# Important Hints to the Trace AES42 driver version 2.32 for Windows 2000/XP/2003/Vista/7

1. System Requirements
2. New Installation
3. Driver Update

4. Driver Uninstall
5. What's new

6. Version Compatibility

7. Operation in Windows Vista and Windows 7
8. MME, WDM-Audio and DirectSound
8. Software Sampler and Synthesizers

## 1. System Requirements

- Microsoft Windows 2000 SP3, Windows XP, Windows 2003 Server, Windows Vista, Windows 2008 Server, Windows 7 each with the 32-bit version
- Microsoft DirectX 9b

## 2. New Driver Installation

### 2.1 Windows 2000

- Start your PC after installing your hardware.
- Log in using administrator privileges.
- Windows automatically recognizes at startup the newly installed device and starts the Hardware Wizard.
- During the start of Windows the Hardware Wizard searches for new drivers. Click "Next" to start the search.
- Enable the “Search for the best driver for your device” option and confirm by clicking "Next".
- Insert the supplied CD in your CD-ROM drive.
- Confirm the next dialog with „Next“
- Confirm the next window also with „Next“
- Ignore the message „Digital signature not found“ and continue the installation with „Yes“
- 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 finishing the installation click "Finish”.
- In some cases, the installer has to change some windows settings which need a restart. Please restart windows, if the installer requests it.

### 2.2 Windows XP/2003

- 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“.
- Ignore the next message and click „Continue“
- 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 the message "Windows can't verify the publisher of this driver software" click on "Install this driver software anyway".
- 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 7 does not start the installation of new found hardware automatically. Thus, 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 the message "Windows can't verify the publisher of this driver software" click on "Install this driver software anyway".
- 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.

## 3. Driver Update

- Unzip the driver update package ("t42-nt6-2322.zip") with the included subdirectory structure to any folder.
- Uninstall the driver software like described in "Driver Uninstall".
- Restart Windows

### 3.1 Windows 2000/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. When the Hardware Wizard states "... has not passed the Windows Logo testing" then click „Continue Anyway“
- 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 AES42. 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 and will have to be finished with a restart of the PC-system.
- Subsequently to a successful firmware update, Microsoft Windows™ 2000/XP will find a new hardware after reboot, since the hardware ID of the Trace AES42 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 the message "Windows can't verify the publisher of this driver software" click on "Install this driver software anyway".
- 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 AES42. 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 and will have to be finished with a restart of the PC-system.

### 3.3 Windows 7

- 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 the message "Windows can't verify the publisher of this driver software" click on "Install this driver software anyway".
- 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 AES42. 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 and will have to be finished with a restart of the PC-system.

## 4. Driver Uninstall

You can uninstall the driver software using the program "Trace42Ui.exe". The most recent version of this program can you find on the installation disk or in installation package in folder "en" and on the harddisk in the folder "\windows\system32".

### 4.1 Windows 2000/XP/2003

- Ensure you are logged on with administrator privileges
- Start "Trace42Ui.exe" and follow its instructions.
- After that program has finished its work, please restart Windows.

### 4.2 Windows Vista/2008/Windows 7

- 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 AES42" and choose "Uninstall".
- In the next dialog activate the option "Delete the driver software for this device" and start the uninstall with "Ok".
- Now start "Trace42Ui.exe" mit a right-click on the program file follows by a click on "Run as administrator". Acknowledge the warning of the User Account Control with "Allow".
- Now follow the instructions of the uninstaller.
- After the Uninstaller has finished, you only have to restart Windows if you want to install another driver.

## 5. What's new

### Version 2.32:

- First Public Release
- This Version does not support AES42 Mode 2 operation (Mic is clock slave of Trace AES42)
- Limitited Multi-Client-Functionality: if you want to use additional audio applications simulaneously with your ASIO application, using the same card(s), please take care to start the ASIO application first! Using two ASIO applications simultaneously on the same card(s) is not possibly with this version.

## 6. Version Compatibility

- If you use several Trace Sound Systems with one computer, please do not use different driver versions. First, uninstall older driver versions - then install the new drivers with the same driver version.

## 7. Operation in Windows™ Vista / Windows 7

On Windows™ Vista / Windows 7 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!
- When using an audio device of the sound system with the samplreate x and additionally attempting to use another device but with a samplerate y, an error message will appear, since the soundcard may only be used with one samplerate at a time. Unlike Windows 2000/XP, Windows Vista/7 undertakes no sample rate conversion in this case!
- In order to operate several devices with a certain samplerate, this samplerate has to be set up in the advanced settings of an audio device in the windows control panel for each device separately. As concluded from the previous point – no device of the soundsystem should be in use, or else a change will be rejected!
- If you want to set the sample format for the audio devices, first start with the playback devices and afterwards with the recording devices. Background: When you open the tab "Recording", Vista/7 starts a recording with each recording device in the list to be able to show the input levels. In this case your MARIAN Audio System is in use with a certain sample rate! If you now change back to the tab "Playback", Vista/7 wil not stop the recording and a change to different sample rate for a playback device will fail.

## 7. MME, WDM-Audio and DirectSound

Audio applications, who do not use ASIO, GSIF or direct WDM-Audio, now communicate with Microsoft MME or Microsoft DirectSound 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, GSIF or direct WDM-Audio.
- The number of the available recording and playback devices is limited:
  - under Windows 2000 to 10 devices each (20 channels)
  - under Windows XP to 32 devices each (64 channels)
  This limitation applies to the number of all audio devices installed in the system.
  You can use ASIO or GSIF to walk around this limitation.
- The minimum possible latency is limited to app. 20..30ms through the Microsoft Kernel Mixer architecture.
  Use ASIO or GSIF to walk around this limitation.
- Microsoft DirectSound or Microsoft MME devices (MME via WDM-Audio) does not work with the driver's options for start/stop synchronization. Activate the options "Synchron" and "SyncBus Synchron" only, if you use ASIO or GSIF. Else the entire WDM-Audio system may "freeze". This issue can not be compensated by our software.
- 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.

## 8. Software Sampler and Synthesizers

Software samplers and synthesizers normally supply MIDI output devices for other audio applications who want to use the software sampler as an instrument. If such an application starts, then normally this application opens the MIDI output devices and this in turn causes the software sampler to initialize its audio engine with the configured audio outputs.
THIS OCCURS EVEN IF YOU HAVE NOT STARTED THE SOFTWARE SAMPLER APPLICATION.

In the described situation the software sampler and the other audio application may conflict, if they use the same audio output. You can use the Trace AES42 with different audio applications at the same time but never the same output device simultaneously.

Therefore this hint:

- First start the software sampler/synthesizer and setup an audio output device which will NOT be used by the other audio application. Start the audio application (sequencer) afterwards.
- If you start an ASIO or GSIF application the first time, then it will use the device "Trace AES42 1-2" for recording and playback.

The Windows Multimedia System also supplies a software synthesizer called "Microsoft GS Wavetable SW Synth". This synthesizer has also a MIDI output port with the same name. Since there is no explicit setup for the output device, the "Microsoft GS Wavetable SW Synth" always uses the standard playback device configured in "Control Panel | Sounds and Multimedia | Audio".

(c) MARIAN GmbH Digital Audio Electronics, Leipzig 04-19-2011