1

Topic: New UFX firmware with USB Recording - public alpha

This is for UFX users only!

The firmware of the UFX which supports recording via the front USB connector is now available for public testing. Please note that we declare this not a beta, but an alpha version. Do not use this one on a production system and with sensitive data. If you need to make money with our hardware - don't fool around, use what works, stay safe!

If you want to test the recording - and we are very happy about any feedback that we get - download the Mac or Windows flash tool and update the unit's DSP firmware to version 1.25:

https://archiv.rme-audio.de/download/fu … ac_125.zip

https://archiv.rme-audio.de/download/fu … in_125.zip

Also make sure to use the latest drivers with the latest TM FX, v 0.93 or higher.

How does it work?

The USB recording comes up when pressing the Level Meter key left of the display. This function has turned out to be obsolete, so has been replaced. You get a self-explanatory Record/Playback screen, and turning encoder 1 an additional USB Memory screen.

Plug in a USB stick or USB hard drive to the front USB port. They have to be formatted as FAT32 before. We tested up until 500 GB. Such a big disk needs a few seconds to be read in and intialized, which can be seen on the recording page.

The channels to be recorded are selected in the channels menu, you find an entry 'Record' in every input and output channel. Indeed you should be able to record all inputs and outputs at the same time, 60 channels, if your memory is quick enough. Makes no real sense, but recording many inputs and a simple downmix of these at the same time sure makes sense, so...

You will also find an entry 'Play Channel' in every input and output channel. Yes, you can play back the recorded data directly at the outputs, but also into the top of the mixer and then apply the whole TM FX to it. 0 means off, 1 and up is the channel number of the recording.

It is also possible to play back usual wav files (your favorite music...) that you had copied to the stick before, just try it.

All this can be set up a bit quicker and easier with an upcoming TM FX version - at this time please use the front controls. Note that you can store recording and playback setups directly within the unit as 'Setups', so you can easily load different of these.

If your stick is too slow you will be warned by a direct error indication on the main page. Use less channels and it will work. Another good indicator is the write time that is shown on the USB Memory page. A quick stick will stay around or under 200 ms, a bad stick will reach 600 ms and up. That calls for trouble even with only a few channels.

Long time recordings that reach the 2 GB wav format limit will be automatically split. Playback will automatically take those into account later on.

The main focus on this alpha test is two things:

- do you understand the settings and operation?

- does your memory stick or drive work? We had a lot of strangely behaving products and have already built in a lot of advanced techniques and workarounds to make the UFX as compatible as possible. Feedback here would be nice, listing the model and size of your USB memory, plus the typical write time at full max channel recording.

Thanks and have success!

!!!! Update 03/21/2011 !!!!

The memory to be used must be a primary partition with MBR. See post 44.
Info: The audio stream for input and output recording is taken before (pre) the EQ/Dyn. FX can only be recorded from an output when processing an input, or by a physical loopback cabling and then recording an input. See post 43.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

Re: New UFX firmware with USB Recording - public alpha

I just formatted a 500 gig 2.5" drive with FAT 32, using a software called Fat32Formatter (use at your own risk).
The drive is a Seagate ST950032 5AS in an external USB case. Takes a while to initialize.

Tested a two-hour recording of 12 channels at 44k, no errors. Will try 12 channel 192k overnight. The first 30 minutes have been error-free, HD usage shows about 55%.


http://f.666kb.com/i/brrpl2noxd4m08dko.jpg
[small](No, this is not the new limited light-blue edition of the UFX... It's just the way colours turned out with the flash here...:roll)[/small]

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

3 (edited by gkilsti 2011-03-15 00:51:30)

Re: New UFX firmware with USB Recording - public alpha

Really nice stuff, guys. Much safer than recording to PC when recording live shows.
Tried with an 8GB Patriot USB drive.

Here is my experience:
- Menus are OK.
- Recording works fine (tried 4 channels for an hour). No audio issues.
  Recording speed shows 400ms in the start, then falls almost linearly down to 280-300 during 10-15 seconds.
- Playback to outputs work fine. Output meters OK.
- Playback to inputs works fine, including input channel fx. Output meters OK.
   Input meters never shows anything, so it's not so easy to see what's going on.
   Not in TM FX, and not in the units LCD. Bug or limitation?
- Playback of music wav file from PC works fine (but still no input meters smile
- Opening recorded file in Audacity (showing 4 tracks) worked fine.
- Recording stereo inputs still opens as mono files in Audacity. I don't know if the multiple-track-wav format supports
  mix/specifications of stereo/mono tracks. If it does, it would be nice to have the stereo channels opened as stereo tracks in editor.

