Device Manager

    Introduction 

    Device Manager is a macOS menu bar app that provides control of your CODEX Media and Media Stations. These controls include Eject, Erase and Format, as well as status information on your CODEX Media.

    For some CODEX Media Stations, Device Manager software is required in order to mount CODEX Media on your Desktop (see Compatible CODEX Media Stations below).

    For all CODEX Media Stations, Device Manager can enable High Density Encoding (HDE) for ARRIRAW.

    Compatible CODEX Media Stations

    All CODEX Media Stations are compatible with Device Manager if they are still supported products. This can be checked using the CODEX End of Life Products page.

    The following CODEX Media Stations require Device Manager to be installed:

    Media stationConnectionProduct code
    SXR Capture Drive DockThunderbolt 3CDX-75013-1
    SXR Capture Drive DockThunderbolt 2CDX-75013 and CDX-75014
    Transfer Drive DockDual Thunderbolt 3CX.0001063
    Capture + Transfer Drive (Classic) DockThunderbolt 3CDX-62103-3
    Transfer Drive (Classic) DockThunderbolt 3CDX-62103-2
    XR Capture Drive DockThunderbolt 1CDX-7513
    XR Capture Drive DockUSB-3CDX-7510, CDX-75102, CDX-75112
    Dual XR Capture Drive DockSASCDX-5513, CDX-75002, CDX-7500
    Desktop Transfer StationSAS

    Compatible macOS versions

    Device Manager is a macOS application. There is currently no support for Windows.


    macOS Version Compatibility
    macOS VersionMinimum Device Manager VersionMaximum Device Manager Version
    macOS 15 Sequoia7.3.2Latest
    macOS 14 Sonoma7.2.0Latest
    macOS 13 Ventura7.0.4Latest
    macOS 12 Monterey6.0.17.3.4
    macOS 11 Big Sur5.2.07.1.2
    macOS 10.15 Catalina5.2.05.2.0

    Download Device Manager Software

    Device Manager software can be downloaded from the CODEX Software Downloads page.

    Installing Device Manager

    This section includes installation guides for Apple Silicon and Intel based Macs for either macOS 12 Monterey and below, or macOS 13 Ventura or above.

    Apple Silicon - macOS 15 Sequoia | macOS 14 Sonoma | macOS 13 Ventura

    System requirements:

    • Apple Mac computer running macOS 15, macOS 14 or macOS 13.
    • 125.6MB disk space for Codex Platform with Device Manager, including all required and optional drivers.
    • CODEX Media Station, such as Capture Drive Dock or Compact Drive Reader USB-C.

    Download Device Manager Software

    Device Manager software can be downloaded from the CODEX Software Downloads page.

    Installation

    The steps below must be completed in order for the CODEX Platform and Device Manager software to function correctly.

    Open the downloaded .pkg file. Follow the installer prompts to proceed with software installation.

    Any items that are not already installed will be selected by default, with the exception of the ATTO SAS driver. If using a Transfer Drive Dock (Classic), the ATTO SAS driver is required. Original models of the Transfer Drive Dock (Classic) require the H608 driver, and the latest Transfer Drive Dock (Classic) require the H1208GT driver. If you are unsure which driver is needed for your Transfer Drive Dock (Classic), then please install both ATTO drivers. The Dual XR Capture Drive Dock (SAS) also requires the ATTO SAS driver H608.



    For new installations you will be prompted to open System Settings > Privacy & Security to allow the software to run:



    Click Open System Settings to access System Settings > Privacy & Security and scroll down the page to the Security section.

    *If you have not installed Device Manager (or other software using System Extensions) previously, then you will need to Enable System Extensions. See the Enabling System Extensions section below. If you have already enabled system extensions, then please skip to the Allowing System Extensions in System Settings section.

    Enabling System Extensions

    CODEX Device Manager uses System Extensions to integrate with macOS for low level access to hardware devices, such as CODEX Compact Drive Readers.

    Click the Enable System Extensions button in the Security section of the System Settings > Privacy & Security panel.



    This will give you instructions on how to launch the Startup Security Utility and modify your security settings to enable System Extensions.



