MBox Pro - Serious Problems!!

[RichardJ]

Anyone had any sort of installation problems with their MBox Pro?

With my very new iMac i7 and the PT9 crossgrade, my MBox Pro isn't functioning: Headphone A only gives audio in the left, Headphone B doesn't produce any audio at all, and the front panel buttons (mono, spkr and dim.mute) don't work at all.

I've followed all the instructions to the letter, uninstalled, reinstalled the drivers, and PT9 is the latest build too.

I've got a replacement on order, but I'm wondering if this is an isolated incident (lucky me!) or if anyone else is having similar problems.

From speaking with a service centre (not AVID), I know that the 002 systems were often beset by problems which, in their opinion, were due to low quality build issues.

I wonder what the failure rates are for AVID hardware (not that we'd ever be told!)

So, having just bought this not inexpensive hardware, I'm astonished (and I'm being very polite) to find out that I'd actually have to pay for support from AVID to report a problem with their own product!!

Is my understanding correct?

If anyone from AVID is around, could they please comment on the hardware issues with the MBox Pro, and also the question of customer support.

Thanks in advance to anyone who can shed some light on this.

R

[chrisdee]

Originally Posted by RichardJ

So, having just bought this not inexpensive hardware, I'm astonished (and I'm being very polite) to find out that I'd actually have to pay for support from AVID to report a problem with their own product!!


Is my understanding correct?

Unfortunately you are correct. You have to buy a €41.95 avid support code from avid store :
http://shop.avid.com/store/product.d...06917503520336

Then you have to create a case from the page below.
http://avid.force.com/ASC

From what I heard you can make one call and 10 online cases within a period of 60 days.

http://duc.avid.com/showthread.php?p...45#post1753945



Although I don't like this support model I think this is the way it's done for many companies.

I'v never used this support system and most probably never will. If ever in need I turn to the DUC or my local music store where I bought my Mbox2Pro.

[chrisdee]

Wich version of osx are you running ?

[chipss36]

your not alone, I have seen only two peoples posts running the pro without problems, its a shame, I sure like the specs of the mbox pro, but the build, the driver? disconnected wires.....ect..what ever the problem is .

I say return it, and keep doing so until they make this work correctly as it should.

dear avid, paying customers are not bata testers....and the pro in its current state is simply not a finished and ready product....

I wish there was a way to see just how many of these boxes are failing. I know reading here, its put me off from buying one....thats for sure.

[RichardJ]

Originally Posted by chrisdee

Wich version of osx are you running ?

Hi - currently running OS X 10.6.6 on a 2.93 GHz Intel Core i7 with 4 GB 1333 Mhz DDR3.

I hope this isn't the problem as I can't envisage having to backtrack to a lower version for the sake of the audio interface.

Any thoughts?

R

[chipss36]

there should be no problem with the imac or the op system, all digi/avid approved.

i would make sure your fire wire chain is imac>mbox>recording drive with oxford chipset at the end of the chain...sometimes this can cause problems, however I have seen many people with headphone problems on the pro...
seems your whole front panel is not working, maybe yet another wire not connected? many people have had issues of no power on at all, and it was found a wire header was not connected on many units, errr uhh fell off during transit?

sorry I cant help more, I have kept my eye out on mbox pro posts, because It reads like a great box, yet after reading what owners are saying, have chose to look else where...
metric halo unl-2....here I come...lol

[persuader]

Had the same problem. After uninstalling/reinstalling drivers and messing around with the settings in the Mbox Pro software panel.
It all worked out fine.No problems since then.But im on Windows
Hope you get it working because M Box Pro really is sounding great!

[RichardJ]

Originally Posted by persuader

Had the same problem. After uninstalling/reinstalling drivers and messing around with the settings in the Mbox Pro software panel.
It all worked out fine.No problems since then.But im on Windows
Hope you get it working because M Box Pro really is sounding great!

Thanks for this - it means there's still hope

Actually, I think it's the driver that is the problem - at least partly. I've noticed that when the drive application isn't running , the front panel lights/switches illuminate as you'd expect. But when I launch the MBox Pro app, it stops working.

I've opened every tab and I/O setting and nothing seems to help. Of course it should just work straight out of the box.

I'm really wishing at this stage that I'd bought a MOTU!

R

[persuader]

Of course there is hope. I always think that I need patiens and more time than expected when i buy new stuff like this.

I used some uninstall software to get rid of all driver traces before reinstalling. Can you get something like that for Mac?

I also did a crossgrade from PT 8. Never got the update version to work. Had to do a clean install of the full PT 9. Could thsi also be your problem?

Are you shure you have a compatibel firewire on the Mac?

Good luck and dont give up!

Maybe the Motu would have been better but on the other hand that could probably also give you al sorts of problems.....

[Carl Lie]

I'd bet the motu interface works better. I've had a 001,002 and mbox pro. And an audiomedia 3 now that I think about it. I've concluded that avids FireWire stuff sucks.

Just my humble opinion.

Stories like this have been showing on the duc for years. It's embarrassing.

Carl