Important Hints to the Trace 8 driver version 3.08 for Windows™
1.
System Requirements
2.
New Installation
3. Driver
Update
4. Driver Uninstall
5. Uninstalling an older driver for Windows™ 7 in Windows™ 8.x
6. What's new?
7. Operation in Windows™ Vista, Windows™ 7, Windows™ 8.x, Windows™ 10
8. MME, WDM-Audio and DirectSound
- Microsoft Windows™ XP, Windows™ 2003 Server,
Windows™ Vista, Windows 2008 Server, Windows™ 7, Windows™ 8.x, Windows™ 10 each
64 bit or 32 bit
- Start your PC after
installing your hardware.
- Log in using administrator privileges.
- Insert the supplied CD in
your CD-ROM drive.
- Windows™ automatically recognizes at startup the newly installed device and starts the Hardware Wizard.
- Enable the option "Install Software automatically" and confirm by clicking "Next".
- If you get a message which asks you to trust software of "MARIAN GmbH",
acknowledge that message and actívate the option "Always trust software of
MARIAN GmbH" in order to get that message never again.
- Windows™ noew copies the
driver files. Windows
now copies the driver files. When
you are asked to overwrite newer files answer with "No" to
keep the newer version of that file.
- In some cases, the installer
has to change some Windows™ settings which need a restart. Please restart
windows, if the installer requests it.
2.3 Windows™ Vista/2008
- After the hardware installation the message "Found new
hardware" appears. Click on "Locate and install driver software
(recommended)".
- If the User Account Control requests you acceptance, then
click "Continue".
- If your computer has not a permanent connection to the
internet, then now you have the opportunity the choose "Do not search
online". In any other case the Windows™ Installer now begins to search
Windows™ Update for a new driver version. This may need upto some minutes.
- Then you are requested to "Insert the disk that came with your
Multimedia Controller". Insert the driver disk of your MARIAN Sound System
and the Windows™ Installer searches the disk for new drivers.
- If you get a message which asks you to trust software of "MARIAN GmbH",
acknowledge that message and actívate the option "Always trust software of
MARIAN GmbH" in order to get that message never again.
- The drivers are now installed. Windows
now copies the driver files. When
you are asked to overwrite newer files answer with "No" to
keep the newer version of that file.
- Finally, another dialog will
tell you the end of the installation process. Click on "Close" here.
- In some cases, the installer
has to change some Windows™ settings which need a restart. Please restart
windows, if the installer requests it.
2.4 Windows™ 7, Windows™ 8.x, Windows™ 10
- Windows™ 7/8/10 does not start the installation of new found
hardware automatically. Thus, you have to start the installation by use of
the Windows™ Device Manager. You can open the Device Manager with right
click "Computer", then "Manage | Device Manager".
- There, right-click at "Other Devices | Multimedia Controller"
and choose "Update Driver Software".
- In the following dialog click on "Browse my computer for
driver software".
- Now choose the folder of your CD or the folder where you have unpacked the driver
update package and click on "Next".
- If you get a message which asks you to trust software of "MARIAN GmbH",
acknowledge that message and actívate the option "Always trust software of
MARIAN GmbH" in order to get that message never again.
- The drivers are now installed. Windows
now copies the driver files. When
you are asked to overwrite newer files answer with "No" to
keep the newer version of that file.
- Finally, another dialog will
tell you the end of the installation process. Click on "Close" here.
- In some cases, the installer has to change some windows
settings which need a restart. Please restart windows, if the installer
requests it.
- Attention with Windows 10: Directly after the installation, Windows 10 executes
extensive audio tests with each audio device / channel pair of the installed audio interface. During this time
almost every audio functionality with this audio interface is blocked by Windows 10. Thus, we recommend to start
working with the audio interface and every related software first when these audio tests have been finished.
It take appr. 1-2 minutes but takes place just once directly after the driver installation.
- Unzip the driver update package ("tr8-win-308.zip") with the
included subdirectory structure to any folder.
- Uninstall the driver software like described in "Driver
Uninstall".
- Restart Windows™
3.1 Windows™ XP/2003
- Logon with administrator privileges again.