    1.  Shutdown your Mac, and then press and hold the Touch ID or power button until you enter macOS Recovery.

    2.  Select Options and then Continue.

    3.  Select your Mac’s administrator account and enter the password.

    4.  Click Utilities in the menu bar and select Startup Security Utility.

    5.  Select your startup disk and click the Security Policy button. (If the disk is encrypted with FileVault, click Unlock, enter the password, then click Unlock.)



    6.  Select the radio button next to Reduced Security. Then, check the box next to Allow user management of kernel extensions from identified developers.  

    This option will allow you to choose which developer's System Extensions you would like to allow within macOS System Settings.



    7.  Click OK and Restart

    Allowing System Extensions in System Settings

    Once your Mac has restarted, you will see a CODEX Driver Error popup. To resolve this:

    1.  Go to System Settings > Privacy & Security and scroll down to the Security section.



    2.  Click Details... next to where you see the warning Some system software requires your attention before it can be used to open a window allowing you to choose the System Extensions from the developers you would like to allow. CODEX Device Manager uses system extensions from the following developers:

    - X2X Limited (CODEX software)
    - ATTO Technology, Inc (For use with Transfer Drive Classic and Dual XR Capture Drive Dock)
    - JMicron Technology Corp (Firmware update utility for the Compact Drive Reader - USB-C)



    3.  Check the above developers and click OK.

    Enabling Full Disk Access

    CODEX Device Manager also requires Full Disk Access to be enabled in order to manage your CODEX media and media stations. During installation, you may see a popup warning asking you to open System Settings to allow Full Disk Access for drserver.



    To enable Full Disk Access, open System Settings > Privacy & Security and scroll down to the Full Disk Access section. Enable the button next to the drserver item.



    If you were not prompted to Restart at the end of the installation, then we recommend that you Restart manually.

    The Device Manager menu bar app will now be accessible from the top-right of your screen after installation.

    Apple Silicon - macOS 12 Monterey and below

    System requirements:

    • Apple Mac computer running macOS 12 or macOS 11.
    • 125.6MB disk space for Codex Platform with Device Manager, including all required and optional drivers.
    • CODEX Media Station, such as Capture Drive Dock or Compact Drive Reader USB-C.

    Download Device Manager Software

    Device Manager software can be downloaded from the CODEX Software Downloads page.

    Installation

    The steps below must be completed in order for the CODEX Platform and Device Manager software to function correctly.

    Open the downloaded .pkg file. Follow the installer prompts to proceed with software installation.

    Any items that are not already installed will be selected by default, with the exception of the ATTO SAS driver. If using a Transfer Drive Dock (Classic), the ATTO SAS driver is required. Original models of the Transfer Drive Dock (Classic) require the H608 driver, and the latest Transfer Drive Dock (Classic) require the H1208GT driver. If you are unsure which driver is needed for your Transfer Drive Dock (Classic), then please install both ATTO drivers. The Dual XR Capture Drive Dock (SAS) also requires the ATTO SAS driver H608.



    For new installations you will be prompted to Open Security Preferences to allow the software to run:



    Click Open Security Preferences to access System Preferences > Security & Privacy > General.

    *If you have not installed Device Manager (or other software using System Extensions) previously, then you will need to enable System Extensions on your Mac. See the Enabling System Extensions section below. If you have already enabled system extensions, then please skip to the Allowing System Extensions in System Preferences section.

    Enabling System Extensions

    CODEX Device Manager uses System Extensions to integrate with macOS for low level access to hardware devices, such as CODEX Compact Drive Readers.

    Click the Enable system extensions... button in System Preferences >  Security & Privacy > General.



    This will give you instructions on how to launch the Startup Security Utility and modify your security settings to enable System Extensions.



    1.  Shutdown your Mac, and then press and hold the Touch ID or power button until you enter macOS Recovery.

    2.  Select Options and then Continue.

    3.  Select your Mac’s administrator account and enter the password.

    4.  Click Utilities in the menu bar and select Startup Security Utility.

    5.  Select your startup disk and click the Security Policy button. (If the disk is encrypted with FileVault, click Unlock, enter the password, then click Unlock.)



    6.  Select the radio button next to Reduced Security. Then, check the box next to Allow user management of kernel extensions from identified developers.  

