the nuendo inputs show the clicks are coming from the AEB.
basically: to stop this AEB from making the terrible clicking sounds= i have to constantly put sound into it!! Once i stop playing sound into it, or pull the cables out of the AEB, it starts clicking again.
So i can say without doubt the problem is the AEB after all.
The reason i did not notice this before was because i was only using sync check as a reference whilst testing the three machines on the floor. (you can see i only had a monitor) i assumed if sync check did not flicker and said "sync" it would be o.k, but now i am putting audio through the AEB, there are random audio clicks when i stop routing audio through it! But the sync check does not register these irregularities( it just says "sync" the whole time : /)
An absolute nightmare of a time.. i've had many computer problems in my life, but this is one of the worst. and it came at a really bad time, i needed this to work so much hence the work i put into finding a solution.
i think what i might do is email RME support and point them to this thread !
maybe i could then send them my card and they could put this on one of there machines and test it like i have! fingers crossed they get the same problem and replace it.
i really needed this system working days ago. : (
i hope someone can help
thanks for reading. : )