Will Digi 002 upgrade fix all my problems....

[applecore3401]

I am having issues with my performance. I am running about 15 tracks with plugins on them and I am getting error messages like hardware buffer under-run. I am running the usb mbox and computer details are below. I have the hardware setting to 2048 so I feel i shouldn't be having problems. I am trying to figure out what I need to change in my setup to get more power in pro tools to run more plugins so I can mix. I am looking at either getting a better computer or the Digi 002. I want to know if upgrading to Digi 002 which has firewire is going to improve my pro tools system performance. Or do I have to upgrade computers? I know this is poorly written but bare with me because I am trying to get this problem fixed.

System Details
Macbook Black 2.4 GHz
Intel Core 2 Duo, 3 GB ram
Mbox 2

[docbop]

MBox and 002 are just interfaces your computer is doing the processing that's generating those errors.

[Resonant Alien]

Your hardware buffer size may actually be set too high. Try a lower setting and see if you still have a problem

[applecore3401]

So if I buy the digi 002 the only thing it would bring to the table would be the additional outputs?

[applecore3401]

Originally Posted by Resonant Alien

Your hardware buffer size may actually be set too high. Try a lower setting and see if you still have a problem

How can it be set to high? I thought setting it the highest gives you the best performance?

[audiocase]

Originally Posted by applecore3401

How can it be set to high? I thought setting it the highest gives you the best performance?

Sorry to hear you 're experiencing this ,but the setting can go both ways really. 1024 is the maximum in my case, so I suggest not to set it higher.

Consider the M-audio profire 610 ( much better latency) route before leaping to an 002 though.


BTW, did you make a clean install of v8?

[Sunzate]

Originally Posted by docbop

MBox and 002 are just interfaces your computer is doing the processing that's generating those errors.

This isn't completely true, as far as I know.

I got rid of my (original) mbox and haven't looked back. It was a few years ago, but I had endless buffer problems, and the situation drastically improved when i switched to the firewire 002R.

Read the specs carefully: All except one of the mboxes (mbox pro) use USB 1.1, which is a slow, old interface. A quick google search reveals that the maximum speed of USB 1.1 is around 1.5 MB/s, while firewire approaches 50 MB/s. That's 30 times faster. More on the benefits of firewire (wikipedia),

Besides throughput, other differences are that it uses simpler bus networking, provides more power over the chain, more reliable data transfer, and uses less CPU resources.[23]

It's a vicious circle with an mbox. You get buffer errors because when you turn the buffer down to reduce latency, and you get buffer errors when you turn it up to improve performance.

Fail!

My opinion: If you are serious about recording, get firewire, or at least USB 2.0.

Hope this helps.
Adam

[DigiTechSupt]

The first question I would have is - what are the error numbers in the messages you're getting?

Also - what type of drive are you using for record/playback?

Have you tried any of the troubleshooting steps in the General Troubleshooting thread?

[TOM@METRO]

Originally Posted by applecore3401

So if I buy the digi 002 the only thing it would bring to the table would be the additional outputs?

... and firewire... and lower buffer settings with less latency.

[Sunzate]

Originally Posted by DigiTechSupt

The first question I would have is - what are the error numbers in the messages you're getting?

Also - what type of drive are you using for record/playback?

Have you tried any of the troubleshooting steps in the General Troubleshooting thread?

He's right - do these things first, but...