Minor improvement suggestions:
- Give an error message when drive is not FAT32 formatted, instead of just showing "Initializing..." forever.

- When setting the playback channel (In channel settings, "Play cannel") on a stereo output channel, LCD should show
  1/2, 2/3, 3/4 etc. (alternatively 1+2 or 1,2 or 1-2). Now it shows just 1, but it certainly plays back 1 and 2
  to L and R of the selected stereo output.
  Today there is only stereo outputs, but in the next firmware with configurable stereo/mono outputs,
  I guess you have to look at the channels stereo settings to decide whether to show
  one or two track numbers on the "Play channel" parameter

- Add/fix input meters when playback to input channels.

- Improved playback of music files:
  I'm thinking for playing back background music before/after a show or similar, it would be great if we could do either
  "Play one file" or "Continous play".
  The latter could simply play the files in alphabetical order, starting with the one you select. Then start again from the beginning.
  Typically I would have a separate USB stick for the playback music. Some times I may want a random order (too much to ask for?),
  sometimes just alphabetical order (most important, and very simple to implement, right?)
  Why not narrow the 4 buttons at the bottom of the screen to make space for a new green play button with a loop arrow on it,
  or the two arrows crossing each other (random order). These seems to be almost standardized icons...
  Or maybe the best way would be to change the record button (after playback is started) into a play mode button
  that toggles between "single-play", "continous play", "random play" every time you click it. Perfect or what?

Well, anyways, keep up the god work, guys!

BR, Geir.

4

Re: New UFX firmware with USB Recording - public alpha

Geir, thanks a lot, this is exactly the kind of feedback we are looking for. Regarding mono/stereo, don't worry, this is in the works already.

Daniel, the link to the FAT32 formatter is dangerous! There is a (in this case) much better free tool available which ONLY lets you format USB devices, so no chance of accidentally deleting your hard drives. It's called <HP USB Storage Disk Formatter 2.2.3>, and easy to find via Google.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

Re: New UFX firmware with USB Recording - public alpha

Glad to help, Matthias smile

Where in the chain is the recorded audio taken from? Post gain,  pre fx?  M/S decoding? Phase?

Geir.

Re: New UFX firmware with USB Recording - public alpha

MC wrote:

Daniel, the link to the FAT32 formatter is dangerous! There is a (in this case) much better free tool available which ONLY lets you format USB devices, so no chance of accidentally deleting your hard drives. It's called <HP USB Storage Disk Formatter 2.2.3>, and easy to find via Google.

OK, I removed the direct link. Indeed the Fat32Formatter will happily offer to format the boot drive as well, if desired... :-O
That aside, the link/software is not dangerous in terms of a danger of malware/virus risks. I downloaded it from Heise, publisher of c't, one of Germany's most renowned PC magazine.


Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

Re: New UFX firmware with USB Recording - public alpha

Surprisingly limited resonance here... HeadScratch fryingpan

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

Re: New UFX firmware with USB Recording - public alpha

nobody dares to use it, since we all have "productive" systems smile

Re: New UFX firmware with USB Recording - public alpha

I'll try it out when I get home, i just bought a 16 gig USB stick big_smile

Mats Helgesson
http://www.livingsound.se

Re: New UFX firmware with USB Recording - public alpha

PNY 16 GB USB memory stick stays stuck in "initializing".
formatted it it in windows first with FAT32 default settings (win7 x64)

i7 Extreme 990X 3.47Ghz, 24GB RAM, Fireface UFX
Nuendo 8, Halion 6, Wavelab 9.5, Izotope RX 6

Re: New UFX firmware with USB Recording - public alpha

Mine works...

http://f.666kb.com/i/brst7ho17xvqv4ipk.jpg

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

Re: New UFX firmware with USB Recording - public alpha

Thanks, I also tried a 128 Mb Lexar Jump drive ... same thing. I must be missing something on my end. I will keep
pounding on it. I am backing up my 1TB Free Agent USB drive so I can format it with FAT to try.

i7 Extreme 990X 3.47Ghz, 24GB RAM, Fireface UFX
Nuendo 8, Halion 6, Wavelab 9.5, Izotope RX 6

13

Re: New UFX firmware with USB Recording - public alpha

You switched off the UFX after the firmware update?