    This option will allow you to choose which developer's System Extensions you would like to allow within macOS System Settings.



    7.  Click OK and Restart

    Allowing System Extensions in System Preferences

    Once your Mac has restarted, you will see a CODEX Driver Error popup.



    To resolve this:

    1.  Go to System Preferences > Security & Privacy > General. In the lower section, you will see a warning, such as Some system software requires your attention before it can be used.



    2. Click Details... to open a window allowing you to choose the System Extensions from the developers you would like to allow. CODEX Device Manager uses system extensions from the following developers:

    - X2X Limited (CODEX software)
    - ATTO Technology, Inc (For use with Transfer Drive Classic and Dual XR Capture Drive Dock)
    - JMicron Technology Corp (Firmware update utility for the Compact Drive Reader - USB-C)



    3.  Check the above developers and click OK.

    Enabling Full Disk Access

    CODEX Device Manager also requires Full Disk Access to be enabled in order to manage your CODEX media and media stations. During installation, you may see a popup warning asking you to open System Preferences to allow Full Disk Access for drserver.



    To enable Full Disk Access, open System Preferences >  Security and Privacy > Privacy and scroll down to the Full Disk Access section. Enable the button next to the drserver item.



    If you were not prompted to Restart at the end of the installation, then we recommend you Restart manually.

    The Device Manager menu bar app will now be accessible from the top-right of your screen after installation.

    Intel - macOS 15 Sequoia | macOS 14 Sonoma | macOS 13 Ventura

    System requirements

    • Apple Mac computer running macOS 15, macOS 14 or macOS 13.
    • 125.6MB disk space for Codex Platform with Device Manager, including all required and optional drivers.
    • CODEX Media Station, such as Capture Drive Dock or Compact Drive Reader.

    Download Device Manager Software

    Device Manager software can be downloaded from the CODEX Software Downloads page.

    Installation

    The steps below must be completed in order for the CODEX Platform and Device Manager software to function correctly.

    Open the downloaded .pkg file. Follow the installer prompts to proceed with the software installation.

    Any items that are not already installed will be selected by default, with the exception of the ATTO SAS driver. If using a Transfer Drive Dock (Classic), the ATTO SAS driver is required. Original models of the Transfer Drive Dock (Classic) require the H608 driver, and the latest Transfer Drive Dock (Classic) require the H1208GT driver. If you are unsure which driver is needed for your Transfer Drive Dock (Classic), then please install both ATTO drivers. The Dual XR Capture Drive Dock (SAS) also requires the ATTO SAS driver H608.



    3.  For new installations you will be prompted to open System Settings > Privacy & Security to allow the software to run:



    Click Open System Settings to access System Settings > Privacy & Security and scroll down the page to the Security section.

    NOTE: You may see a CODEX Driver Error popup warning until you have enabled the System Extensions detailed below.



    1.  Go to System Settings > Privacy & Security and scroll down to the Security section. You will see the warning that Some system software requires your attention before it can be used. 

    2.  Click Details... to open a window allowing you to choose the System Extensions from the developers you would like to allow. CODEX Device Manager uses system extensions from the following developers:

    - X2X Limited (CODEX software)
    - ATTO Technology, Inc (For use with Transfer Drive Classic and Dual XR Capture Drive Dock)
    - JMicron Technology Corp (Firmware update utility for the Compact Drive Reader - USB-C)

    3.  Check the above developers and click OK.

    Enabling Full Disk Access

    CODEX Device Manager also requires Full Disk Access to be enabled in order to manage your CODEX media and media stations. During installation, you may see a popup warning asking you to open System Settings to allow Full Disk Access for drserver.



    To enable Full Disk Access, open System Settings > Privacy & Security and scroll down to the Full Disk Access section. Enable the button next to the drserver item.



    If you were not prompted to Restart at the end of the installation, then we recommend that you Restart manually.

    The Device Manager menu bar app will now be accessible from the top-right of your screen after installation.

    Intel - macOS 12 Monterey and below

    System requirements:

    • Apple Mac computer running macOS 12 or macOS 11.
    • 125.6MB disk space for Codex Platform with Device Manager, including all required and optional drivers.
    • CODEX Media Station, such as Capture Drive Dock or Compact Drive Reader.

