Digigram VX1221e PCIe Digital Audio Card User Manual

VX1221e
VX1222e
Professional Multichannel
Sound Cards

User manual

Copyright 2007 — 2008 Digigram. All rights reserved.
No portion of this manual may be reproduced without prior written consent from Digigram. The copyright protection claimed here includes photocopying, translation and/or reformatting of the information contained in this manual.
While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, Digigram is not responsible for typos, errors, or omissions, and reserves the right to make improvements or changes in the products and programs described without notice.
Digigram and the Digigram logo, VX1222e, and VX1221e are registered trademarks or trademarks of Digigram S.A.
Other trademarks are property of their respective holders.

INFORMATION FOR THE USER

This device complies with part 15 of FCC rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a CLASS B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation.
This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions contained in this data sheet, may cause harmful interference to radio and television communications. However, there is no  guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation.
If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:

• reorient or relocate the receiving antenna
• increase the separation between the equipment and the receiver
• connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that of the receiver
• consult the dealer or an experienced audio television technician.

Note: Connecting this device to peripheral devices that do not comply with CLASS B requirements or using an unshielded peripheral data cable could also result in harmful interference to radio or television reception. The user is cautioned that any changes or  modifications not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance could void the user’s authority to operate this equipment. To ensure that the use of this product does not contribute to interference, it is necessary to use shielded I/O cables.

Warning:
Electrostatic discharge (ESD) can damage several components on the board. To avoid such damage in handling the board, take the following precautions:
Bring the device and everything that contacts it to ground potential by providing a conductive surface and discharge paths. As a minimum, observe these precautions:

• Disconnect all power and signal sources.
• Place the device on a grounded conductive work surface.
• Ground yourself via a grounding wrist strap or by holding a grounded object.
• Ground any tool that will contact the device.

Due to the reduced length of the PCI EXPRESSTM bus connector and the resulting lack of mechanical stability, we strongly advise against transporting the card(s) installed in a computer, unless its chassis or case provides a dedicated support to keep the card  securely in place in order to avoid physical damage.

IMPORTANT NOTICE

This card has been tested and found to comply with the following standards:

• International: CISPR22 Class B
• Europe: EMC 89/336/CEE (1992) specifications
• United States: FCC Rules-Part 15-Class B (digital device)

In order to guarantee compliance with the above standards in an installation, the following must be done:

• the provided cable must not be modified
• addit ional cables used must have th eir respective shield connected to each extremity

CONTENTS OF THIS PACKAGE

Thank you for purchasing a Digigram VX sound card.
The package consists of the following components:

• a VX1221e or VX1222e sound card
• the user manual at hand.

The end user version additionally includes:

• breakout cable(s)
• a CD-Rom with drivers, installation notices, FAQs, etc…
• a registration form

For the OEM version, the cables are available optionally.

Also available (optional):
2U 19-inch breakout box allowing straightforward and secure connection to all the cards’ I/Os

FEATURES

VX1222e and VX1221e are audio cards for PCI EXPRESSTM  (PCIe®) bus. They are in PCI EXPRESSTM  x1 format and can thus be plugged into any PCIe® slot (x1, x2, x4, x8, x16, x32).

VX1221e main hardware features

• 1 digital AES/EBU∗ stereo input, with hardware sample rate converter (up to 192 kHz) and programmable digital gain
• 6 digital AES/EBU ∗ stereo outputs (up to 192 kHz) with programmable digital gain
• 1 digital AES/EBU∗ stereo sync input (up to 192 kHz in play and record)
• 1 standard Word Clock input (up to 96 kHz)
• 1 standard Word Clock output (up to 96 kHz)
• 1 video sync input
• 1 SMPTE/LTC (Linear Time Code) sync input

VX1222e main hardware features
All features of the VX1221e, plus:

• 2 balanced∗∗ analog mono line inputs, with software programmable analog and digital gain
• 12 servo-balanced∗∗∗ analog mono line outputs, with software programmable analog and digital gain
• 192 kHz / 24-bit converters
• Maximum level on analog inputs and outputs: +24 dBu

Note: The digital outputs always play the digital version of the corresponding analog outputs.
The selection of the AES/EBU input excludes the selection of the corresponding analog inputs.

Main software features

• Real-time, simultaneous PCM record and playback (8, 16 and 24 bits), Float IEEE754 (with 24-bit fixed-point dynamic range)
• When using the np SDK, real-time on-board mixing of several PCM audio streams, direct monitoring, level adjustment, panning, cross-fades, punch-in/punch-out, scrubbing
• Low lat∗∗∗∗ ency DirectSound, Wave , and ASIO drivers
  ∗can be used as S/PDIF interface as well
  ∗∗can be used with unbalanced signals
  ∗∗∗Electronically servo-balanced outputs provide automatic level adjustment to accommodate either balanced or unbalanced lines
  ∗∗∗∗Windows XP and Server 2003 only

REQUIREMENTS

Minimum hardware requirements
PC with one free PCI EXPRESSTM(PCIe®) slot (x1, x2, x4, x8, x16 or x32).
CPU power and memory required depend on the operating system and on the audio application used.

