Settings from Bob is really cool

[DavidandMary]

I just thought that I would share this for the Firewire interface folks out there like me. Since 2 x 64 is really 3 x 64 in Firewire speak and the limited bandwidth can be an issue for lots of channel counts, Firewire is not recommended by Bob as you all know. But, I found that out after already getting a Firewire interface. Not to worry though if you don't need a lot of channel count. This trick from Bob has me leaping for JOY!

So, with SAC, SAWStudio Full, my RME FF400 interface and these settings, I am experiencing that low latency/live feel when recording. It is so much fun!

Step 1. Go to SAW and save a preference file where you have nothing assigned in the Wave Device Ins and Outs. "I hit Options > Audio Driver Model > and checked Standard MultiMedia." If I chose Asio Protocol, it pulled my Fireface inputs and outputs in which I want to be for SAC only. Standard Multimedia allows me to have "Not Assigned" in all the input and output channels for SAW. I have the In and Out Preload Buffers at 10 each and the In and Out Buffer Size to 4096 Samples. You can do whatever, that is not important. It is just what I did and it is working really well now.

Step 2. In SAC, I set my Audio Device Setup to be my ASIO Fireface. Preload Buffers at 1. Buffer Size to 64 or 96. That is like 128 or 160 in Firewire speak.

Step 3. Test away. I have been hitting F-Key views, zooming in and out, adding Anwida Chorus plugs, taking them out, adding Studio Echo/Delay and playing with the settings, etc. Really hitting it hard with no audio glitches or anything. This is working!

For me, this is the best feeling ever. What a rush. It feels so alive. When putting on the Headphones, it feels like I am in that world class studio here at home. I cannot believe Bob has figured this stuff out. He is an absolute Genius! I know it is recommended to have more buffers for your Firewire interface, but this is working so why not enjoy? Anyway, just wanted to share in the hopes it helps someone else. Best to you all!

[AudioAstronomer]

You should also thank the fine folks at RME. Their driver code and extremely well made products have made this possible, and they've been making products that achieve these great standards of performances for many years now :D

[Mountain Media]

......... This is working!

For me, this is the best feeling ever. What a rush. It feels so alive. When putting on the Headphones, it feels like I am in that world class studio here at home. I cannot believe Bob has figured this stuff out. He is an absolute Genius! I know it is recommended to have more buffers for your Firewire interface, but this is working so why not enjoy? Anyway, just wanted to share in the hopes it helps someone else. Best to you all!
Amen!


You should also thank the fine folks at RME. Their driver code and extremely well made products have made this possible, and they've been making products that achieve these great standards of performances for many years now :D

.. and Amen!! Quite a duo, in most cases!

[DavidandMary]

I know that Robert and Mountain Media are right. So, I thank Bob and RME. I also thank the dedicated guys on this forum. I do not do this for a living like most of you, and it is great to pick up the experiences of everyone spending so much time in SAC and SAW. Everyone here is awesome!

[IraSeigel]

Hi David,
Since your Step 1 involves SAW and your Step 2 says SAC, I assume this suggestion is only valid when you're using the SAW (Lite or Full)/SAC link. Not when using SAC alone. And not valid for SAW Basic users.

Ira

PS This is a question, not a statement. :)

[DavidandMary]

Hi David,
Since your Step 1 involves SAW and your Step 2 says SAC, I assume this suggestion is only valid when you're using the SAW (Lite or Full)/SAC link. Not when using SAC alone. And not valid for SAW Basic users.

Ira

PS This is a question, not a statement. :)

Hey Ira,

If I were just using SAC, then I would do without Step 1. Setting the Force Realtime Priority Class in SAC with that low a buffer setting is working too. But, I wanted to record so the SAWLink/SACLink was perfect for this. Before the tweaks mentioned in SAWFull, I was getting some glitches. I was dropping some buffers and the interface was a ton more sluggish. I think it was not the Firewire, but that I had not disengaged the Asio drivers for SAWFull. It seems that when SAC is handling the drivers by itself, all is well. SAW seems to coast in the background this way in my tests so far.

