# RCF/Mackie/EAW DX8 with DX10e expansion card



## LightTamer (Apr 26, 2012)

Hi guys!

So, my school has a Mackie DX 8 with the DX10e installed. We were considering replacing it with an Ashly, but when i dug into the firmware and looked up specs of the thing, it turns out this guy is more than capable of doing what we need it to. The problem is this, though. 

I can't find the software to interface with the expansion card. Anywhere. I can find software for the DX8, but not the expansion card, and the DX8 software doesn't control the card. Mackie has a page for it, but they only link to a demo of the software... does anyone know where i may be able to find the full version of the software? 

Thanks for any and all help. Feel free to ask questions if you need to.


----------



## avkid (Apr 26, 2012)

Have you called EAW support?


----------



## LightTamer (Apr 26, 2012)

I did, but the person i needed wasn't available. They did refer me to another company that then said that the DX810 software should work with the DX8 with the 10e card, so i'll see how well that works tomorrow... I did try the 810 software, but it wouldn't go online, and it didn't seem to want to update the firmware either.


----------



## museav (Apr 27, 2012)

LightTamer said:


> I did, but the person i needed wasn't available. They did refer me to another company that then said that the DX810 software should work with the DX8 with the 10e card, so i'll see how well that works tomorrow... I did try the 810 software, but it wouldn't go online, and it didn't seem to want to update the firmware either.


That fun "Is it Mackie, EAW or EAW Commercial?" period. That may make it more challenging as many of the people and relationships involved then have changed.

It sounds like you found the DX810 software, which means you probably found www.eaw.com - /info/EAW_Commercial/Digital_Products/DX810/. The connection is a 'standard' straight through or pin-to-pin DB9-to-DB9 serial cable rather than a null modem cable. The default is to have the serial port used be COM1, but your computer could be configured differently or somebody may have changed that in the past, if so the manual at the site linked addresses how to change that.

You may need to update the firmware first and may need to do so before going online, www.eaw.com - /info/EAW_Commercial/Digital_Products/DX810/Software/ has several versions of the software and firmware as well as some related instructions.


----------



## LightTamer (Apr 27, 2012)

I'm thinking it's an issue with the serial link, but i don't know what it would be... I'm using a Keyspan USB-Serial converter. It seems to send data, but the DSP doesn't receive it... I'm sure it's a configuration issue, but i don't know where to start...


----------



## museav (Apr 28, 2012)

LightTamer said:


> I'm thinking it's an issue with the serial link, but i don't know what it would be... I'm using a Keyspan USB-Serial converter. It seems to send data, but the DSP doesn't receive it... I'm sure it's a configuration issue, but i don't know where to start...


Many people have had difficulties with various serial cards and converters, one reason I kept my Dell D810 laptop with a real serial port as long as I did.


----------



## everlast97 (Mar 25, 2017)

I know this is coming late on the post, and possibly resolved by now. Just wanted to share my recent experience with a similar product. We use a Mackie Industrial DX8 with the DX10e expansion module. Been installed since 2006. Recently the box has been putting out a crackle or hash onto the system resembling a bad cable. We didn't have the software either and downloaded several versions from EAW. We were able to flash the firmware with the 2.2 DX8 version from EAW, and then flash the firmware with the 3.2 DX810 software. This allowed us to adjust all of the outputs and use the new features for the 3.2 version software. Note we did try to flash it initially with the 3.0 or 3.2 software, and both of these failed. Only by flashing the 2.2 firware then loading the new firmware did we have success.

http://eaw.com/docs/2_Legacy_Products/Processors/DX/DX8_810/


----------

