Pro Tools 24MIX setup troubles

[UnSoNiC]

Hello,

I'm a belgian guy so sorry for my english mistakes

I've got some troubles with my Pro Tools 6.4.1 setup

Here is my setup:

- Apple G4 (model M8570 EMC 1914) with Sonnet Encore/ST 2*1,8Ghz processor, 2 Go RAM, Mac OS 10.3.9, Pro Tools 6.4.1 TDM
- Digidesign Pro Tools expansion chassis 13 slots (inside the chassis there's a Magma PCI13BP expansion system card and a Magma PCIEIF68 expansion card)
- 1 Mix Core, serial number: IG 13906
- 5 Mix Farms, serial numbers: IN 24719, IN 11008, IN 10237, IN 03089, IN 01633
- 1 DSP Farm , serial number: FG 18661
- 1 ribbon cable 7 node
- inside the computer a Magma PCIHIF68 host card

When the Mix Core, Mix Farm and DSP Farm cards are into the pci slots in the G4, everything works fine (1 Mix Core + 3 Mix Farms or 1 Mix Core + 2 Mix Farms + 1 DSP Farm)

If i put those cards into the expansion chassis, when I launch Pro Tools, it tells me that it can't find the hardware.
I try to launch the Digitest and when i go to the pci card information, it tells me that it doesn't support the pci card, and when i launch the digitest, it tells me "invalid".

I try to change the cable between the computer and the expansion chassis but the troubles are the same.

Can someone tell me what's the problem?

Thank you for the help.

[JFreak]

Welcome to the forum.

Those are pretty dated pieces of hardware, but I'd say you need different expansion chassis.

Here is a good guideline.

[John_Toolbox]

What Janne said. Some of the earlier expansion chassis will only work with certain beige macs, and are not G4 compatible.

[UnSoNiC]

Thank you for the help.
As i was seeking for voltage problems, I found what was going wrong: on the Magma PCIEIF68 expansion interface, the LM 1086 voltage regulator was dead. I just changed it and now everything works perfectly

[UnSoNiC]

Hello everybody

I think I cried victory too soon

At this time, the magma cards are recognized by the computer when I launch "about this mac/system information/agp-pci cards". All mix core, mix farm and dsp farm cards are recognized too by the computer.

But there is still a problem, I try to solve it changing the ram, changing the graphic card, zap the pram, removing all digidesign preferences, but the troubles are still there.

Here is the problem:
When I launch Pro Tools, since I deleted all Digidesign preferences, it tells me that i need to choose the audio interfaces i'm using with the Digidesign system, and proceed to the hardware setup dialog. All Mix Core, Mix Farms and DSP Farms are recognized, when I make changes to the setting all the 888/24 interfaces change. like from 44.1 to 48k. the light will change. Same ofr switching to aes.ebu. the lights on the unit changes with the software settings. So the cable is working and the device is comunicating.

BUT ... after proceeding the hardware setup, I click "ok" to continue the Pro Tools process and a message comes: DAE was enable to communicate with the audio harware (-6004).
When I launch the digitest, all DSP cards passed, but for the Mix Core and the Mix Farms cards, bus master test failed.
If I put the cards into the pci slots of the computer all digitests are ok for all cards and pro tools launch is ok without any troubles. This problem only occurs when i put the cards in the magma chassis.

What is the solution to solve this problem of "master bus test failed"???

Thank you

[JFreak]

Troubleshooting 101 is keep the setup as small as possible, and add more once you have success.

So...

Take everything away from the Magma, except the Core card. You need to be able to start a session with only a core card present, so you know you have zero problems with the other hardware.

Once you have success, add one card at a time, checking whether adding a card works or not. Remember to add cards in proper order (if I remember this right, you need to have all your core cards first, mix cards next, and dsp farms last).

[John_Toolbox]

One other thing to check is the slot that the host interface card uses. G4's have 3 or 4 open PCI slots, but they are usually split into two separate busses. So having the host interface card in a slot that uses the same PCI bus as the video card or a SCSI card can cause problems. Somewhere, in some manual, there are instructions on how this works with various G4 models from that era. I don't remember the specifics anymore, I haven't messed with PCI expansion chassis for many years. But I would definitely do a test where you start by pulling any other PCI cards from the G4, and then try different slots for the host card.

[JFreak]

True, I had almost forgotten about that pain. Back in the day you really needed to read the compatibility documents and all relevant specification to get things running. I don't miss that for sure...

[Delta Music Belgium]

Check the serial number of your Digidesign 13-slot Expansion chassis:

Compatible models with G4: S/N begins with NB0600100C or higher

Incompatible models with G4: S/N = NB055300B1 or lower

BTW, I have a Digidesign 13-slot Expansion chassis (including MIX 4 + 4 x SampleCell II TDM cards) for sale that is compatible with a G4 for sure. Actually you could expand your system to a fully expanded MIX 8! (and be safe for the future as you will have a spare MIX Core card + 2 spare MIX DSP Farm cards and spare DSP farm)

More info: http://duc.avid.com/showthread.php?t=365366

Btw, UnSoNiC: check my site on this page (it's a French page, links to English and Dutch pages at the bottom of the page), maybe I can help you solving the problem by you visiting my studio with your system or I could visit your studio and try to fix it there. Btw, if you choose to contact me, please contact me in English or Dutch, I speak and read French also but I'm terrible at writing it