You could try to use another device as a firewire hub (I used a Presonus FP-10 with its two Firewire Slots, for instance).
There are a lot of external firewire harddrives with 2 firewire slots (Iomega UltraMax Desktop,Western Digital My Book Studio etc... The WD harddrive even has firewire 800)

After re-installing the driver version 2.64a for FF400 everything seems to work as normal on a MBP late 2009 bus powered. Obviously the first installation did not work properly. My fault I guess.

It has already been confirmed more than once and I can confirm it again! fryingpan

You can use the MOTU as a bridge for the FF400, I tried that once. And it even works when the MOTU is switched off. :-P

But using the Lindy repeater cable always was a solid solution as well, the only drawback being that the cable is 5m long and put some gramms on the scale. Anyway, since the revision 7 chipsets in new Macbooks work (and perform very well) it isn't a problem anymore.

The MOTUs are great value for the money and you are gonna love the screen and controls. But it only offers two shared mic/guitar inputs, which disqualified it for me back when I had to decide on an interface. And the mic pres on the FF400 were surely better (no idea how the MK3 compete) plus you get 2 x Midi on the FF.

I have the problem of the FireWire chipset from Agere not working well without connecting the FireFace400 to an external FireWire HD...
I ordered the Lyndi FireWire Repeater Cable... Hope this works for me...
Question : will an updated driver from RME fix the problem ? or the repeater cable is the only solution ?
Thanks

I've been getting a regular BSOD with the FF800 on a MacBook Pro Circa January 2010 with LSI IEEE 1394 with ID:

PCI\VEN_11C1&DEV_5901&SUBSYS_590011C1&REV_07
PCI\VEN_11C1&DEV_5901&SUBSYS_590011C1
PCI\VEN_11C1&DEV_5901&CC_0C0010
PCI\VEN_11C1&DEV_5901&CC_0C00

The computer is running up to date windows 7 with bootcamp 3.1 (was 3.0 and then updated with problem still persisting). I sent the mini dump to RME but what I'm reading here is that my setup should not have any issues. I'm going to try a few things like disabling onboard sound card. I'm wondering if anyone is also getting BSOD with this setup?

Regards

-rick

Even at 32 samples?

My post, number 28, already on the first page of this thread.

Apple aren't making it easy for pro-audio people, that's for sure.

After a friend's MacBook Pro 15in 'Santa Rosa' -- the last machine to use a TI 1394 chip -- had its onboard NVIDIA GPU fail and Apple refused to repair it (despite Apple's own admission and willingness to fix), he was co-erced by the Apple Store's resident [s]Idiot[/s]Genius to buy a new machine, so he came home with a brand new MacBook Pro 15in with a 2.66 GHz Core i7 (aka MacBookPro6,2, model A1286-2353, or MC373LL/A) and enlisted my help transferring everything over.

Bear in mind that he uses Windows XP Pro (w. SP3), Cubase SX 3 and Ableton Live 8 exclusively -- he bought the MacBook Pro solely to run Windows because of the sturdy aluminum casing, and it was a quarter the price of a Toughbook. His Fireface 400 had worked flawlessly on the older 'Santa Rosa', especially once he'd followed Timur's Tweak Guide.

Unfortunately, this new MacBook does not have an ExpressCard slot, and also uses an Agere revision 8 chip feeding a single FW800 9-pin connector, which exhibits exactly the same faults as the revision 6 -- the Fireface 400 is totally incapable of maintaining sync, either under Windows XP or via Mac OS X 10.6.4 (tested with Ableton Live 8). Within five seconds of the interface being activated (either by ASIO or by CoreAudio) the master outputs develop a 2.6 Hz ticking which rapidly evolves to a chirping noise.

The Fireface 400 is running the latest firmware, and the latest drivers for each OS were downloaded and installed.

