End of the line on Mac?

[Craighuddy]

Anyone get if-DMmkii up and running on Big Sur? The last few updates on Catalina have warned me about software from Teac not being compatible going forward. Not sure if that was the driver or the DM app. Anyone give it a try on the beta?

 

[Clinter]

I've kept a bootable drive running High Sierra so that I can keep using Logic and my DM-4800. I'm quite happy with that arrangement.

 

[auditorycanvas]

I was running Mojave ok until I recently got a new macbook pro 16, that required Catalina and couldn't go backwards to Mojave, thankfully, when I did a migration from my old machine to the new one, the firewire card continued to run fine. The DM app wouldn't due to being 32 bit, but I never used it.

Today I took a backup in case of incompatibilities, and then upgraded to Big Sur to test if it worked...I didn't expect it to, but was pleasantly surprised when I found it worked fine! Fired up a few DAWs to test, and it works as it should.

I did get a warning on boot, that said it may not work in future versions of MacOS, so not sure if that's a Big Sur update down the road, or the next major version of MacOS, but for now it works.

I'm curious if it's the same for the new M1 Macs, though I'm guessing not?

 

[hip808]

Yes, IF-DMmkII runs perfectly on my old 2014 Macbook which is recently upgraded to Big Sur. Like above, DM app no longer works since Catalina. FYI, automation (Logic and Ableton Live) via USB runs perfectly too.

I am thinking to get a M1 Macbook Pro. As the old DM installation app (32-bit) will not work, does anyone know how to transfer IF-DMmkII and USB drivers from my current Mac to the new M1 Mac? I have seen some people talking about KEXT but I haven't seen the detailed instructions yet. Appreciated if anyone can shred more ideas.

 

[auditorycanvas]

I don't think it will work on the M1 chips. Aside from having to faf around with startup security etc, the kexts need to support Arm64e, which I doubt the Tascam kext does. I just upgraded my 15" to the 16" intel for that reason, before they disappear. May as well get a few more years out of this DM4800.

More info here: https://eclecticlight.co/2020/12/15/extensions-big-sur-and-m1-macs/

 

[waterstrum]

I'm very confident that solutions will be found.
Just call Apple and stay on the phone ...... they do hear requests.
I'm thinking the user base for our DM boards is worth their attention.
The actual software rewrite is trivial.
Hope we can get Apple on board.

 

[ron moon]

any news about Big Sur / IF-DMmkII ? My card is unfortunately ' off line ' since the upgrade to Big Sur. Found an old card (IF-DM) and this one works fine (but is max 48k / 24 in/out).
strange that an old card works and a newer model not..

 

[Santiago Mora]

Yes, IF-DMmkII runs perfectly on my old 2014 Macbook which is recently upgraded to Big Sur. Like above, DM app no longer works since Catalina. FYI, automation (Logic and Ableton Live) via USB runs perfectly too.

How did you to work the if-dm-mk2 with big sur?

I am thinking to get a M1 Macbook Pro. As the old DM installation app (32-bit) will not work, does anyone know how to transfer IF-DMmkII and USB drivers from my current Mac to the new M1 Mac? I have seen some people talking about KEXT but I haven't seen the detailed instructions yet. Appreciated if anyone can shred more ideas.

 

[ManoucheTunes]

Got it running on BigSur. Works perfect. You need the App: Play on mac.

 

[ManoucheTunes]

you have to copy the Tascam FW Kext in the Kext Folder.

 

[Santiago Mora]

Have you the kext file? Please?

 

[ManoucheTunes]

PM me.

 

[ManoucheTunes]

For FW kext you don-t need playonmac.

 

[ManoucheTunes]

yes.

 

[Santiago Mora]

Wow thank you. I`ll write you

 

[Les Mayo]

I'm at a crossroads...

I have a 2017 Intel Mac but I have a lot of projects with plug-ins (synths, fx) that aren't updated anymore and there's the situation with getting the tascam to work with m1 and m2 macs.

Can anyone tell me the latest version of Mac OS that works with USB and Tascam automation? Does it actually work with any new mac m1, m2?

Apparently the fw card doesn't work with m1 and m2 s even though it is seen by os x.

