Topic: TotalMix FX for iPad app v 1.1 available on the App Store
History see here:
http://www.rme-audio.de/forum/viewtopic.php?id=18787
TotalMix FX for iPad version 1.1 is now available on the App Store. The update brings a lot of significant improvements. This is the official update text:
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What’s new:
- Added support for the Babyface (requires firmware 219)
- Added support for Fireface 802
- Added 2Row mode as view option
- Added active background mode for improved response, ARC and Babyface support, and continuous sample rate control
- Added setting for Preferred Sample Rate
- Improved Undo: Loading a Workspace after editing Snapshots removed the last edits from the undo buffer
- Added Store current Setup into Device
- Increased string length for Snapshot names
- New graphics routines for smoother display and less CPU load
- New routines for quicker level meter reaction and less CPU load
- New communication routines - more reliable, more compatible, less CPU load
- Lots of smaller improvements for better user experience and significantly reduced CPU load
- Updated help covering all new features
- Based on TotalMix FX 0.998 with improved Compressor/Expander/Limiter and much more
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Important: for all the above goodies, especially the improvements in features and CPU load, you need to update your device's firmware to these versions: UFX CC26, UCX CC10 and Babyface 219. If you missed those updates please update your device with these flash update tools:
https://archiv.rme-audio.de/download/fut_usb_win.zip
https://archiv.rme-audio.de/download/fut_usb_mac.zip
An excerpt from the included, updated help:
Preferred Sample Rate. Allows to select a sample rate that is set when TotalMix FX is started. Some background information: iOS Core Audio always defaults to 96 kHz with external pro interfaces. This causes TotalMix FX to have ADAT channels missing, and the DSP load to be higher than at 48 or 44.1 kHz. This options lets TotalMix FX start with the selected sample rate. This sample rate is then set every time one returns to TotalMix FX.
Enable Background Mode. The above scheme is lean, doesn't cause any problems, and generates no additional CPU load. But it fails in many situations. For example using the UFX as DURec recorder or playback tool, the sample rate will change from a set 96 kHz to 44.1 kHz with any system sound (like push messages), rendering DURec unusable. When in background, the ARC doesn't do anything, so you can't even use it to change the volume. With the Babyface, the two buttons (Speaker B, Recall) and DIM are not functional. Finally, setting the sample rate back to the desired value requires to switch back to TotalMix FX one time.
All these issues are solved when Enable Background Mode is set to on. It locks the selected sample rate against system events and lets TotalMix FX continue to operate when in background, so ARC and the Babyface stay fully functional, even with other apps like Cubasis or Auria in the foreground. Note that iOS handles the sample rate requests very well. Setting TotalMix FX to 96 kHz does not mean the whole iPad is locked to that value. Every app started after TotalMix FX will change the sample rate to its own value, and exiting those apps will immediately return to the value set in TotalMix FX - without the need to bring TotalMix FX to the foreground.
Another advantage of Background Mode enabled is that TotalMix FX will no longer be kicked out from iOS when memory runs low (too many apps open etc), preventing the loss of the Undo buffer.
The drawback of Background Mode enabled is an ongoing, yet small CPU load when TotalMix FX is in the background, which otherwise would be zero.
Babyface limitations: Reverb and Echo are not available. These are not rendered in the unit (the Babyface does not have a dedicated DSP chip), but on the computer. For various reasons it is not possible to get the same functionality on an iPad. Another hardware-based limitation is that DIM, Speaker B (Select) and Recall will not work when TotalMix FX is in the background, unless the option Enable Background Mode is set to on.
Matthias Carstens
RME