1 Topic by korg_nikos (edited by korg_nikos 2011-01-26 17:38:41)

  • Registered: 2010-11-02
  • Posts: 19

Topic: HDSP 9632 - Cubase - ASIO Hammerfall Drivers and Windows XP Playback.

Hi to all,

First of all let me describe my set up.

I use 9632 HDSP. I have the XLR Break Out cable. I have the 9632 connected to a Mackie CFX16 MKII as described below.

Left and Right Outputs of RME connected to 15-16 Stereo Channel of Mackie through 2 XLR to TRS cables.
Sub Outs 1 and 2 of Mackie are connected to RME's Left and Right Inputs through 2 TRS to XLR cables.

I use Cubase SX3.

Sometimes i need to record a song which is played back through Internet Explorer.
I have realized that I can't do this the way i did with my previous audio interface (M-Audio 2496) using of course my Mackie CFX 16.

What i am trying to say is that i used the Mackie -among others- also as an external loopback so as to be able to record in Cubase what ever my PC played back.

After installing my HDSP9632, its drivers (3.08.5) and selected ASIO Hammerfall DSP in Device Set Up>>>VST Audiobay as Master ASIO Driver of Cubase I realized that Windows Playback (Media Player or Internet Explorer) was not possible while Cubase ran.

Releasing ASIO Driver in Background has no result since it practically freezes Cubase and activates Windows applications.

Is there any way to adjust anything so as to achieve what i need?

I would like you to note that this was possible with my old M-Audio Delta 2496.

Thanks in advance

  • From: Germany
  • Registered: 2007-04-10
  • Posts: 9,551

Re: HDSP 9632 - Cubase - ASIO Hammerfall Drivers and Windows XP Playback.

Hello,

you can deactivate a channel pair in the Cubase setup, which can then be used for WMP etc.


Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

RME Support's Website

  • Registered: 2010-11-02
  • Posts: 19

Re: HDSP 9632 - Cubase - ASIO Hammerfall Drivers and Windows XP Playback.

How can i do that?

Each time that Cubase runs causes all Windows Applications to stop playback.
Also if i release ASIO drivers in Background and bring Internet explorer or Media Player in front then Windows playback sounds ok but Cubase stops.

Is that normal with ASIO Hammerfall DSP or not?

  • vinark
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  • Registered: 2009-06-05
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Re: HDSP 9632 - Cubase - ASIO Hammerfall Drivers and Windows XP Playback.

No, not normal,  it works here. Set up the windows sounds for an output you don´t use in cubase. For example the output with the highest number. (and then make sure it is not active in cubase)

You can even use an adat cable as a loopback (once you get how the rme mixer works) and bypass the mackie in the loopback.

Vincent, Amsterdam
https://soundcloud.com/thesecretworld
Babyface pro fs, HDSP9652+ADI-8AE, HDSP9632

5 Reply by korg_nikos (edited by korg_nikos 2011-01-27 08:54:37)

  • Registered: 2010-11-02
  • Posts: 19

Re: HDSP 9632 - Cubase - ASIO Hammerfall Drivers and Windows XP Playback.

According to the device's User Guide in page 24 multi client operation is supported as long as 2 different softwares use 2 separate Software Playback Channels (of Total Mix I guess) and run on identical sample rates.

What i need is to set up Windows Playback to use Software Playback Channels 1-2 and Cubase to use Software Playback Channels 3 and 4 so i can route them both to HDSP Analog Out 1-2

How can i do this?

The only option i can select in Windows' Control Panel Sounds and Audio Devices is HDSP 9632 Analog (1+2).
Similarly in Cubase SX3 I can choose which ASIO Drivers i will use as Master ASIO. Of course i choose Hammerfall ASIO Driver. In addition i can choose which Physical Outputs and Inputs will Cubase and its tracks will use. The only available are HDSP Analog Left and Right.

How may i determine and set the following for example:

Windows Playback in Software Playback Channel 1 and 2 of Total Mix
Cubase in Software Playback Channel 3 and 4 of Total Mix
X,Y,Z Sound Applications (Not part of Windows OS) in Softwrae Playback Channels 5-6, 7-8 and 9-10 of Total Mix respectively?

Is this possible or not?

  • Registered: 2010-11-02
  • Posts: 19

Re: HDSP 9632 - Cubase - ASIO Hammerfall Drivers and Windows XP Playback.

vinark wrote:

No, not normal,  it works here. Set up the windows sounds for an output you don´t use in cubase. For example the output with the highest number. (and then make sure it is not active in cubase)

You can even use an adat cable as a loopback (once you get how the rme mixer works) and bypass the mackie in the loopback.