So I could connect tascam DM4800 by USB to a new m1/M2 Mac to USE the automation and buy some other interface and run tascam inputs thru to direct outs/adat and on the new audio interface connected to my mac to be able to have this mix and match system?

Any advice and examples of solutions/gear people have made/bought to solve this problem?

I love my dm4800 and wouldn't want to give it up....

 

[Les Mayo]

Chat GPT4 answered some of my questions

"There are several ADAT-capable soundcards with digital I/O that would be suitable for routing audio from the Tascam DM-4800's direct outs to your DAW on a Macintosh M1 computer. Here are a few options to consider:

1. Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 (3rd Gen): This interface has 8 channels of ADAT I/O and can be used to expand the number of inputs and outputs on your system. It also has a range of analog inputs and outputs, as well as MIDI I/O. It is compatible with Macintosh M1 computers and comes with a suite of software plugins.
   
   
2. PreSonus Studio 1824c: This interface has 8 channels of ADAT I/O and can be used to expand your system's input and output capabilities. It also has a range of analog inputs and outputs, as well as MIDI I/O. It is compatible with Macintosh M1 computers and comes with a suite of software plugins.
   
   
3. Audient iD44: This interface has 2 channels of ADAT I/O and can be used to expand your system's input and output capabilities. It also has a range of analog inputs and outputs, as well as MIDI I/O. It is compatible with Macintosh M1 computers and comes with a suite of software plugins.
   
   
4. RME Babyface Pro FS: This interface has 2 channels of ADAT I/O and can be used to expand your system's input and output capabilities. It also has a range of analog inputs and outputs, as well as MIDI I/O. It is compatible with Macintosh M1 computers and comes with a suite of software plugins.
   

These are just a few options to consider, but there are many other ADAT-capable soundcards on the market that may fit your specific needs and budget. Be sure to research each interface thoroughly before making a purchase to ensure that it is compatible with your system and can handle the number of inputs and outputs you require."


Chat GPT also answered a driver question
We really need to try to get this done. And actually we should check if there would be someone in the hackintosh community/forums willing to help us.

"Converting a 32-bit Tascam DM-4800 IF-FW/DMKII driver to a 64-bit version is a complex process that involves expertise in programming, hardware design, and the specific hardware requirements of the device. Unfortunately, it's not as simple as just modifying the existing driver to make it compatible with a 64-bit operating system.

There are a few things you could try to make the existing 32-bit driver work on a 64-bit system:

1. Enable "legacy" mode: Some 64-bit operating systems, including macOS, have a "legacy" mode that allows 32-bit drivers to work. To enable this mode on macOS, you can follow these steps:

• Click on the Apple menu and select "About This Mac"
• Click on "System Report"
• In the left-hand menu, click on "Software"
• Look for "64-bit (Intel)" in the list of applications and drivers
• If you see "No" next to the driver you want to use, then it's not 64-bit compatible
• If you see "Yes" but the driver isn't working, try enabling legacy mode by opening the Terminal and typing the following command: sudo nvram boot-args="arch=x86_64"

1. Use virtualization: You could run a virtual machine with a 32-bit operating system, such as Windows XP or 32-bit Linux, and install the 32-bit driver within the virtual machine. This would allow you to use the hardware with a 64-bit operating system. However, this solution is not ideal for real-time applications or low-latency audio recording.
   
   
2. Contact Tascam support: Finally, you could reach out to Tascam customer support and ask if they have a 64-bit driver available, or if they have any recommendations for getting the hardware to work on a 64-bit system.
   

Keep in mind that modifying hardware drivers can be a complex and potentially risky process. If you're not comfortable with advanced computer troubleshooting, it's best to seek the assistance of a professional who has experience with this type of issue."

 

[ManoucheTunes]

I"m on BigSur with a FW card and my DM4800 works perfectly. M1 Macs I have no idea if it works.

 

[Bus Buster]

I have #3 (Audient id44) for 16 channels of ADAT Lightpipe. It will be compatible with whatever Apple silicon I end up getting, so I’m happy with that. I could add even more channels with another interface and ADAT card(s). Plenty of options out there to keep multichannel digital I/O alive with the DMs and the latest computers and interfaces.