Fw 410 Sw Rtn Control Panel Issue, M-Audio Firewire 410 Control Interface Options

[sethjacquay]

I am having a problem with my M-Audio Firewire 410, it
could be due to my lack of knowledge, but I am in
need of major assistance. So if anyone could help me
it would be much appreciated.

I had some how set my FW 410 up so that it had a software return
going through 1/2, but last night I decided that I would
play around with it and see if I could get the software
returns to go through both 1/2 and 3/4.

Like a moron I didn't save my current setup.

At anyrate, I hit the RESET button on the control panel/interface
and now I can't figure out how to get any of the software returns working.

The unit appears to be working fine and I can route the analog inputs to
all the output channels 1/2,3/4,5/6, and 7/8 but the software returns
aren't getting activated. The manual is a piece of crap, and I emailed
M-Audio support, but it could be a couple of days before they respond.

1. So can anyone tell me with certainty how to activate the software returns
from the control interface?

2. What are the Aux L/R Send knobs at the top of the each output
and software return in the control interface? And what do they do?

3. Considering that I have clicked and turned everything in almost
every conceivable way in the control interface, would it help if I
turned the FW410 off, uninstalled the driver, then reinstalled and
rebooted?

4. Has anyone had any similar issues? Would anything interfere
with the software returns. Say a USB device?

My computer is working great and the
FW410 is receiving input and output properly.

iMac G4 800 Mhz Flat Panel, 512 RAM, and external 7200 RPM 120GB HD.
Mac OS 10.3.2, Live 3, Garageband, and Soundtrack.

Let me know if you have any information that could be of assistance.

[sethjacquay]

Okay, after reading the manual throughly and with an un-angered mind.
It appears that all of this was due to my lack of knowledge.

Not that the control interface isn't a little confusing or the
manual written in a rather awkward style, but my whole concept
of what Software Returns are seems to be incorrect.

Apparently the software returns are RETURNING the sound from
the open Software Music Application back to the FW410.
I was so fixated on getting them to work first without any
music apps open and this is why they probably weren't working.

Tonight I will test my new found knowledge.

Reading the manual, at the very least, sort of cleared up
my concept of what the FW410 is supposed to be doing.

[sethjacquay]

Okay, now that I am home, I can say with some conviction the following:

a. I am partially learning disabled
b. Nothing was wrong with my FW410 or my mac

Great news right!
On top of all this is the news that while waiting
on hold for the M-Audio Tech Support I answered
my final question by myself...

How to create two line inputs on separate mono channels in Live 3?

The key to understanding all of this is simple the realization
that the M-Audio Audio Control Interface doesn't (normally)
effect the input into you Music Software (Garageband, Live 3, etc).
Shows what a clear head and sleep can do!

If you want to know how to here are the directions:

1. Hook your two microphones into the Firewire 410.
Use the control interface just to verify that the Firewire 410 is working properly.

2. Open Live 3. Go to Live --> Preferences --> Audio
and set the Input Device to Firewire 410.

3. Close the Preferences and go to the Session View.
Click the Bus View Chooser(looks like a Bus in the bottom
right corner)...select Input...click the Link button
so that it is deactivated.

4. Now set the In Types on Track 1 and Track 2
to Live In

5. Finally set the In Channels on Track 1 and Track 2
to Channel 1 and Channel 2 respectively.

And now you have two mono input channels recording to separate tracks.

I understand that if you are a pro this is child's play, but
I am just staring out and would have loved for someone to
post this information online for me to answer my own questions with.

So in summarization:
I am running M-Audio Firewire 410 on my iMac G4 800Mhz running Mac OS
10.3.2 with 512 RAM & a 120 GB external 7200 RPM Firewire HD. And
the Firewire 410 is running wonderfully, no complaints.