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

Re: New UFX firmware with USB Recording - public alpha

Thanks, Yes I have powered the unit a few times.   0.975/342 software / 1.25 firmware /  0.93 TMFX / win7 x64

i7 Extreme 990X 3.47Ghz, 24GB RAM, Fireface UFX
Nuendo 8, Halion 6, Wavelab 9.5, Izotope RX 6

15

Re: New UFX firmware with USB Recording - public alpha

Ok, please keep that stick, I might get back to you later. There sure will be a few more that show problems with the UFX.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

16

Re: New UFX firmware with USB Recording - public alpha

Tried it with a 8GB Super Talent USB Stick and an ext. 160GB 2,5" HDD (Fujitsu Storage Bird) and found that the initialization stucks. Then I set the FAT32 partition to "active" with the Windows diskpart tool and now the Stick and the HDD are been recognized by the UFX...

A 8GB Extrememory USB Stick an a 2 GB Sandisk Cruzer USB Stick worked fine without setting the FAT32 partition to active.

Kind Regards
Carsten

Re: New UFX firmware with USB Recording - public alpha

The active partition trick did not work with an older 80-gig external Samsung drive. Still stops at "initializing".

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

18 (edited by cobiashimew 2011-03-16 19:16:41)

Re: New UFX firmware with USB Recording - public alpha

Ok, I formatted a Seagate FreeAgent Go 1TB drive with Fat32Formatter and I am now recording 30 tracks 16bit/44.1khz for about an hour now. HD usage spans from 37%-41% average with an occasional spike up to 50% and zero errors! Awesome smile

Maybe the reason my PNY 16 GB stick wont initialize is because its so slow? I never use it because it is unbearably slow for ANYTHING.
I would report my recording speed if I knew where to look for that.

i7 Extreme 990X 3.47Ghz, 24GB RAM, Fireface UFX
Nuendo 8, Halion 6, Wavelab 9.5, Izotope RX 6

19 (edited by cobiashimew 2011-03-16 19:15:45)

Re: New UFX firmware with USB Recording - public alpha

Hmmm, I recorded 30 mono channels, I expected to see 30 wav files on the disk. What is actually there is a single multichannel wav file. (30 channels in this case).
Importing it into Nuendo shows one 30 channel wave file. Normally in Nuendo I can split multichannel files to different tracks but the software is confused by these
files somehow and wont let me. In fact it crashed the software. I can see what looks like good waveforms in the multichannel file and Nuendo will play the file but
no sound on the output bus.

i7 Extreme 990X 3.47Ghz, 24GB RAM, Fireface UFX
Nuendo 8, Halion 6, Wavelab 9.5, Izotope RX 6

20

Re: New UFX firmware with USB Recording - public alpha

> I would report my recording speed if I knew where to look for that.

You have the HD load, and the write time on the USB Memory screen. If you want to know the average transfer speed of the stick use this freeware tool:

ftp://ftp.heise.de/pub/ct/ctsi/h2testw_1.4.zip

It checks the whole stick and then shows average read and write time.

Regarding your recording: you said 30 channels for one hour. Then you must have about 6 to 8 files on your disk (13 GB split into 2GB files). We tried to load such a recording into Nuendo 5, that worked (as earlier with DC). Took some time but then we had 30 tracks with all the data.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

21 (edited by cobiashimew 2011-03-17 17:05:38)

Re: New UFX firmware with USB Recording - public alpha

Hi Matthias, Thanks for everything.

I record multi-day festivals of music all day long across 3 or 4 stages, usually on the order of 6-10 acts per stage per day of at least one hour performances. The headliners get more time than that. Part of my job is not only to come home with all the data to remix for radio and CD but I also have to archive all the material to give back to the festival owners and artists. I record at 44khz/24 bit for remix and if the film guys are there I do 48khz/24 bit.
So even from one stage I can come home with a huge amount of data. If you are saying that I need to come home and somehow de-interleave 30 channel files then rename and piece together hundreds of segments just so I can remix and get the material back to the artists ...
well at that point it would be much easier to drag a computer out to the show and record directly to pro tools or nuendo. That is what I do now, and part of the reason I chose the UFX to purchase. Also smaller drives are not as cost effective these days so going out and buying small drives is not so hot. My smallest drive
is a 750GB.

