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Author Topic: any solution at all???!!!  (Read 3568 times)

jackson5spot

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any solution at all???!!!
« on: September 01, 2005, 01:10:22 PM »

Hello. I am new to all this but I came here with the hope of finding someone that can answer a few of my ignorant questions.

I bought a new Dell Dimension XPSGen3 around November 0f 2004 with the intentions of eventually using it in a home studio with pro tools. I recently acquired an MBox and Pro Tools LE 6.4. After installing the software and connecting the MBox I began to run into a problem with the playback. I receive (error -6085)... Operating system has been in interrupt to long; increase H/W buffer size...etc etc. This, of course, has no effect whatsoever when done.

As it turns out, the Digidesign MBox is not compatible with the Intel Pentium 4 925x chipset on my computers motherboard. I have contacted Dell and been informed that there is no upgrade to the 925xe chipset available w/o screwing the warranty and it would cost as much as a new machine to get it done anyhow.

That is when I began to search for any possible alternatives to what is apparently a USB power issue. After intense hours of internet investigation and filtering through many pages of information I know nothing about, i came to one possible solution. At least I hoped it would be a solution. I read that some users with the same problem have routed their MBoxes through a powered USB hub. This, I have read, alleviated the problem and allowed them to go about the joy of recording. Alas and Alack, this has not worked for me. I have purchased a powered hub and it seems to have made no difference.

My question to you, the wonderful people who have made me sound so damn good in a real studio, is...

1. Is there any hardware settings that I should know about to make said USB the solution?

2. Has anyone out there had the same issue and brilliantly side stepped it to reach success?

...this is what was posted on the digdesign.com website...

The Intel 9xx family of Express Chipsets, including the Intel 925X chipset meets USB specifications. The Audio issues reported by Digidesign are not due to any direct USB issue, but appear to be a result of a documented errata (errata #7) http://developer.intel.com/design/chipsets/specupdt/301474.h tm) on the B-1 stepping of the ICH6, which is stepping of the I/O controller used with the 925X chipset. The B-1 stepping of the ICH6 controller is also used with the 915G and 915P Express chipsets. Errata #7 may impact devices connected to the ICH6, including PCI devices and External devices connected via the USB port, due to an internal arbitration issue that may result in up to 40
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NelsonL

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Re: any solution at all???!!!
« Reply #1 on: September 01, 2005, 01:58:06 PM »

Well, I have no idea if there's a work around-- but I bet you'd have more luck (or at least responses)asking at the DUC.

"They" are going to ask you if you checked compatibilty with digi before you bought the Dell. When you answer "no," as I imagine you will, someone will make some kind of snide comment. My advice is to ignore them and soldier on.

One thing that comes to mind is to install a new PCI based USB card and try that instead of the powered hub. But if the problem is at the chipset level then won't it always migrate downstream? I dunno.

OK, then lets assume there's no work around, your computer, as is, will not work with the M-Box.

Let's also assume that Dell won't treat this as a warranty issue, so no help there.

Then I say gut the thing. Buy a digi compatible mobo that uses the same type of RAM and processor you've already got for maximum canibalization and build something that will work. I'm assuming that's all doable, it's been a long time since I looked into building a PC.

Anyway, don't rely on me, I use a mac.

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spankenstein

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Re: any solution at all???!!!
« Reply #2 on: September 01, 2005, 06:44:39 PM »

This is the exact reason I never bought any ProTools stuff. I aws going to get a 002r but out of the 4 or 5 computers I own at any one time I have never had one that would have worked. I've had two motherboard processor combos given to me by our Intel rep and just had to eBay them as they wouldn't work. Incidentaly my old M-Audio Delta and my MOTU 828 have worked on everything.
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John Ivan

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Re: any solution at all???!!!
« Reply #3 on: September 01, 2005, 10:08:51 PM »

Yep, I would sell the M-box and pro tools,save up your pennies and buy Cubase sx or Samplitude and one of many interfaces that will work on almost any computer.

I know Lot's of folks love pro tools but, I have never had a great experience using it. If you spend a lot of money on their stuff,it begins to look and sound as good as stuff half it's price but, I was never impressed. Many others are though so.....
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compasspnt

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Re: any solution at all???!!!
« Reply #4 on: September 02, 2005, 12:39:22 PM »

I understand your position, but it is true that a HUGE percentage of the highest level pro's use only Protools.  I would venture a guess that well more than 80% of what you hear on the radion comes out of PT.  (Not that what's on the radion is anything to get excited about!)
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NelsonL

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Re: any solution at all???!!!
« Reply #5 on: September 02, 2005, 12:49:56 PM »

Let's take a step back and commiserate...

Doesn't it absolutely suck that the computer is dictating this guy's choices.

Cart before horse-- no matter who you blame (Digi, Intel, Dell, yer mom.)

This is what I don't like about the DUC, all that computer fetishism BS that goes on over there. Screw the computer, it ain't about the computer.

Sorry, rant ends...

here.
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j.hall

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Re: any solution at all???!!!
« Reply #6 on: September 02, 2005, 03:51:31 PM »

compasspnt wrote on Fri, 02 September 2005 11:39

I understand your position, but it is true that a HUGE percentage of the highest level pro's use only Protools.  I would venture a guess that well more than 80% of what you hear on the radion comes out of PT.  (Not that what's on the radion is anything to get excited about!)



