RME Audio Hammerfall HDSPe AIO, User Manual

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20
User's Guide HDSPe AIO
© RME
12. Operation and Usage
12.1 Playback
The HDSP system can play back audio data only in supported modes (channels, PCM) and
formats (sample rate, bit resolution). Otherwise an error message appears (for example at 22
kHz and 8 bit).
In the audio application being used, HDSPe AIO must be selected as output device. This can
often be found in the
Options, Preferences or Settings menus under Playback Device, Audio
Devices, Audio etc.
We strongly recommend switching off all system sounds (via >
Control Panel /Sounds <). Also
HDSPe should not be the Preferred Device for playback, as this could cause loss of synchroni-
zation and unwanted noises. If you feel you cannot do without system sounds, you should con-
sider buying a cheap Blaster clone and select this as
Preferred Device in > Control Panel
/Multimedia /Audio <.
The screenshot shows a
typical configuration dialog
of a (stereo) wave editor.
After selecting a device,
audio data is sent to an
analog or digital (ADAT /
SPDIF) port, depending
on which has been se-
lected as playback device.
Increasing the number
and/or size of audio buff-
ers may prevent the audio
signal from breaking up,
but also increases latency
i.e. output is delayed. For
synchronized playback of
audio and MIDI (or simi-
lar), be sure to activate the
checkbox ‘Get position
from audio driver’.
12.2 DVD-Playback (AC-3/DTS) under MME
AC-3 / DTS
When using popular DVD software player like WinDVD and PowerDVD , their audio data stream
can be sent to any AC-3/DTS capable receiver, using the HDSPe's SPDIF or AES output. For
this to work the corresponding output wave device has to be selected in >
Control Panel/
Sounds and Multimedia/ Audio <. Also check 'use preferred device only'.
You will notice that the DVD software's audio properties now allow to use 'SPDIF Out', 'Use
SPDIF' or to 'activate SPDIF output'. When selecting these, the software will transfer the non-
decoded digital multichannel data stream to the HDSPe.
This 'SPDIF' signal sounds like chopped noise at highest level. Therefore the HDSPe AIO auto-
matically sets the non-audio bit within the digital data stream, to prevent most SPDIF receivers
from accepting the signal, and to prevent any attached equipment from being damaged.