Recording Fusions digital out under Windows 7

[falcon]

Has anyone been able to succesfully record Fusions digital out under Windows 7? Here is my background story.

I have an EMU 0404 PCI card, which works great except for one issue: it won't record well under Windows 7. It suffers from consistent signal dropouts. It's a known issue (I have read many similar reports on the net). The EMU driver is at fault and they still don't have a solution after over a year that this issue exists.

So, I'd like to get some alternative digital input to my PC. In practise: an ADAT or SPDIF (44Khz coaxial) to USB or Firewave convertor would do. Small problem: they don't seem to exist.

Alesis makes small and bigger mixers with USB I/O, but they don't support their own invented ADAT interface. I've found another potential candidate (Behringer USB mixer with ADAT), but googling it returned way too many "problem with..." reports.

I could use analog outputs on my fusion, In fact, that alesis 4 channel USB mixer looks pretty cool. But I'd rather record without intermediate DA/AD conversion. Any tips?

[Shreddie]

Aug 24, 2010 16:21:34 GMT falcon said:

So, I'd like to get some alternative digital input to my PC. In practise: an ADAT or SPDIF (44Khz coaxial) to USB or Firewave convertor would do. Small problem: they don't seem to exist.

Things do seem to have changed, a few years back there was no shortage of small/medium sized interfaces with SPDIF and/or ADAT.

I could use analog outputs on my fusion, In fact, that alesis 4 channel USB mixer looks pretty cool. But I'd rather record without intermediate DA/AD conversion. Any tips?

Well, I've never recorded the digital outputs of my Fusion (even though I could in either ADAT or SPDIF formats) and never had a problem doing that. I'd certainly consider recording the analogue connections if the only other options are too costly or buggy.

[Jesse]

Aug 24, 2010 16:21:34 GMT falcon said:

Has anyone been able to succesfully record Fusions digital out under Windows 7? Here is my background story.

I have an EMU 0404 PCI card, which works great except for one issue: it won't record well under Windows 7. It suffers from consistent signal dropouts. It's a known issue (I have read many similar reports on the net). The EMU driver is at fault and they still don't have a solution after over a year that this issue exists.

So, I'd like to get some alternative digital input to my PC. In practise: an ADAT or SPDIF (44Khz coaxial) to USB or Firewave convertor would do. Small problem: they don't seem to exist.

Alesis makes small and bigger mixers with USB I/O, but they don't support their own invented ADAT interface. I've found another potential candidate (Behringer USB mixer with ADAT), but googling it returned way too many "problem with..." reports.

I could use analog outputs on my fusion, In fact, that alesis 4 channel USB mixer looks pretty cool. But I'd rather record without intermediate DA/AD conversion. Any tips?

Maybe this will help
www.moonshizzleproductions.com/blog/2010/03/windows-7-troubles-with-the-e-mu-0404-pci-card-and-how-to-fix/

connect.creativelabs.com/emu/Lists/Announcements/DispForm.aspx?ID=8

[falcon]

Aug 24, 2010 16:39:05 GMT Shreddie said:

Things do seem to have changed, a few years back there was no shortage of small/medium sized interfaces with SPDIF and/or ADAT.

Strange isn't it. It's like evoluting backwards. You can get all kind of strange USB devices nowadays, including soundcards on a usb stick. But it's all analog. Whereas digital would make mores sense and be easier to implement as well.

Pity that that EMU windows 7 driver has that recording issue. It's an otherwise perfect and cost friendly card.

I'd certainly consider recording the analogue connections if the only other options are too costly or buggy.

To be honest I haven't even tried fusions analog out yet. I do have an issue with the headphone picking up digital noise. So I have some reservations to using analog at all. But perhaps it turns out to have decent SNR and transparant audio quality. I think I'll buy a converter to that barbiehouse 2.5mm fluffy pink audio-in and give it a try.

[falcon]

Aug 25, 2010 0:30:27 GMT Jesse said:

Maybe this will help

Thanks for both suggestion Jesse! Unfortunately they didn't solve it. I am the aware of the first issue -- I learned it the hard way . And I have already tried the seconds suggestion with the beta driver (not my thing normally, but I want sooooooound). But thanks for thinking about a solution anyway.

