RME - HDSP MADI - 24 Bit/96kHz, 128 Channel, MADI Optical and Coax I/O, 2 X MIDI I

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HDSP MADI - 24 Bit/96kHz, 128 Channel, MADI Optical and Coax I/O, 2 X MIDI I/O, 1 x Word Clock I/O (BNC) and Stereo Analog Headphone/Line Output.

RME's Hammerfall DSP MADI PCI card has been updated significantly.
A new driver for Windows 2000/XP is available here.
And The new Flash Update 203 is required to fully use this driver.

The Hammerfall DSP MADI is RME's both inexpensive and outstanding PCI card with MADI interface. Hammerfall DSP MADI is based on the award-winning Hammerfall DSP technology, and represents the top model of this world-wide successful card line.

MADI, the professionals' multi-channel audio interface, offers 64 channels of 24 bit audio at a sample rate of up to 48 kHz and 32 channels at up to 96 kHz. Transmission is done via a single line, either coaxial with BNC plugs or with fiber cable. In both cases more than 100 m cable length can be achieved. Hammerfall DSP is fully compatible to all devices with MADI interface. In combination with the ADI-648 an 8 x ADAT optical PC interface is realized, unbeatable in price and performance.

Hammerfall DSP MADI offers full support for 56 and 64 channel modes and double and single wire technology (96k frame) for 96 kHz. Full 64 channel support can also be found in the hardware mixer TotalMix. All 64 inputs and 64 playback channels can be routed and mixed to 66 physical outputs completely freely, which translates to a 8192 channel mixer. With that, Hammerfall DSP MADI offers the most powerful router/mixer ever implemented on a PCI card, and allows much more than a usage as pure computer I/O unit:

• MADI optical patchbay and router
• MADI coaxial/optical or vice versa converter and splitter
• MADI redistributor, patchbay and router

Furthermore, the hardware delivers RMS and peak level meters for full control over 192 audio channels at minimal CPU load.

As usual with RME, Hammerfall DSP MADI offers further sensible features. For instance an analog 24 bit 192 kHz line/headphone output with 110 dB dynamic range and separate mix bus for direct control of all input and output signals. While most MADI-based devices require an additional word clock line, the Hammerfall DSP MADI (like the ADI-648) can extract the reference clock directly from the MADI signal, making long-distance connections even more convenient.

The included expansion board carries word clock I/O (BNC) and MIDI I/O. The word clock input is galvanically isolated via transformer and operates on both single and double speed signals automatically. MIDI I/O offers 2 completely independent MIDI inputs and outputs via breakout cable (4 DIN sockets). A virtual MIDI port allows for a direct transmission of MIDI data over MADI.

For the first time, RME uses a configuration memory for the most important settings of the card. Instead of operating in a default mode on computer power-up until loading the driver, Hammerfall DSP MADI activates the last used sample rate, master/slave configuration and MADI format immediately when switched on. This eliminates disturbing noises and clock network problems during power-up or re-boot of the computer.

Included software:

• HDSP Meter Bridge: Scalable level meter with Peak- and RMS calculation in hardware
• DIGICheck 4.2 for Windows: Spectral Analyser, professional level meter for 2, 8, or 64 channels, Vector Audio Scope, various other audio analysis tools.
• Drivers: Windows 2000/XP (full ASIO multi-client operation of MME, GSIF and ASIO 2.0)

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

8 buffer sizes/latencies available: 1.5 ms, 3 ms, 6 ms, 12 ms, 23 ms, 46 ms, 93 ms, 186 ms
ASIO zero CPU load technology: 0 (zero!)% CPU load when using ALL 128 channels!
All settings changeable in realtime
Clock modes slave and master
Automatic and intelligent master/slave clock control
Enhanced Zero Latency Monitoring for latency-free submixes and perfect ASIO Direct Monitoring
Sync sources: MADI coaxial, MADI optical, word clock, internal
Varipitch: by input signal or word clock
Sample rates: 44.1 kHz, 48 kHz, 88.2 kHz, 96 kHz, variable (Sync/word clock)
Sample rate range: MADI: 32 kHz - 96 kHz, word clock: 27 kHz-105
Jitter: < 1 ns, internal and all inputs
Jitter sensitivity: PLL operates even at 100 ns Jitter without problems
Comes with DIGICheck: the ultimate measurement, analysis and test tool
Input MADI optical, MADI coaxial (BNC), 2 x MIDI, word clock (BNC)
Output MADI optical, MADI coaxial (BNC), 2 x MIDI, word clock (BNC), stereo analog line/phones
Input word clock: BNC, Signal Adaptation Circuit (functional from 1.2 Vss input signal), switchable termination
Output word clock: BNC, low-impedance driver stage, 4 Vss into 75 Ohms, short-circuit-proof
MIDI input and output: via four 5-pin DIN jacks

UNIQUE TECHNOLOGIES IN HAMMERFALL DSP

AutoSync
Intelligent clock control according to operational mode and present/desired sample rate.

Bitclock PLL
The most reliable receiver circuit for ADAT optical signal.

Dynamic Bus Utilization
Scalable computer load according to the current usage.

Enhanced ZLM®
Monitoring of the input signal, independent from clock mode and sample rate.

Intelligent Clock Control
Measurement and display of all incoming and used clocks.

Latency Fast Change
Change latency on-the-fly under ASIO, without manual reset or re-boot.

SyncAlign®
Surveillance and sample accurate synchronization of all channels.

SyncCheck®
Comparison and display of all input clock status.

Zero Latency Monitoring (ZLM®)
Automatic monitoring of the input signal with zero latency.

Mixes all inputs and all outputs on all outputs. Several independent submixes possible.

All I/O boxes of the Hammerfall DSP System contain a hardware mixer in TotalMix technology. Any input and output can be routed and mixed to any output. Limited only by the available outputs of the I/O-box, up to 14 independent submixes are available. Internally, the mixer works with 40 bit wordlength. For level alterations there are 65536 steps that allow for a virtually continuous change between 6 dB gain and maximum attenuation. In unity gain setting, the mixer is even bit-transparent and can pass the input signal unaltered. The Digiface processes 1456 channels in real-time, which corresponds to the computing power of a Motorola DSP at 100 MHz. TotalMix not only leads to perfect and complete ASIO direct monitoring, but is also useful without ASIO. Thanks to a proprietary mixer surface, submix and Zero Latency Monitoring can be used with all audio applications. An external mixer thus becomes unnecessary in many cases.

DIGICheck DSP Professional status and level display at lowest CPU load.

Hammerfall DSP implements RME's DIGICheck in hardware. This means: level metering of all inputs, all playback channels and all outputs at the same time with a minimum of CPU load, because the display data is already calculated in the hardware. The hardware catches both peak and RMS values. With these features, you have a unique multichannel level meter in broadcast quality worth several thousands of Dollars virtually at no cost. In addition, the level meter is integrated into the mixer surface, thus making setting and control easier.