• Pauly
  • ADAT user
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  • Registered: 2007-10-18
  • Posts: 9

Topic: FF800 Driver advice

Hi guys.
I use the RME FF800 with my PC and windows XP Pro service pack 2  and Sonar 8 is my DAW.  For no apparent reason , I am having troubles. I have been using the same RME driver and operating system without changing anything at all.

When I start my PC , it boots up fine but most of the time , I cannot access the Fireface Mixer or RME  settings tool. They both appear in my tool bar but I cannot open either of them . Also, I get no audio from the PC or within Sonar.

All I can do is re start the PC multiple times and eventually I get sound and the FF 800 functions perfectly normal. I assume I have some kind of driver problem.

Can you tell me how to check my  RME driver version and properly update to the best driver version for XP Pro service pack 2 ?  Thanks

  • From: Houston, TX
  • Registered: 2007-05-01
  • Posts: 249

Re: FF800 Driver advice

From the description that you give, it sounds more like a firewire interface going flaky to me.  The next time it happens, right-click on "My Computer" icon, choose "Manage", then choose "Device Manager" under "Computer Management" in the left-hand pane.  In the right-hand pane, you may see a yellow exclamation point next to your firewire card under "IEEE 1394 Host Bus Controllers".  This would indicate a problem with the interface card.  If so, you need to replace it with a FW controller that has a TI (Texas Instruments) chipset.

By the way, this is also one of the places that you could check the RME driver version.  However, you WILL NOT be able to do this if there is a problem with the FW interface.  With the FW working properly, follow the instructions above to get to "Device Manager" then find "Sound, Video, and Game Controllers".  Click the "+" and a tree will open up.  Find RME FF 800.  If the entry is not there, it is another indication that there is a hardware problem.  If it is there, then double-click it.  Choose "Driver" tab to view the driver version.

--Dean

HDSP9652 w/ AEB4-I/O - FireFace800 - 2 x Presonus Digimax FS - FriendChip DMX16/18

dstdean's Website

  • Pauly
  • ADAT user
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2007-10-18
  • Posts: 9

Re: FF800 Driver advice

dstdean wrote:

From the description that you give, it sounds more like a firewire interface going flaky to me.  The next time it happens, right-click on "My Computer" icon, choose "Manage", then choose "Device Manager" under "Computer Management" in the left-hand pane.  In the right-hand pane, you may see a yellow exclamation point next to your firewire card under "IEEE 1394 Host Bus Controllers".  This would indicate a problem with the interface card.  If so, you need to replace it with a FW controller that has a TI (Texas Instruments) chipset.

By the way, this is also one of the places that you could check the RME driver version.  However, you WILL NOT be able to do this if there is a problem with the FW interface.  With the FW working properly, follow the instructions above to get to "Device Manager" then find "Sound, Video, and Game Controllers".  Click the "+" and a tree will open up.  Find RME FF 800.  If the entry is not there, it is another indication that there is a hardware problem.  If it is there, then double-click it.  Choose "Driver" tab to view the driver version.

--Dean

Hi Dean
Thanks for helping out.Under device manager , I am seeing the exclamation point exactly where you said there would be one with the same indication. I bought the firewire card from sweetwater and at the time , my sales man told me that it did have the TI chipset. And my FF800 has always worked great .I haven't updated or touched anything at all. So is it possible that the firewire card simply went bad and need to be replaced ?

Here's a screen shot of what I am seeing but after a dozen re starts, I still can't get the FF800 to talk to the PC.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5057/5500478987_376c818d43.jpg
snapshot2 by paulsecondino, on Flickr

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

Re: FF800 Driver advice

There is an obvious problem with the Firewire controller on your PC... Not a Fireface issue.


Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

RME Support's Website

  • Pauly
  • ADAT user
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2007-10-18
  • Posts: 9

Re: FF800 Driver advice

I will buy a new firewire card and hope it solves the problem.How can I tell if a firewire card has the TI chip set ? Thanks

  • Registered: 2007-05-09
  • Posts: 174

Re: FF800 Driver advice

Pauly wrote:

I will buy a new firewire card and hope it solves the problem.How can I tell if a firewire card has the TI chip set ? Thanks

Buy it from a supplier who specialises in audio computers.  If you're in the UK, Scan Computers are a good source.   Firewire cards aren't expensive, you won't lose much by not shopping around for the cheapest deal.

  • Pauly
  • ADAT user
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  • Registered: 2007-10-18
  • Posts: 9

Re: FF800 Driver advice

One more quick question. One guy suggested rolling back to the legacy drivers and that left me at  a loss. He gave no explanation on what the legacy driver is or how to roll back. Any clue on what he meant ?

I'm inclined to just buy another firewire card.

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

Re: FF800 Driver advice

SIIG or Dawicontrol cards have TI chips.

Legacy driver: http://www.rme-audio.de/forum/viewtopic.php?id=9827


Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

RME Support's Website