Fast Track Obsolete?

[zhigo16]

I bought the M-Audio Fast Track w/Pro Tools SE, and an Audio Technica mic last summer to use on my Win XP pc which has since been upgraded to a Win 8 (64-bit) new pc. Merry Christmas to me! I also bought at Christmas time the M-studio USB Keyboard Studio which came with the Digidesign USB device. I have had absolutely no problem running the keyboard on the new win 8 pc, but hell if I can get the Fast Track to work with the new OS.

I re-installed the orig SE disc from the Fast Track and did get a bit of audio vocals to record last week, albeit the gain was pitiable and any vocals were so static-filled and barely audible over the instrument tracks previously laid down.

Any new attempts to even get the Fast Track working is laughable. I have updated all drivers. I have tried plugging everything in through different sequences. Am I to plug the Fast Track interface into the DigiDesign mic input, too? Even if I try to open SE with just the Fast Track plugged into the USB port, I get DAE errors and it crashes upon opening. Do you guys have any tutorials that actually show the sequence to successfully use this Fast Track WITH sessions I've already created with the Keyboard Studio???

Or rather, is the Fast Track just obsolete now with no support for the newer Windows O/S?

[JoelG]

Here's the Avid end of support dates: http://avid.force.com/pkb/KB_Render_...EA0&lang=en_US

Can you post more details of your computer:http://duc.avid.com/showthread.php?t=336556

Joel

[zhigo16]

Sure:

Lenovo H530s desktop
Processor 3.1 GHz Intel Pentium Dual-Core
RAM 4 GB DDR3
Hard Drive 1 TB SATA
Wireless Type 802.11bgn
Number of USB 2.0 Ports 4
Number of USB 3.0 Ports 2

Other Technical Details
Brand Name Lenovo
Item model number 57321111
Operating System Windows 8 64-bit (x64-based)
Hard Drive Rotational Speed 7200 RPM
Optical Drive Type DVDRW

[Southsidemusic]

Originally Posted by JoelG

Here's the Avid end of support dates:

Can you post more details of your computer:http://duc.avid.com/showthread.php?t=336556

Joel

Sorry Joel but there's not any end of sales info on that page. It is the
"Help Us Help You" pages. I would like to see that page aswell if you have the correct link

Chris

[zhigo16]

The Fast Track is the Avid Recording Studio interface. If the Model # is on the UPC (I see nothing on the device or box other than the UPC) it must be 8250-30001-01. Both this and my Key Studio came with the same Pro Tools SE v. 8.0.3A. I installed the Key Studio first and had it up and running fine, plugging the Digidesign device into a rear USB port connecting my desktop monitors to the line out on it.

A few wks later I tried using the Fast Track to no avail. Just for giggles, I uninstalled the Key Studio version and reinstalled the disc (though it is the same version) that came with the Fast Track. that gave me the original start up screen where I have to choose Device...which I never saw again on start up once I had originally chosen the Key Studio or DigiDesign (can't remember which now). Upon this new install, I chose the M-Audio interface icon and did get control of the mic, trying some tests with one of the Vocal Sessions. As I previously stated, the mic gain was too high even set very low on the device, causing distortion even though the actual recorded volume was barely registering.

A few days later, I created a 5-instrument session with the Key Studio and attempted to lay down the vocal by plugging in the Fast Track. I get the smallest little blip on the Audio frequency wave despite cranking the gain; the instrument track continues to play through the monitors instead of diverting to the earphones, and in fact, I get nothing through the earphones. This despite assuring it is not set for direct monitors. I've tried it with a patch from the stereo outputs on the rear to the mic input on the DigiDesign USB device as well as not patched.

I guess what I'm looking for is a screen to actually choose the device I wish to record through like the first start-up screen after install. Is there anywhere within the software where I can choose which device I want to use for a saved session? I have tried to make heads or tails of the pdf manual. The Quick Start fold-out is no help. But to date, without uninstalling and re-installing the software, I can't find how to switch between the 2 (or 3 if you count the DigiDesign device...which I still haven't figured out exactly what that does???) USB devices.

[zhigo16]

After a cold reboot, removal of the DigiDesign device and opening the program with nothing attached, thereby receiving the prompt to plug in a device, I was able to choose the Fast Track and successfully recorded my vocal session.

Thanks for now.

[JoelG]

Originally Posted by Southsidemusic

Sorry Joel but there's not any end of sales info on that page. It is the
"Help Us Help You" pages. I would like to see that page aswell if you have the correct link

Chris

Oops, forgot to paste it in. I've added it into my post.

Joe.

[JoelG]

Originally Posted by zhigo16

After a cold reboot, removal of the DigiDesign device and opening the program with nothing attached, thereby receiving the prompt to plug in a device, I was able to choose the Fast Track and successfully recorded my vocal session.

Thanks for now.

If you want to get to that screen again, try holding down the "n" key when starting Pro Tools. Glad to hear you got it going, but just FYI, only Pro Tools 11 is supported on Windows 8.

Joel