    Download Device Manager Software

    Device Manager software can be downloaded from the CODEX Software Downloads page.

    Installation

    The steps below must be completed in order for the CODEX Platform and Device Manager software to function correctly.

    Open the downloaded .pkg file. Follow the installer prompts to proceed with the software installation.

    Any items that are not already installed will be selected by default, with the exception of the ATTO SAS driver. If using a Transfer Drive Dock (Classic), the ATTO SAS driver is required. Original models of the Transfer Drive Dock (Classic) require the H608 driver, and the latest Transfer Drive Dock (Classic) require the H1208GT driver. If you are unsure which driver is needed for your Transfer Drive Dock (Classic), then please install both ATTO drivers. The Dual XR Capture Drive Dock (SAS) also requires the ATTO SAS driver H608.



    For new installations you will be prompted to open Open Security Preferences to allow the software to run:



    Click Open Security Preferences to access System Preferences > Security & Privacy > General.

    *NOTE: Until you have modified your security settings, you may also see the following popup warning:



    To resolve this:

    1.  Go to System Preferences > Security & Privacy > General. In the lower section, you will see a warning, such as Some system software requires your attention before it can be used.



    2.  Click Details... to open a window allowing you to choose the System Extensions from the developers you would like to allow. CODEX Device Manager uses system extensions from the following developers:

    - X2X Limited (CODEX software)
    - ATTO Technology, Inc (For use with Transfer Drive Classic and Dual XR Capture Drive Dock)
    - JMicron Technology Corp (Firmware update utility for the Compact Drive Reader - USB-C)



    3.  Check the above developers and click OK.

    Enabling Full Disk Access

    CODEX Device Manager also requires Full Disk Access to be enabled in order to manage your CODEX media and media stations. During installation, you may see a popup warning asking you to open System Preferences to allow Full Disk Access for drserver.



    To enable Full Disk Access, open System Preferences >  Security and Privacy > Privacy and scroll down to the Full Disk Access section. Enable the button next to the drserver item.



    If you were not prompted to Restart at the end of the installation, then we recommend that you Restart manually.

    The Device Manager menu bar app will now be accessible from the top-right of your screen after installation.

    Compatible Copy Tool Software

    When not using the HDE features of Device Manager, any copy tool application can be used.

    When using Device Manager with HDE enabled for ARRIRAW, then a supported copy tool application must be used. These are detailed on the High Density Encoding Help Center page.

    Licensing

    No license is required for Device Manager, including for HDE when using a CODEX Media Station to offload clips from CODEX recording Media.

    If you would like to offload HDE (.arx) files using a non-CODEX branded CFast reader you can purchase a license here.

    Using Device Manager

    Once installed, Device Manager can be accessed by clicking the cog logo in the top menu bar:


    Operations

    Load:

    When CODEX media is inserted into a Media Station it will load automatically and the volume will appear on the Desktop and in Finder.

    If you eject CODEX Media using Device Manager or the physical eject button, you can use the Load option to load it again without removing and reinserting it.

    Eject:

    You can safely eject CODEX Media using the Eject option. 

    Wait for Device Manager to report Unloaded and the LED on the Media to stop blinking before removing the Media from the Media Station.

    Erase:

    You can erase CODEX Media using the Erase option. This will erase the file system and all clips, ready for the Media to be returned to camera.

    Warning: There is no ‘undo’ option after Media has been formatted or erased, so only use these options once all critical data has been securely backed up to another storage location.

    Format:

    The Format option allows you to format CODEX Storage Media (such as the Transfer Drive) to create a volume ready to store data.

    The Format option will not appear for CODEX Recording Media (such as Compact Drives or SXR Capture Drives).

    If a Transfer Drive is unformatted, it’s Volume Name will be <No Volume>.

    See Formatting the Transfer Drive for use on macOS or Formatting the Transfer Drive (Classic) for use on macOS for more information.

    Warning: There is no ‘undo’ option after Media has been formatted or erased, so only use these options once all critical data has been securely backed up to another storage location.

    Summary

    Status:

    If your CODEX Media has loaded successfully and is in good condition the status will be Ready.