Things I have tried, with no success:
- Applying all manner of Microsoft's 1394-oriented hotfixes to XP SP3
- Installing XP SP2 and applying appropriate hotfixes.
- Install and update Ableton Live 8.1.4 as only audio app onto fresh XP SP3 install -- sync noise persists.
- Install Propellerhads Reason 4.01 as only audio app onto fresh XP SP3 install -- sync noise persists.
- Downloading a pirate version of Cubase 5.1.2 and installing it onto yet another fresh install of XP SP3, in the hope that its newer ASIO structure may help -- sync noise persists.
- Installed Windows 7 Professional (32-bit), ensured Boot Camp was up to date (version 3.1 build 2318) and latest FF400 driver for Win7 installed, then installed Ableton Live 8.1.4 as only audio app, using ASIO Fireface for output -- sync noise persists.
- Replace Fireface 400 with M-Audio Fire interface -- sync noise happens then the interface dies with no audio.
- Insert Oxford-based Sarotec self-powered external hard drive as a hub between MacBook Pro and the Fireface, using 9-pin to 9-pin cable between Mac and drive, and 6-pin to 6-pin cable between drive and Fireface -- sync noise persists.
- Insert Oxford-based Sarotec self-powered external hard drive as a hub between MacBook Pro and the Fireface, using 9-pin to 6-pin cable between Mac and drive, and 9-pin to 6-pin cable between drive and Fireface -- sync noise persists.

With all Windows-based test above, I opened the Fireface control panel and under the Fireface(1) tab, SyncCheck reported "No lock" for all three entries. Changing clock mode had no effect. Enabling DDS and changing the frequency will adjust the frequency of the ticking/chirping proportionally. Changing buffer size would reset the Fireface but the ticking would begin again almost immediately.

Sorry, chaps, but as far as this reasonably exhausting testing shows, the MacBook Pro's current implementation of 1394 is absolutely useless for pro audio, no matter which OS you're using. If you want to use a laptop and OSX (or as my friend does, Windows via Boot Camp), you have one choice -- use a MacBook Pro with an ExpressCard slot and put a TI-based 1394a/b ExpressCard controller in it.

Thankfully, our lemon-laws allow me to wield a crowbar at the Apple [s]Idiot[/s]Genius into accepting the new MacBook Pro back for a full refund, and my friend is going to buy an Asus we've located that still uses TI for onboard 1394.

(Ever wondered where the refurbished Macs on the Apple Store website come from? Now you know )

I need some help please !

Just wanted to say hello from another FF400 user who realized his MacBook Pro FireWire Lucent rev. 6 chipset was not compatible with the RME device. Of course it's my fault, I should have checked this forum thoroughly before buying. I understand it's also Apple's fault, but they (or their local support) don't give a damn. Working around with a 10km repeater cable sounds rather amusing to me. I'll try with a TI chipset-based express card, not sure if that wil work, but my friends who have more experience with sound interfaces (e.g. they went through all incompatibility nightmares before) suggest I should return the FF400 and find something else that just works with my laptop. That's sad as the RME really sounds great.

In my case as soon as I select the FF400 as audio device and try to play any sound, sync is lost, the Host LED is blinking like crazy and TotalMix is restarting all the time. I'm using a Belkin FW800 to FW400 cable.

One thing I'd like to say about RME is that there is absolutely no warning of this incompatibility on the website and in FF400 manual (unless you know exactly what to look for in the forums or other product specs than FF400). On the UFX page I found this snippet:

I think adding this short info to FF400 compatibility section on the website would be just fair to all those people who trust the RME brand, claiming "highest compatibility", etc.

RME _was_ able to work around this chip problem after all!!! It would save some people (like me) a lot of frustration.

Cheers,
Pawel

Revision 7 LSI/Agere ExpressCards will work, too.

Hi,
I'd like to buy a FF400 but my macbook (just "macbook", no MBP) is a santa rosa (late 2007?) with a lucent agere chipset, rev.6.
So will it work if I plug it in the FW400 port of my laptop through my external HD "SilverTouch Alu 250 Go 8Mo 7200t/mn FireWire 400"?

I could buy a FF UC but the macbook only have 2 USB ports already busy with a command 8, an Ilok, an A/B switch etc... so I wish the FF400 can work.

So what's your opinion???

Thanks & merry christmas!

Late 2010 MBPs should be fine without any workarounds.

