• Registered: 2007-11-05
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Topic: Windows 7 x64 / Fireface 400: no ASIO

Hello,

I am installing the FF400 on a new desktop PC (Windows 7 x64, Intel Sandy Bridge platform, additional Texas Instruments PCI express IEEE1394a "Firewire" card).


The installation went normally, no error, and after rebooting it does not work properly

* The Fireface Mixer and Fireface Settings panels open correctly
* Hardware-level audio works properly
* When selecting the FF400 analogue inputs & outputs 1/2 as default devices in Windows: no sound from Google Chrome
* When selecting the FF400 as a recording device in Reaper, it does not work either
* In Digicheck, when monitoring inputs at ASIO level there is no signal at all, except sometimes a sudden DC offset that remains then

Latest RME driver and firmware of course

Please note that this is the first time I am using Windows 7 for audio, and I am quite confused about the Windows sound options. Maybe I did something wrong because of this.


What would you do? If it's about reinstalling the driver: how do you uninstall it properly on W7? Could not find any document about it sorry
Maybe something in the BIOS? I changed a few default settings for getting slower fans and better DPC latency, but nothing like overclocking or changing voltages etc.


Regards
Julien

  • Jeff
  • Jeff
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Re: Windows 7 x64 / Fireface 400: no ASIO

If your FW controller is not performing well, you can try this: http://www.rme-audio.de/forum/viewtopic.php?id=9827

Also, you have to set Power option to "high performance" in Win 7 (Control Panel -> Power).

Regards,
Jeff Petersen
Synthax Inc.

Jeff's Website

3 Reply by julien breval (edited by julien breval 2011-05-24 22:35:44)

  • Registered: 2007-11-05
  • Posts: 67

Re: Windows 7 x64 / Fireface 400: no ASIO

Thanks for you answer

Power option was already set to "high performance"

I installed the legacy 1394 driver but still no ASIO

Should I try the Microsoft hotfix?
http://support.microsoft.com/default.as … -US;975500

Julien

4 Reply by Timur Born (edited by Timur 2011-05-24 22:47:15)

  • Registered: 2008-01-01
  • Posts: 3,025

Re: Windows 7 x64 / Fireface 400: no ASIO

Do you see an input signal in Totalmix when the Reaper input does not work? Did you change the default input settings in Reaper already (defaults to only read input on 1+2)?

You should not install any of these old hotfixes. Instead make sure that you have Service Pack 1 running.

To uninstall the RME driver use the "Programs & Feature" dialog of the Windows Control Panel. Then go to device-manager and check if the Fireface is still listed as "Sound" device or if it is listed as uncategorized device. If it's still listed as sound device then right-click on it, choose "Uninstall" and confirm that you want to delete the driver files, too.

When using the Fireface as Windows default output device make sure to choose "Loudspeaker" (hope this is the English nomenclature, I'm using a German Windows in English, but it displays the FF ports in German), which corresponds to outputs 1+2 on the FF.

5 Reply by julien breval (edited by julien breval 2011-05-24 23:22:58)

  • Registered: 2007-11-05
  • Posts: 67

Re: Windows 7 x64 / Fireface 400: no ASIO

Timur wrote:

Do you see an input signal in Totalmix when the Reaper input does not work?

Yes

Did you change the default input settings in Reaper already (defaults to only read input on 1+2)?

Yes

Btw this is the latest Reaper x64 for Windows

You should not install any of these old hotfixes. Instead make sure that you have Service Pack 1 running.

I do have SP1

To uninstall the RME driver use the "Programs & Feature" dialog of the Windows Control Panel. Then go to device-manager and check if the Fireface is still listed as "Sound" device or if it is listed as uncategorized device. If it's still listed as sound device then right-click on it, choose "Uninstall" and confirm that you want to delete the driver files, too.

I reinstalled the driver, leaving the legacy 1394 driver, and it remains the same (ASIO does not work and the FF400 does not play sounds from Youtube).

When using the Fireface as Windows default output device make sure to choose "Loudspeaker" (hope this is the English nomenclature, I'm using a German Windows in English, but it displays the FF ports in German), which corresponds to outputs 1+2 on the FF.

This is what I am doing. Actually it is called "Speakers". Also, I selected the FF400 analogue inputs and outputs 1/2 as "Default Device" AND as "Default Communication Device".

Regards
Julien

  • Registered: 2007-11-05
  • Posts: 67

Re: Windows 7 x64 / Fireface 400: no ASIO

Moreover, after rebooting, in "Windows Sound" the "Default Device" settings always switch to "Analog (7+8)" for the playback and "ADAT (7+8)" for recording

-j

  • Registered: 2007-11-05
  • Posts: 67

Re: Windows 7 x64 / Fireface 400: no ASIO

So... no solution?

Is there any additional information that could help you experts identify the problem?

During about 7 years of use this may be the first time I cannot install the FF400 on a computer. I do not have any other IEEE1394 device for checking if it works on this new PC. I will try to borrow one to a friend, who knows maybe the Firewire PCI express card is faulty.