    If the status is At Risk, Degraded, Failed or Invalid, please contact CODEX Support.

    Type:

    The Type shows the RAID level and file system of the media.

    Compact Drives recorded on the ALEXA 35 or Mini LF will have a UDF filesystem and RAID-0.

    SXR Capture Drives recorded on the ALEXA SXT, LF will have a CodexFS RAID-0 file system if recorded in ARRIRAW, and a UDF RAID-10 file system if recorded in ProRes.

    XR Capture Drives recorded on the ALEXA XT will have a CodexFS RAID-0 file system if recorded in ARRIRAW, and a UDF RAID-1 file system if recorded in ProRes.

    Free Space:

    Free Space shows the amount of free space remaining of the total capacity of the Media. For example; 200/960 GB indicates that 200 GB of free space remains of the 960 GB capacity

    Preferences

    The Preferences panel for Device Manager is divided into several tabs:

    General
    Allows the user to hide the Format and Erase options:



    HDE
    Allows the user to select whether HDE is enabled for ARRIRAW clips:



    For more information see High Density Encoding (HDE).

    Hardware Keys
    Allows the user to copy a hardware key in order to request a licence. This is not necessary for most workflows.

    Licensing
    Shows the licences that are currently active on the machine, and provides the following options:

    • Add Licence - used to manually add a licence key that has been provided by Codex Support.
    • Buy Licence - links to the Codex website, where a licence can be purchased for some workflows.
    • Activate Code - allows the user to enter an activation code after purchasing a licence from the Codex website.
    • Release Code - allows the user to release an activation code in order to use it on a different machine.

    User Data
    Allows the user to disable / enable anonymous usage statistics that are collected in order to improve Codex products and services.



    High Density Encoding (HDE)

    The Preferences > HDE panel is where HDE mode can be enabled for clips recorded in ARRIRAW on Capture Drive or Compact Drive:



    When the checkbox is active, ARRIRAW on Capture Drives and Compact Drives* is available as HDE files.

    *If using Compact Drive Express (CX.0001090) models, these can only record in ProRes format and so HDE cannot be applied.

    Compact Drives (ALEXA 35):

    Compact Drives recorded on the ALEXA 35 are formatted as UDF whether recording in ARRIRAW or ProRes mode.

    See the full ALEXA 35 Workflow guide for more details.

    • When the checkbox is enabled MXF/HDE files will be presented in an additional volume on your Desktop with “_hde” appended to the volume name (for example: A001R01D_hde). The original MXF/ARRIRAW files will also be available in the standard volume on your Desktop (for example: A001R01D).

    • When the checkbox is disabled the original MXF/ARRIRAW files will be available in the standard volume on your Desktop (for example: A001R01D). 

    • For ALEXA 35 .mxf files, the filename contains a codec identifier (a=ARRIRAW, p=ProRes, h=HDE), based on the file naming specification from ARRI. For MXF/HDE files, the name contains an "h" identifier. See the table below for examples of the codec identifier in these filenames:

    MXF File Format

    Identifier

    Example Filename

    MXF/ARRIRAW

         a

    A_0001C001_230624_165927_a1DB2.mxf

    MXF/HDE

         h

    A_0001C001_230624_165927_h1DB2.mxf

    MXF/ProRes

         p

    A_0001C001_230624_165927_p1DB2.mxf


    Example: Here you can see a Compact Drive recorded on the ALEXA 35 has been loaded. The HDE ARRIRAW checkbox is enabled and so there are 2 x volumes mounted on the Desktop. A_0026_1BXC contains the original MXF/ARRIRAW files and A_0026_1BXC_hde contains the MXF/HDE files. The codec identifer h is included in the filename to indicate the mxf files contain HDE data.



    Compact Drives (ALEXA Mini LF): 

    Compact Drives recorded on the ALEXA Mini LF are formatted as UDF whether recording in ARRIRAW or ProRes mode.

    See the full ALEXA Mini LF Workflow guide for more details.

    • For Device Manager 7.5 and above, when the checkbox is enabled MXF/HDE files will be presented in an additional volume on your Desktop with “_hde” appended to the volume name (for example: A001R01D_hde). The original MXF/ARRIRAW files will also be available in the standard volume on your Desktop (for example: A001R01D).

