1 Topic by Swurveman (edited by Swurveman 2014-07-18 18:43:40)

  • Registered: 2011-04-25
  • Posts: 42

Topic: AES 32 PCI stops passing audio-SOLVED

I have an HDSP AES 32 that is connected to an Aurora 16 running on Windows 7 64 bit. Recently, I installed an RME AES 32 PCIe card and another Aurora 16. However, I have not connected the new PCIe card to the new Aurora 16. This system has been stable for two years, but now there is a problem.

My problem is that suddenly the RME PCI card stops stopping passing audio when I am mixing in both  Cubase 6 and Pro Tools 11. I will be running a session in the software and after about 5 minutes the audio stops. The audio in both Pro Tools and Cubase is working.  The DSP settings still show that the AES is synced, but Totalmix shows nothing when the audio stops.

If anybody has any recommendations, I'd appreciate your advice.

Cubase 6 64 bit, Windows 7, RME AES HDSP-32, Lynx Aurora 16. Bricasti M7, API 2500, etc.
  • Registered: 2011-04-25
  • Posts: 42

Re: AES 32 PCI stops passing audio-SOLVED

Despite being told at this user forum and by the dealer that sold me the PCIe card that the PCI and PCIe card would co-exist well, when I removed the PCIe card everything works perfectly again.  I will be working with Jeff at Synthax to try to solve this issue.

Cubase 6 64 bit, Windows 7, RME AES HDSP-32, Lynx Aurora 16. Bricasti M7, API 2500, etc.
  • From: Houston, TX
  • Registered: 2007-05-11
  • Posts: 1,192

Re: AES 32 PCI stops passing audio-SOLVED

Just a few quick things I'd check as an end-user:

Firmware current across both cards?
Tried different PCI/PCIe slot combinations?
BIOS PCI Power Savings Settings disabled?
Maximum Performance Power Plan selected?
Any DPC Issues with both cards installed?
Any BIOS Updates available for your MoBo?

cool

MADIface-XT+ARC / 3x HDSP MADI / ADI648
2x SSL Alphalink MADI AX
2x Multiface / 2x Digiface /2x ADI8

4 Reply by Swurveman (edited by Swurveman 2014-05-21 15:56:54)

  • Registered: 2011-04-25
  • Posts: 42

Re: AES 32 PCI stops passing audio-SOLVED

Thanks for your reply Randyman

The firmware for both cards is current. Maximum Performance Plan is selected.

I will try another PCI slot.

Do you have a reliable link for troubleshooting DPC issues? I found a  solution at http://www.sysnative.com/forums/windows … 7-8-a.html, but have no idea whether it is valid.

My Motherboard is a GIGABYTE Ultra Durable 3 GA-X58A-UD3R

Thanks for your contribution.

Frank

Randyman... wrote:

Just a few quick things I'd check as an end-user:

Firmware current across both cards?
Tried different PCI/PCIe slot combinations?
BIOS PCI Power Savings Settings disabled?
Maximum Performance Power Plan selected?
Any DPC Issues with both cards installed?
Any BIOS Updates available for your MoBo?

cool

Cubase 6 64 bit, Windows 7, RME AES HDSP-32, Lynx Aurora 16. Bricasti M7, API 2500, etc.

5 Reply by Randyman... (edited by Randyman... 2014-05-21 23:44:36)

  • From: Houston, TX
  • Registered: 2007-05-11
  • Posts: 1,192

Re: AES 32 PCI stops passing audio-SOLVED

Hello again smile

That DPC link seems OK - I also use the software they link to for quick DPC checks ( http://www.thesycon.de/deu/latency_check.shtml ).  But I doubt high DPC latency is causing these issues - but it is always good to know where your DPC latency stands on any DAW.

Are you running a current BIOS on your MoBo?  Have you checked that the PCI Power Savings (or however it is referred to in your BIOS) isn't enabled in BIOS?

If all of that is good, and if the cards work fine separately in your system - I'd start systematically swapping PCI/PCIe slots (one at a time) and see what you come up with.


One thing that confused me in your initial post - Are you saying you had BOTH cards installed - but simply didn't have anything connected to the RME PCIe AES Card?  And your problems only began when you connected another Aurora16 to the already-installed RME PCIe card?  If so, this could be as simple as a clocking issue (Master/Slave).  Even though the 2 converters feed 2 separate RME cards, BOTH cards need to be sync'd to run under the unified driver.

What is your current clocking configuration for all of your DAW's Digital Audio devices?  Who is the master?