Thanks for your reply but honestly i can not understand how to set Windows Sounds to an Output that I don't use in Cubase.
The only thing i can set my Windows Playback to is "HDSP Analog 1+2".
May you please be more specific? I use Windows XP Pro

As for the ADAT cable I need to maintain my current set up which is analogue. I only use XLR Outputs and Inputs. No ADAT or SPDIF or Word Clocks. I also know that 9632 offers a loopback operation (Ctrl + Click to any Output) but i don't want to use it.

  • Registered: 2010-11-02
  • Posts: 19

Re: HDSP 9632 - Cubase - ASIO Hammerfall Drivers and Windows XP Playback.

Just for information i know of another user (using Fireface 400) and he also has the same issue. He can not run Cubase and Windows Playback at the same time.

May you please reply on how I can set:

Windows Playback to use Software Playback Channel 1-2
Cubase to use Software Playback Channel 3-4

so as to route them both in Total Mix to Analog 1+2 which is the Physical Stereo Output going to my Mackie Mixer. 

If this is not possible it makes me wonder what is the purpose of this Middle Row Software Playback Channels of Total Mix in RME HDSP9632.

I really hope i am missing something here. I don't want to even think that i have chosen the wrong equipment.
What almost drives me crazy here, is that my much lower in budget M-Audio 2496 could do that easily without any additional settings or adjustments. The only things required were to:

1.Declare M-Audio Outputs for Windows Playback in Control Panel.
2.Use M-Audio ASIO Driver in Cubase and that's it.

I could easily playback Windows, Cubase, or any other application at the same time. I could even record in Cubase enviroment what ever my PC played back at the same time.

  • vinark
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Re: HDSP 9632 - Cubase - ASIO Hammerfall Drivers and Windows XP Playback.

I can not be sure what exactly is going in with your setup, but you should be able to select adat 7+8 or spdif for windows sounds. You then route adat 7+8 to analog 1+2 in totalmix. If they don´t show up, something is wrong with the install or the card.

Vincent, Amsterdam
https://soundcloud.com/thesecretworld
Babyface pro fs, HDSP9652+ADI-8AE, HDSP9632
  • Registered: 2010-11-02
  • Posts: 19

Re: HDSP 9632 - Cubase - ASIO Hammerfall Drivers and Windows XP Playback.

Thanks Vinark for your support.

To be honest i haven't tried setting Windows to any other Output than Analog HDSP (1+2) because i thought that setting them that way it would make Windows Sounds to be routed directly to Digital Outputs of my HDSP which as i described i don't use. In addition to that i thought that making that setting it would make them not to be present at the Analogue Path of my Physical Analogue XLR Outputs.

So what you suggest is that i should set Windows to use ADAT 7-8. This will make Windows Playback to appear to an individual Software Stereo Playback Channel which i can route through Total Mix to be present at Stereo Analog 1-2.

Shall i de-activate VST Output ADAT 7-8 from Cubase Device set up?

I am actually writing from another PC right now so i can not confirm anything right now. I will come back to you later.

10 Reply by vinark (edited by vinark 2011-01-27 13:21:51)

  • vinark
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Re: HDSP 9632 - Cubase - ASIO Hammerfall Drivers and Windows XP Playback.

Yes that´s it. In fact the names for the outputs are somewhat misleading. You could see them as just outputs 1 to 12. Only in total mix you assign them to a real physical output. Once you get it, it is logical though, to name them after the physical inputs and outputs since they are all lined up in total mix. This way is really very powerful once you grasp it. I have a HDSP 9652 (3 adats and spdif, no analog) and I have connected many devices, even an effect send and return. (and of course my outboard analog ins and outs)

And indeed don´t forget to deactivate adat 7 8 from cubase.
Good luck!
Vincent

Vincent, Amsterdam
https://soundcloud.com/thesecretworld
Babyface pro fs, HDSP9652+ADI-8AE, HDSP9632

11 Reply by korg_nikos (edited by korg_nikos 2011-01-31 14:25:01)

  • Registered: 2010-11-02
  • Posts: 19

Re: HDSP 9632 - Cubase - ASIO Hammerfall Drivers and Windows XP Playback.

Hi Vincent,

I am sorry for not posting earlier but a health problem of my father kept me in hospital during the weekend.

So the problem was solved after all after selecting a different output in Control Panel for Windows Playback.

As i have mentioned before i was aware of the fact that feeding the same Software Playback Channels with Audio Stream from 2 separate Softwares (Windows and Cubase) at the same time would cause a conflict.

