Questions! Answers? Answers! Questions?

[WCH1961]

(Yes, it's a take on an old Focus song...)
PT FREE can't get it to work, got a few issues:

I did the install according to the instructions, duplicating the OS 9.2.2 Base set and installing on that. Modified Blue & White with a 500 MHz G4, 640MB RAM, OS 9.2.2 (NOT running through OS X). OMS 2.3.8 installed.

I'm a guitar player with no MIDI experience, so all I'm lookin got do here is use audio tracks (for now; there's an old keyboard I intend to try later...). At this time I have a single USB microphone that I can get a level on in the Sound control panel, but PT Free won't engage for some reason. I was considering an Griffin "iMic" to enable other instruments, but I need to see this work first.

Everytime I shut down, when I fire it back up I get a -201 error from the DAE. The only way I've found to clear this is to trash preferences. Any idea what's causing this?

Once I get PT running everything seems to function OK, but I can't get a level or anything else from the USB mic (Labtec Versa). I've been all over these instructions but can't seem to get it to work. Any ideas? [img]images/icons/confused.gif[/img]

[Deirdre B]

the -201 error usually means that PT can't find your audio source. Are you using sound manager to choose USB audio?

Be careful of the iMics. There have been noise issues--inductance.

[WCH1961]

Thank you for responding.

Hmmm... that would make me think my problems are related... in the Sound Manager control panel I have two settings for external mics - one I would guess is for the regular mic that was supplied with the computer, and the other is the USB Audio, which I did select and was able to get a level on (in the control panel).
So how do I make sure that the USB Audio is selected while in PT Free? And, is there a way to test this?

[M.Brane]

You need to go to the control panel and select your input before launching PTF. You can't change it while the app is open.

[WCH1961]

Well, after repeated attempts, I've figured that PTF, or DAE, doesn't like my microphone, or set up or whatever... If I have the USB mic selected, PT won't launch (DAE error -201). If I select the "built-in" mic (which there is none connected), then PT launches, but of course I can't use it. If I try to switch sound inputs before opening a session, then PT quits with a -201 error. I'm stumped...

Any ideas? And just what is a -201 error?
[img]images/icons/confused.gif[/img]

[Deirdre B]

That -201 error is a queer duck. It shows up for me when I launch PT in OS9 on my G4, when I have anything but the USB sound device chosen.

The answerbase is not helpful with this error.



If you have your audio input selected as "DV Audio", and you attempt to launch Pro Tools 4.32 w/PowerMix, it seems like DAE doesn't think you have PowerMix installed and will refuse to launch.
Set the Sound Input to "Built-In" and the Source to "Sound In", and this error doesn't happen.
Reported by user via techsupt email. ID# 42548
ID:3929 Created:08/04/2000

We're hardly using Power Mix.
I think Pro Tools just doesn't like your mic.

There might be a list of supported input devices somewhere on the Digi site.

best,
Deirdre

[M.Brane]

Just out of curiousity, does that USB mic require a separate driver, or does it work fine with only SoundManager?

[WCH1961]

No, it does well with Sound Manager OK (I can even get a level on there). Thanks for all for trying to help - Deidre, I did read that same FAQ and came to the same conclusion (I don't have the mixer either), but that's all they have...

Two other options I'm going to try:
1. Running the mic directly into the USB (not through a hub; I'd have tried this before, but you'd have to see my setup to understand why I cant get to the back of the CPU so easily).

2. A real complicated experiement: I still have an old Emagic Audiowerk card and 1 open PCI slot - Since I do most of my work in OS X I wouldn't touch it because there were no drivers for it for OS X, but they were released this week, so I may take a couple of hours to see if I can get it working that way (I also have a Fostex mixer to run with it).
So why not the Emagic software? I spent a good chunk of change on the setup for my old UMAX Mac clone, and tried, and tried , and tried, but never got it working. Emagic's philosophy seems to be you should already know how to work these things and don't bother us, and the music store that sold it to me wasn't any help either. It seemed that actual instruction was not in existence, and Emagic's manual seemed to be like translated German. After a few calls to Emagic I finally laid it on the line that after all the money I had never used it and all they would offer me was an upgrade to their latest package (sheesh!). After awhile, I just gave up on it...

Who knows... maybe after all this doesn't work I can get the wife to spring for the $450 to buy the Mbox kit... I'd just like to see this work so I can show her what I can do with multiple tracks...

[dman]

Hey WCH--I had the same problem and could never get the labtec to work directly through USB connection with PTfree. I finally bagged it, got the Griffin imic, a small Eurorack MX 602A mixer (good quality little mixer with preamps for about 60 bucks) and a good mic (uses either xlr or quarter inch inputs) and now I'm up and running.

[WCH1961]

Thanks dman - You haved saved me the trouble of doing what I said I was (whew! Now I know it would have been a waste of time!). I've been kicking around about getting an iMic, I guess it's time... say, there have been postings about distortion using the iMic - have you seen this with yours?
[img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]