    • When the checkbox is disabled the original MXF/ARRIRAW files will be available in the standard volume on your Desktop (for example: A001R01D). 

    • For ALEXA Mini LF MXF files, the filename does not contain a codec identifier.

    Capture Drives (ALEXA LF, SXT and XT):

    Capture Drives recorded on the ALEXA LF, SXT or XT are formatted as CodexFS when recording in ARRIRAW mode, or UDF when recording in ProRes mode. 

    For source volumes that are formatted as CodexFS on older ARRI cameras such as ALEXA LF, SXT, and XT, then Device Manager presents a volume with no "_hde" suffix where files are either .ari or .arx. The contents of this folder (.ari or .arx) will change dynamically depending on whether the HDE ARRIRAW checkbox is enabled or disabled.

    • When the checkbox is enabled HDE ARRIRAW .arx files* will be presented in the volume on your Dekstop (for example: A001R01D).
    • When the checkbox is disabled original ARRIRAW .ari files* will be presented in the volume on your Desktop (for example: A001R01D).

    Example: Here you can see a Capture Drive recorded on the ALEXA SXT has been loaded. It has a single volume (A144R5NN) mounted on the Desktop. The HDE ARRIRAW checkbox is enabled, so the volume contains .arx files.



    CFast 2.0 Cards (ALEXA Mini):

    CFast 2.0 cards recorded on the ALEXA Mini are formatted as UDF. The original volume contains the source .mxf files. Device Manager presents an additional volume with a "_hde" suffix that contains the HDE files when the HDE checkbox is enabled.

    • When the checkbox is enabled HDE files will be presented in an additional volume on your Desktop with “_hde” appended to the volume name (for example: A001R01D_hde). The original ARRIRAW .mxf files will also be available in the standard volume on your Desktop (for example: A001R01D).
    • When the checkbox is disabled the original ARRIRAW .mxf files will be available in the standard volume on your Desktop (for example: A001R01D). 
    • For ALEXA Mini, the HDE volume will contain HDE files in the form of a folder per clip containing a sequence of .arx files (1 file per frame).

    Quitting or Restarting Device Manager

    You can leave Device Manager running at all times. If you wish to temporarily shut down CODEX software, go to System Preferences > CODEX > Stop Server. This will shutdown Device Manager on your computer, even after a restart, until you click the Start Server option. 

    If you quit Device Manager from the menu bar app, it can be restarted from /Applications/Codex/Device Manager, or it will automatically start when you restart your Mac.

    Uninstalling Device Manager

    To uninstall Device Manager go to System Preferences (or System Settings) > CODEX, click the lock symbol and enter your macOS user password when prompted. 

    Then follow these steps:

    1. Click Stop Server to stop the CODEX server and Device Manager from running.
    2. (OPTIONAL) Click Remove Config Files to remove any licenses or other configuration options you have set.
    3. Click Remove Software to uninstall the CODEX server and Device Manager.
    4. (For Device Manager 6.1.2 or below) Remove the Codex icon from the System Preferences panel:
      1. Click the 'back' arrow in the top-left and the panel to view the main System Preference panel.
      2. Ctrl+Click on the Codex icon and choose the Remove "Codex" Preference Pane option.

    Updating Firmware on CODEX Media Stations

    Periodically CODEX will issue firmware updates for CODEX Media Stations. These firmware updates will be included in Device Manager software*.

    How to check if a firmware update is available for your CODEX Media Station

    • Ensure you have installed the latest version of Device Manager from the CODEX Software Downloads page.
    • Connect your Media Station and load the Media (Compact Drive, Capture Drive or Transfer Drive).
    • A macOS notification will be displayed (provided you have allowed notifications from CODEX Device Manager) saying: "Dock firmware update available".
    • An exclamation mark will appear inside the Device Manager menu bar icon. (see image below)
    • A warning triangle icon will appear next to the Media Station when you open the Device Manager menu. (see image below)
    • An Update Firmware... option will appear in the Device Manager menu for any Media Stations where a firmware update is available. (see image below)


    IMPORTANT:  The information below applies to all CODEX Media Stations, with the exception of the Compact Drive Reader USB-C (CX.0001005). For information on updating the firmware for the Compact Drive Reader USB-C, please see the Updating Firmware for the Compact Drive Reader section.

