PDA

View Full Version : Firewire soundcard/Interface compatibility question



Jimmy C
06-29-2004, 07:58 PM
Hi All,

Relatively new here lurking this exceptional SAWStudio users group forum as i evaluate the various Saw demo's.
Currently I'm using a MOTU 2408mkII Interface/w PCI-324 card with my Desktop PC which works well with SawStudio.
2x64 buffers lite session, and 3x64 heavier.

On the mobile remote project front, I'm looking at a laptop solution since there powerful enough now to handle the task.

Since many leading audio manufacturers solutions for Pro Audio utilize the Firewire spec for throughput and interfacing, but each using there own proprietary protocals. My curiosity and question:

1. Would RME's Hammerfall PCMCIA 32-bit Cardbus be compatible using a Firewire MOTU 2408mkII Interface?
Or forced to buy the Digiface/Multiface. Would sure be nice to 'kill two birds with one interface'.

2. Can the Hammerfall PCMCIA Cardbus card be used as a PC laptops sole soundcard so the onboard can be disabled
entirely?

Thanks,

Jimmy

AudioAstronomer
06-29-2004, 08:07 PM
I use a motu 896 with great results. I can recommend it for sure.

mghtx
06-29-2004, 10:12 PM
Robert, are you Intel or AMD? Intel chipset? Via?

You may have said already somewhere but please say again. I would like to go the Motu firewire way as well. Unless the new RME device is a real whammy.

Thanks.

Bob L
06-29-2004, 11:16 PM
I believe the RME cardbus only talks to the RME DigFace and MultiFace boxes, but perhaps Matthias could jump in and correct me if that is not right.

I have built many systems and laptops using the RME cards... they have been excellent, and their support has been excellent as well, in my experience.

You can do a 24 i/o laptop system with no problems. I have never tried a 48 i/o laptop system with two Cardbus cards at the same time... its actually getting fairly hard to find a laptop with two PCMCIA slots anymore.

I have done many systems where the RME is the only soundcard... sometimes it can be tricky becuase of Windows trying to use that as the default... but by paying attention to removing any background running hooks in the registry from the internal card you can usually get things stable.

In other cases, it becomes a simple thing to leave the internal as the default so all the internet and media player stuff plays through that card, and the RME is just used in SAW.

Bob L

AudioAstronomer
06-29-2004, 11:57 PM
Robert, are you Intel or AMD? Intel chipset? Via?

You may have said already somewhere but please say again. I would like to go the Motu firewire way as well. Unless the new RME device is a real whammy.

Thanks.

I use this motu with amd, intel, via and nvidia chipsets. All works flawlessly.

My laptops are intel. I have 2 amd desktops with nforce2, and 3 with Via for amd, and the intel based are a mix of intel/via.

For the laptops I use a Iogear cardbus firewire adapter. With an external harddrive in serial.

AudioAstronomer
06-30-2004, 12:00 AM
You can do a 24 i/o laptop system with no problems. I have never tried a 48 i/o laptop system with two Cardbus cards at the same time... its actually getting fairly hard to find a laptop with two PCMCIA slots anymore.


I think you're probabaly referring to frank's workings... I found there is a an outboard cardbus device that plugs in via USB. I think belkin makes it.

I wonder if the RME allows two? They allow multiple PCI cards eh?

You can use multiple 896 in serial for almost an unlimited number of units iirc. Ive seen it done with 36 (4 units) working perfectly fine.

Jimmy C
06-30-2004, 01:02 AM
Robert
Bob

Thanks for the reply's and info.
Firewire is definately the means for reliable high bandwidth audio I/O porting.
The compatibility question in my mind still looms for me however between interfaces.

Robert, MOTU made a smart move porting there 896 series interfaces to use
the standardized Data Link Protocol IEEE 1394 (FireWire) without the need
for a dedicated pci card.

Unfortunely for me the used 2408mkII I picked up, used, requires the pci soundcard for I/O. Which is not an issue with my desktop based studio.

You mentioned you use Iogear cardbus firewire adapter's with your Laps.
Curious If your able to do 24-bit audio since your onboard audio is 16-bit?

I don't understand how firewire is translated in a pc via its controller for audio.
Its really the proprietary business which puzzles me as far as trying to determine if one interface will talk to anothers interface protocal as Bob commented.

Ideally, I want a firewire based 24 I/O that i can use with my studio desktop and the laptop interchangably without having to spend a fortune because a pcmcia
card can't get along with my other gear.

Jimmy

Jimmy C
06-30-2004, 01:12 AM
Oh,

Did I mention I'm drooling for RME's cardbus for my proposed Sager Lappie?
Just don't wish to shell out for yet another interface I/O just to enjoy the priviledge. ;)

Bob L
06-30-2004, 01:54 AM
You can buy a PCI card for the desktop, only a few hundred dollars extra and use the same DigiFace or MultiFace box... both the CardBus and PCI card use the same interface cable and protocol to the i/o boxes.

That was the idea... use the same i/o box on both your laptop and desktop with just the small cost of the extra interface card.

Bob L

Mogers
06-30-2004, 04:35 AM
If your need is not urgent, you might want to wait for the RME Fireface 800 - their new 19" rackmount firewire interface. Looks very impressive, and supposedly available late summer - prices quoted so far in the UK are about £1000/€1400.

Full details at http://www.rme-audio.com/english/press/

Includes:

8 balanced line inputs/outputs (same as the ADI-8 converters)
4 Class-A mic amps (with phantom power)
Instrument input
Headphone output
2 x ADAT optical input/output (i.e. 16 channels of digital I/O)
S/PDIF in/out
MIDI in/out
Wordclock in/out
Timecode (VITC/LTC) option
If it works, I suspect this might become a very popular gadget... :) I certainly want one!

cheers
Mark