[Jesse]

I run the main outs to my Alesis sumo amps and from there to my Alesis Multimix 16 Firewire mixer and into my computer running XP and using Adobe Audition 3.0, I don't know how this would work with Win 7, I have been hesitant to try.

Good luck

[roboman01]

Windows in Patchmix change the Internal to external S/PDIF

[Jesse]

Aug 25, 2010 14:30:42 GMT falcon said:

Aug 25, 2010 0:30:27 GMT Jesse said:

Maybe this will help

Thanks for both suggestion Jesse! Unfortunately they didn't solve it. I am the aware of the first issue -- I learned it the hard way . And I have already tried the seconds suggestion with the beta driver (not my thing normally, but I want sooooooound). But thanks for thinking about a solution anyway.

Falcon, have you installed the add on to windows 7 that let's you run XP programs, maybe that will work in a hybrid way

[Jesse]

I am running win 7 now and have run into the same problems using the onboard audio card, I ran across a good solution install a second audio card that supports ASIO. I am reinstalling my old SoundBlaster Audigy sound card and connecting my Alesis Fire Wire mixer to the Audigy sound card.

I received the info from this video www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsRtduINN8I

ASIO4ALL - Universal ASIO Driver For WDM Audio
Link to ASIOFORALL universal ASIO driver www.asio4all.com/

[parametric]

An interesting Video Jesse -

My aging GA-K8NF-9 mobo actually has S/PDif I/O built in - so I could probably use that . . .

In my case, I record from Fusion's S/PDif straight to my M-Audio microtrack 24/96 - which has an S/PDif input onto CF.

This is fine for me, as my Fusion is not near my PC . . .

That guy's solution seems good though, and the Audigy line are good cards.

I'm on WinXP32 SP3 or Vista64 HPE SP2

parametric

[Jesse]

I am not having much luck recording through my mixer's fire wire connection through my Audigy sound card to Audition, I guess I may have to make my computer a dual booting system and run XP for recording

[Jesse]

I have disabled the onboard sound card and installed my 12 year old Sound Blaster Audigy Platinum sound card.
I am now able to record again using my Alesis Firewire mixer while running windows 7 - Yea.
I have working midi in & mid out connections.

I have working SPDIF by SPDIF digital cables and optical cables

I also have a remote.

 

OLD TECHNOLOGY IS AWESOME

[parametric]

Excellent outcome Jesse - that's a neat setup you have . . . .

I always fancied one of those 5.25" "Fronts" for all the SB connections - never quite made it . . . .

I've always been happy with the various SB cards I've had.   I KNOW you can pay more and take it all OUTSIDE of the PC, but thats another story.

I DO have an MBox2 with ProTools 7.4 on my G4 macbook, but I don't know how "Tied" it is to ProTools, and since I have no intention or desire to continue with the ProTools "moneybags" route, the future of the MBox2 is a little uncertain . . . .

You must be one happy user now . . . !

parametric

[Jesse]

Yes indeed, I only hope it will last another 4 to 6 years

[blandis]

FWIW, I have used the Fusion's SPDIF out for years, either into a Seasound Solo interface, or now a Tascam US-800. The only issue I routinely fall into is timing master clock, either internal or external (selected in the interface's control app). If the audio interface is set to internal clock then the incoming audio gets all jacked up and distorted, but if set to external, my DAW is all messed up and crawls/stops functioning. I think the proper thing to do is to have a true separate master clock, with everything slaved to it, but none of my gear supports that (whatever happened to BNC sync connectors, anyway?). I have found I can get consistent results through a consistent boot-up sequence of my Win 7 PC, my audio interface, my fusion, and then the launch of my DAW (I think that's the order, I have a cheat sheet in the studio..). Do it out of order, and it can even blue-screen.... As for DAWs, I'm a long-time Cakewalk Sonar guy, but admittedly, Reaper is much less finicky and less of a resource hog. I grab an old Dell XP laptop and the Tascam interface, and capture 6 analog in's and the Alesis SPDIF stereo at band practice with no issues, save an occasional SPDIF sync glitch. It just works.
Hope that helps,
Bruce