4
NOTE: not all USB connections on a comp ter are eq al. USB does not have a g aranteed
latency mode, so for a real time task like a dio delivery, it is important to connect the Alpha
USB interface to a lightly loaded h b. All USB devices and where they are connected can be
seen nder “Abo t This Mac” nder the Apple Men . Click on it, and then on “More Info”,
which la nches the system profiler. Click on “USB” nder Hardware to see the f ll list.
Windows PC Computers
Microsoft has not yet s pplied a driver conforming to the USB 2.0 High Speed a dio interface
standard. Therefore Microsoft Windows PC’s req ire the Alpha USB Windows driver which
works with Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 8.1 and 10. Vista is not recommended. Windows 7, 8 and
10 f nction well as an a dio server and are preferred over XP.
To install the Windows driver, insert the Alpha USB Windows Driver CD, view its contents,
open the AlphaUSB_Windows_Driver_1v26b folder, and r n setup.exe.
NOTE: For Windows 8, 8.1 and 10, the 1v26b version of the Alpha USB Windows driver
will install and operate without issues but Windows 7 compatibility mode must be used
for the installation.
Using Windows 7 compatibility installation mode:
Right click on the driver’s setup.exe icon, select Properties from the context al men then
click on the Compatibility tab. In the Compatibility section, select the un this program in
compatibility mode for: check box and select Windows 7 from the drop-down list. Click on
the OK b tton and then r n setup.exe.
Follow the onscreen instr ctions, which incl de connecting the Alpha USB to a USB port, and,
s ally, exiting any Microsoft Wizard that tries to do things a tomatically. D ring the
installation two dialog boxes may appear warning that Microsoft has not blessed the software.
Click on the Install Anyway b tton in both cases.
Windows compatible m sic players s ch as JRiver Media Center sho ld be sed to provide
bit-perfect o tp t. Windows Media Player is not recommended.
For Windows XP, ASIO m st be sed to connect the m sic player to the USB o tp t to get bit
perfect data. The Alpha USB ASIO driver identifies itself as “TUSBa dio ASIO driver” in the
m sic player’s o tp t select set p dialog. A “Kernel Streaming” o tp t may also appear. Do
not select it. Kernel streaming is an experimental protocol that is only loosely specified, and it
does not work with the Alpha USB. JRiver Media Center, Media Monkey and Foobar all
s pport ASIO for Windows XP.
For Windows 7, 8 and 10 the preferred connection is WASAPI. It provides low-overhead, bit-
perfect data o tp t with a tomatic sample rate switching, and works very well. Media Monkey
3 does not s pport WASAPI so JRiver Media Center sho ld be sed with Windows 7, 8 and
10. When sing JRiver Media Center 15 or later, WASAPI - Event Style o tp t mode sho ld be
sed.
