HDSPe PCI Express Card

In the year 2001, RME started a revolution in mobile audio recording: the HDSP System, consisting of a PCI or CardBus card plus an external I/O-box. It was the first audio system that could operate on both desktops and laptops. In fact, it was the first professional multitrack system for notebooks at all. Thanks to continuing firmware and driver updates it has remained a cutting-edge product, still offering top-notch performance, enjoying great popularity among those who have incorporated it into their computer-based workstations.

The PCI Express card uses RME's own audio bus, already known from the PCI version, operating in combination with Multiface II, Multiface, Digiface, and the RPM DJ interface. All users of RME interfaces can easily expand their system so that it operates with the latest and fastest PCI Express computers and Windows Vista, not losing all the money formerly invested in audio hardware.

RME's HDSPe PCI Card is not based on a PCI to PCI Express bridge, which would simply add PCIe to existing PCI technology. It is a genuine PCI Express solution, which consequently takes full advantage of the format, achieving significant performance gains in multitrack audio. RME's flash update technology ensures future firmware improvements, adjustments, and bugfixes to be installed easily at any time.

The PCI Express interface of the HDSPe system is based on the PCI Express Base Specification v 1.1. It represents a 1-Lane PCI Express Endpoint Device and supports 2.5 Gbps line speed. Thanks to the packet-based full duplex communication, the card provides a transfer rate of up to 500 MB/s - 250 MB/s in each direction.

The connection between PCI Express card and I/O box is established using ordinary FireWire cable (IEEE 1394, 6-pin). The data transfer does not use FireWire protocol, but RME's own proprietary bus protocol. The supplied cable is 12 feet long. The PCIe card operates as power supply for the attached I/O-box (Digiface, Multiface, Multiface II, RPM) over the FireWire cable.