mbox 2 pro versus buffer underruns etc.

[jes]

i really thought the mbox2 pro would be fine, given that it's a firewire interface it should be faster... but i am having immense problems. at least half the time i hit the space bar to play, i get hardware holding off error messages, and buffer underruns. i cannot bounce to disk reliably at all, but if it plays i can record output onto a new track with no problem (my solution, not like it take more time than bouncing to disk, ahem...)
this using either a dual 1ghz g4 desktop or a 1.5ghz g4 laptop.
i'm bummed. it seems to use a ton of cpu just being plugged in with protools open. what's the deal?

[jes]

another question...
i can't seem to use a firewire drive while using the mbox 2 pro. it won't even play, error is firewire bus related.
i read that if you use both items on the same bus, you should put the drive between the mbox 2 pro and the computer, but that can't be right- the mbox doesn't power fully, or rather, it appears to power up but won't take any audio input. is this right?

is anybody able to use this box reliably?

[Bennett Paster]

Hi- I'm not much help with your buffer underrun problems- try Digi's general troubleshooting suggestions... (I own a 002)

But I wanted to suggest a few things that might help your firewire drive issue. I just started using my MacBook Pro with my 002 with a firewire drive in the middle and it's been working well for a week... (This after years of using a Power PC with the 002 on it's own dedicated firewire bus).

First, be sure your drive meets all the qualifications set out here: http://www.digidesign.com/index.cfm?...5&itemid=23114

If your interface isn't getting power, be sure that the hard drive itself has a separate ac power adapter and that's it's really plugged into both the wall and the drive. (Some of my firewire drives display the power light when they are connected to the computers firewire bus, but if the ac adapter isn't plugged in, they won't actually boot up, and they certainly won's pass power onto an interface further downstream.) And, be sure that all your firewire cables are 6 pin. Unplug them and look- you can get 4 pin and 6 pin cables, both have the same sized plug, but you'll be able to see the terminals. You need 6 pin to pass power.

Don't mix firewire 400 and 800 cables (obviously).

And, on my old computer (G4, dual 1Ghz) I had much better luck attaching my fw drives to a firewire PCI card (for like $40) than I ever did using the internal firewire interface. Before I got the PCI card, the 002 and the drive were always plugged into the computer directly using different cables (but both shared the internal firewire bus). This setup proved fairly unreliable... Once I got the PCI card, firewire drives were happier and the 002 lost communication with the computer much less frequently.

For the record, my internal ATA drives were always more reliable and had lower apparent latency than firewire ones ever did, but this will NOT work with a laptop setup.

For my current MacBook Pro setup, I just ordered a firewire 800 ExpressCard/34 card. I'll put my drives on this bus in the future and keep the 002 on the internal bus. (The ExpressCard/34 card's manufacturer, Nitro AV told me that their card, and firewire 800 in general, is backwards compatible with firewire 400 devices assuming that I use the proper bilingual cable, with a 9pin fw800 plug in one end and a fw400 plug in the other. It's risky, but I hope it works- if not I'll return the card and get a fw 400 one.)

Hope that helps... Good luck.

[jes]

hmm. yes, i always use oxford chipset drives. i was trying with my OWC mercury, but since it has 800 and 400 i was plugging into the 800 slot on the powerbook, then attempting to jump the 400 from it to mbox 2 pro. i guess it has some issue with that, clocking or otherwise- the sessions would play fine, but the m2p allowed no input, so no recording.
i guess the real drag is that i can'r use both available ports on the computer, the 800 and 400 outs are the same bus and it just stops dead when you hit play.
but the buffer issue is maddening, it always stops play and says increase buffer size when it's on its highest. and this is even when using the desktop machine, sessions from internal ata drives and no other things on the firewire bus.

i bought this device because i was tired of experiencing massive bursts of white noise when using my old mbox, not so happy with this solution. (this after the software outdated my digi001, after it outdated my AM3... i've been usign PT since v.3! dammit)

powerbook 1.5ghz g4 2gb ram
quicksilver dual 1ghz g4 1.5gb ram

[nowinner]

Sorry, not helping either.

I have the same problems.

I bought a Mbox 2 first. Alot of problem. Well so put the cash on the table and upgraded to the Mbox 2 Pro since it´s firewire. Still the same problems. Canßt run more than 10 Tracks with mayabe 8 plug ins and this on a G5 2x2Ghz with 5.5Gb Ram...

Well, I think it´s PT 7.x who use far more power than 6.x !

I used to have a 002r under 6.9 and it was great. No problem at all. I am thinking of going back. !!

[VinceP]

i really thought the mbox2 pro would be fine, given that it's a firewire interface it should be faster... but i am having immense problems. at least half the time i hit the space bar to play, i get hardware holding off error messages, and buffer underruns. i cannot bounce to disk reliably at all, but if it plays i can record output onto a new track with no problem (my solution, not like it take more time than bouncing to disk, ahem...)
this using either a dual 1ghz g4 desktop or a 1.5ghz g4 laptop.
i'm bummed. it seems to use a ton of cpu just being plugged in with protools open. what's the deal?

Well bouncing to disk is known to be the most processor hungry function of PT. At what resolution do mix at? Tried increasing H/W Buffer Size? Do you have a lot of automation? This might help a bit: When bouncing to disk, set the H/W buffer to the max, go to set-up/preferences/automation/deselect faders move during playback, in the same window (preferences) go to the display tab/select Default track color "none"/select Default Region Color "none", you may also want to switch your edit window view to "blocks" (there is a shortcut for this Control+Option+Command+Left/Right Arrow Keys (Mac) and Start+Alt+Ctrl+Left/Right Arrow Keys (Windows), lastly you can turn off any edit window scrolling located at the pulldown menu of Track.

Hope this helps buddy.

[jes]

no this is the case with hardware buffer set to max ALL THE TIME! not much automation either.
i reniced protools to -15, it helps a bit... but this is pretty messed up.

[DigiTechSupt]

i was trying with my OWC mercury, but since it has 800 and 400 i was plugging into the 800 slot on the powerbook, then attempting to jump the 400 from it to mbox 2 pro. i guess it has some issue with that, clocking or otherwise-

You are absolutely correct - adaptors like that will definitely cause problems

Have you tried just connecting the Mbox 2 Pro to a FW400 port and testing it that way?

[jes]

Have you tried just connecting the Mbox 2 Pro to a FW400 port and testing it that way?

yes of course. that was my initial method.

[DigiTechSupt]

What are the error numbers in those messages? Can you give me a complete description of your system and how everything is connected? Also, have you tried all the steps in the OS X Setup and General Troubleshooting thread yet?