However the problem is that Windows won't see any Software Playback to route its Audio Playback to. Check below a print screen image from my PC in order to have a better view.

http://www.divshare.com/img/13924789-baf.JPG

As you can see in the Drop List, available Outputs are mentioned as:

HDSP 9632 Analog (1+2)
HDSP 9632 SPDIF
HDSP 9632 ADAT (1+2)
HDSP 9632 ADAT (3+4)
HDSP 9632 ADAT (5+6)
HDSP 9632 ADAT (7+8).

This would make any user to think that choosing any output from above would route Windows Playback to the respective Physical Outputs which is actually very misleading and even more if the user experiences RME equipment for the very first time . Personally i needed to use HDSP 9632 Analog (1+2) so i was obliged to set Windows Playback to that output.

On the other hand setting Hammerfall ASIO Driver as Cubase Master ASIO makes Cubase's Playback to appear in Software Playback Channels 1-2.

Setting Windows Playback to HDSP 9632 Analog 1+2 makes also Windows' Playback to appear on the same Software Playback Output Channel (1-2) so the conflict occurs when both softwares run. Releasing ASIO Driver in background will enable windows playback back but this is not a solution obviously.

When i tried to set Windows Playback to SPDIF i noticed in Total Mix that Playback occured in Software Playback Channels 3-4 which was routed to Physical SPDIF L/R and to Physical Analog 1-2. What i did was to turn the levels of Software Playback 3-4 off (only from Sub Mix of physical SPFIF L/R) so as no signal reached Physical SPDIF Outputs since i won't be using them. Therefore i had Windows Playback appearing in Software Playback Channels 3-4 and Analog Outputs 1-2. Check below.

http://www.divshare.com/img/13924790-4a3.JPG

After running cubase everything worked ok. Cubase's Playback Signal appeared in Software Playback Channel 1-2 which was also routed to Physical Analog Out 1-2. I could hear both Playbacks through my Analog Outputs 1-2 and watch their signals separately in Software Playback channels and added in Physical Analog Outputs 1-2 Channels.

I would like to mention again that i have the most up to date drivers (3.08.5) and firmware version (154).

According to my opinion the way that Outputs are mentioned in Control Panel--->Sound Devices--->Audio--->Sound Playback is very misleading and may confuse people.

I guess that Default Routing which is probably of the following correspondence:

Software Playback 1----->HDSP 9632 Analog 1
Software Playback 2----->HDSP 9632 Analog 2
Software Playback 3----->HDSP 9632 SPDIF Left
Software Playback 4----->HDSP 9632 SPDIF Right
Software Playback 5----->HDSP 9632 ADAT 1
Software Playback 6----->HDSP 9632 ADAT 2
Software Playback 7----->HDSP 9632 ADAT 3
Software Playback 8----->HDSP 9632 ADAT 4
Software Playback 9----->HDSP 9632 ADAT 5
Software Playback 10---->HDSP 9632 ADAT 6
Software Playback 11---->HDSP 9632 ADAT 7
Software Playback 12---->HDSP 9632 ADAT 8

made RME team to program the card so as to mention Physical Outputs instead of Software Playback Outputs in Windows Drop List of available outputs for Audio Streams.

I think that it would be more convenient and clear if Outputs for Audio Playback Streams were mentioned as:
Software Playback Outputs 1+2
Software Playback Outputs 3+4
Software Playback Outputs 5+6
Software Playback Outputs 7+8
Software Playback Outputs 9+10
and Software Playback Outputs 11+12.

Then the user would route those software pairs as per his needs using Total Mix.

Perhaps you may do that by releasing a new driver or a User Guide upadate. It is not necessary for me now but i think that it will help new users of your equipment.

  • vinark
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Re: HDSP 9632 - Cubase - ASIO Hammerfall Drivers and Windows XP Playback.

Agreed. There is one problem though. If the outputs would be renamed, that would also apply to asio outputs. A lot of us have configurations with 32 outputs or even more and projects would open without outputs assigned because of the renaming and would need to be reassigned for all 32 or more outputs and every project and template.
There is a mention of it under multi client use, but it might be a little to uninstructive, although I had no trouble setting it up.
You might have been thrown off, by your previous card, which had a different approach, but my previous card an EMU 1212m had the same setup and an even more complicated mixer. Luckily you asked here.
Hope all is well with your Father!
best
Vincent (not from RME)

Vincent, Amsterdam
https://soundcloud.com/thesecretworld
Babyface pro fs, HDSP9652+ADI-8AE, HDSP9632
  • Registered: 2010-11-02
  • Posts: 19

Re: HDSP 9632 - Cubase - ASIO Hammerfall Drivers and Windows XP Playback.

Yup i realize how a new configuration would affect existing projects.

Anyway now that i know how things work i have no problem at all and i am open on this different approach which is actually more professional.

Thank God everything went ok as far as my Father's health is concerned. Thank you for your wishes.