192 interface upgrade? EXT clock unstable?
 

I'm still trying to get my system stable.

Almost all the crashes I'm experiencing now seem to happen when I'm doing something to tracks that are routed to the 2nd 192 interface. I've updated the firmware. Is there ANYTHING else internally that would need to be updated in a 192 if it was 2 or 3 years old?

Examples: I'll select a group of tracks that are routed to the 2nd 192 outputs and try to move them in the mix window. I get the spinning beach ball and after a LONG TIME a message about a time out occuring accessing audio hardware. Or I'll add a send to a track that's routed to the 2nd 192 interface and Pro Tools will crash.

I'm using a Big Ben to clock my system, using it set on internal/44.1. Are there issues with 7.1 that can make this scenario unstable?

The reason I ask is that all my current problems seem to have started when I got the 2nd 192, the Big Ben, and upgraded to 7.1.

I'm thinking for now I may just go back to the 192 clocking and PT 7.0, and then hook up the Big Ben to lay final versions.

I realize I have that other thread going (mac under the weather). But I've done all those things except replace my system drive, which I may do tonight. But this coincidence just struck me today about when I obtained the 2nd 192 and the Big Ben.

Re: 192 interface upgrade? EXT clock unstable?
 

big ben works great for me in 7.1cs4...

Re: 192 interface upgrade? EXT clock unstable?
 

Good to know.. btw.. Is there any reason not to upgrade to 7.1cs4 from a new install of 7.0? I am wondering if all of the upgrades previous are necessary in the cs category? I just finished a large project and am now able to install my new 7 version.
I looked around and could not determine from the download if all of the updates are necessary.

Thanks in advance.

G

Re: 192 interface upgrade? EXT clock unstable?
 

Meanwhile, back to my post....

After searching some more on the DUC I found a post where guys were talking about how to hook up the Big Ben and 192. Digi posted and said that you're supposed to have one cable from Big Ben to the 1st 192 and then loop sync to the other.

Apogee and other users say to use the star method, where each 192 gets its own cable and DO NOT connect the loop sync in/outs on the 192's.

FURTHER there seems to be some controversy over which firmware works on the 192/Big Ben system. One thread said don't use anything over 3.0. One says their system is using 4.9.

WHICH BRINGS UP my next question: What firmware should we be using in 192's? My Digitest scanned my 192's and only took them to 3.0 (this was after a new Pro Tools 7.0 install and then running Digitest to check the firmware). If Firmware 4.9 exists, why did Digitest only take mine to 3.0?

Can someone definitively post firmware versions, and how to best hook these things up?

Re: 192 interface upgrade? EXT clock unstable?
 

Has anybody searched the answerbase lately? I searched "192 I/O firmware" - nothing pertinent. I searched "Big Ben" and zero hits came back (wow). I searched "connect external sync", "external sync" - minimal, nothing helpful. And most of the hits were about 888 interfaces and Adat bridges! Is it ever updated? I searched 'late breaking....' and got nothing about this issue at all.

Re: 192 interface upgrade? EXT clock unstable?
 

Apogee have a bunch of details about how to hook up their gear on their web site.

Rail

Re: 192 interface upgrade? EXT clock unstable?
 

Ahh, when I saw your name, Rail, I was hoping for the best.

Apogee's instructions are what I've been using. They say to use a separate cable from Big Ben to each of the 192's, and to NOT connect any loop sync in/out. I've done this and still have problems. Is it the 192 firmware? I know there are many users doing the Big Ben successfully.

But in another post, as I said, DIGI says to use one cable from Big Ben to the first 192 and then use loop sync cables to hook up to the other 192 loop sync I/O.

I can't find anywhere on the Digidesign site where it says what firmware and revision a 192 SHOULD BE in a PT 7 system. As I said, my Digitest only took my interfaces up to 3.0. But I know now from other threads that the firmware goes up to 4.9 (or more?). And that there are different revisions of the 192.

I'm just having continued problems having to do with the 2nd 192: Timeout....when accessing the audio hardware. Crashes when doing things on tracks assigned there, etc. For now, I'm going to remove the Big Ben from the system.

But what about that firmware and revision thing?

DIGI??

Re: 192 interface upgrade? EXT clock unstable?
 

I am getting the same problems as you trying to clock my single 192 digital I/O from my Cranesong HEDD wordclock out. This never used to be a problem in 6.9, but since upgrading to any version of 7 including the latest 7.1cs4, I have had countless timeout errors, unable to reacquire hardware errors, health check failed errors, spinning beachballs when I try to move a plugin or hardware insert to another track. Very frustrating... I don't think your problem is Big Ben or the 2nd 192 it's just to do with clocking externally in Protools 7... it's flakey!

Matt

Re: 192 interface upgrade? EXT clock unstable?
 

I think the firmware level is determined by the state of your hardware more than the state of the art in 192 firmware development. In other words, just because Digi is up to firmware Rev. 4.9 now, that doesn't mean everyone will automatically be prompted to load the 4.9 version when they run the newest version of the Digi Test. I believe it has more to do with the guts of your gear, i.e., what the firmware updater finds when it is introduced to your particular 192. I am not exactly certain what the variables are, but if I had to guess, I would say the age of the 192 could have something to do with it, especially insofar as it impacts the components used in building it.

Rev. 3.0 is suppposed to be stable.

I am going through some "growing pain" switching to 7. The problem(s) discussed in this thread also populate what I'll call my "SEVEN Ain't HEAVEN (yet)" list. I bought a 96 I/O a couple of months ago to hook up to my 192 I/O in anticipation of the Switch to Seven. Just did a(nother) full reinstall over the weekend. Ran the Digi test and Firmware update. It loaded Rev. 3.0 into my 192 but was silent with respect to my daisy chained 96 I/O. Still having issues. Major issues.

My next step: take the 96 I/O out of the loop and see what happens. Of course, I'm also switching my core and accel card to another G5 and starting over again, so it will be awhile before I reintroduce the 96 I/O. One issue, or possible issue at a time.
I have no choice on the computer switch decision. Without going into a lot of detail, I think one of my G5s is possessed. No, not by an evil spirit...what do you take me for? I'd say its possessed by the ghost of a circa 1990 IBM clone with a 386 processor running a non-conforming beta version of Windows 3.1. Its so bad even my kernel panics have been having kernel panics. (ta-da-boom.)

I said, It's so bad even my kernel panics have been having kernel panics!! Ta-da-boom! Ta-da boom!

I guess I shouldn't be laughing, but it beats not laughing. There are a good number of people out there who have switched up to PT 7 successfully already, so we know it can be done. And everyone is going to get their turn sooner or later!

Mike Colucci

Re: 192 interface upgrade? EXT clock unstable?
 

I'm afraid it's worse than that, at least in my system BECAUSE I REMOVED THE BIG BEN and went back to Loop Sync for the two 192's in my system. So no external clocking. I worked for about an hour and then, while copying a plugin to a track that is assigned to the 2nd 192 I get:


The copied plugin could not be made active because a DAE error was encountered while trying to connect (error #-4)


I click OK and get:


A timeout occurred interacting with an audio interface


I click OK and then I QUIT Pro Tools. As the session is closing I get:


wmDspServer::disableTask
Error doing DSP function call
Hide Warnings Continue


I click Continue. Spinning Beach Ball until I give up and Force Quit.

This now happens at least 8 times a day. And it takes forever to get started again for having to repair permissions, run Cocktail or ONYX, Turn off all the interfaces and reboot everything. I'll call ProAxxes tomorrow and see if they can get me up and running. Oh and see if THEY KNOW ABOUT THE 192 firmware/revision thing and what I'm supposed to have in my system.