Difficulties with MBox 2 and Mac Minis

[RobGranniss]

I work at an audio books company and we use MBox 2s on Mac Minis (1.5 GHz Intel Solos with 512 RAM), recording at 16 bit 44.1K. We do one track of recording at a time with no RTAS plug-ins running. We encounter an unusual amount of CPU errors during sessions. We have tried changing buffer sizes, CPU Usage Limits, and have gone through every optimization routine Digidesign recommends to no avail. (This included removing Dashboard, trashing Digi Preferences, Repairing Disk Permissions, Turning off Airport, etc.)

I was wondering if anyone else uses the Mac Mini Intels with MBox 2's and if they have encountered similiar problems and what can be done about this. We didn't have nearly this many issues with AudioMedia III cards on G3's. Also, we could actually use the playback system in those for the narrator to listen back to their work.

If anyone has any advice about this, it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

-Rob Granniss

[lagasus]

In System Preferences>Accounts, highlight your account name and go to the login items. What's in the list (regardless of whether the "Hide" box is checked or not)?

On your Macintosh HD (the startup drive), go to the Library folder and then go to the StartupItems folder. What's in that folder?

[mvanwinkle]

In regards to RobGranniss issue, when I first bought the Mac Mini, Pro tools would
barely run until memory was upgraded to 2 GB. I was surprised I need the memory,
but afterwards, virtually no CPU problems.

Now this problem has surfaced after I successfully did a lot of work:

I have started to have audio pops when running pro tools and playing the audio,
even when bouncing to file. However, when I play the bounced file on quicktime,
the pops are not there. Audio files are stereo, 48 khz, 24 bits. I have tried
everything I know to do. Please help.

Using Mac OSX 10.4.8
Machine Name: Mac mini
Machine Model: Macmini1,1
Processor Name: Intel Core Duo
Processor Speed: 1.83 GHz
Number Of Processors: 1
Total Number Of Cores: 2
L2 Cache (per processor): 2 MB
Memory: 2 GB
Bus Speed: 667 MHz

MBOX 2 or MBOX (same issue)

Reloaded system, clean install, PT LE 7.1.1 with no cure
loaded cs2, no cure

problem does not occur playing through MBOX 2 using core audio

used 3 different hard drives, which were used before with no issue

used no plug ins, single stereo track with master fader, same problem

[mvanwinkle]

I went through the DUC General Troubleshooting - Pro Tools 6 & 7 Mac OS X list, all eight pages, and the problem is still there. I can say that after going through the list, I created a 44.1khz Protools session as a test, and it did not have the "pops" no matter what I did. Perhaps there is a software problem with 48khz files. Oh, yes, here is the data for my hard drive which uses the Oxford 911 chip set and is a 2.5" Hitachi 7200 RPM disc.

Name : FirewireDirect
Type : Disk

Disk Identifier : disk1
Media Name : HTS72606 0M9AT00 Media
Media Type : Generic
Connection Bus : FireWire
Connection Type : External
Connection ID : 512381012410824
Partition Type : Apple_partition_scheme
Device Tree : /PCI0@0/PCIB@1E/FRWR@3/node@1d202003c01c8/sbp-2@c000/@0:0
Writable : Yes
Ejectable : Yes
Mac OS 9 Drivers Installed : No
Location : External
Total Capacity : 55.9 GB (60,011,642,880 Bytes)
S.M.A.R.T. Status : Not Supported
Disk Number : 1
Partition Number : 0

[mvanwinkle]

Well, some where along the way the problem with the pops was fixed. My last remaining problem with the 48khz file was with the file itself. Back to the old experience, it is never the "one thing."

I appreciate the posted Digidesign troubleshooting procedure.

[tele_player]

I'd check Activity Monitor for obvious problems, either other programs grabbing CPU, or (most likely) memory 'page outs'. Those absolutely must be avoided for ProTools. I think 1G should be the minimum recommendation for ProTools on an Intel Mac.

[cmartin]

Hello,

I have a similar problem. With a PPC Mac mini (1 internal HD with 3 partitions : 1 partition for record audio) + MBox 2 + Protools 6.9.2 (same problem on Protools 7 with and without cs update). Machine Control thru MBox2 MIDI input.

The system has no Firewire hard drives.

Spotlight and Energy saver options are desactivated.

I record 1 mono track in a 48kHz / 16 bit session with no plugin from the SPDIF input (it's in fact AES signal from a digital mag).

Sometimes, I get a DAE -9073 error while recording ("DAE can't get audio from the disk fast enough Your disk may be too slow or too fragmented / CPU load 9073" error occurs)

What's wrong

[Forum Member LE]

Hello,

I have a similar problem. With a PPC Mac mini (1 internal HD with 3 partitions : 1 partition for record audio) + MBox 2 + Protools 6.9.2 (same problem on Protools 7 with and without cs update).

You need to read the requirements for setting up PT LE and also the Hard drive requirements.

[cmartin]

Do u really think that 1 mono track need to be rec on an external HD ? For multiple tracks, OK but for just one...I don't think so...

[Forum Member LE]

Do u really think that 1 mono track need to be rec on an external HD ? For multiple tracks, OK but for just one...I don't think so...

Giving a smart reply doesn't change the fact that you are the one trying to use a Partitoned drive.
A little understanding on how a Partitioned drive really functions would make you understand why it causes problems.
It really isn't about the fact that it's one mono track.

But you continue as you like all 3 of my LE systems run fine.