- Now, the Windows™ Hardware Wizard starts with a "New hardware
found" dialog.
- Do NOT use the option "Install software automatically". Use
the option "Install from list a specified location"
- Click "Next" and choose the folder where you have unzipped the
driver update package.
- Follow the instructions of the Windows™ Hardware Wizard until the end of the
installation process. If you get a message which asks you to trust software of
"MARIAN GmbH", acknowledge that message and actívate the option "Always trust
software of MARIAN GmbH" in order to get that message never again.
- Windows
now copies the driver files. When
you are asked to overwrite newer files answer with "No" to
keep the newer version of that file.
- After the driver installation a restart could be necessary.
- After these steps it might be necessary to update the firmware
of the Trace 8. It can only be determined after the installation of the
new driver if a firmware update is needed. If that is the case, the update
will then be performed automatically. In order to get the new firmware in effect,
you have to SWITCH OFF and to SWITCH ON the computer.
- Subsequently to a successful firmware update, Microsoft
Windows™ XP/2003 will find a new hardware after reboot, since the hardware
ID of the Trace 8 will have changed due to the firmware update. Since the
driver files have already been installed, you only need to choose "install
software automatically" in the appearing Windows™ hardware wizard.
3.2 Windows™ Vista/2008
- After the restart the message "Found new hardware" appears.
Click on "Locate and install driver software (recommended)".
- If the User Account Control requests you acceptance, then
click "Continue".
- If your computer has not a permanent connection to the
internet, then now you have the opportunity the choose "Do not search
online". In any other case the Windows™ Installer now begins to search
Windows™ Update for a new driver version. This may need upto some minutes.
- Then you are requested to "Insert the disk that came with your
Multimedia Controller". Click on "I don't have the disk. Show me other
options".
- In the following dialog click on "Browse my computer for
driver software (advanced)".
- Now choose the folder where you have unpacked the driver
update package and click on "Next".
- If you get a message which asks you to trust software of "MARIAN GmbH",
acknowledge that message and actívate the option "Always trust software of
MARIAN GmbH" in order to get that message never again.
- The drivers are now installed. Windows
now copies the driver files. When
you are asked to overwrite newer files answer with "No" to
keep the newer version of that file.
- Finally, another dialog will
tell you the end of the installation process. Click on "Close" here.
- After these steps it might be necessary to update the firmware
of the Trace 8. It can only be determined after the installation of the
new driver if a firmware update is needed. If that is the case, the update
will then be performed automatically. In order to get the new firmware in effect,
you have to SWITCH OFF and to SWITCH ON the computer.
3.3 Windows™ 7, Windows™ 8.x and Windows™ 10
- You have to start the installation by use of the Windoows
Device Manager. You can open the Device Manager with right click
"Computer", then "Manage | Device Manager".
- There, right-click at "Other Devices | Multimedia Controller"
and choose "Update Driver Software".
- In the following dialog click on "Browse my computer for
driver software".
- Now choose the folder where you have unpacked the driver
update package and click on "Next".
- If you get a message which asks you to trust software of "MARIAN GmbH",
acknowledge that message and actívate the option "Always trust software of
MARIAN GmbH" in order to get that message never again.
- The drivers are now installed.Windows
now copies the driver files. When
you are asked to overwrite newer files answer with "No" to
keep the newer version of that file.
- Finally, another dialog will
tell you the end of the installation process. Click on "Close" here.
- After these steps it might be necessary to update the firmware
of the Trace 8. It can only be determined after the installation of the
new driver if a firmware update is needed. If that is the case, the update
will then be performed automatically. In order to get the new firmware in effect,
you have to SWITCH OFF and to SWITCH ON the computer.
- Attention with Windows 10: Directly after the installation, Windows 10 executes
extensive audio tests with each audio device / channel pair of the installed audio interface. During this time
almost every audio functionality with this audio interface is blocked by Windows 10. Thus, we recommend to start
working with the audio interface and every related software first when these audio tests have been finished.
It take appr. 1-2 minutes but takes place just once directly after the driver installation.