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

Hi all,

I'm newly registered but have been following some threads.

Just wanted to say that my macbook pro 15" early 2010 works superb with my FF800 in logic 9 with 32 samples buffer.
For win7 pro 48 samples buffer works very well too with some minor pop/clicks in a heavy FL studio 9 project (NewStuff..the demo song).
But its worth mentioning that its a fresh win7 install with no tweaks made what so ever, not even turned of wi-fi / bluetooth or any other tweaks.

Hope this helps someone

Im very happy with my FF800 now
Never going back to crap DELL 1555 studio

It's by the way a LSI / Agere revision 8 firewire chip in this one.
i7 2.66
4gb ram
500gb 7200rpm
1680x1050 (glossy, very very good panel..)

regards,

Johan
sweden

Yeah, I got a really good price on this machine (second-hand) 15.000 SEK and i had allready had the chance to try my FF800 with a MBP 15" i5 2.4 at work which also worked just fine running ProTools 9 with it's smallest (64 samples) buffersetting, presonus digital mixer 16.4.2 worked at this buffersize too (fw400->fw800). I wouldnt say that the i7 is much fast than the i5. I ran digicheck without problems with my old DELL (2.4 core2duo) the problem with the DELL was it had a Ricoh firewire chip which forced me to run FL STUDIO and Samplitude at minimum 256 samples buffer to avoid major lags and dropouts. 256 buffer on that machine wasnt possible to record safely though with either but it still worked pretty fine as long as editing / composing and no virtual instruments and midikeyboards came in to play..

Woops, late for work..

Laters!

/Johan

By the way ...Digicheck runs without any problems on snowleopard 10.6.6 or what am i missing?

Currently monitoring Time Passages by Al Stewart through totalyzer straight off of spotify

/Johan

Hey everybody...i apologize for my poor english..

So, i've got a Macbookpro that i bought in November of 2010 and a Fireface400 of the same date, and this doesn't work properly. So what do i need! i´m a little stressed, cos i sometimes work recording musicians, and this is quite stressing!...:)

I don't know if what i need is a Lyndi cable, a hub repeater, 800 cable or what, so...some help?

Thanks for your comprehension and best regards.

What about the brand new Macbook pro's? I have a Fireface 800 and i'm currently using it with a 2007 Macbook (not Macbook pro). Everything works fine and i dont want to run into problems when i buy a new Mac.

I am sorry to tell you they are....

I had to buy a new Macbook Pro 15' (unibody 2011) and there is a Lucend ID5901 built in, so I am one of these unlucky persons.....

My Firewire400 is not working correctly (you know it all: red light flashing, audio hickups ect.)
but: also the following workarround do not work:
1. I have three different La Cie drives, none of them makes the trick.
2. I tried the two G-drives I also have here - still the same problem.
3. I tried hooking up a G-drive (firewire800) in a chain with a LaCie (Firewire400) and it is even worse.

The only solution so far is to hook up my La Cie Firewire400-drive to the computer and then the Fireface400 after that. But this is not what I could do, because my huge sample-libary is on a G-drive (Firewire800) and I have to get this in the chain as well.

Three possible ideas:
1. The Firewire800-hub from Lindy
2. The Firewire800-repeater-cable before the first drive
3. The Firewire400-repeater-cable after the Firewire800-disc

Could you give me an advice which one would give me the best result?
In the moment I would go for the hub, because I am sometimes using quite a lot of discs in a chain anyway...

Thanks for your help
pyro

Could you check the "revision" number please (Daniel posted a howto on that)? 2008 MBP used 6 (faulty), 2009 MBP used 7 (works), 2010 MBP used 8 (works). Now the question is, what chipset revision does the 2011 use?

http://www.rme-audio.de/forum/viewtopic.php?id=4986

What if you put the repeater between G-Drive and FF400?

Hi Timur,

I found the working solution for all drives and the fireface:

A Firewire Hub800 on the first channel with 2 La Cie-drives and the fireface400 at the last point in the chain.
On the other hub-channel the two G-Drives and one Western-Digital chained.

Works without any problem the last days.

thanks for your help anyway....

best wishes
pyro