Support Report:Xpander Hot Sheet, Plus Windows News

UAD Xpander Intro

UAD Xpander Getting Started

UAD Xpander Safe Removal

UAD Xpander Operational Guidelines

UAD Xtenda

UAD Xpander Hot Sheet
By James Cigler

Hello Xpander fans, and welcome to another edition of “What the heck is this Xpander thing anyway!?” In addition to the info from last month’s Support Report (yes, please read it, too, if you haven’t), I’d like to go over some of the latest information about the Xpander as it stands with our most recent software release, v4.7.1. I'll also showcase some clips from the Xpander QuickStart video, starring our A/V Product Manager, Mr. Dave Crane (whom you may recognize from such films as “Mid Side Mastering with the Fairchild 670 Compressor” and “Using the UAD Neve 33609 Buss Compressor, Part 1”).

• UAD-Xpander runs on Windows Notebook computers only under Windows Vista. Windows XP is not supported with Notebook computers.
• The Xpander can only be used under Windows XP on PCIe Desktop systems via the UAD-Xtenda adapter, which is available for purchase at my.uaudio.com for $99.
• System Sleep is not officially supported when using UAD-Xpander under Windows. System Sleep should be disabled while the UAD-Xpander is connected to ensure reliability:
• To disable Sleep in Windows: In Control Panel>Performance and Maintenance>Power Options>Power Scheme panel, set the Power Scheme to "Always On.”
• To disable Sleep in when the Notebook lid is closed: In Control Panel>Performance and Maintenance>Power Options: Click the "Change when the computer sleeps" option on the left side of the screen, then select "Never."

All Platforms:

• Install the UAD Powered Plug-Ins software (v4.7.1 or higher) before connecting the Xpander hardware. This ensures that the UAD drivers are installed and ready to recognize the Xpander once it’s connected.
• The Xpander hardware must be connected and powered up before booting the computer. View the UAD-Xpander PDF user manual, or the “UAD Xpander Getting Started” video, for instructions.
• Do not remove the UAD ExpressCard or UAD Link Cable, or turn off the Xpander, while the Xpander is connected to an active computer, unless the ExpressCard is properly powered down. View the UAD-Xpander PDF user manual, or the “UAD Xpander Safe Removal” video, for instructions.
• The UAD ExpressCard/34 may be used in an ExpressCard/54 slot. See the “UAD Xpander Intro” video for more details.
• The PCIe UAD-Xtenda is a PCIe to ExpressCard Adapter that allows you to also use the UAD Xpander on your desktop Mac or PC like any other UAD card, up to a maximum of 4 UAD DSP units (whether UAD card or Xpander chassis). See the “UAD Xtenda” video for more details.
• UAD-Xpander cannot be used with desktop computers that have only PCI or PCI-X slots because a PCI or PCI-X ExpressCard adapter is not available.

The latest (as in, “all this stuff is old news and the Xpander can now also bake you muffins”) Xpander software updates and up-to-date support information are available on our web site.

Latest Windows News
By Jor Van Gelder

New in v4.7.1: Sonar Compatibility Mode!
In v4.7.1 of the UAD-1 Powered Plug-Ins software, the UAD-1 Meter Configuration panel has now added Sonar Compatibility Mode. If you are a Sonar user, activating this option will provide optimum performance and prevent high host-CPU usage when UAD plug-ins are used ("CPU munching").

• For optimum compatibility, the latest version of Sonar 6 is highly recommended.
• We do not recommended activating this option when using other host applications.

Windows XP Driver Installation Failure--Code 37
UAD-1 card driver installation may fail on some Windows XP 32-bit systems with the following symptoms: Setup will complete successfully, but upon reboot the Windows Device Manager will display an exclamation point on the UAD-1 DSP card. Device properties reports "Windows cannot initialize the device driver for this hardware. (Code 37)," and the UAD software reports ""Unable to communicate with UAD Hardware."

This is a Windows XP-related issue and Microsoft has supplied us with a simple fix for affected users. If you are experiencing this problem, please contact UAD support.

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