Dying here people.....Anyone....Anyone ???

[RHDRAMA]

So I feel like I've done every optimization, watched every tutorial, and spent countless hours scouring the net (and this forum) for help, or even some people with the same issues. I continue to be plagued by pops and clicks, error messages and CPU overloads during playback in PT SE.

One error message tells me to increase buffer size in my playback engine dialog, but I've checked all of my preferences, and every drop down menu and there is no playback engine dialog.......am I missing something here ??? There doesn't even seem to be one option or preference that even deals with the playback.

This same error message tells me to remove some plug-ins, so in yet another moment of trial and error I take a folder in my main digidesign folder called "PLUG-INS" and move it to the trash (didn't delete it.....just moved it) to see if that was the equivillent of "removing some plug-ins". Bad idea....even after restoring this folder to its original location, now my midi keyboard will not play internal instruments, my software updater will not work, factory loops turn up as empty space when dropped on tracks, and I keep getting error messages regarding my internal midi clock.

I'm at the point where I'm ready to un-install both SE and my Fast Track and attempt to re-install both of them....not sure what good that will do, but at least that would hopefully get me back to just working badly instead of not working at all......lesser of two evils at this point.

I'm even considering selling this brand new Mac Mini for something with more zoom. Ridiculous considering I bought both the Avid recording studio and the Mac Mini together as a package from my local Guitar Center........that kind of indicated to me that the computer was capable of running SE right out of the box. Heck......before I ever even plugged the damn thing in I maxed out the RAM in the Mini just as a preventative measure. Long story a little less long........I just want to make some music......instead of wasting all of my time troubleshooting this thing. I'm sick to death of this thing already.......and I've only had it a total of two months.

Listen......I'm a rookie.....I don't know much about all of this as you can probably see, but I know that this whole thing is putting a knife right through my creativity.

I'd really appreciate any help that anyone could provide. Heck even if you confirm that I need to just start over with a newer, faster Mac and a better version of PT........at least that would give me a new starting point.

Many thanks......to whoever even reads all of my bitching and complaining.

[Meads]

Sorry for your troubles.
I never worked with SE, never even seen it, so I can't give you proper advise on that, other than to wipe it off your hard drive, and start over installing from scratch.
I could give you a recommendation, that will give you a fully functioning version of PT (as far as prediction goes), but this would mean spending about 1.5-2K (refurbished MacPro of an older generation with a used Mbox 2).
Maybe some SE-guy will be able to help you with your current setup, though.
Best of luck.

[Dism]

There's no reason a Mac Mini shouldn't be able to handle SE provided you are running a qualfied setup.

Do you have any specs of your Mini? What version of OSX are you running? Are you running an external/secondary hard drive for sessions?

[caruso7r]

+ 1 to the Mac Mini. You don't need to sell it. For what is sounds like you're doing, the Mini should be fine. Just uninstall and reinstall, but make sure you have a supported version of the OS installed. Just click on the apple symbol up in the left corner and click "about this mac" and make sure you're running a supported version for your version of Pro Tools SE. If the navigation of PT is like the other versions, click on the setup menu at the top of the window and select the second choice which in other versions would be the playback engine settings. If you have that menu option then inside you can uncheck the "ignore errors during playback record" and if it's checked and also check what the buffer settings are at. Since you got the error, go ahead and select at least one notch more or two. Example if you're at 128 buffers, go to at least 256 or even try 512 to see if the error goes away. It should at that level if you're running under 48 tracks with a few plugins. Otherwise go up to 1024 or 2048 if you have a ton of plugins on your tracks. It might help us if you post the version of your OS.

[RHDRAMA]

Hey guys........thanks much for your responses. Caruso7r thanks double to you buddy....as this is your second time listening to my whining.

Quick update......I did a clean un-install and re-install of SE last night....just to get back to square one. By the way...I've since added the Maschine software and hardware to this whole setup.

Here's my specs.....(thought these came up at the bottom of my posts)
Mac Mini Aluminum: 2.4 GHZ Intel Core 2 Duo....320GB HD.....NVIDIA Ge Force 320MB Graphics....8GB DDR3 RAM....MAC OSX Snow Leopard v. 10.6.3.

So after a little more experimentation.....I think I'm starting to realize that this version of PT may be my issue. This version doesn't really go too far in terms of setup and preferences. There is really only one "preferences" section where you can make very simple changes......like a tiny midi setup section, another tab for choosing sample rate and bit rate (both of mine are set to the lowest possible.....44.1 Ghz Sample Rate / 16 bit bit rate, and my fast track interface is set to 16 bit as well, and only one other tab called "session" with two options for session settings which are really quite simplistic. One setting for better quality using "real" instruments, and another for better quality using "internal" instruments.....real beginner stuff. There is absolutely no place to increase buffer size or do anything with playback settings....no place that even gives you an option to "ignore errors during playback". I wish there was.

All sessions that you open with this version are "templates" with tracks already inserted. I think this is where my problem lies. Bare with me......this thing also has a little system monitor with a few meters.....I'm sure the higher end versions of PT have this too. Mine has three meters....CPU (effects), CPU (elastic), and Disk. When I open up a new session....even an "empty" one, and then open up this monitor....before I even record anything, the CPU (effects) meter is already jumping around. Like I said......bare with me.