-j

  • Registered: 2008-01-01
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Re: Windows 7 x64 / Fireface 400: no ASIO

Windows sound settings work for me and I use them very often for video playback. It only switches to "Analog (7+8)" when I do a new driver installation as far as I remember (and I think only if I did a clean install, not sure about that though).

Does changing the Firewire port on the FF400 or changing the cable make a difference? Does Fireface Settings count any errors?

  • Registered: 2007-11-05
  • Posts: 67

Re: Windows 7 x64 / Fireface 400: no ASIO

Timur wrote:

Does changing the Firewire port on the FF400 or changing the cable make a difference?

no, but the only other cable I have is exactly the same as the original FF400 cable (though it's brand new, and much shorter)

Does Fireface Settings count any errors?

no, always 0

Often, when opening an ASIO application like DigiCheck, standing DC offsets appear, or some jittering spikes occur on all channels as if there was a clock mismatch in a complex setup involving several digital audio devices (I am using only the FF400 of course). In this case, both Fireface UI panels freeze a bit for a few seconds, then all spikes disappear and nothing happens.
When this situation occurs:
1) no audio is available in hardware
2) the DigiCheck panel is no longer greyed out, a DC offset always occur and then remains.

Cheers
-j

  • Registered: 2008-01-01
  • Posts: 3,025

Re: Windows 7 x64 / Fireface 400: no ASIO

I'm out of options then... sad

  • Registered: 2007-11-05
  • Posts: 67

Re: Windows 7 x64 / Fireface 400: no ASIO

All right thanks for your help anyway...

I have never really liked Firewire very much so it would be an opportunity for getting a new audio interface.

I have 4 requirements for it:
1) should be RME because of low latency performance
2) should not be Firewire nor USB-1
3) at least two ADAT ports and one AES port (S/PDIF also possible but not preferred)
4) built-in PSU (no wall wart)

which leaves me 2 choices
> Fireface UFX
> RayDAT

But they are very expensive and... how can I be sure they will work with my computer? HeadScratch

And, honestly, shouldn't my FF400 work on any regular computer? Are there some known problems with Windows 7, 64-bit or Sandy Bridge?

-j

  • Jeff
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Re: Windows 7 x64 / Fireface 400: no ASIO

Which driver / firmware did you install for the FF400? (check Fireface Settings / About).

Regards,
Jeff Petersen
Synthax Inc.

Jeff's Website

  • Registered: 2007-11-05
  • Posts: 67

Re: Windows 7 x64 / Fireface 400: no ASIO

I am not at home, but I am pretty sure the latest driver and firmware are installed. I will tell you about the exact number versions tonight.

Best,
julien

  • Registered: 2007-11-05
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Re: Windows 7 x64 / Fireface 400: no ASIO

Jeff wrote:

Which driver / firmware did you install for the FF400? (check Fireface Settings / About).

Back to home, here is the information:

Driver date: 17.12.10
Driver version: 3.034
Hardware Revision: 1.70

Best,
Julien

15 Reply by MC

  • MC
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Re: Windows 7 x64 / Fireface 400: no ASIO

While you could try driver 3.044 I expect no change to your problems with it. IMHO the first thing you should try is a different FireWire port, cheap PCI or PCIe card. If that works then you at least know what's going on. If unchanged then there is something else making this machine incompatible.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

  • Registered: 2007-11-05
  • Posts: 67

Re: Windows 7 x64 / Fireface 400: no ASIO

Thanks for your answer

Currently I have a Lycom PE-101 PCIe card and the motherboard does not have any Firewire port. I will try another Firewire card, but only PCI ones are available here (I guess this is not a problem for Firewire 400), and still difficult to find.

Also, I can borrow a Fireface 800, but it is quite far from my home. Would it be useful to try it?

Julien

  • Registered: 2007-11-05
  • Posts: 67

Re: Windows 7 x64 / Fireface 400: no ASIO

OK it works now. Thanks for your support!

I replaced the Lycom PE-101 PCI express card (30€) but a Lacie Firewire 400 PCI card (15€), which was the only Texas Instruments Firewire card I could find.

Not sure why, but while the DPC latency is very low when no software runs (5-20 us), it is about 200 us when running an audio software like Reaper (this is twice worse with Google Chrome). Actually I have always measured the DPC latency in idle mode before - which leads to a potentially stupid question: do you have to measure DPC latency in idle mode or when running CPU-intensive audio?

Cheers
Julien

  • Registered: 2008-01-01
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Re: Windows 7 x64 / Fireface 400: no ASIO

If you are only using the "DPC Latency Checker" utility then don't measure with audio running. Else your measurement includes the DPCs of the audio driver.

19 Reply by MC

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Re: Windows 7 x64 / Fireface 400: no ASIO

Correct. Still this is a relevant measurement too, as it shows what you really get when using audio.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

  • Registered: 2007-11-05
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Re: Windows 7 x64 / Fireface 400: no ASIO

Timur wrote:

If you are only using the "DPC Latency Checker" utility then don't measure with audio running. Else your measurement includes the DPCs of the audio driver.

Makes sense. I was not sure if the DPCs of the audio driver were included.

MC wrote:

Correct. Still this is a relevant measurement too, as it shows what you really get when using audio.

Just curious, is there a particular value under which it is recommended to stay?

-j