- First uninstall the driver software using the Windows™ Device
Manager. You can start it right away with a right-click on "Computer" in
the start menu. Then choose "Manage" and acknowledge the question of the
User Account Control with "Continue".
- In the Device Manager under "Sound, Video and Game Controller"
right-click on "MARIAN Trace 8" and choose "Uninstall".
- Windows™ Vista/7/8/10: In the next dialog activate the option "Delete the driver
software for this device" and start the uninstall with "Ok".
- After the Uninstaller has finished, you only have to restart
Windows™ if you want to install another driver.
5. Uninstalling an older driver for Windows™ 7 in Windows™ 8
Beginning from driver version v2.50 the MARIAN driver software is compatible
with Windows™ 8. Earlier driver version are intended for Windows™ XP to Windows™ 7.
In case you tried to install an older Windows™ 7 driver in Windows™ 8, the
installation now is incomplete and faulty. Please follow these steps to
uninstall the older driver using a special way in order to be able to install
the most recent driver afterwards:
- Computer Management | Device Manager | "Other devices" or "Sound, Video and
Game controllers" | "Multimedia Controller" -> right click | Uninstall; if
available also activate "including driver software"
- Close the Computer Management
- Delete the old Coinstaller DLL "tr8ci.dll" in the folder
"c:\windows\system32"
- Perhaps in the directory "c:\windows\system32\DriverStore\FileRepository"
you can find another folder called "trace8.inf_<xxx>". (<xxx> means: any
characters) Please delete this folder if it exists.
- Restart Windows™ 8 and start the installation of the new driver software like
described above.
6. What's new?
Version 3.08:
-
The ASIO driver now uses unique channel names in order to solve potential problems with ASIO applications who solely rely on
channels names for channel identification.
-
New option for WDM/MME/DirectSound applications:
Background: Beginning with Windows 7 the samplerate for playback and recording devices is a property of such a device.
(see Control Panel Hardware and Sound | Sound | | Properties | Advanced). The Windows system will use always this samplerate
even if the application requests a different samplerate. In such a case a resampling takes place.
The driver software is unable to set the samplerate requested by Windows in these situations:
- The Trace 8 is synchronized by an external clock which's samplerate is different from the requested samplerate.
- The Trace 8 is already used by other applications with a different samplerate.
Up to now te driver software protected the user against accidentally, erroneous recordings/playbacks due to wrong samplerates by denying the
according operation. This in turn could lead a mistakable behaviour of some applications.
Beginning from this version the driver software allows recordings/playbacks with deviating, wrong samplerates.
You can deactivate the according option in the driver settings to go back to the previous behaviour.
Tip: We recommend to use our free-of-charge tool "MaDevPropW7+". With this tool you can set the sample properties
of all or selected MARIAN audio devices in one simple step. You can download "MaDevPropW7+" here: http://drivers.marian.de/madevpropw7+.zip.
Version 3.07:
Version 3.06:
Version 3.05:
Version 3.03:
-
Supports the Windows Power Management Functions Hibernate, Suspend and Quickstart (Windows 8/10)
-
ASIO: improved robustness against system conditions which prevent a continous audio data transfer.
-
Windows 8/10: improved control characteristic for Windows Volume Control
-
Installation: the installation process now increases certain limits of Windows system ressources when insufficient
for operation of the driver software.
-
Fixed: the Microsoft Management Console could crash after the user opened the property dialog of a
MARIAN audio device within the Windows Device Manager.
Version 3.02:
Version 3.01:
-
First official release for Windows™ 10.
Version 2.87:
-
For compatibility with older Windows Vista/7 versions, the driver files are now digitally signed
with a SHA-1 certificate instead of a SHA-2 certificate.
-
In rare cases an ASIO initialization problem could occur with 64 bit ASIO applications. Solved.
Version 2.85:
-
Depending on the system configuration, playing back the test tone was not possible. Fixed.
Version 2.84:
-
New: the Trace 8 can now be used within one of multiple, separated TDM SyncBus connections.
In such a case, there are no checks whether a certain TDM signal channels is already occupied.
Version 2.80:
-
New: ASIO Sample Format Emulation. Some ASIO applications are not fully compatible with the sample formats required by the
ASIO 2.2 standard. Thus, you may get empty recordings or playbacks of silence.
