Play/Pause issue driving me nuts...

[TCM]

Originally Posted by DigiTechSupt

I'm hoping we can get a bit more info from anyone experiencing this issue. If you can answer the following questions, it would help us narrow down all the iterations of this problem.

1. Do you have Error Suppression turned on? If so, disable it - do you now get errors and, if so, what are the error numbers.
2. If you get this problem a lot, can you do a quick-ish test and press play and just let it sit - does it eventually start to play? You shouldn't need to wait more than 6 minutes at 48k or 3 minutes at 96k to determine this.
3. Which Digi HW are you using?

Thanks!

1. Every now and then 'Missed Playback Deadline' message, no other error code

2. It will eventually start to play, but sometimes PT forgets to include some VIs, i.e. Midi tracks don't play. Click track has a delay.

3. 002R

[daeron80]

Originally Posted by DigiTechSupt

1. Do you have Error Suppression turned on? If so, disable it - do you now get errors and, if so, what are the error numbers.
2. If you get this problem a lot, can you do a quick-ish test and press play and just let it sit - does it eventually start to play? You shouldn't need to wait more than 6 minutes at 48k or 3 minutes at 96k to determine this.
3. Which Digi HW are you using?!

1. Seldom if ever use error suppression.
2. It does usually play eventually. Don't remember any error codes. Sometimes it plays after only a few seconds and then I get the MIDI note "explosion" as described by Banana. In that case, the click is usually off, too.
3. 002R

[deanguidry]

For what its worth, my 002R clocked to Big Ben, pro tools 7.1 audio dedicated Core 2 duo with 4gig's ram optimized to the max, will start if I bang on the space bar really hard 7 or 8 times, but then I realized that the number of times I pressed it had nothing to do with whether play occurred. If I press play one time, play will eventually occur some time in the future. I've gone through two keyboards banging on the thing to get pro tools to play. I opened the window behind the studio once and threw a keyboard into the bayou because I got so pissed off. I realized I had made a mistake though. What I should have thrown was the 002R.

The studio lost a seriously good paying client because of this defect. All I could say was I am sorry.

[zippitydoodah]

Originally Posted by DigiTechSupt

I'm hoping we can get a bit more info from anyone experiencing this issue. If you can answer the following questions, it would help us narrow down all the iterations of this problem.

1. Do you have Error Suppression turned on? If so, disable it - do you now get errors and, if so, what are the error numbers.
2. If you get this problem a lot, can you do a quick-ish test and press play and just let it sit - does it eventually start to play? You shouldn't need to wait more than 6 minutes at 48k or 3 minutes at 96k to determine this.
3. Which Digi HW are you using?

Thanks!

Just now I have a toon that I can go to if there is a play/pause fix on offer. So I ran your scenario this morning. The only thing I did different from normal is that I went and checked that error suppression was unchecked (it was) before I opened up the file.
You could have taken me out and dusted me down. I managed to get in three hours of recording overdubs and mixing without a single blip. This was a first time ever without the play/pause/plague hitting this particular session.
When I was done, I closed down Pro Tools so that I could do some topping and tailing on the mix in Soundforge.
Then I open up Pro Tools again, go to the same toon (without having a look at the playback engine page, and wham, the PPP is there right from the start.
It went like this. First recording take, nada. The record button flashes once, the play button flashes once, the stop button flashes once, in sequence, then I sit around twiddling my thumbs for seven (just to be sure) minutes while nothing happens.
Second attempt. Same thing.
I got a take going on the 3rd, 4th and 5th attempt.
Sixth attempt. Failed. But this time only the record button gives a flash. The play and stop buttons are inert. It doesn’t take off after twiddling for eight (just to be doubly sure) minutes.
I get a take going on 7th & 8th attempt.
The 9th fails. Record, play and stop all flash once in sequence.
There were no error messages during this session.
I have an 003 mixer.
I tried re-starting Pro Tools a few more times, sometimes by opening the playback engine first and sometimes not. I get PPP all the time. No error messages.
Go figure.

[AirborneFO]

Originally Posted by deanguidry

For what its worth, my 002R clocked to Big Ben, pro tools 7.1 audio dedicated Core 2 duo with 4gig's ram optimized to the max, will start if I bang on the space bar really hard 7 or 8 times, but then I realized that the number of times I pressed it had nothing to do with whether play occurred. If I press play one time, play with eventually occur some time in the future. I've gone through two keyboards banging on the thing to get pro tools to play. I opened the window behind the studio once and threw a keyboard into the bayou because I got so pissed off. I realized I had made a mistake though. What I should have thrown was the 002R.

The studio lost a seriously good paying client because of this defect. All I could say was I am sorry.

The two keyboards and the tossing of keyboard out the window seriously made me laugh! I don't mean to laugh at your frustrations, but I have been in the same boat and that visual cracked me up. LOL

PS - My wife is from Baton Rouge. I think she once opened up the window and tried to throw me out into the bayou....

