The Aux I/O device has disappeared from the system and will be disabled

[DJEJPRO]

Originally Posted by daeron80

It does that to me a lot of times, too. If I have used a different interface since the last time, I always have to delete and recreate my Aux I/O channels. But sometimes, like you say, simply closing and reopening is enough to mess it up.

After recreating your Aux I/O channels, have you tried exporting the Aux I/O, then re-importing just the ins and outs when it gets lost again? Maybe have an I/O save for each interface you have...

That works for me, just a simple quick import. If your busses are already mapped, then all the 'greyed out' ins and outs throughout your session should wake up.

When I get that dreaded "Some inputs were made inactive" screen, I open I/O setup (bottom left button), import settings, and select my I/O I saved.

Restore from session is also down there, but doesn't always work..

[EmilILönneberga]

Originally Posted by DJEJPRO

Quick update…

I tried a route that involves what @EmilILönneberga mentioned with the aggregate devices.

I originally had audio bridges setup for mac sound output (to grab in PT for recording system and web audio), to source connect, from source connect, to zoom, from zoom, from soundly, etc..all were completely independent bridges, and selected directly as audio bridge items in the I/O. Only the outputs were dropping upon restart (inputs would always retain for whatever reason).

I re-did the I/O page with aggregate devices. I created a single aggregate device for the first audio bridge item I needed, selected drift correction, and moved on to the next one, repeating the process until each bridge was contained in it’s own aggregate. I used the aggregates in the Aux I/O window as the in’s and outs vs selecting the bridges directly. Unfortunately, those are dropped as outputs as well on PT restart.

I haven't gotten as far as doing a long enough recording or playback over source connect or zoom etc. to get a device 'disappearing' from the system, but I almost feel more comfortable with this approach, as EmilILönneberga mentioned with drift correction they hadn’t seen an error message.

What makes me feel better is that I have the opportunity to actually select ‘drift correction’ in the audio/midi aggregate devices. My audio interface (Scarlett 18i8) is NOT set as any part of the aggregates. It’s simply selected as the main playback engine in PT, and all the separate, purpose built aggregates are being added as additional ins and outs from the I/O setup page.

My main problem still stand..anything selected as an OUTPUT Aux I/O device (whether it’s an audio bridge device or an aggregate device) is getting booted off when Pro Tools restarts.

It’s fringing on what the potential problem could be for what users are experiencing with the Aux I/O device “disappearing”: It’s either being caused by either Pro Tools having a hard time ‘holding’ Aux I/O outputs (problem I’m having currently), or s sync issues that make it crap out over time. The latter may be resolved with aggregate devices, as you can manually select ‘drift correction’, but until I can do an actual session with some lengthy material, I won’t know the answer to either.

Hope this info helps anyone having issues.

There’s definitely a bug in holding Aux I/O outputs on restart (at least for me), but I guess I’ve found a work around for the time being. Regarding the sync/drifting/crackling, and eventually dropping or failing, the aggregate approach may be the answer for that particular problem)

It always felt to me like a clock problem and for me drift correction within macOS did the trick. Fingers crossed it'll work for you too.
It's unfortunate that one can't activate it within Audio MIDI Setup for the PT Bridge.

Edit: What happens if you select the aggregate devices as inputs and the PT Bridges as outputs? I know, it doesn't seem logical but will PT kick out the PT Bridges if they're not used as inputs and outputs at the same time?

[DJEJPRO]

Originally Posted by EmilILönneberga

It always felt to me like a clock problem and for me drift correction within macOS did the trick. Fingers crossed it'll work for you too.
It's unfortunate that one can't activate it within Audio MIDI Setup for the PT Bridge.

Edit: What happens if you select the aggregate devices as inputs and the PT Bridges as outputs? I know, it doesn't seem logical but will PT kick out the PT Bridges if they're not used as inputs and outputs at the same time?

Good thought, but unfortunately a no-go. It behaves the same way regardless of Aux I/O device selection, be it an aggregate, a native bridge, etc. It simply won't stick after a restart. I even tried making ONLY output selections (once with a couple of aggregates only, then again with only audio bridges) with no inputs checked; same results.

I've come to the conclusion that this is absolutely a bug, and the workaround is importing an I/O setup that has the inputs, without having to rebuild anything. It's an extremely fast import, and I'm ready to go. I'm just weary about the problems others have had about the device dropping during a real-time session.

