PT8 constant -6101 cpu issue, Let's do something

[Eric Seaberg]

Originally Posted by mistlabz

Eric >

I did it, as I said I connected the Pro Fire on the FW800 port and the HD on the FW 400 port, so it should be on different bus right ? I'm not daisy chaining.

No. That's the point of confusion. Just because you have a FW800 port and a FW400 port doesn't mean they're on different busses. They are, in fact, THE SAME! The only way to get them separated is to have another PCI FW card or ExpressCard on a MBPro.

The way to confirm this is to open SYSTEM PROFILER in your UTILITIES and click on Firewire on the left side. You will see ONE FW BUSS capable of speeds of up to 800 Mb/sec. On my MBPro with an ExpressCard I have the internal buss showing the same as above, and another buss capable of speeds up to 400 Mb/sec (or 800 if I use that card).

There is a specific way to daisy chain these together, and I think that's what another poster before me was getting at.

Still, it's a lot of traffic congestion over a 400 Mb hose (remember that once you plug in a FW400 device, it will dumb-down your FW800 to the slower speed).

[mistlabz]

Ok Eric, thanks for this point I didn't know the system profiler stuff, where is it exactly ? i m on a tiger system right now i cannot check.

So as you said there is only one FW bus on the I mac and we do t have the possibility to add a card because there no option slot possibilities so the only solution is to daisy chaining.

So we have two possibilities (on the FW400 port daisy chaining)

1) I mac > Profire > HD

2) I mac > HD > Pro Fire

And without daisy chaining

3) I mac FW800 > Lacie Flat Cable > Pro fire

4) I mac FW400 > HD

OR

3.1) I mac FW400 > Pro fire

4.1) I mac FW800 > Lacie Flat cable > HD

First I will try this two ways of daisy chaining and let you know. If it doesn't work the other possibility is my system became strange when I I installed 8 above 7.4. I had two choices between a totally clean install and another one I don t remember the name was saying it will keep all my plug-ins preferences. When I upgraded I choose this one because I didn't want to re install heavy software instruments.

I also have to insist on the fact that this 6101 error occurs more often with software instruments and Rewire applications, I m not talking about mixing and edit operations only.

But I keep saying that's an issue specific to pro tools, with Ableton Live there is absolutely no such error with that and I had Aiprort etc... everything on.
I'm also digging the logic users forum and don't see post about errors about daisy chaining and FW traffic congestion. As I read you're post it's an issue on the Imac because th I mac just have one FW bus so my question is why do I have such error with pro tools and not with others DAWs ? Don't you think there is a lack somewhere ?

[nod25]

PT is INCREDIBLY picky ...

[f.locutus]

Excuse me guys,
but let's start from the beginning.
I got a profire 610 and I want to buy a macbook pro (for example. In the case of an iMac it's the same).
I want to use PT8 (that I bought with the Profire) so to be sure that everything will be ok I check the Digi requirements.
I go on the Digi site (http://www.digidesign.com/index.cfm?...5&itemid=36993) and regarding the PT8 M-Powered i read:
...

MacBook Pro
* As of April 20, 2009, all Apple MacBook Pro models are officially qualified with Pro Tools M-Powered 8.0 systems
* See below for information about MacBook Pro with FireWire 800 ports only

Great. And about the only fw 800 port available I read:

Configuring Newer Mac Models with FireWire 800 Ports
MacBook Pro, iMac, Mac mini FW800 Models:
The FireWire 800 ports on these computers are backwards compatible* with FireWire 400 devices, but require one of the following configuration options:
1) FW800 port —> FW800 Drive (912 or 924 chipset) —> Out FW400 port on Drive —> Pro Tools M-Powered M-Audio FireWire audio interface
2) FW800 port —> FW800 to FW400 converter cable —> FW400 Drive (911 chipset) —> Multiple FW400 Drives (911 chipset) as needed for maximum track count —> Pro Tools M-Powered M-Audio FireWire audio interface.

These are the Digi requirements.
So, respecting these requirements, if something doesn't work (and it seems that is not working for some people) either the requirements are wrong or there is something that is not working with PT.

I don't pretend a bug free sw, but urgent fixes for serious bugs.

Ciao
Fabrizio

[mistlabz]

Hi f.locutus, I also found an old post of Eric saying the same thing :

MacBook Pro, iMac, Mac mini FW800 Models
The FireWire 800 ports on these computers are backwards compatible* with FireWire 400 devices, but require one of the following configuration options:

1) FW800 port —> FW800 Drive (912 or 924 chipset) —> Out FW400 port on Drive —> Pro Tools M-Powered M-Audio FireWire audio interface

2) FW800 port —> FW800 to FW400 converter cable —> FW400 Drive (911 chipset) —> Multiple FW400 Drives (911 chipset) as needed for maximum track count —> Pro Tools M-Powered M-Audio FireWire audio interface

Thats mean that the HD must be BEFORE the Audio Interface. Thats also mean that I have to buy another Lacie Flat Cable

But we get closer...

I have to warn the people who think about buying MP !
FIRST DO NOT BUY AN I MAC, forget about it if you want to run pro tools at home.

And I agree, really need bug fixes.
And digi still silent....

[bradch00]

Actually I just built a rig in Malaysia with the Fast Track Ultra and a Lacie D2 Quad drive connect to an new single FW800 iMac and it was smooth from start to finish. The problem is with the firewire configuration (and MAC's implementation of FW on it's new machines) and granted it creates a lot of grief, but there has to be a solution to this.

[mistlabz]

Ok good to know that its work better with USB interface. Definitely a FW issue, anyway some guys on PC seems to have the same error, its not the 6101 but its a similar stuff and its stop playback ect...

[f.locutus]

In my case (Win XP SP3) it's unaivoidable to get errors:
as posted above, I'm a step behind you.
My cpu load start at 85-90% with an empy edit window (no tracks created).
If I reduce the window size the cpu load goes down up to 10%.
So, in my case, I think it's not a problem of firewire chipset, daisy chaining, etc.

As already said, Digi reports that it's a known (serious, let me add) issue.
I can only wait for a fix (please soon).
I just hope, when a fix will be available, that I will not have to manage all the other cpu related problems.

I have to buy a new laptop and my eyes were looking at a MacBook Pro but I could not bear to face cpu problems like those reported.

I'd like that DigiTech guys confirm that respecting the Digidesign requirements (see the link some posts above) everything will work correctly ?
Are there known issues regarding cpu load problems (not to blame you but just to let us plan our work) ?
If so, when will be available a fix (always for the same reason) ?

Thx
Fabrizio

[theo.posthumus]

Hey,

Just catching up on all the frustration.

I have a similar setup (see signature).

I run imac -> Belkin FW Hub -> PF2626
-> FW 400 HD

I realize this is still the same bus, but it works, I rarely (if ever) get the dreaded 6101. I'm using 8.0cs3 usually tracking and mixing at a buffer size of 128 and with one processor at 99%. If I ever do get an error, I just bump up the buffer size one or two levels and won't see it for the rest of the session.

Good luck buddy, hope you can get back to just making music again soon.

[mistlabz]

Thanks for you re post theo.posthumus, I didn't thought about a FW HUB. Usually HUB are not very recommended but it can be a solution.

http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProdu...duct_Id=193393

Maybe this one

Thanks for the feedback, it help more than digi answers.