new_volcontrol.txt Driver File Contents (w2fire_2571.zip)

RME  Intelligent Audio Solutions

Fireface 400/800

Driver for Windows 2000 SP4 / XP / XP 64 Bit

Some information about the 'Output Ganging'. This typical 'surround monitoring' feature has always been available when selecting several output channels in TotalMix, then using the mouse or a Mackie controller to move one fader (all other faders move too).

This function has not been available when using standard MIDI volume control, which always uses the output pair defined with the Monitor Main selection. This has changed and will now work too. As additional goodie, selecting only the main channels (the ones chosen in Monitor Main) now allows to have a level offset between the channels. Without selection both channels are reset to the exact same value (as before).

The above is true for both FF800 and FF400. With the Fireface 400 we went one step further. The Encoder control on the front panel used MIDI commands to steer the TM faders. This caused problems in case MIDI input 1 had been used as well, incoming data could go 'kaputt'. So we changed this to use the Windows standard volume control instead. Go to Control Panel, Sounds and Audio Devices, Volume. Click 'Show volume control on task bar'. Now a little speaker is found in the systray. Double click on it. A window pops up that you might know from cheapo blaster-like cards. The main volume and pan fader here now control the output faders of TotalMix, depending on the currently selected channel pair in Audio, Standard Playback Device.

This one is a phantastic feature that had been requested several times. You can now use the volume knobs on your keyboard, vol pot on your keyboard, or external tools to control the monitoring volume of your Fireface 400, because the Windows volume system controls the faders of TotalMix! Of course also in ASIO and GSIF, as this has nothing to do with WDM streaming. And best of all: thanks to the new extended ganging, any surround sound setup is controlled as well, so you are not limited to a stereo output!

As always when using something from Microsoft there is a drawback to note: using the Windows volume causes significant CPU load. Note that this is 100% Windows system load. Simply moving the fader with the mouse will cause a certain CPU load, and there is nothing we can do except throw away this new functionality completely. Note that when not moving the assigned faders, or moving other faders in TotalMix, no CPU load is caused.

As we think that the simple vol control is a highly desired feature by many users we added it to the FF400, but not yet to the FF800. Give us your feedback!

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

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