[EmilILönneberga]

Originally Posted by DJEJPRO

Good thought, but unfortunately a no-go. It behaves the same way regardless of Aux I/O device selection, be it an aggregate, a native bridge, etc. It simply won't stick after a restart. I even tried making ONLY output selections (once with a couple of aggregates only, then again with only audio bridges) with no inputs checked; same results.

I've come to the conclusion that this is absolutely a bug, and the workaround is importing an I/O setup that has the inputs, without having to rebuild anything. It's an extremely fast import, and I'm ready to go. I'm just weary about the problems others have had about the device dropping during a real-time session.

When it happened to me it always happened after a couple of minutes.
But yes, I know the feeling.
One last try maybe: What happens if you directly open a Session (PT closed)
with all of your channels routed?

[daeron80]

Originally Posted by DJEJPRO

After recreating your Aux I/O channels, have you tried exporting the Aux I/O, then re-importing just the ins and outs when it gets lost again?

I've tried everything suggested in this thread. Things that work one time don't the next.

Originally Posted by DJEJPRO

If your busses are already mapped, then all the 'greyed out' ins and outs throughout your session should wake up.

They certainly should.

[DJEJPRO]

Originally Posted by EmilILönneberga

When it happened to me it always happened after a couple of minutes.
But yes, I know the feeling.
One last try maybe: What happens if you directly open a Session (PT closed)
with all of your channels routed?

I've tried that too without success. I'll double click the pro tools save (with PT closed), and it starts PT, loads the session, but I end up at the same place.

[EmilILönneberga]

Originally Posted by DJEJPRO

I've tried that too without success. I'll double click the pro tools save (with PT closed), and it starts PT, loads the session, but I end up at the same place.

Yeah, I thought you might have tried that already.
What's your macOS system sample rate? Same as PT? I set system and PT to 48kHz.

[DJEJPRO]

Originally Posted by EmilILönneberga

Yeah, I thought you might have tried that already.
What's your macOS system sample rate? Same as PT? I set system and PT to 48kHz.

All the audio devices have been methodically placed at 48k..I'm gonna see how it goes for now. I haven't done a session with clients yet, but VO record sessions involve talent via Source Connect, and client listening, talkback, communications, etc. through Zoom.

I have a working Windows 10/PT 2021.12 Ultimate setup that I've been using for about 3 years with zero problems for emergency backup.

I purchased this Mac Mini Pro M2 as an upgrade, and have been debugging for days now, to anticipate any hiccups that might happen during a session.

I'm wondering if people are trying to use the "Zoom Device" for telecomms in PT Aux I/O...according to Avid that's a no-go, because of sync/drifting issues.

I've added custom devices to the AudioBridge.config file successfully, and they show up as Avid devices in the audio/midi setup. I'm going to use these as the official I/O for Zoom and Source Connect, and set my PB buffer to 128. Seems quite solid for now, but won't know fully till I get a 30 or 45 min session under my belt.


As you can see the devices I've added have the avid logo, so are right alongside the original bridge devices in the config file. I'm wondering when the "dropped devices" thing happens on other's machines, if they're also disappearing from this list? My haven't, and permanently reside there.

[DJEJPRO]

I haven't had a problem yet importing the devices back into the I/O page if they happen to not load in a session.

I'm not sure what's happening when people are having trouble importing a saved I/O, as it looks for devices in this very list. If the config file gets corrupted, then I get how devices wouldn't be available, but I haven't seen that happen yet, and this list is 'locked in" every time I restart, reboot, etc. It's only Pro Tools that gets confused when trying to load what it thinks was the "last saved I/O". I can simply steer it to my known good one and import that-works every time. Slight hassle, but not a show stopper by any means.

[DJEJPRO]

Originally Posted by daeron80

I've tried everything suggested in this thread. Things that work one time don't the next.

They certainly should.

From your sig, are you still using PT 2022.9? The aux I/O components not coming back from importing a good I/O export might be a bug with that version, but I have no idea honestly. I bought a mini m2 pro and got a chance to start fresh. After jumping through all the hoops to get the system where I want it, I'm only having trouble with the Aux I/O not coming up after restarting, but I can always import one that I know was right upon exporting.

I'm on 2023.6, Ventura 13.5, running native