Digidesign Coreaudio Flaky...

[BGee]

Since PT 7.4, perhaps only as recently as 7.4cs2, the DIgi CoreAudio Manager is doing something flaky that I never used to encounter.

Basically, when I'm using coreaudio to play application sound through Digi hardware, every time I launch a different application, I lose my audio output through the Digi hardware.

For example: Boot computer, open Audio MIDI Setup, Set default output to Digidesign HW (HD). Launch Quicktime Player and open a movie or sound file. Play. No sound.

The workaround is to toggle the default output in Audio MIDI Setup from Digidesign HW (HD) to Built In Audio, and then back to Digidesign HW, and then the output is immediately restored.

But then as soon as I launch another application, ie, Safari, the audio is gone again, and I have to toggle the default output again.

My system: Quad G5 PCIe 2.5GHz, OS 10.4.11, Quicktime 7.4.1, HD3, 192 I/O, 4.5GB RAM.

I did a complete clean uninstall and reinstall of Pro Tools 7.4, then updated to 7.4cs3 (to resolve the DAE buffer problem), but this coreaudio problem persists.

Are you aware of this Digidesign?

[Sonny Keyes]

I've always found DCAM flaky. When I was running 6.9 I had to boot up DCAM before any app that might need it; if I let the app 'call' DCAM up, I got no sound. Now I'm running 7.2 and although DCAM will work okay the first time I use it, if I have to quit to run PT, then quit PT and run DCAM again, I can only do that three times, and then DCAM won't work until I reboot the computer. It's weird. Always three times, and then it "quits unexpectedly." I don't believe Digidesign has this anywhere near the top of their priority list, as its only function is to allow other applications to use Digi hardware, so it's a bit of an afterthought. I wouldn't expect any less flakiness, just a different set of flaky symptoms each time a new release comes out.

Sonny Keyes
Ricochet Audio
Toronto

[DigiTechSupt]

Since PT 7.4, perhaps only as recently as 7.4cs2, the DIgi CoreAudio Manager is doing something flaky that I never used to encounter.

Basically, when I'm using coreaudio to play application sound through Digi hardware, every time I launch a different application, I lose my audio output through the Digi hardware.

For example: Boot computer, open Audio MIDI Setup, Set default output to Digidesign HW (HD). Launch Quicktime Player and open a movie or sound file. Play. No sound.

The workaround is to toggle the default output in Audio MIDI Setup from Digidesign HW (HD) to Built In Audio, and then back to Digidesign HW, and then the output is immediately restored.

But then as soon as I launch another application, ie, Safari, the audio is gone again, and I have to toggle the default output again.

My system: Quad G5 PCIe 2.5GHz, OS 10.4.11, Quicktime 7.4.1, HD3, 192 I/O, 4.5GB RAM.

I did a complete clean uninstall and reinstall of Pro Tools 7.4, then updated to 7.4cs3 (to resolve the DAE buffer problem), but this coreaudio problem persists.

Are you aware of this Digidesign?

This is actually a problem with Quicktime 7.3 or higher - the workaround is to open the Sound control panel and toggle between built-in and Digi HW. Apple is aware of the problem and we're working with them on a fix.

As for Sonny's comment "When I was running 6.9 I had to boot up DCAM before any app that might need it" - if you're on HD, this is almost assuredly true. We've recommended this for quite awhile - the reason being that the Core Audio Manager needs to initialize and connect with the hardware, which can take some time. When launching an application that uses Core Audio it gives Core Audio a certain amount of time to respond that the hardware is ready - if it takes to long, it reverts to built-in audio. Sometimes it can take HD hardware longer to initialize than the application wants to give it...thus the need to launch Core Audio Manager first and make sure it shows 'Connected' before launching the application.

[Sonny Keyes]

When launching an application that uses Core Audio it gives Core Audio a certain amount of time to respond that the hardware is ready - if it takes to long, it reverts to built-in audio. Sometimes it can take HD hardware longer to initialize than the application wants to give it...thus the need to launch Core Audio Manager first and make sure it shows 'Connected' before launching the application.

Thanks for the response! I wonder if this will cure my three-strikes-and-you're-out problem...

Sonny Keyes
Ricochet Audio
Toronto