Software requirements
To use your VX1221e or VX1222e, install the driver from the HR Runtime package version 1.60 or higher. This package includes:

• a Digigram np driver enabling OEM applications to best capitalize on the boards
• a WDM DirectSound driver Microsoft DirectX 9 or higher must be installed on your computer
• a Wave driver ∗ (installation optional)
• an ASIO driver (installation optional)

Note: the HR Runtime package for Windows Vista does not include a Wave driver.
In case your audio application explicitly requires a Wave interface, a Wave driver is available on request. In this case, please contact Digigram.

Supported operating systems
VX1221e and VX1222e cards run under Windows XP∗∗ , Windows Server 2003∗∗ , and Windows Vista∗∗ .

HARDWARE INSTALLATION

Due to the reduced length of the PCI EXPRESSTM bus connector and the resulting lack of mechanical stability, we strongly advise against transporting the card(s) installed in a computer, unless its chassis or case provides a dedicated support to keep the card  securely in place in order to avoid physical damage.
The card has to be installed in the computer prior to installing its driver.

Installing the card
Gently plug the card in a free PCI slot and press it down to position it firmly.
Tighten the screw.
Interrupt and memory address
Hardware interrupt and addresses are automatically set up at start-up by the PCI PnP BIOS.

∗Windows XP and Server 2003 only
∗∗32-bit version

SOFTWARE INSTALLATION

Note: the installation of the software requires administrator rights on your computer
Please visit the Digigram web site at www.digigram.com for the most recent driver.

In case you run a specific application developed or installed by a Digigram Partner, this application might require the use of a specific driver version. In this case, make sure that the updated driver has been approved by your supplier.

Standard installation under Windows XP, Windows Server 2003 and Windows Vista
If the driver has been downloaded from our web site, it has to be expanded prior to the driver’s installation as follows: double-click on the downloaded file (self-expanding). You can use the default destination location (Windows temporary folder) or select  another directory.

Important note : this default procedure installs the ‘Digigram Hardware Settings’ control panel. This application allows the configuration of the hardware resources of Digigram cards for all audio applications. The DHS allows for instance to define the clock of  the card, the input source, input and output analog and digital gain, Sample Rate Converters, digital output format, etc…
Please note that, with the DHS installed, controls available through the DirectSound control panel are limited to:

• Volume control for input and output
• Wave control

Under Windows XP and Server 2003 you may also install the driver without installing the DHS control panel, and in this case more controls are available through the DirectSound control panel:

• Volume control for input
• Wave control
• Monitoring control
• Analog input level
• Digita Input level input level
• Clock selection: AES Sync, AES1, Word Clock
• Digital output format: professional, consumer

To do so, install the driver with the command line: “setup x_topology” (not available under Windows Vista). For detailed information, please refer to the dedicated document on our web site.

• Shutdown your computer and insert your VX card.

• Restart your computer.

• Click on Cancel if the Found New Hardware Wizard appears.

• Double-click on the HR Runtime vxx.msi/HR Runtime vxx.msi for Vista icon to launch the driver installation.

• A welcome message is displayed, click Next to continue.

• The “License Agreement” window appears: read it, and click on “I accept the terms in the license agreement” to approve it.

• Do the same in the next window for Virtual PCX and PC Codec Legal Notice.

• In the “Custom Setup” window, the “Drivers for the HR boards” are displayed; by default, both WDM DirectSound and ASIO HR are installed.
  To install the Wave driver∗, select ‘Wave’.
  To be able to use your VX card through np, select the ‘Digigram np’ component option (or make sure that the np application explicitly sets the ‘VX_FLAG’ with PCXInitialize()).
  Next.

• In the “Ready to Install the Program Window”, click on Install to start copying the files.

  • Note: In case you use an unsigned driver version, the “Digital Signature Not Found” message may appear because a non-Microsoft software is about to be installed.
    Click on Continue in the “Hardware installation” window (Windows XP, Server 2003).

• Under Windows Vista:
  Click Allow in the “User Account Control” window.
  Click Install in the “Windows Security” window.

• In the “Digigram drivers” window, select the number and the size of buffers required by your applications. Click on Ok.

• Click Finish to complete the driver installation.

Digigram Control Center
This control panel allows to define:

• the number of buffers and their size
• the granularity

Please note that for all sound cards of the VX range, “PCM only” is the only operating mode, therefore this button is not functional in the Digigram control panel (CPL). (To access this control panel, go to , ,