• Mick
  • New member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2010-11-11
  • Posts: 7

Topic: Trouble connecting Fireface 400 with iMac 27"

Hi,

I?m new at this forum, new at using RME device and new at trying to start an own production studio.

But: I've learned through searching the net and visiting different forums that my problem is the exact same as of this guy:

http://discussions.info.apple.com/messa … ID=8095144

So my simple question is: is there a way I can keep my card, find a work-around and be sure to avoid troube also in the long run? Or even in a short perspective: is this fixable or do I need to send my newly bought card back?

The sentence "It does work if used on a daisy chain through a FW400 hard drive,but and also doing a PRAM and SMC reset(dont ask me why,but without that it doesent work)....." seems to propose there is a solution, but as I said, I'm a rookie and haven't got a clue what it means HeadScratch .

All help is greatfully appreciated!

I'm from Stockholm, Sweden, by the way. The Fireface 400 and the iMac are both bought new just a couple of weeks ago.

Cheers

  • From: Germany
  • Registered: 2007-04-10
  • Posts: 9,776

Re: Trouble connecting Fireface 400 with iMac 27"

New iMacs should not have such problems...
You could try the FW repeater cable mentioned here: http://www.rme-audio.de/forum/viewtopic.php?id=974
Are you using a FW800 connection on the iMac or does it have a FW400 connector?

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

RME Support's Website

  • Mick
  • New member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2010-11-11
  • Posts: 7

Re: Trouble connecting Fireface 400 with iMac 27"

Hi,

Wow, thanks for the prompt reply. The iMac doen't have FW400 connector, so I'm using a 800 -> 400 cable that was included in my delivery. Sorry, I got lost in the link you sent - how do I get hold of the cable you're reffering to?

Thanks again

  • From: Germany
  • Registered: 2007-04-10
  • Posts: 9,776

Re: Trouble connecting Fireface 400 with iMac 27"

Have you tried identifying the FW chipset?
http://www.rme-audio.de/forum/viewtopic.php?id=4986


Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

RME Support's Website

5 Reply by Mick (edited by Mick 2010-11-11 15:49:19)

  • Mick
  • New member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2010-11-11
  • Posts: 7

Re: Trouble connecting Fireface 400 with iMac 27"

OK, I'll try that when I'm back home from work in a couple of hours, and post again if I'm unsuccessful. Thanks /Mick

  • Mick
  • New member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2010-11-11
  • Posts: 7

Re: Trouble connecting Fireface 400 with iMac 27"

Hi again,

My Fireface is plugged in and I tried identifying the FW chipset like on the link you sent, and got this:

2010-11-11 22.19.04    kernel    FireWire (OHCI) TI ID 823f built-in: Bad selfIDs, issuing bus reset (retry 2)

Does that help? This is all above my head, by the way, and I'm impressed of myself getting this far in the discussion. Do I need a new cable? Do I need to re-run something?

//Mick

7 Reply by MC

  • MC
  • MC
  • Administrator
  • Offline
  • From: Germany/Thailand
  • Registered: 2007-04-06
  • Posts: 25,599

Re: Trouble connecting Fireface 400 with iMac 27"

There should be no problem at all. Can you please tell us what exact problem you see when you connect the FF400, and which driver and firmware version you are using?

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

  • Mick
  • New member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2010-11-11
  • Posts: 7

Re: Trouble connecting Fireface 400 with iMac 27"

I don't see anything at all when I connect the card and the mixer and settings icons found under Programs aren't clickable and won't open when the card is plugged in and the drivers are installed.

I tried installing via the CD included and the the latest update from your homepage (Mac OS X SL (10.6) Intel driver for Fireface 400/800, version 2.75. Supports 10.5 in 32 bit, 10.6 in 32 bit and 64 bit. 08/30/2010 fireface_x86_275.zip). Now I discovered a newer version had been included 101111, but I guess that doesn't matter.

Where do I see what firmware version I'm using?

9 Reply by MC

  • MC
  • MC
  • Administrator
  • Offline
  • From: Germany/Thailand
  • Registered: 2007-04-06
  • Posts: 25,599

Re: Trouble connecting Fireface 400 with iMac 27"

That sounds like the FF 400 is not recognized by the computer at all (even with the issue that you mentioned the card would have been there and could be configured). The red LED on the front is lit? You can try a different FireWire cable, but then will have to try the FF 400 at a different computer to check that the unit itself is working.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

  • Mick
  • New member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2010-11-11
  • Posts: 7

Re: Trouble connecting Fireface 400 with iMac 27"

Yes the LED is lit. OK, I'm starting to think the card is defect in some way and that I need to send it back to dv247 and get a new one? I?ll try connecting it to another computer this weekend if that doesn't work I guess that's the case ?

  • Mick
  • New member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2010-11-11
  • Posts: 7

Re: Trouble connecting Fireface 400 with iMac 27"

Hi again,

Just one more question:

I've tried the FF with two different computers (also iMacs) and two different FW cables besides my own now, and the same thing happened, or rather didn't happen with them. The red host light is lit throughout connecting to the iMac with the FW cable and starting up the iMac(s) -  does that give you an idea of what is wrong? Is it time to send it back?

BR, Mick