looking for a Wizard.

[tomdolan]

Any Wizards in the audience? Here's an opportunity to make "History" in the annals of the DUC. I have an audio conflict that seems unsolvable, at least up till now. If you're up to it, pleze read on in detail and offer up your opinion/advice/solutions...nothing has worked so far.

System: Intel iMac 20" running Leopard 10.5.6, 4 GB Ram, Pro Tools 7.4.2 w/MP3, MBox2Mini, DMP3, BX5a's, OWC 500GB FW800 external drive, and other assorted home studio stuff.

Problem: Pro Tools works just fine....What?? It's all the other audio that has problems both on the iMac ie: iTunes, or on the web ie: interviews, audiobook samples, and, NOT all the time, which is confusing.

Solutions(so Far): 1) Accused Apple of selling me a lemon. They spent 6 weeks showing me they didn't, and finally I admitted they were right. By the way, Apple store & support were great!

2) Followed Digi advice: bought external drive, adjusted Energy Saver, FW Networking, PACE Drivers OK, Repair Permissions(many times), Delete Database, Pref's files regularly, no Firevault, ck'd Login, Startup, Bluetooth.

3) Re-installed Leopard and Pro Tools 2x's(from the website.) Could on-line update be a problem??

Notes// I have not installed any other software except iWorks '08. Pro Tools originally came on a disc, 7.3 + 7.3.1 updater w/free update to 7.4.2 online. I can't identify any combo of keystrokes that create the issue of hanging or freezing of the system, but "forced quit" may remove it from the desktop, but does not solve the hung system, only Power off.

I'm do voiceover's for a living, and when I returned to America after 10 years, everyone in VO was into home studios, and I wasn't...yet. It was natural to go w/Apple + Pro Tools because every studio I have ever recorded in, both in the US and Japan has used Apple gear and Pro Tools something.

Just 2 days ago I received an email from a working pro VO guy who bought his iMac about the same time I did. His is loaded w/ software and Skype and he has 4 Glyph external drives...and not a problem he sez.

Really, I've got to get this solved so I can bring my self to market and be able to trust the system I'm using.

If any one has gotten this far and thinks they might be able to help, feel free to contact me at my email: [email protected], hey maybe I can return the favor someday...I'm pretty good @ VO.

Thank you all for reading this story...any ideas?

[flommer]

That was a lot of typing but I didn't really see a description of your problem other than

It's all the other audio that has problems both on the iMac ie: iTunes, or on the web ie: interviews, audiobook samples, and, NOT all the time, which is confusing.

and

I can't identify any combo of keystrokes that create the issue of hanging or freezing of the system, but "forced quit" may remove it from the desktop, but does not solve the hung system, only Power off.

What happens when?

Could on-line update be a problem??

When you update OSX, you should not use Software Update. You should use the Combo updater that you can download from Apple. Not necessarily the problem though..

Also, 7.4.2 is technically for use with 10.5.3 and 10.5.4... But you say you are not having problems with ProTools..

Are you alluding to a problem with the Core Audio driver so you can use the Mbox Mini with other apps?

Try to Download the most up to date Core Audio driver from the Digi website. Its possible they tweaked it for 10.5.6... Don't know

[tomdolan]

Originally Posted by flommer

That was a lot of typing but I didn't really see a description of your problem other than



and



What happens when?



When you update OSX, you should not use Software Update. You should use the Combo updater that you can download from Apple. Not necessarily the problem though..

Also, 7.4.2 is technically for use with 10.5.3 and 10.5.4... But you say you are not having problems with ProTools..

Are you alluding to a problem with the Core Audio driver so you can use the Mbox Mini with other apps?

Try to Download the most up to date Core Audio driver from the Digi website. Its possible they tweaked it for 10.5.6... Don't know

Hi and thanx for the quik reply. The problem manifests itself as "no audio". For example, when I initially open iTunes and click a selection, the play indicator moves left-to-right, but no sound is heard. Quit and re-boot if the beachball didn't appear, this will correct the situation, and upon re-opening iTunes it plays fine. Same online. Go to a web site like audible.com to sample audiobooks. Usually it plays them, but sometimes, like on iTunes the sound doesn't play, so quit Safari, re-boot, go Safari>audible>book title and all is well. On the other hand, if, when hyperlinking around audible or any other site or a program like iTunes/iMovie, the beachball appears, then I must quit the site/program, attempt re-boot which usually fails and use the Power off button. Wait 10 sec or so, Power on, go Safari>site> audio file...and it plays. The problem does not always happen, but it has happened since day one w/the iMac, although since re-configuring according to Digi and, maybe adding the xternal drive, it happens less but has never disappeared. Apple got me to work with the iMac w/MBox unplugged and(sorry it was quite some time ago) I think all issues stopped or at least were reduced.

I will definitely check out the Core Driver suggestion now, and also, when I did the archive-and-reinstall of Leopard I believe I chose the Combo updater.

Thank you so much. Tom

[DigiTechSupt]

No - definitely do NOT download and install a standalone core audio driver if you have Pro Tools installed! Bad things will happen!

What you *should* do is try removing the Digi Core Audio plug-in from the folder located at MacHD>Library>Audio>Plug-Ins>HAL. Just move it out of that folder, then restart.

When you are booted back up, check that your Sound control panel is set to Digi HW.

You can also try resetting core audio prefs:

Quit out of all open applications.

Trash the following preference files:

1. Mac HD > Users > (Your User Name) > Library > Preferences > com.apple.systempreferences.plist (delete this file)
2. Mac HD > Users > (Your User Name) > Library > Preferences > com.apple.audio.AudioMIDISetup.plist (delete this file)
3. Mac HD > Users > (Your User Name) > Library > Preferences > com.digidesign.CoreAudioManager.plist (delete this file)
4. Mac HD > Users > (Your User Name) > Library > Preferences > ByHost > com.apple.systempreferences.xxxxxxxxxxxx.plist (delete this file)

Empty the trash, restart and let me know if it's working or not.

[DigiTechSupt]

Another note - never plug in or unplug the Mbox 2 while the computer is turned on. This will likely cause a kernel panic.

[tomdolan]

Originally Posted by DigiTechSupt

Another note - never plug in or unplug the Mbox 2 while the computer is turned on. This will likely cause a kernel panic.

I did research the "stand alone driver" suggestion and it was clear that I shouldn't do that, and I didn't. Thank you for catching that.

This a.m. I checked for the files you suggested I remove and this is what I found:
1) HAL contains 2 files. Digicore audio & an iSight Audio. Question: Do I remove only the Digi file or the whole folder, and again, where do I put it when I move it...you know I just don't want to screw up anything.

2) I Could not find in Library>Preferences>
>com.apple.audio.AudioMIDISetup.plist
>com.digidesign.CoreAudioManager.plist
>ByHost>com.apple.systempreferencesxxxxx.plist

OK, this note is an add-on to the above as of 4/11. I moved the Digi Core Audio out of the HAL, BUT left it in the Plug-Ins folder....is that what you meant? And then I deleted the > com.apple.systempreferences.plist which was the only one in your list of four files that I located....is that OK?

Thank you for your suggestions, and if you can, please comment on whether I followed your suggestion correctly.

4/15 UPDATE: all DigiTech suggestions were applied/enacted and unfortunately the situation remains the same. I think I will do one more un-install/re-install of ProTools 7.4.2 from the Digi site and see if that could possible help heal or rectify the situation/conflict/pain-in-the-butt situation. I'll update this entry when I complete that in a couple of days.