For those assuming "Guru" status

[Audio Manipulator]

ProTools HD 1 core, 4 process
Magma 4 slot 2U expansion chases, for laptop
G4 Powerbook 1ghz, and 667mhz, 768mb RAM
192 I/O, w 8 channel input expansion
Apogee Big Ben
2 external firewire hard drives, oxford 911, 7200-rpm
recording @ 88.2/24bit

We're getting clicks and pops while recording audio. They are distinct drops to zero, in the middle of a wave form, and happen once every 4 to 8 bars. Our first guess was a clocking issue, so we switched to internal clock. We then switched laptops (so, tried a clean OS and ProTools). We then pulled out the three process cards, leaving just the core. The core in only resulted in no pops. as soon as we add a process card, pops are reintroduced. We've replaced the core card, same symptoms. Our system is in the approved list, maybe we have some illogical settings.

Playback engine:
48 Voices, 3 DSPs (with 4 DSPs we get 6031 errors)
CPU %60
DAE Buffer 4 and 8 have been tried.

Any Takers?

-AM

[Nexxt]

Not a guru for sure, but if you've not done so already, triple check your ribbon cable/card connections to make sure all pins are aligned and the connectors are securely fastened.

Good luck.

[RobMacki]

Not a Guru.
But I'm concerned too because I'm on Magma also and upgrading to HD.
Check out this post: here
You might email him to see if he found the solution.
When you find the problem let us know.


Some day I'll be a Guru..........some day.

[Audio Manipulator]

Thanks for the replies!

At the very end of that last post, was a link to a different article... the last posts which mention reformatting the hard drive in OS X. I'll try this in the next day or two, and let everyone know.

Thanks again,
-AM

[Chief Technician]

We then pulled out the three process cards, leaving just the core. The core in only resulted in no pops. as soon as we add a process card, pops are reintroduced. We've replaced the core card, same symptoms.

I'm not an HD user (or an HD guru).

Obviously with just the core you have little DSP, but no pops. Have you ran the DigiTest utility? It may find a problem with one of your process cards. Then again, I know DigiTest doesn't test every last chip on MIX cards, so it probably doesn't test every last chip on HD cards either.

If DigiTest comes back negative, I would try different Core+Process combinations. So let's call your three Process cards A, B, and C. First try the Core with Process card A, and see if you get the desired results. If not, try the Core with Process card B, etc. My understanding of HD is that there are multiple ribbon cables, unlike MIX where there is one ribbon cable. You will want to go through the same process I outlined above for your cards with your ribbon cables so that you test every possible combination (so while Core and Process A are in the computer try all your ribbon cables between those two cards).

Good luck.

[s2n]

I had a Magma 4 slot with a Mix3. I had so many problems that caused a lot of downtime for me, I got rid of it.
Test your system with a different Core card. If you still get the same problems, then it's your chassis.

After the 2.5 months I went through diagnosing this POS, you can call me a GURU!

[David Schober]

Who knows, but I had this problem and the apparent cause was bad RAM. I replaced it and the problem was solved.

[Avid]

Bad RAM is one of the possibilities in the 19 records that come up if you do a search on the Answerbase:
http://answerbase.digidesign.com
for the words:
clicks and pops

There are some other suggestions in that Abase search that may help.
Answerbase String Search results for "clicks and pops":
1-10 of 19 records

11 through 19

[trombino]

I bet it's the RAM as well.

[uno1234]

Well, check out my thread: here

I have tried everything in the answerbase and everything mentioned above, pretty much. I get the click and pops with the core card only. I find that I mostly get it when I am playing back and recording at the same time. This is not in any way a clocking problem, as I have tried it with only 1 192 and not digital connections and I still get it. I have swapped every cable. Now I go back to OS 9 to run 96 K, because I don't think Digi tested this setup properly for OS X.