In your ASIO application you can open driver's ASIO settings. There we introduce a new option called
"Sample Format Handling: Emulate 32-Bit Integer for incompatible ASIO applications". Enable this option if you
encounter such kind of problems. Please note: only if this option is not active you experience the full performance
of the ASIO-in-Hardware feature of the Trace and Seraph series.
Version 2.70:
Version 2.69:
Version 2.68:
Version 2.67:
Version 2.66:
Version 2.65:
-
After changing the operation mode, manager's system menu now gets restored completely
-
The function "Play test tone" now uses the correct playback device 1-2. No erroneous error messages anymore.
Version 2.64:
-
The level settings for Windows recording devices are now connected with the DSP/the gain controller of the card.
Thus, changes of the recording level are now made in hardware. This also affects programs like Audacity which use
the volume/level settings of Windows for their own purposes.
-
Problem solved: possible, permanent output level attenuation by -3 dB when Windows™ mixer is used.
Version 2.63:
Version 2.62:
- Possible problems with playback/recording via MME and DirectSound in multi-channel operation removed.
Version 2.61:
- First official release for Windows™ 8
- One driver package for all supported Windows™ versions (see System
Requirements)
- Possible problems with playback/recording via MME and DirectSound with earlier
versions of the 64 bit driver removed.
7. Operation in Windows™ Vista / Windows™ 7 / Windows™ 8.x / Windows™ 10
On Windows™ Vista / Windows™ 7 / Windows™ 8.x / Windows™ 10 audio applications, who do not
use ASIO or WSAPI, are not able to set a certain samplerate or sample
format. Instead, sample rate and sample format is set in the advanced
settings of an audio device in the Windows™ control panel. This leads to the
following:
- If the desired samplerate of an audio application is not
equal to the current set samplerate, a samplerate conversion with
possibly an audible loss of quality will be the result!
- In order to use multipe audio devices with a certain samplerate, you have to
change the sample format with the advanced settings of an audio device in the
Windows™ Control Panel. You can change these settings only for each single device
consecutively. Thus, intricacies may appear because your MARIAN sound card can
operate with one sample rate at one time only and Windows™ starts an recording
from >all< recording devices with the actual sample format as soon you change to
the recording tab. That's why we strongly recommend to use our free of charge
tool "MaDevPropW7+" which you can use to set the sample format for all MARIAN
audio devices at once. You find this tool on your installation disk or you can
download it here:
http://drivers.marian.de/madevpropw7+.zip. Please pay attention to our hints
in "readme.txt".
Audio applications, who do not use ASIO or direct WDM-Audio,
now communicate with Microsoft MME or Microsoft WDM Audio drivers instead
of communicate with the MARIAN drivers directly. The Microsoft drivers in
turn communicate with the MARIAN drivers.
For audio applications, who use these Microsoft drivers, apply:
- They can playback simultaneously using one playback device.
The Microsoft Kernel Mixer mixes the playback signals of the applications
into one stereo stream and routes it to one physical output device. If
playback takes place with different samplerate, the Microsoft Kernel Mixer
converts the samplerate of the playback streams to the highest samperate
required.
Hint: You can improve the quality of this conversion! (See Control
Panel | Sounds and Audio Devices | Audio | Sound Playback | Advanced |
System Performance)
- The described simultaneous playback of
different applications fails, if the output device is already in use by
ASIO or direct WDM-Audio.
- The number of the available recording and playback devices is
limited. With Windows™ XP/Vista/7 to 32 devices each (64 channels)
This limitation applies to the number of all audio devices installed
in the system.
You can use ASIO to walk around this limitation.
- The
minimum possible latency is limited to app. 20..30ms through the Microsoft
Kernel Mixer architecture.
Use ASIO to walk around this limitation.
- Some audio applications show additional audio devices with
theirs names appended by "(3+4)" or "(5+6)". This is caused by an anomaly
of the Microsoft MME/DirectSound system. Please ignore these devices and
do not use them.
(c)
MARIAN GmbH Digital Audio Electronics, Leipzig 03/02/2017