Firewire keeps dropping out (1394 light goes off)

[Kazin187]

I have a new Digi 002 rack running Pro Tools 7.0 to my Windows XP computer, the firewire cable runs directly to a PCI firewire card I have installed on my computer. What happens is I have installed everything properly and so I turn on the Digi002 and begin to use it but after approx 15 minutes the 1394 light on my digi goes out and basically loses its connection to the computer.
Now from this point I could plug the digi cable into the other firewire port, power cycle the digi 002, sometimes these things work but I usually have to completely restart my computer before I can get the 1394 light back on and the digi 002 detected.

I suspect it has soemthing to do with the PCI card or my computer (its a cheap one) before the Digi002 I used a M-Audio USB Audiophile right into my motherboards USB and it did a similar routine (something I'd expect from such an inexpensive recorder using USB but didn't expect from the Digi on firewire). I looked on digidesigns web page and they list two PCI cards that are "Qualified" should I try purchasing one of these digidesign PCI cards? or should I be looking somewhere else (my computers motherboard, the digi002) for the problem?

Thanks for any help you may provide I have included my computers details below.



Processor
Model : 1x Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 3.00GHz
Speed : 3.02GHz
Performance Rating : PR4010 (estimated)
Cores per Processor : 1 Unit(s)
Threads per Core : 2 Unit(s)
Internal Data Cache : 16kB Synchronous, Write-Thru, 8-way set, 64 byte line size, 2 threads sharing
L2 On-board Cache : 1MB ECC Synchronous, ATC, 8-way set, 64 byte line size, 2 lines per sector, 2 threads sharing

Mainboard
Bus(es) : AGP PCI IMB USB FireWire/1394 i2c/SMBus
MP Support : 2 Processor(s)
MP APIC : Yes
System BIOS : Award Software International, Inc. F3
Mainboard : Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd. 8IPE775/-G
Total Memory : 2GB DDR-SDRAM

Chipset 1
Model : Giga-Byte Technology 82865G/PE/P, 82848P DRAM Controller / Host-Hub Interface
Front Side Bus Speed : 4x 201MHz (804MHz data rate)
Total Memory : 2GB DDR-SDRAM
Memory Bus Speed : 2x 201MHz (402MHz data rate)

Video System
Monitor/Panel : Plug and Play Monitor
Adapter : NVIDIA GeForce 6600 GT

Physical Storage Devices
Removable Drive : Floppy disk drive
Hard Disk : Maxtor 6B200P0 (190GB)
Hard Disk : Maxtor 6Y200P0 (190GB)
CD-ROM/DVD : SONY DVD RW DRU-710A (CD 48X Rd, 48X Wr) (DVD 6X Rd, 6X Wr)
CD-ROM/DVD : AXV CD/DVD-ROM SCSI CdRom Device (CD 32X Rd) (DVD 4X Rd)

Logical Storage Devices
1.44MB 3.5" (A:) : N/A
Hard Disk (C:) : 190GB (113GB, 60% Free Space) (NTFS)
Hard Disk (D:) : 190GB (57GB, 30% Free Space) (NTFS)
CD-ROM/DVD (E:) : N/A
CD-ROM/DVD (F:) : N/A

Peripherals
Serial/Parallel Port(s) : 2 COM / 1 LPT
USB Controller/Hub : ALi PCI to USB Open Host Controller
USB Controller/Hub : ALi PCI to USB Open Host Controller
USB Controller/Hub : ALi PCI to USB Open Host Controller
USB Controller/Hub : Standard Enhanced PCI to USB Host Controller
USB Controller/Hub : Intel(R) 82801EB USB Universal Host Controller - 24D2
USB Controller/Hub : Intel(R) 82801EB USB Universal Host Controller - 24D4
USB Controller/Hub : Intel(R) 82801EB USB Universal Host Controller - 24D7
USB Controller/Hub : Intel(R) 82801EB USB2 Enhanced Host Controller - 24DD
USB Controller/Hub : Intel(R) 82801EB USB Universal Host Controller - 24DE
USB Controller/Hub : USB Root Hub
USB Controller/Hub : USB Root Hub
USB Controller/Hub : USB Root Hub
USB Controller/Hub : USB Root Hub
USB Controller/Hub : USB Root Hub
USB Controller/Hub : USB Root Hub
USB Controller/Hub : USB Root Hub
USB Controller/Hub : USB Root Hub
USB Controller/Hub : USB Root Hub
USB Controller/Hub : Generic USB Hub
USB Controller/Hub : USB Composite Device
FireWire/1394 Controller/Hub : OHCI Compliant IEEE 1394 Host Controller
Keyboard : HID Keyboard Device
Mouse : HID-compliant mouse
Mouse : HID-compliant mouse
Human Interface : HID-compliant device
Human Interface : HID-compliant consumer control device
Human Interface : USB Human Interface Device
Human Interface : USB Human Interface Device
Human Interface : USB Human Interface Device

MultiMedia Device(s)
Device : Standard Game Port
Device : Realtek AC'97 Audio

Power Management
AC Line Status : On-Line

Operating System(s)
Windows System : Microsoft Windows XP/2002 Professional (Win32 x86) 5.01.2600 (Service Pack 2)

Network Services
Adapter : Marvell Yukon Gigabit Ethernet 10/100/1000Base-T Adapter, Copper RJ-45

Performance Tips
Tip 2546 : Large memory modules should be ECC/Parity.
Tip 2 : Double-click tip or press Enter while a tip is selected for more information about the tip.

[FatBelly]

The cheapest and least time consuming thing would be to purchase one of the
approved firewire cards.

There are no cons to this approach, if the card works then you're good and if
it doesn't fix the problem take it back.


Search the forum to see if anyone else has reported the same issue.

[Matt Whritenour]

it can also be the firewire harness inside the 002

[daeron80]

I have that happen sometimes, but it's not after a set amount of time. Sometimes I can go hours with no problem, sometimes it happens after a few minutes. My system is active 10-12 hrs/day, 5 days a week and some on weekends, and the problem occurs about once a day on average, I'd say. I think it only happens to me when I'm auditioning audio for more than a few seconds, either with an Audio Suite plug-in or with the import dialog, or when I leave a session open but not actively used for several minutes, like during a meal or something. But those actions don't cause it consistently.

I have found that all I have to do to reestablish the connection is to Ctl+2 and toggle the clock from Internal to ADAT. (If I had hit playback before noticing the clock problem, I have to "stop" it before it will let me toggle the sync source.) After a few seconds, the light comes back on and I get a message to the effect that there is no sync signal at the ADAT port so it's reverting to internal clock. There have been a few rare instances when that didn't work, and I had to reboot the PC, at which time I power cycled the 002R as well, just 'cause it seemed like the thing to do. That's maybe 1 out of 50 times at most.

BTW, I also have a cheapie firewire card, I think it was $6 on ebay.

[sw rec]

Sounds like the "dreaded power supply harness issue" to me...mine did the same thing. A call to Digi tech support netted a new (overnighted, no less!!!) power supply harness AND power supply. 30 minute fix, no charge, no further problems.

[daeron80]

How do you troubleshoot it? How would I tell that it's the PSU harness and not something else?

[sw rec]

Since it's just a phone call to get the parts for free, I'd suggest doing that first. Note as you browse thru the DUC that there's dozens of people who have had the same problem (present company inclusive). It's a dirt-simple process to replace, and the price is right....

[daeron80]

Thanks. I searched the archives and read a bunch about it. Then I opened her up and sprayed the harness contacts with contact cleaner, and it hasn't done it since. I'll get the replacement JIC.