    How to update firmware on your CODEX Media Station

    IMPORTANT:     Please ensure you only have 1 x CODEX Media Station connected at each time when updating firmware! These instructions DO NOT apply to the Compact Drive Reader (see above).

    To update the firmware on your CODEX Media Stations, please ensure only 1 x CODEX Media Station is connected, and then follow the steps above to check if a firmware update is available for that device.

    1. If an update is available, then click the Update Firmware... option in the Device Manager menu. This will open the CODEX System Preferences panel.



    2.  Unlock the System Preferences panel by clicking the lock symbol in the bottom-left, and then click Stop Server. Please wait for the System Preferences panel to report Server is stopped in the top-left - this may take up to 2 minutes.

    3.  Click on the Hardware tab and click Refresh. You should now see your Media Station listed in the Firmware info: section.



    4.  If your Media Station is listed and a firmware update is available, you can now click Auto Upgrade... to start the firmware update procedure. This may take up to 30 seconds to complete.

    IMPORTANT:  Do not disconnect your Media Station or eject the Media during the firmware update process.  Doing so may cause damage to the device.

    5.  Once the update is complete, you may click the Refresh button, which will now display the new firmware version of the device.

    Problems Updating Firmware on your Media Station?

    If you have any questions, or problems during the firmware update process, please contact the CODEX Support team.

    *Please note: Firmware updates are currently macOS only.

    Notifications and Warnings

    A 'Dock is not connected for maximum speed' notification is shown - what should I do?

    This message indicates that the Thunderbolt connection to the Media Station is not at the highest possible speed.

    CODEX Thunderbolt Media Stations have the following connection types:

    Description (Model)ConnectionBus speed *PCIE over TB speed
    Compact Drive Reader TB3 (CX.0001007)TB 340 GbpsApprox. 22 Gbps
    SXR Capture Drive Dock (CDX-75013-1)TB 340 GbpsApprox. 22 Gbps
    Capture + Transfer Drive Dock (CDX-62102-3)TB 340 GbpsApprox. 22 Gbps
    SXR Capture Drive Dock (CDX-75013 / CDX-75014)TB 220 GbpsApprox. 11 Gbps
    XR Capture Drive Dock (CDX-7513)TB 110 GbpsApprox. 6 Gbps

    *Note that PCIe over Thunderbolt, as used by CODEX Media Stations, cannot achieve the maximum possible bus speed as Thunderbolt reserves some bandwidth for other purposes such as display devices. In addition, driver/software layers have overhead that limit speeds to below the maximum bus speed.

    The Thunderbolt connection speed is governed by:

    • The host port on the computer.
    • The cable (or adapter) being used.
    • Possibly other devices on the same port, if daisy-chained**.
    • Possibly devices on another port, if multiple ports share the same Thunderbolt controller.

    **For the best possible speed and reliability we recommended not using Codex Thunderbolt Docks as part of a daisy-chain of devices.

    To resolve the situation, the following steps should be taken:

    • Check the port speed on the Mac from System Information > Thunderbolt.
    • Check the speed of the cable being used. Note that there are two types of Thunderbolt 3 cable - Passive and Active. Passive cables up to 0.5m in length can operate at 40 Gbps, but can operate at 20 Gbps if a longer cable is used. Active cables can operate at 40 Gbps over longer distances.
    • If the Dock is daisy-chained to the Mac, use a direct connection instead with no other devices on that port.
    • If there are devices on another port, check that they are not downgrading the port speed available for the Dock. Note that the Mac Pro (2013) has 6 ports which share 3 Thunderbolt controllers, as outlined here.

    An 'Update Firmware...' message appears.  What should I do?

    See the Updating Firmware on CODEX Media Stations section for more information.

    A 'Reduced Performance` message appears.  What should I do?

    Rev A Compact Drive Readers will have reduced performance with Apple Silicon. See the Compact Drive Reader > Use with Apple Silicon Macs section for more information.

    A ' Requires macOS 12.4 or later' message appears.  What should I do?