Now, with a SAC load of 85***37; or less, I am not dropping any buffers and all is well. I am usually maxing the load around 30% in real use here. So, I have plenty of cushion for what I am doing which is a stereo feed from SAWFull Main outs of my 24 track background music from MIDI and previous recordings to a stereo channel in SAC, a mono track for the control room mic into SAC and another stereo track for my home recording booth into SAC. I then record what I want in SAWFull and forget about it.

I can throw all those tracks in SAC with three aux sends and EQ, Dynamics and some Echo/delay plus some Chorus, flanger, etc. from Anwida. This is all on a Dual Pentium D desktop. I would think that anyone could get this going. Even with Firewire.

Just make sure that the drivers for the Interface are in SAC and let SAW be in the background not touching the audio drivers. I think of SAW in this case as a digital tape deck. I am using SAC as the input and output beast. I feel like you could take advantage in SAWBasic too but do not have that so cannot guarantee. If there isn't a SAWLink or SACLink with SAWBasic, it would probably not work. Maybe someone else could give it a go and tell us???

[IraSeigel]

Hey Ira,

...
I feel like you could take advantage in SAWBasic too but do not have that so cannot guarantee. If there isn't a SAWLink or SACLink with SAWBasic, it would probably not work. Maybe someone else could give it a go and tell us???

Alas, there IS no SAWBasic/SAC link. Number 1 reason to upgrade from SSBasic.

Thanks for your answers above. Very helpful.
Ira

[DavidandMary]

Okay good to know Ira...

I have tried this with two interfaces now just for fun. I had an old E-MU card that I put in an unused PCI slot for this test. So, RME FF400 was used in SAC and the E-MU Asio drivers were used in SAWFull. I set the Buffer latency to the highest setting possible in SAWFull since what I need to hear is taken care of in SAC where the RME FF400 Asio is giving me ultra low latency without a hitch.

It worked like the other test with nothing assigned and was not much more of a hit to the load. Maybe 5% or 10% more load is all.

So, you could either upgrade to SAWStudio Lite or maybe you could throw a second interface on the system? I am thinking that you could have SAC use your better driver interface and send a digital feed from SAC to your other interface with SAWBasic where you have the latency as high as you could go. Just thinking is all...

I am convinced that my troubles before getting things set up this way were related to both SAC and SAWFull using the same interface and driver. That is when there were glitches. Not now. Now, I am able to go 1 x 48, 1 x 64 and 1 x 96 with no issue. It really feels stable. I bet you could get it going.

[Bob L]

The SAC-Link will automatically bypass whatever drivers are setup with SAWStudio... so you can have the same devices assigned as SAC or different or none at all.

Bob L

[DavidandMary]

Okay that is good information Bob. Thanks for the correction. I must be doing a better job with keeping my PC from running unnecessary processes or something than I was before. So, I guess my post above can be ignored. Still, thanks for the help in making this opportunity available!

[Bud Johnson]

I discovered the big culprit to glitches on my FW (M-Audio Lightbridge) laptop. I disabled the DVD drive, that helped. What seemed to cure it was disabling MS-ACPI-Compliant Control Method Battery in device manager.
I had seen references to this on the RME forums.
Now dpclat.exe averages 17-20 with peaks at 51. I seem to be able to run 16 inputs and 4 mon mixes + FOH at 2 X128 without dropped buffers. This is very nice as I really am only using the Laptop for VO, and smaller (8 ins) sessions!

[DominicPerry]

Yes, my Asus EEE needed this ACPI battery service disabled and now will run 4x48/4x48 on a USB interface with SAW. Pretty amazing for a little box.

Dominic

[IraSeigel]

I discovered the big culprit to glitches on my FW (M-Audio Lightbridge) laptop. ... What seemed to cure it was disabling MS-ACPI-Compliant Control Method Battery in device manager.
I had seen references to this on the RME forums. ...



I would assume you would want/need this only if you were running your laptop off the battery. I hardly ever, and would never do this during a session/gig, so I assume it's safe to disable in Device Manager?

Ira

[Bud Johnson]

I would assume you would want/need this only if you were running your laptop off the battery. I hardly ever, and would never do this during a session/gig, so I assume it's safe to disable in Device Manager?

Ira
Yes, and you can still, (not saying you should), run on battery. What you "give up" are various automated power management options. Like disk-graphic-power downs after x amount of time, auto-hibernation etc. Stuff you want disabled for any session anyway.