[deanguidry]

Here are the fixes for the latest Reaper update released June 15, 2009:

• Fixes for action to crossfade at selection
• Crossfade at selection automatically splits an enclosing item
• VKB performance improvement (especially on WINE)
• Peak caches: better validation of timestamps for varying timezones and filesystems
• Draw correct crossfades when an item sits on top of another item
• X key is mapped to crossfade selected items action by default
• Fixed delay compensation of untouched track channels for VSTs with latency decrease (ReaFIR etc)
• Fixed delay compensation on untouched track channels for JS (including ReaMote)
• ReaMote: fixed network thrashing with automated fx parameters
• MIDI editor: removed snap behavior where snapping is disabled more than 100px from grid
• Render: option to render at project samplerate, but output at a different rate (apply SRC last)
• Fixed bug when undoing on certain projects with envelope lanes visible
• Fixed bug storing online rendering to project file
• Online rendering will pause for a few seconds before rendering to allow hardware to switch samplerates if necessary
• Project setting for item mix behavior (items can mix, replace earlier items, or replace enclosing items)
• Actions to enable or disable auto-crossfade on split
• -renderproject hides main window from view
• Fix for plugins that create multiple envelopes when loaded with automation write on
• Fixed MIDI editor actions to move multiple notes up or down
• Track MIDI input can be mapped to any channel
• Fixed move cursor to start of previous measure action when starting on beat
• Preliminary wet/dry knob for FX
• Look for embedded track name event when importing single-track MIDI
• Option to not reset MIDI CC on stop
• Queued (batch) rendering support (Queue render button in render dialog, menu/action to bring up queue)
• MIDI editor: control-drag also copies CC messages when moving CC with notes
• Action to toggle maximize all tracks will maximize first
• Fixed adding tempo events via transport when tempo envelope is hidden
• Support for changing BPM from within ReWire slaves
• User config for external MIDI output threading (restricted to one thread by default)
• Fix for ripple editing + tempo marker issues
• OSX: better hidden-mouse UI behavior (with Synergy detection as well)
• OSX: cleaner looking buttons/popup buttons (todo combo boxes)
• OSX: enabled FX folder rename/delete, drag FX into folder
• OSX: fixed item fadein cursor
• OSX: better support for detecting mouse activation for BFD2 etc
• Internal queue optimizations

If the staff at Cukos (Reaper) can do all that in one update within weeks of the previous one, something is seriously wrong at Digidesign. I just don't understand it.

[deanguidry]

[QUOTE=PS - My wife is from Baton Rouge. I think she once opened up the window and tried to throw me out into the bayou.... [/QUOTE]

Cajun wife, I suppose....

[kbruff]

Originally Posted by deanguidry

Here are the fixes for the latest Reaper update released June 15, 2009:

• Fixes for action to crossfade at selection
• Crossfade at selection automatically splits an enclosing item
• VKB performance improvement (especially on WINE)
• Peak caches: better validation of timestamps for varying timezones and filesystems
• Draw correct crossfades when an item sits on top of another item
• X key is mapped to crossfade selected items action by default
• Fixed delay compensation of untouched track channels for VSTs with latency decrease (ReaFIR etc)
• Fixed delay compensation on untouched track channels for JS (including ReaMote)
• ReaMote: fixed network thrashing with automated fx parameters
• MIDI editor: removed snap behavior where snapping is disabled more than 100px from grid
• Render: option to render at project samplerate, but output at a different rate (apply SRC last)
• Fixed bug when undoing on certain projects with envelope lanes visible
• Fixed bug storing online rendering to project file
• Online rendering will pause for a few seconds before rendering to allow hardware to switch samplerates if necessary
• Project setting for item mix behavior (items can mix, replace earlier items, or replace enclosing items)
• Actions to enable or disable auto-crossfade on split
• -renderproject hides main window from view
• Fix for plugins that create multiple envelopes when loaded with automation write on
• Fixed MIDI editor actions to move multiple notes up or down
• Track MIDI input can be mapped to any channel
• Fixed move cursor to start of previous measure action when starting on beat
• Preliminary wet/dry knob for FX
• Look for embedded track name event when importing single-track MIDI
• Option to not reset MIDI CC on stop
• Queued (batch) rendering support (Queue render button in render dialog, menu/action to bring up queue)
• MIDI editor: control-drag also copies CC messages when moving CC with notes
• Action to toggle maximize all tracks will maximize first
• Fixed adding tempo events via transport when tempo envelope is hidden
• Support for changing BPM from within ReWire slaves
• User config for external MIDI output threading (restricted to one thread by default)
• Fix for ripple editing + tempo marker issues
• OSX: better hidden-mouse UI behavior (with Synergy detection as well)
• OSX: cleaner looking buttons/popup buttons (todo combo boxes)
• OSX: enabled FX folder rename/delete, drag FX into folder
• OSX: fixed item fadein cursor
• OSX: better support for detecting mouse activation for BFD2 etc
• Internal queue optimizations

If the staff at Cukos (Reaper) can do all that in one update within weeks of the previous one, something is seriously wrong at Digidesign. I just don't understand it.

cockos = small, nimble and adaptable design team
digi = large, inertial and resistant