So I guess what I am saying is that I would like this to be a feature request to allow the UFX to record separate mono files from the start. I understand that FAT32 has its file size limit and I can understand why you went with FAT32 but if the files were recorded in mono from the start, that would be much time saved for me.

I love my UFX and everyday I am amazed at how cool it is. I appreciate your help as well.

Thanks again,
Chip Borton

P.S. I will follow your advice and try on a 128 GB partition and will look at the utility you linked me sometime within the next couple days.

i7 Extreme 990X 3.47Ghz, 24GB RAM, Fireface UFX
Nuendo 8, Halion 6, Wavelab 9.5, Izotope RX 6

22 (edited by UNKNOWN 2011-03-17 16:19:35)

Re: New UFX firmware with USB Recording - public alpha

Hi All,

I dont know why but i formatted my lacie 4gb usb stick to FAT32 but RME UFX keep saying initializing...same for my 8gb scandisk cruzer. Tested another old harddisk from western digital 120 gb it works but cannot RECORD it when i push the button.

Please help or any harddisk or usb stick you recommended? cause i dont wanna waste my money to buy a new one again.

Regards,

btw: im using a Macbook.

Re: New UFX firmware with USB Recording - public alpha

UNKNOWN wrote:

Hi All,

I dont know why but i formatted my lacie 4gb usb stick to FAT32 but RME UFX keep saying initializing...same for my 8gb scandisk cruzer. Tested another old harddisk from western digital 120 gb it works but cannot RECORD it when i push the button.

Please help or any harddisk or usb stick you recommended? cause i dont wanna waste my money to buy a new one again.

Regards,

btw: im using a Macbook.

Hi,

If you are running OSX the default partition format is "GUID partition table".
Default for old DOS and Windows (FAT16 and FAT32) is "Master Boot Record".
Without knowing I guess the UFX demands this partition type.
Have a look at my video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkzfOipSTPA
To see how you partition and format a true FAT32 partition from OSX.

Pål

Re: New UFX firmware with USB Recording - public alpha

MC wrote:

BTW, as nobody tested a big FAT32 disk so far

HeadScratch

I've tried a 500 GB drive (see above) at 12-channel, 192k for two hours, and everything worked fine.
I will now let this run until the drive is full, to see what happens...
I also have a new and so far unused 2 TB drive I could try...

Have not tested Nuendo, but Sequoia/Samplitude opened the files without any problems.
At this sample rate, individual 2 GB files (not 4 GB) are only about 5 minutes long... Needless to say, transitions are seamless.

cobiashimew wrote:

So even from one stage I can come home with a huge amount of data. If you are saying that I need to come home and somehow de-interleave 30 channel files then rename and piece together hundreds of segments just so I can remix and get the material back to the artists ...

You don't need to do that manually. Your software will (or should) do so. Sequoia does so, as I mentioned. It will load files directly into a vip (multitrack project).

So I guess what I am saying is that I would like this to be a feature request to allow the UFX to record separate mono files from the start. I understand that FAT32 has its file size limit and I can understand why you went with FAT32 but if the files were recorded in mono from the start, that would be much time saved for me.

Do you need to deliver individual mono files? If not, there is not much time to be saved.


Regards,
Daniel Fuchs
RME

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

25 (edited by cobiashimew 2011-03-18 01:33:42)

Re: New UFX firmware with USB Recording - public alpha

Do you need to deliver individual mono files? If not, there is not much time to be saved.

Absolutely, I cull out any useless tracks and hand the tracks to the clients. Many times they remix it themselves
and I need to have the tracks clearly labeled and be as simple as possible for them to import into whatever software
they choose.


I haven't had time to revisit loading into Nuendo or do any testing today (I have N4/N5) but if you guys say you have tried it
I believe you, maybe just a bit of a learning curve on my end loading these interleaved files. maybe not ... HeadScratch

i7 Extreme 990X 3.47Ghz, 24GB RAM, Fireface UFX
Nuendo 8, Halion 6, Wavelab 9.5, Izotope RX 6

Re: New UFX firmware with USB Recording - public alpha

In that case, individual files would probably be a good thing. But I assume that esp. slower USB sticks will have problems recording individual files so this would remain limited to disk drives.

My 500GB 2.5" disk is currently showing around 57% with that 12-track 192k recording. I am not sure how well it would handle individual files. On the other hand, the old 80 gig drive I mentioned above will record 64 MADI channels when connected to a laptop.



Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

Re: New UFX firmware with USB Recording - public alpha

RME Support wrote:

But I assume that esp. slower USB sticks will have problems recording individual files.

Yeah, most USB sticks suck at writing more than one file at the same time ...

28

Re: New UFX firmware with USB Recording - public alpha

cobiashimew wrote:

So even from one stage I can come home with a huge amount of data. If you are saying that I need to come home and somehow de-interleave 30 channel files then rename and piece together hundreds of segments just so I can remix and get the material back to the artists ...

Not at all. Both Sampltitude/Seqioua and Nuendo can import these files directly. And DIGICheck can too, of course, and easily export stereo or mono files. The only limitation at this time is that DC handles onlyx the first file. If you have more than 2 GB data you will have to wait for a DC update.

cobiashimew wrote:

So I guess what I am saying is that I would like this to be a feature request to allow the UFX to record separate mono files from the start.

Absolutely impossible. Neither our USB port nor usual USB sticks support that.

cobiashimew wrote:

I understand that FAT32 has its file size limit

I corrected my statement above. The file size limit comes from the wav format (2 GB), not FAT32 (4 GB).

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

29 (edited by UNKNOWN 2011-03-18 10:32:32)

Re: New UFX firmware with USB Recording - public alpha

@Psvennevig, thanks it works now, i have formatted properly right now

I have another question, when i recorded yesterday with different sample rate like 44100, 48000, 192000 with rme ufx and replay it, it sounds very good and clean but when i hook up my usb stick to my macbook and play the wav file it dont sound very good is not as loud on the rme ufx (btw testing the wav file with the macbook soundcard) anyone know how to improve the quality sound of the wav file? do i need software like logic or wavlab to make it sound proffesional or as good like i hear on the rme ufx?

Thanks!

btw: tested with spectralis2, i dont hear the phat sound on macbook but on rme ufx i hear very good, sorry my english.

Re: New UFX firmware with USB Recording - public alpha

UNKNOWN wrote:

I have another question, when i recorded yesterday with different sample rate like 44100, 48000, 192000 with rme ufx and replay it, it sounds very good and clean but when i hook up my usb stick to my macbook and play the wav file it dont sound very good is not as loud on the rme ufx (btw testing the wav file with the macbook soundcard) anyone know how to improve the quality sound of the wav file? do i need software like logic or wavlab to make it sound proffesional or as good like i hear on the rme ufx?

Are you listening to it with the speakers on the Macbook...? HeadScratch

There is no need to "improve the sound quality" of a wave file from the UFX... You need to look at the playback side of the setup...


Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

31 (edited by UNKNOWN 2011-03-18 15:16:22)

Re: New UFX firmware with USB Recording - public alpha

@Daniel, what do you mean playback side of the setup? you mean the fireface usb settings like sample rate etc.? btw i was listening with my headphone...

But to make the story short...i play the wave file with itunes bitrate: 2304kbps, sample rate: 48.000khz, stereo, sample size: 24 bit. compared with a mp3 bitrate: 320kpbs, sample rate: 44.100khz, stereo, what i dont understand is why does the mp3 sound better then the wave file, its louder, clearer, etc.

Btw is it possible to change the sample size of the wave file?

Sorry this is my first RME product and my english is not very good so please help. Thanks!

Re: New UFX firmware with USB Recording - public alpha

But to make the story short...i play the wave file with itunes bitrate: 2304kbps, sample rate: 48.000khz, stereo, sample size: 24 bit.

Which file, the interleaved wav file direct from the stick or do you extract a single wav file? iTunes should play the extracted wav file a it is. You should try to play it back with another program or just hit space in the finder for a preview.

Btw is it possible to change the sample size of the wave file?

You mean the sample rate (44.1, 48, 96 kHz)? This is possible (resampling to another sample rate) with any audio program, but should be done with a good algorithm.

best regards
Knut

Re: New UFX firmware with USB Recording - public alpha

UNKNOWN wrote:

But to make the story short...i play the wave file with itunes bitrate: 2304kbps, sample rate: 48.000khz, stereo, sample size: 24 bit. compared with a mp3 bitrate: 320kpbs, sample rate: 44.100khz, stereo, what i dont understand is why does the mp3 sound better then the wave file, its louder, clearer, etc.

Are you referring to the same music? What did you record with the UFX and from which source?