So when you open a new session.....it also creates a folder for that session. Since I've only been toying around and not doing anything that I'm actually going to save yet.....I've been putting these folders on my desktop so that I can just trash them when I'm through. Well......I open up this folder for my session and I see another folder inside called "PLUG IN settings", so I opened it up, and here this is this list of "effects" that are apparently already tied to my session. I think this is the issue......please correct me if I'm missing something here........but it seems that SE already has background effects running before you even start doing anything in a session. Is this normal ??? Is this what a "Plug In" is ???? Now, on one session I actually took that "PLUG IN settings" folder out of my "Session" folder and trashed it while the session was still open just to see what would happen, and the session started acting a little screwy. The meter calmed down a bit, but the whole thing just seemed a little "glitchy".

Anyway....don't want to write another novel here, and thanks again for the help everyone. Maybe all of this additional info will get a lightbulb over someone's head.....but I'm going to keep experimenting.

Much appreciated

[gary_kesling]

my experience has been that "pops and cracks" can come from sync issues. If you are running a piece of "hardware" make sure that it is clocked or synced with your system. Just a thought.

[caruso7r]

I wish I had this "SE" version just to check it out. When you create a session, you say that you cannot choose the type of session as it does this for you? If it's true, that's too bad simply cause then is sounds like you're stuck with the plugins that are in the session. On the fast track, does it have a control panel for you to access to change the sample rate and to check and/or change the clock source. Gary Kesling might be on to something with the clock possibly. Can you post a picture of the Edit window and the mix window just so we can see how different it is from the LE version and HD version. I'm gonna poke around and see if I can find out more info on this particular version.

[RHDRAMA]

Guys...I gotta tell ya. I've been a musician and a music lover for over 15 years......never been much for chatting it up online.....nice to see that there are people out there actually willing to spend a little time lending a helping hand. Thanks again.

Anyway.......you can do one better than just seeing pics. Check out the instructional videos on this thing....PRO TOOLS SE CUSTOMER SUCCESS VIDEOS...first page of this forum. There's a couple of them. The one about the "quick start" will show you exactly what it looks like when I open up a session. The "Recording an Instrument Track" video will give you a quick glance (about 1 minute in) of the "preferences" menu I spoke about.

As far as my "Fast Track", there's a video for that thing too, a few of them, however it looks like most of them are showing it paired up with PT M-Powered Essential....which I'm guessing was the "Rookie" version of PT that was out and about just before they came out with SE........shame because Essential looks a little more advanced. I mean, I'm a rookie, but it seems like SE is for "rookies" that may have just put down their "Guitar Hero" controller and decided that it wouldn't be a bad idea to see if they could do this stuff for real. I mean.....I have been around the block a time or two. I'm a "real" guitar player....dabble a bit on the black and white keys....I'm the singer in my band "More Drama"....hence my screen name there. This whole set up was so that I could record my band first and foremost, but since I'm a fan of just about every "genre", I thought it may be cool to maybe try and be creative in other areas of music other than rock and metal....that's why I purchased Maschine....which I'm very impressed with by the way.

Basically.......I'm not an idiot.....PT could have given me a few more options......I guess they do in the more "pro" versions. SE seems to be for the person that wants to sit down and record....that's that....ultra easy, not a lot of options to play with.....basic simplicity. I consider myself to be a bit more advanced than that. I'm probably not HD material....but maybe LE may be a little more my speed ???

Anyway...the videos for this should show you what I'm working with. As far as options for the Fast track, when you click on the "Fast Track" icon from your system preferences, there is only one option that you can change.....the sample bit depth....and like I said, mine is set to 16 bit. The other tab available to you is the "About" tab which is nothing more than links to the M-Audio site....a knowledge base....the manuals for this thing....registration page....software updater (which by the way, I have done the latest update)

So.......really don't want to keep you guys on the hook to long here. I hope these vids give you a little insight. Thanks again.

[Lyvewire]

@RHDRAMA,

Talking about hitting the nail on the head. I actually TRIED to return this product after losing my patience with the dae07 code I kept getting. Looked EVERYWHERE, (even called M-Audio and Avid), to figure out how to change the bufferring and your right. Theres no option in preferences. Once I realized I couldnt get my money back I kind of decided to make the best of a bad situation. Just to give some backround about what I was looking for...

I been using a Triton since when it first came out.. Not trying to to toot my own horn but you'd never know. Like you I been doing music for over a 13 yrs and I wanted to get up to speed with using software period. I used to own a few adats to record to, and a 24 tascam mixer board etc etc. It was stolen from me. I now mix all my tracks down to 2 track directly in the Triton to CD and been paying $75 to lay vocals down proffessionally over the mixed down instrumentals. A friend told me about this bundle and the salesman said it would be perfect for beginning to learn protools. I almost feel like I just purchased a computer with a lowest of everything else for studio recording.

However I will say now I overcame my fustration now. I figured out how to record on this thing using the effects and its not hard at all. The material recorded was definetely clear. In fact I'm already eager to get a better mike and better plug ins for effects. Aside from the error I get when I record to much info>buffering, I've had some success. I can def.say I'll need pro tools 9 once I master this.

Let me know if you had any luck with the buffering and I'll do the same.I almost felt like I posted this thread myself because it was so close to everything I went thru with mine.Good to see I'm not t he only one

[RHDRAMA]

Gotta tell ya Lyvewire........after my re-install of this thing, somehow I am able to get stuff done with "less" issues, so that's at least a plus. I guess it's kinda like the hottie with the annoying voice......somehow you learn to live with it.

All in all.....I've decided that I'm not gonna waste all of my time complaining about it. It is one hell of a learning tool.....I mean, I certainly know more about this type of recording than I ever knew before I owned it.......and I'll be a little more prepared when I finally do step up to more extensive equipment. I've made my peace on this forum with all of my issues with SE......hell it feels like I wrote a novel......maybe someone out there will come up with a breakthrough solution for both of us. Until then though......we made our beds, least we can do is make some music in them !!!!!!