New computer and major problems - HELP!!!
 

Just purchased Macbook Pro with OS X 10.4.10. I have an M-Box 2, an M-Audio O2, and a My Book external hard drive. I reformatted the external hard-drive and it is recognized by Pro Tools. I went to the Digi site and downloaded PT 7.1.1 and I also went to Propellerhead and downloaded Reason 3.0.4 along with Rewire for Mac.

I opened up Pro Tools and started a session. 2 Audio tracks and one Instrument track.
I record a voice to audio track one, it records for 10+ seconds and then stops and I get this message:
"CPU usage is holding off USB audio. Remove some plug-ins, delete some tracks, or increase the "H/W buffer size" in the playback engine dialog (-6104)"

Audio is coming in from M-Box 2, CPU usage is at 80% (stock settings) and I only have one track armed with no plug-in's. I arm the second track and record for about 40 seconds, then get the same message.


Additionally, I have loaded all the extra plug-in's that came with PT, including Expand. When I go to the instrument track and click on the inserts and get the Multi-mono, Multi channel (or whatever it says there) and on the first one there is no listing for "Instrument", on the second one I get the Instrument listing, but the only thing in there is the "Click" track, no Reason, Expand, etc. Do I need to do something special for this? Do you think it is a Rewire issue?

When it comes to computers I'm not very knowlegable, and I know very little about Mac's, so I'm sure this is something simple like I have to drag something into something else, or I just need to change a setting.

ANY ADVICE would be greatly appreciated at this time. Yesterday I had a 5 year old computer that was too old and slow to run PT properly, today I have 2 and am $3K more in the hole!

SOMEBODY....PLEASE.. laugh at my dumbness, but give me some clues as to what to check.

Your humble servant,
Dan'o :{

Re: New computer and major problems - HELP!!!
 

For Xpand, do you have the latest version? Try downloading it from the Digi website.
As far as recoridng, areyou using a firewire external hard drive or are you recording to the system drive?

Re: New computer and major problems - HELP!!!
 

I put in the Expand disk that I had, which is probably a year old, so it may be out of date. I can check for a newer version.

I have an external hard drive, but I tried recording to both the internal and the external drive to see what happens, and it still won't record more than about 10 seconds before I get the CPU message.

All the plug-in's, as well as PT and Reason are on the main drive.

Dan :}

Re: New computer and major problems - HELP!!!
 

Try to download the latest version of Xpand and see if it shows up in your plug ins list.
Also, check and make sure all your plug ins are the right versions for your Pro Tools.

Re: New computer and major problems - Update
 

I downloaded the newest version of Xpand and now I have that and it works, but I still can't record for more than a few seconds before it freezes up and gives me the "CPU" warning.

I went to Propellorhead, and I had downloaded the wrong version or Reason. I downloaded 3.0.4 when I needed 3.0.5. So I downloaded the correct version of Reason and now it comes up as a plug-in.

So the only thing I have to figure out now is why I can't record and I get the CPU warning. One suggested it's because I have PT 7.1.1 and am trying to run it with OS X 10.4.10, and that I should go to OS X 10.4.8. The other thing could be that to run on 10.4.10 I need PT 7.3. I don't mind paying the $50 upgrade fee if I knew it would work, so if anybody can help me on this last major problem I'd appreciate it.
Thanks in advance,
Dan

Re: New computer and major problems - HELP!!!
 

I'm not sure what your exact problem is but I would check your external harddrive. As you say, the messages says: ""CPU usage is holding off "USB" audio, which would leave me to think that the transfer speed from the external HD is not fast enough, providing that you have it hooked up via USB. If so, go Firewire!!!! Do a process of elimiation and record to your internal harddrive and see what happens.

Just my thought.

Re: New computer and major problems - HELP!!!
 

It has taken me a while to get rid of the annoying CPU errors, only to find that once I purchased some new, more advanced virtual instruments (Native Instruments Komplete) they have decided to come back and haunt me once again. I have maxed out my RAM at 2 gigs and I have changed every setting possible to maximize performance. Unfortunately im starting to think maybe its possible that the Intel processor computers (Macs atleast) are not the best for running Pro Tools. Guys with the Mac Pro's are seeing lots of problems as well, and those are some of the fastest computers you can get. Digidesign has never actually acknowledged Intel Processors as a weak point but it could easily be because they know how many people are using them and sharing that information would definitely steer many people away from their products.
Im not trying to scare you or convince you of anything, just sharing some thoughts ive been having after dealing with my MBP's problems for the past 12 months. At this point I think I will be purchasing a Dual 2GHZ G5 to use for my main studio work and have the laptop as a secondary computer, or possibly even link both of them together to run my DAW. At the level of music I am currently making my Laptop just isnt cutting it for me any longer.

Re: New computer and major problems - HELP!!!
 

My external hard drive is a My Book 320GB with 7200 RPM drive and is running on a Firewire connection. I have tried to record both on the internal hard drive and the external hard drive and I get the same result with both: "CPU usage is holding off USB audio. Remove some plug-ins, delete some tracks, or increase the "H/W buffer size" in the playback engine dialog (-6104)", so whatever code 6104 is I don't know, but that's probably the answer.

My professor, that teaches Pro Tools, has a Intel Macbook Pro with 17" screen and loves it. He has absolutely no problems running Pro Tools at all. The only problem he had was having OS X 10.4.10 and PT 7.3, but there's a download on the Digi site that fixed it, so I'm wondering if the 10.4.10 with 7.1.1 would cause the CPU error.

If I don't hear from Digi shortly I guess I'll give them a call and see what they say. Heck, they're only an hour and a half away, so maybe I'll drop by and see if they can fix it!!
Dan

Re: New computer and major problems - HELP!!!
 

Just in case somebody else has a similar problem. I heard back from Digi. They suggested trying to turn off Bluetooth and Airport, and if that didn't work, to try a couple of other things. I turned the two off, and I am now able to record with no problems. Just a couple of little things can sure screw up the whole set-up.

Thanks everyone for the help.

Dan'o :}