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

Re: New UFX firmware with USB Recording - public alpha

@Admin Knut, the UFX01_00 wave file from the usb stick, i compared the sound quality of that file with a random mp3 track (example Janet Jackson) on iTunes.

The UFX01_00 info: bitrate: 2304kbps, sample rate: 48.000khz, stereo, sample size: 24 bit.
The random mp3 info: bitrate: 320kpbs, sample rate: 44.100khz, stereo.

What i dont understand is that the random mp3 track sounds much better, clearer, louder compared to the UFX01_00 wave file and as i check the info of the UFX01_00 file it says it has sample size: 24 bit, is it possible to change to 8 bit or 16 bit for example?

@RME Support, I recorded through the usb stick the L&R outputs of the Spectralis2 to the analogue input 1&2 of the RME UFX, after i hooked the usb stick to my macbook and play the UFX01_00 wave file which i compared to a random mp3 track and find out that all the other mp3 tracks on iTunes sounds better then the wave file...

Regards,

35

Re: New UFX firmware with USB Recording - public alpha

Can you all please return to the topic. Sound changes by playing back processed material or by using different players are totally unrelated to this thread. Thank you.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

Re: New UFX firmware with USB Recording - public alpha

i compared the sound quality of that file with a random mp3 track (example Janet Jackson) on iTunes ... What i dont understand is that the random mp3 track sounds much better, clearer, louder compared to the UFX01_00 wave file

I don´t know your recorded material, but I doubt it will sound better than a multi million production with countless mixing and processing equipment and mix/mastering engineers, knowing what they do. You should compare the sound quality of the UFX wav file only to the UFX wav file. Maybe Janet Jackson will sound better with the UFX and all the studio processing afterwards, than your mp3 file, but you need to bring the UFX to her and her team to get a comparable production.

it says it has sample size: 24 bit, is it possible to change to 8 bit or 16 bit for example?

Sure. Every audio program can change the word length including noise or psycho acoustic dither to keep the low bits in shape, but this will not sound better afterwards. 16 bit will sound nearly the same - at best, but 8 bit will of course sound much worse.

best regards
Knut

Re: New UFX firmware with USB Recording - public alpha

@MC, Sorry i thought after the update the UFX wasnt working properly cause sound quality is for me very important.
@Admin Knut, ok i understand now i think i just need to mix and mastering till i like it how it sound.

Regards,

Re: New UFX firmware with USB Recording - public alpha

Hallo,

erstmal möchte ich euch zu dieser beeindruckend Stabil funktionierenden Alpha-Version gratulieren.

Ich habe heute die aktuelle Treiberversion heruntergeladen, die neue Firmware aufgespielt, und das UFX macht genau das wofür ich mir das Gerät gekauft habe.

Das UFX ist per USB und Firewire mit einem Intel IMac auf dem Logic läuft verbunden. Logic ist Master und startet durch Midiclock eine Boss DR 880 Drummaschine. In den UFX Eingängen auf der Rückseite stecken ein Korg Oasys, ein WSA 1, ein Deep Bass Nine, ein TC Helicon Voicelive 2, und in den 4 Eingängen an der Front der Boss Drumcomputer ( Drums und Gitarrensignal getrennt mit jeweils 2 Kanäle).

Zum Ausprobieren der Aufnahmefunktion habe ich einen 4 GB Stick, den ich mal als Werbegeschenk bekommen habe, genommen. Ich gehe mal davon aus das dieser nicht besonders Hochwertig ist. Trotzdem läuft die Aufnahme und das Abspielen einwandfrei mit 0 Errors und 250-300 ms.

Die Bedienung am Gerät ist ok, wobei ich mir natürlich wünschen würde das ich alles von Totalmix aus erledigen könnte.

Leider ist es mir bis jetzt noch nicht gelungen den Kompressor und den EQ im Main Kanal mit Aufzunehmen. Egal welche Einstellung ich auch wähle auf dem Stick ist immer nur das " Rohmaterial ". Vielleicht kann mir da ja mal jemand auf die Sprünge helfen.


MfG.
Frank Kleinwächter

39

Re: New UFX firmware with USB Recording - public alpha

Loopback - Input aufnehmen?

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

Re: New UFX firmware with USB Recording - public alpha

Hallo Matthias,

vielen Dank für die schnelle Antwort !!