Rock on cool

MADIface-XT+ARC / 3x HDSP MADI / ADI648
2x SSL Alphalink MADI AX
2x Multiface / 2x Digiface /2x ADI8

6 Reply by Swurveman (edited by Swurveman 2014-05-22 14:31:01)

  • Registered: 2011-04-25
  • Posts: 42

Re: AES 32 PCI stops passing audio-SOLVED

Hi Randyman,

My computer is an Intel X58 chipset based motherboard (GIGABYTE GA-X58A-UD3R) with an Intel i7 950 3.06Ghz Quad Core Processor. It has 4x PCIe 2.0 16x, 1x PCIe 1x slots.

My goal is to have one RME PCI card connected to one Aurora 16, with my  first Aurora 16 set as the master internal clock and the PCI card clock setting set as AES1. I also want my new RME PCIe card connected to my second Aurora 16 which will be slaved to my first Aurora 16 and connected to the first Aurora 16 by a Mogami  BNC-BNC HiDef RG59 Cable.

In my initial post I was you saying that I had BOTH cards installed - but simply didn't have my second Aurora 16 connected to the RME PCIe AES Card. My problems began immediately. When I  disconnected the PCIe card from my computer, my problems went away immediately.

I will try other PCIe slots today and  look at the other motherboard suggestions you made.

Thanks again.


Frank




Randyman... wrote:

Hello again smile

That DPC link seems OK - I also use the software they link to for quick DPC checks ( http://www.thesycon.de/deu/latency_check.shtml ).  But I doubt high DPC latency is causing these issues - but it is always good to know where your DPC latency stands on any DAW.

Are you running a current BIOS on your MoBo?  Have you checked that the PCI Power Savings (or however it is referred to in your BIOS) isn't enabled in BIOS?

If all of that is good, and if the cards work fine separately in your system - I'd start systematically swapping PCI/PCIe slots (one at a time) and see what you come up with.


One thing that confused me in your initial post - Are you saying you had BOTH cards installed - but simply didn't have anything connected to the RME PCIe AES Card?  And your problems only began when you connected another Aurora16 to the already-installed RME PCIe card?  If so, this could be as simple as a clocking issue (Master/Slave).  Even though the 2 converters feed 2 separate RME cards, BOTH cards need to be sync'd to run under the unified driver.

What is your current clocking configuration for all of your DAW's Digital Audio devices?  Who is the master?

Rock on cool

Cubase 6 64 bit, Windows 7, RME AES HDSP-32, Lynx Aurora 16. Bricasti M7, API 2500, etc.
  • From: Houston, TX
  • Registered: 2007-05-11
  • Posts: 1,192

Re: AES 32 PCI stops passing audio-SOLVED

OK - So did you ever have both cards installed, and also have both converters hooked up (assuming both converters were sync'd as you described)?  Or at the very least did you have the second card installed, but slaved to a common WordClock (even w/o any converters connected)?

If you had the second PCIe card installed but did not have anything connected to it, the second card could not be in sync with the first card, correct? (It was likely running on internal clock).  But the unified RME Driver was still trying to aggregate both non-sync'd cards - and I do believe this will cause some of the issues you observed (works for a while, but as the sync naturally drifts the driver gets fubar'd).

I smell a strong scent of a Clocking Issue.  But my nose has been wrong in the past smile


cool

MADIface-XT+ARC / 3x HDSP MADI / ADI648
2x SSL Alphalink MADI AX
2x Multiface / 2x Digiface /2x ADI8
  • Registered: 2011-04-25
  • Posts: 42

Re: AES 32 PCI stops passing audio-SOLVED

Good news: I seated the RME PCIe card in another slot on my motherboard and everything synced on both cards. Today, I ran audio for about an hour and there was no audio loss. I've yet to use my new RME card/Aurora for recording audio and using hardware inserts in Pro Tools. So, I'm looking forward to seeing how stable the system is.

Thanks to Randyman for showing interest here. Jeff at Synthax has been very helpful as well.

Cubase 6 64 bit, Windows 7, RME AES HDSP-32, Lynx Aurora 16. Bricasti M7, API 2500, etc.
  • From: Houston, TX
  • Registered: 2007-05-11
  • Posts: 1,192

Re: AES 32 PCI stops passing audio-SOLVED

Sweet!  Glad to hear you got it sorted...

