User`s guide

User's Guide HDSPe AIO © RME

13.3 Known Problems

If a computer does not provide sufficient CPU-power and/or sufficient PCIe-bus transfer rates,

then drop outs, crackling and noise will appear. We recommend to deactivate all PlugIns to

verify that these are not the reason for such effects.

Additional hard disk controllers, both on-board and PCI based, aften violate the PCI specs. To

achieve the highest throughput they hog the PCI bus, even in their default setting. Thus when

working with low latencies heavy drop outs (clicks) are heard. Try to solve this problem by

changing the default setting of the controller (for example by reducing the 'PCI Bus Utilization').

Another common source of trouble is incorrect synchronization. ASIO does not support asyn-

chronous operation, which means that the input and output signals not only have to use the

same sample frequency, but also have to be in sync. All devices connected to the Hammerfall

DSP must be properly configured for Full Duplex operation. As long as SyncCheck (in the Set-

tings dialog) only displays Lock instead of Sync, the devices have not been set up properly!

When using more than one HDSP(e) system, all units have to be in sync, see chapter 15. Else

a periodicly repeated noise will be heared.

In case of a drift between audio and MIDI, or in case of a fixed deviation (MIDI notes placed

close before or behind the correct position), the settings in Cubase/Nuendo have to be

changed. At the time of print, the best settings are the use of emulated MIDI driver/ports, and

the activation of the option 'Use System Timestamp'.

14. Operation under GSIF (Gigasampler Interface)

Windows 2000/XP

The GSIF interface of the Hammerfall DSP allows direct operation with Gigastudio, with up to

18 channels, 96 kHz and 24 bit. GSIF 2.1 is also supported with both audio and MIDI.

Gigastudio requires a lot of the computer’s calculation power. An optimum performance is

achieved with a stand-alone GSIF PC. However, when using the Hammerfall DSP, the latency

is always the same as the one selected for ASIO operation. This can cause performance prob-

lems on slower machines when using GSIF and ASIO at the same time.

Please note that the W2k/XP driver fully supports multi-client operation, including the combina-

tion WDM/ASIO. So for example Cubase, Gigastudio and Sonar can be used simultaneously,

provided each of these programs uses its own audio channels exclusively. For example ASIO

could use channels 1/2 and Gigastudio (with GSIF) channels 3/4 simultaneously, and so on.

Simultaneous operation of GSIF and ASIO requires to use different channels. For example,

if Cubase uses tracks 1/2 these tracks can not be used by Gigastudio.

Common Problems

Please note that Gigastudio is running unexpectedly in the background (thus blocking its as-

signed audio channels), as soon as the Gigastudio MIDI ports are used – even when Gigastu-

dio itself hasn't been started. This causes a lot of confusion, as the driver seems to behave

completely buggy, and the user does not recognize the simple reason for it – for example simul-

taneous operation of ASIO and GSIF on the same channels.

If Gigastudio starts up properly, loads gig files too, but won't play at all even when using the

virtual keyboard: Go to Hardware/Routing and select a valid MIDI input port. Note that blank is

not valid, but <none> is.