    Rev A Compact Drive Readers have an incompatibility with Apple Silicon on macOS 12.3 or below.   See the Compact Drive Reader > Use with Apple Silicon Macs section for more information.

    Troubleshooting and Known Issues

    I am running macOS 13.2 and when Device Manager is installed then I cannot load external USB drives:
    macOS 13.2 contains a known incompatibility with Device Manager that will prevent external drives from loading.

    macOS 13.2.1 contains a fix that resolves this incompatibility. If you are unable to upgrade your macOS version then running this command from a Terminal window each time you start your Mac will allow external USB drives to be loaded successfully:

    sudo kextunload -v /Library/Extensions/jmPeripheralDevice.kext
    A "Codex Driver Error" popup appears each time I restart my computer.
    Check in the lower section of System Preferences > Security & Privacy > General for an option to Allow (or Info). If this is present, it will give you the option to enable System Extensions by "Codex" or "X2X Ltd".

    If you have successfully enabled System Extensions and are still getting a "Codex Driver Error" popup, then try uninstalling Device Manager, rebooting and installing again, ensuring to follow all steps in the Installing Device Manager guide.

    If you are still running into issues, please contact CODEX Support.
    I don't see an option to allow System Extensions by "Codex" or "X2X Ltd" in System Preferences > Security & Privacy > General
    Try loading some CODEX Media (such as a Compact or SXR Capture Drive) containing ARRIRAW material. This may trigger the option to appear.
    I've just updated macOS and each time I start my computer I get a "Codex Driver Error" popup.
    Try a full uninstall and reinstall following these steps:

    1. Go to System Preferences > Codex and Remove Software and Remove Config Files.

    2. In the System Preferences panel, right-click on the Codex icon and chose Remove "Codex" Prefences Pane.

    3. Go to System Preferences > Security & Privacy and click the Privacy tab. In the left-hand panel, select Full Disk Acesss. In the right-hand panel select drserver and then click the "-" symbol below to remove it.

    4. Reboot you Mac and then reinstall CODEX Device Manager, following all steps in the Installation Guide.
    My mac is on 10.15 (Catalina) and each time I start my computer I get a "Codex Driver Error" popup.
    There is a known compatibility issue with early versions of macOS 10.15 (Catalina) and Device Manager 6.0.0 and above. This may result in a "Codex Driver Error" popup and will not allow you to load SXR Capture Drives formatted in ProRes mode, or CODEX Transfer Drives. Updating to the latest Catalina patch (macOS 10.15.7) should resolve this issue.
    I have read everything above and have not resolved my issue.
    Please contact CODEX Support for further assistance.


    Our support team is available to answer any questions:

    Telephone and email support is available 8.30am - 5.30pm GMT Monday to Friday through our teams in London and Los Angeles.

    Support Email: support@codex.online
    US Support: +1 323 283 8929
    UK Support: +44 203 7000 999
    HOLIDAY SEASON HOURS
    Saturday 23rd 9am - 5pm GMT
    Sunday 24th 9am - 5pm GMT
    Monday 25th CLOSED - Merry Christmas!
    Tuesday 26th 8:30am - 5:30pm PST
    Wednesday 27th 9am - 5pm GMT | 8:30am - 5:30pm PST
    Thursday 28th 9am - 5pm GMT | 8:30am - 5:30pm PST
    Friday 29th 9am - 5pm GMT | 8:30am - 5:30pm PST
    Saturday 30th 9am - 5pm GMT
    Sunday 31st 9am - 5pm GMT
    Monday 1st CLOSED - Happy New Year!
    Tuesday 2nd Normal hours resume

    Cookies improve your experience

    X2X, the company (X2X II LLC represents the CODEX brand), collect device and browser information and store them in cookies - some of which are essential for the website to function properly e.g. security, shopping cart features, sign in. Selecting Accept all you'll get all the benefits of a personalised experience across all our platforms. Choose Manage preferences if you'd like to select individual cookies that X2X can use to personalise your experience. Choose Only essential if you're ok to reject cookies that provide you with an optimized experience. Some of the data is shared with third parties outside the EU such as Google. For more information, see our Privacy Agreement.

    Privacy Policy

    Effective date: May 25, 2018
    Last updated: November 9, 2020