MADIface-XT+ARC / 3x HDSP MADI / ADI648
2x SSL Alphalink MADI AX
2x Multiface / 2x Digiface /2x ADI8
  • Registered: 2011-04-25
  • Posts: 42

Re: AES 32 PCI stops passing audio-SOLVED

Had another issue, this time more serious. I was mixing and suddenly my system stopped passing audio. I shut it down and got the Blue Screen Of Death. I took out the PCIe card and the BSOD went away, but I am wary that this is not going to be a stable system.

If anybody knows if there could be other factors causing this problem that could be Windows-based or Computer based that could be causing Windows not liking this PCIe card, please let me know. If it continues to happen I'm going to dump the Aurora/RME marriage and go with something else completely. I cannot have my studio shut down like this.

Cubase 6 64 bit, Windows 7, RME AES HDSP-32, Lynx Aurora 16. Bricasti M7, API 2500, etc.
  • Jeff
  • Jeff
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  • From: USA
  • Registered: 2007-05-21
  • Posts: 4,674

Re: AES 32 PCI stops passing audio-SOLVED

Check power saving settings in BIOS, and look for a BIOS update for the motherboard. Make sure the Windows Power Scheme is set to "High Performance".

Regards,
Jeff Petersen
Synthax Inc.

Jeff's Website

  • From: Houston, TX
  • Registered: 2007-05-11
  • Posts: 1,192

Re: AES 32 PCI stops passing audio-SOLVED

Just curious - Are you having any sync issues before the major issues begin?  Does the RME Settings Dialogue show persistent "SYNC" indication for all digital connections across BOTH cards?

And ditto Jeff's restating that you double check BIOS PCI Power management settings, and any BIOS updates as previously recommended...

cool

MADIface-XT+ARC / 3x HDSP MADI / ADI648
2x SSL Alphalink MADI AX
2x Multiface / 2x Digiface /2x ADI8
  • Registered: 2011-04-25
  • Posts: 42

Re: AES 32 PCI stops passing audio-SOLVED

Randyman... wrote:

Just curious - Are you having any sync issues before the major issues begin?  Does the RME Settings Dialogue show persistent "SYNC" indication for all digital connections across BOTH cards?

And ditto Jeff's restating that you double check BIOS PCI Power management settings, and any BIOS updates as previously recommended...

cool

Hi Randyman,

I don't know if I've had any sync issues  before the audio shuts off completely, because I don't check the RME DSP after I initially check it when I start up my system. It takes about 30 second for both Auroras to sync when I power them up and everything is synced on my two AES screens. So, I then go off and start recording and mixing.

I will double check the BIOS PCI management settings, but I had this DAW built for audio and never had a problem before when I was running just one PCI card. I will also look for BIOS updates.

Thanks for your advice!

Cubase 6 64 bit, Windows 7, RME AES HDSP-32, Lynx Aurora 16. Bricasti M7, API 2500, etc.

14 Reply by Swurveman (edited by Swurveman 2014-06-14 14:02:11)

  • Registered: 2011-04-25
  • Posts: 42

Re: AES 32 PCI stops passing audio-SOLVED

Hey Randyman and Jeff,

I have a question for you guys, which may or may not be related to my problem but I thought I'd ask anyway.

After my Blue Screen Of Death experience and subsequent re seating of my PCIe card, my Pro Tools 11 Native software started giving me an error message upon start up that Pro Tools couldn't record audio and to check my Asio DirectX settings. I never set up Asio Direct X settings and checked the settings to re-ensure that I had designated my Hammerfall AES interface, which I did at the beginning and have never changed. Also, I could record despite what the error message said.

But I was wondering why Pro Tools wasn't recognizing my AES connection. I wondered what Windows role  in this is. Cubase didn't give me this error message. So, maybe it is just a glitch in Pro Tools 11, but I thought I'd bring it up because I want my system running smoothly and my DAW software saying it is not recognizing my Audio Interface type is disconcerting, even if it is working.

Cubase 6 64 bit, Windows 7, RME AES HDSP-32, Lynx Aurora 16. Bricasti M7, API 2500, etc.

15 Reply by Swurveman (edited by Swurveman 2014-07-18 18:47:05)

  • Registered: 2011-04-25
  • Posts: 42

Re: AES 32 PCI stops passing audio-SOLVED

An update:

RME sent me another PCIe card and now my computer is successfully and stably running 32 inputs and outputs with a PCI and a PCIe card.

I want to thank Jeff at Synthax and Doug Wessling at SoundPure for their support.

Cubase 6 64 bit, Windows 7, RME AES HDSP-32, Lynx Aurora 16. Bricasti M7, API 2500, etc.