Mein Problem ist ganz einfach das RME mir viel zu viel Möglichkeiten für das Routing an die Hand gegeben hat, und ich damit ziemlich überfordert bin. Loopback hatte ich auch schon eingeschaltet, aber leider ohne Erfolg. Grundsätzlich verstehe ich ja das Prinzip, aber mit der Umsetzung hapert es noch.

Alle Einstellungen die ich in den Input-Kanälen in TM vornehme, wie z.B. Hall, Kompressor usw. werden auch mit aufgenommen. Nur am Ende der Kette, im Control Room, wenn ich dann zum Mastern noch etwas EQ oder Kompression dazugeben will, wird der Effekt nicht mit aufgezeichnet.

Ich denke mal ich müsste das Ausgangssignal noch mal dem Eingang zuführen aber ich weiß nicht wie.

Momentan habe ich AES Out auf Record stehen, und mein Play Channel ist 1. Ich habe digitale JBL Boxen an dem AES Ausgang angeschlossen.

Vielleicht bist du so nett und startest noch mal einen Erklärungsversuch für Dummis, so das auch ich das Prinzip verstehe. Wichtig wäre z.B. muss ich Loopback auf allen Eingängen einschalten oder nur im Masterkanal, welchen Eingangskanal muss ich auf Record stellen, muss ich bei den USB Settings einen Haken bei Record EQ+Kompressor machen usw.

vielen Dank im voraus für deine Mühe

MfG.
Frank Kleinwächter

41 (edited by udr 2011-03-20 14:00:35)

Re: New UFX firmware with USB Recording - public alpha

Hello Matthias,

just did a very first check of the very promising new feature, using my currently available USB sticks:

1) 16GB Sony USB-Stick Microvault, formatted under Windows 7 as FAT32: UFX doesn't even recognize the device.
    Usually the USB-Stick flashes a LED when working, at the UFX it's completely dark.
   
    update: tried again with newly formatted stick as described below: still doesn't work.

2) 16GB CnMemory airy, formatted under Windows 7 as FAT32: UFX recognize the device, but hangs during initialization

=> Has anyone a description available, how to format usb sticks for correct testing under Windows 7, 32 Bit ?
=> Any ideas, what's wrong with my SONY 16GByte?
=> Do you think, you can provide a formatting function within the UFX in the future, in order to make sure, that my USB-stick is formatted correctly ?

     update: After some internet research, I newly formatted the stick using diskpart (called from cmd-window).
                (list disk -> select disk <x> -> clean -> create partition primary -> active -> format fs=fat32 quick -> exit)
                Stick is now recogized and has 40 to 50% HD-usage for a 44.1 kHz/4channel recording.

3) SANDisk ExtremeIV UDMA with 8GB via vivance High Speed USB 2.0 works fine, formatting has been done in a Digital SLR.
   First test with 4 mic-channels 9-12 worked out fine.
   I'm impressed by this new feature.

   update: HD-usage is around 10%, starting at ~50%.

=> A final question: why are all mic channels put into one multichannel wave file ?
     Doesn't this reduces the maximum recording time quite a lot when recording a high number of channels ?
     My understanding is, that FAT32 has a 4GByte limit, which would be ~4h recording time for a 24bit 44.1kHz mono signal.
     Having more channels in the wave file would reduce the ~4h limit to much less.
     For live recording, I would appreciate to have that 4h minimum, i.e. one single file per channel.
     Am I wrong here ?

Best Regards
Udo Rein

42

Re: New UFX firmware with USB Recording - public alpha

Thanks for the feedback. We are currently examining the 'active partition' effect. As you can read a few posts up the file limit is 2 GB for wave files, and they are automatically split, so in the end there is no size limitation.

BTW, I just got me a Sony Micro Vault too, but a version without LED, 8 GB. While it reaches 10 and 12 Mbyte/s write/read speed, the first action is always delayed by about a second. I have never seen something like that before, and gifted it away quickly...

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

43

Re: New UFX firmware with USB Recording - public alpha

automix wrote:

Leider ist es mir bis jetzt noch nicht gelungen den Kompressor und den EQ im Main Kanal mit Aufzunehmen. Egal welche Einstellung ich auch wähle auf dem Stick ist immer nur das " Rohmaterial ". Vielleicht kann mir da ja mal jemand auf die Sprünge helfen.

Der USB-Port bekommt sein Audio bei Input wie Output von vor den Effekten. Allerdings kann man ein Eingangssignal mit Effekt bearbeiten, auf einen Ausgang routen, und dann diesen Ausgang aufnehmen.