YUP!!!!

i didn't buy PT HD for my mix room cause it was the best.  i bought it cause:

A. i've worked on PT since version 4.0 (way before 24 bit) and i know it cold, inside and out.

B. i want to have the easiest interface with the outside world i can.  every one is running PT, if i don't have it, then sending me a session turns into a big pain in the balls and people just use a different mixer.
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floodstage

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Re: any solution at all???!!!
« Reply #7 on: September 02, 2005, 05:32:24 PM »

A guy who's way smarter than me told me the secret to setting up a computer is:

1st)  Decide on the software you want to run first.  Do not buy hardware until you have this figured out.  Do not decide on O/S until you have done this.

2nd)  Get the hardware and O/S that runs the software the best.

If you decide to take this advice and you've decided on Pro Tools, then you really ought to get a Mac.

(and I'm a PC guy)
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compasspnt

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Re: any solution at all???!!!
« Reply #8 on: September 02, 2005, 11:07:45 PM »

Right

3rd)  Get a Mac.
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rankus

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Re: any solution at all???!!!
« Reply #9 on: September 03, 2005, 11:58:25 AM »



I agree with the poster who said you should always build a computer after deciding on the software....


And Protools:  It kills me that this product is now being mass marketed the Ipod generation at $300 for bedroom usage....  I think Digi can see the writing on the wall.  There are many awesome alternatives, and they must be feeling the heat....
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Tim Halligan

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Re: any solution at all???!!!
« Reply #10 on: September 04, 2005, 06:45:42 PM »

jackson5spot wrote on Fri, 02 September 2005 01:10


I read that some users with the same problem have routed their MBoxes through a powered USB hub. This, I have read, alleviated the problem and allowed them to go about the joy of recording. Alas and Alack, this has not worked for me. I have purchased a powered hub and it seems to have made no difference.






I seem to remember in the Mbox hardware notes that you cannot run it through a hub...passive or active...something about switching/interupts will cause major grief, as you seem to have found.



Cheers,
Tim
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dongle

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Re: any solution at all???!!!
« Reply #11 on: September 05, 2005, 11:37:00 PM »

Hey man, i had the same prob, i thought id build a kick ass computer running that same chipset and then realised it was a waist of time. The guys who built me the pc said he would have it and built me another with the 875 or something chipset. I know this doesnt help, but i feel your pain man, i hate digidesign, but i love protools.
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John Ivan

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Re: any solution at all???!!!
« Reply #12 on: September 06, 2005, 06:02:34 PM »

compasspnt wrote on Fri, 02 September 2005 11:39

I understand your position, but it is true that a HUGE percentage of the highest level pro's use only Protools.  I would venture a guess that well more than 80% of what you hear on the radion comes out of PT.  (Not that what's on the radion is anything to get excited about!)



Yeah, it's a matter of how much "outside" work your going to do . If folks are going to be sending you PT sessions, you should really get a mac and a PT rig. I'm thinking about getting a small PT rig for this reason. I don't like it but, it will make life easier for me when folks want me to work on a PT session.

For what it's worth. I think Samplitude is a MUCH better program in every way. I can't seem to crash this rig no matter how hard I beat on it. The editor just RIPS and the mixer is a blast.

As far as how it sounds?  I think that all the big digital computer based rigs sound fine. NON of it sounds like 2" 16 so, it is what it is.

As stated above, decide what you like for software and THEN decide what to do about OS and Hardware.If you are going to run PT,buy a mac.

{ I love macs. I have a few around here for the intrunut and they work great.}
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danickstr

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Re: any solution at all???!!!
« Reply #13 on: September 06, 2005, 06:05:53 PM »

i would second the idea of asking this in the pc protools le area.  it is where you can get an answer from someone who is in your very same boat.  good luck

cheers
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adam_w

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Re: any solution at all???!!!
« Reply #14 on: September 25, 2005, 10:06:16 AM »

just my 2c, but if you're buying Protools you have to follow their compatabilty docs VERY carefully and if do what you're told, things will generally 99.9% work perfectly.
Coming myself from the "can make up a PC by now blindfolded" brigade, it's a bit weird to be given such stringent guidelines which are met at first with disbelief, until it all goes tits up and you realise that when it comes to your work you can't mess about EVER when it comes to your platform !








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wwittman

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Re: any solution at all???!!!
« Reply #15 on: September 26, 2005, 03:48:54 PM »

FWIW i run PTLE (with a 002) at home on a cmpletely unsupported Mac.. and it runs perfectly.
Although I expect one day I will upgrade my software and just hit the performance limit wall... but until that day it WORKS.

So I take their compatibility lists with a grain of NaCl.

But I

a) agree that PT is THE standard these days and it's smarter to embrace it than not.
that 80% that Terry talks about isn't "wrong", no matter how smart you, and your computer geeks freinds think you are.
b) think it's dumb to let the COMPUTER decide ANY audio choices

and c) agree that the Digi User Conference is the place for some useful help

if ANYONE knows what can make yours work, someone THERE will

ask NICELY and ignore the crap that comes with the GOOD answer

good luck


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Frob

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Re: any solution at all???!!!
« Reply #16 on: October 06, 2005, 01:44:53 PM »

if you have to run PT (i dont) then the only way with the computer you have is to buy an maudio mPowerd sound card and PT mPowerd
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