[Shan]

Originally Posted by deanguidry

Here are the fixes for the latest Reaper update released June 15, 2009:

• Fixes for action to crossfade at selection
• Crossfade at selection automatically splits an enclosing item
• VKB performance improvement (especially on WINE)
• Peak caches: better validation of timestamps for varying timezones and filesystems
• Draw correct crossfades when an item sits on top of another item
• X key is mapped to crossfade selected items action by default
• Fixed delay compensation of untouched track channels for VSTs with latency decrease (ReaFIR etc)
• Fixed delay compensation on untouched track channels for JS (including ReaMote)
• ReaMote: fixed network thrashing with automated fx parameters
• MIDI editor: removed snap behavior where snapping is disabled more than 100px from grid
• Render: option to render at project samplerate, but output at a different rate (apply SRC last)
• Fixed bug when undoing on certain projects with envelope lanes visible
• Fixed bug storing online rendering to project file
• Online rendering will pause for a few seconds before rendering to allow hardware to switch samplerates if necessary
• Project setting for item mix behavior (items can mix, replace earlier items, or replace enclosing items)
• Actions to enable or disable auto-crossfade on split
• -renderproject hides main window from view
• Fix for plugins that create multiple envelopes when loaded with automation write on
• Fixed MIDI editor actions to move multiple notes up or down
• Track MIDI input can be mapped to any channel
• Fixed move cursor to start of previous measure action when starting on beat
• Preliminary wet/dry knob for FX
• Look for embedded track name event when importing single-track MIDI
• Option to not reset MIDI CC on stop
• Queued (batch) rendering support (Queue render button in render dialog, menu/action to bring up queue)
• MIDI editor: control-drag also copies CC messages when moving CC with notes
• Action to toggle maximize all tracks will maximize first
• Fixed adding tempo events via transport when tempo envelope is hidden
• Support for changing BPM from within ReWire slaves
• User config for external MIDI output threading (restricted to one thread by default)
• Fix for ripple editing + tempo marker issues
• OSX: better hidden-mouse UI behavior (with Synergy detection as well)
• OSX: cleaner looking buttons/popup buttons (todo combo boxes)
• OSX: enabled FX folder rename/delete, drag FX into folder
• OSX: fixed item fadein cursor
• OSX: better support for detecting mouse activation for BFD2 etc
• Internal queue optimizations

If the staff at Cukos (Reaper) can do all that in one update within weeks of the previous one, something is seriously wrong at Digidesign. I just don't understand it.

I'm afraid you're way behind the times posting this today. Here are the fixes for the latest Reaper update for today:

• Joystick MIDI improvements (modeless config, submodes, etc)
• Allow ctrl+drag copy of selected areas of items even with very small selections
• Actions: split selected items at project markers, split selected items at grid
• Action: remove content behind selected items (shift-X by default)
• Crossfade selected items action allows time selection that is completely within both items
• Fixed bug with render dialogs render master not being restored from configuration
• ReaDelay: fixed label of delay length (from QN to 8N)
• Fixed some bugs relating to Unicode conversions when getting long UI strings
• OSX: fixed sending 1 and 2 byte messages to MIDI hardware
• Ctrl+drag (pencil mode) creates empty MIDI item if no item is selected
• SiF meters now show actual signal
• Batch rendering will no longer show save prompt/project properties if preference set
• MIDI editor: fixed sorting and mouse hit testing of overlapping notes
• MIDI editor: Undo/redo of certain actions from within editor updates cached note names
• MIDI editor: fixed scroll issues with last clicked note selection
• MIDI editor: notes are not created when dragging vertically
• MIDI editor: action to cycle to next loaded MIDI item (alt+N by default)
• Menu bar shows recording format, device settings, optionally free disk space including time
• Normalize as much as +120dB (up from +36dB)
• Allow resizing tracks in folder compact (not supercompact) mode
• Toolbar icons show current state for many global toggle actions
• Fixed relative filename item paste issues (when option to use relative files before fully qualified path is set)
• Disabling record arm for tracks now sends all notes off
• VST: Support for plug-ins with Unicode filenames

This wasn't done in weeks, it was done in days! All my own reported bugs got fixed and I'll be logging another today with the easiest bug reporting system I ever used. Honestly, the old dated long winded systems to report and handle bugs are long over if one really wants to compete in this modern era. If one chooses to continue using these slow old senior citizen reporting and handling models, then prepare to get your butt whipped.

The current Digi bug reporting and handling system needs a serious evaluation and overhaul cuz the noobie DAWs are very quickly starting to DAWminate. The reported play/pause issue goes as far back as the PT 6.x era which has been literally years.

Shane

[daeron80]

Originally Posted by Shan

I'll be logging another today with the easiest bug reporting system I ever used.

That's obviously the same CMS the DUC uses (anybody know which one, BTW? Squiz? MMBase?) . So it would be a no-brainer for Digi to implement the same thing technologically. Now actually tracking and fixing the bugs... But then, Reaper's not built on 20 yr old code. The guys who wrote it are fixing it. BIIIIIG difference.