Um den Master Out mitsamt den Out-FX aufzunehmen (sehr ungewöhnlich, da diese Effekte eher für Raumkorrektur eingesetzt werden, man die also nicht auf der Aufnahme haben will), muss man also diesen Ausgang per Kabelschleife an einen Eingang zurückführen und dort aufnehmen. Da der (Main-) Ausgang aber für die Lautsprecher schon mit Kabeln belegt ist, doppelt man ihn einfach - siehe Handbuch Seite 72, 29.4 Duplizieren des Ausgangssignals.

English:

automix wrote:

Unfortunately I have not been successful in recording the compressor and EQ of the Main channel. No matter what setting I use the stick will only contain the dry material.

The USB port receives its audio for both input and output from before (pre) the effects. Of course you can process an input signal with FX, route it to an output, and record that output, FX included then.

To record the Master/Main out including the output FX (quite unusual, as these will mostly be used for room correction, so are not desired on the recording), that output has to be looped back by a cable to an input and recorded there. Because the (Main) outputs are already occupied by the speaker connectors the solution here is to mirror the output signal - see manual page 72, 29.4 Doubling the Output Signal.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

44

Re: New UFX firmware with USB Recording - public alpha

Regarding the 'partition': It turned out that due to a small bug partitions without MBR (Superfloppy) are not usable with this version. This stayed undetected as any memory that we used for testing just had one. The partition must be primary. Secondary or logical partitions are not and will not be supported. So until the next version is released please make sure the stick/drive has a primary active partition with MBR. This can be done easily via the HP Tool which I referred to in post 4 above. Under Mac you have the option to format with MBR directly.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

Re: New UFX firmware with USB Recording - public alpha

Hallo Matthias,

vielen Dank für die schnelle Info.

Ich hatte schon geahnt das ein Routing innerhalb des Ufx mit Effekt auf der Summe nicht ohne zusätzliche Verkabelung möglich ist. Ich verstehe allerdings nicht warum du der Meinung bist das diese Anwendung der Effekte ungewöhnlich sei. Es ist doch völlig normal das man nach dem Zusammenführen der einzelnen Spuren am Ende das Signal noch mal mit EQ und Kompressor bearbeitet.

Vielleicht habe ich ja Glück und diese Funktion wird in einem späteren Update noch nachgereicht. Ansonsten bin ich nämlich super zufrieden mit dem Gerät.

MfG.
Frank Kleinwächter

46

Re: New UFX firmware with USB Recording - public alpha

TM FX soll keine DAW ersetzen, sondern ist ein Monitoring-Tool. Wie auch immer, mit meinem Trick ist die Aufnahme in perfekter Qualität möglich, denn der als Kabelschleife benutzte 'gedoppelte' Ausgang kann natürlich auch AES sein, dann gibt es Null Klangverlust. Diese Funktion können wir direkt nicht realisieren.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

Re: New UFX firmware with USB Recording - public alpha

Macbook Black
UFX, "My Passport essential external USB hard disc 320 GB", 48Hz


Bought the hard disc today, formatted to FAT32, the UFX recognized it with no problems.
Played a song in itunes, through the UFX, I recorded ALL the outputs to see if the hard drive could handle it... It couldn't...after 2 minutes stopped, with around 60 errors and 60%HD...
After unplugging the Hard drive, schowed in my computer a file recorded, emty though...o bytes in it...

Re: New UFX firmware with USB Recording - public alpha

Second try.... Now recording just 6 output channels, 3/4, 5/6, and 7/8
Till now (test in progress) HD 13% 9 Err. 5 minutes recording....
....7 minutes and still 9 Err.
...almost 10 minutes and still 9 Err. HD from 15 to 19%
I stopped the recording... ok...
llet's see the result in the file....
I splitted the files in to 6 files...apparently they are ok.
i will edit this post if I find some error in the audio...

Re: New UFX firmware with USB Recording - public alpha

If I want to try this with my new UFX, can I flash the firmware to this release, do my testing and then flash back to the latest production version of the firmware for my critical projects?  I don't have the luxery of having multiple units, one for test and one for production, but I would be interested in testing this feature and providing some feedback.  Thanks.

50

Re: New UFX firmware with USB Recording - public alpha

Yes, you can flash back any time. I did not want to state the obvious too clearly in the first post, as this would be seen by some as too much 'encouraging'. But it really is that easy. Check it out, flash back...

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME