002 Latency, possible hardware firmware problem with update to 7.4.2?

[studio42]

It's been a while . . .

Here are my specs:

OS X 10.5.4 Leopard
2.4 Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo
4 GB 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM
One external 200gb G drive on 800 firewire for audio sessions
Protools 7.4.2 running off of 400 firewire
002 Rack
Unitor 8 for midi on USB
Fatar Studiologic SL880 for keys
Focusrite Platinum Octopre for drums

After upgrading to 7.4.2 I've had a latency issue which is driving drummers and keyboards players mad. This problem is midi and audio related.

Recording with the buffer set to 512 or lower, gives the same result as 512 latency. Even recording in 'low latency monitoring' gives the effect of recording at a buffer size of 512 (hit a snare and you get a delay). 512 and up get progressively worse (as you would expect). 512 and lower does not alter.

Reading the threads, I see windows platforms have been warned off of having the 002 switched on and connected while installing 7.4.2. I'm on Mac platform, and would have to say, installing with 002 switched on, may have altered in some way a latency issue? Tests have now been made with the Octopre out of the chain. This is purely a 002 rack issue.

Any help would be fab please. I have a drum session on for this Sunday.

[studio42]

Maybe somebody could direct me to a firmware installer for a 002 please if one exists?

[Phil Ogden]

You're usually prompted the first time you launch PT (e.g after an update). However, there is also a way to force the unit into update mode manually. Here's how it's done on a 003 (see link below).

http://duc.digidesign.com/showthread.php?t=225512

http://www.myspace.com/philogg

[studio42]

Hi Phil, thanks for coming back. Unfortunately I think I need to revert back to the 002 firmware. The 002 rack doesn't have a display readout or the buttons as on the 003 suggested in the link, I did however try a few key combinations (stab in the dark), but they made no difference.

How is it that the low latency monitoring selection isn't even having an effect?

Sounds like one for Digi maybe to come in on?

Thanks again Phil . . .

[DigiTechSupt]

I don't know what's happening, exactly, but firmware is unlikely to change anything. If Pro Tools recognized that the firmware was outdated or incorrect (or corrupted), it would prompt for new firmware when you launch Pro Tools.

Have you tried trashing preferences yet?

Does this happen in all sessions or just particular ones?

[studio42]

Yes all preferences trashed. It does happen in all sessions now. Last night new problem, I couldn't open an old session, it just hung on opening a session . . . audio 2 wheel of death. In the end I created a new session and had to import session data for this 32 track session. If I tried to import all at the same time, it hung at the offending audio 2 track. If I imported session data of just audio track 2 it was able to import.

After rebuilding the session this way, and then doing some editing, I saved the session, closed down Protools, restarted Mac, launched Protools, open session from Workspace and it still hung on audio track 2. So I've got to do it all over again. Audio track 2 consisted of 15 seconds of continuous consolidated audio with one plugin on this mono track being the Smack LE compressor.

I think it's time to do a re-install of Protools . . .

[studio42]

OK, as a matter of precaution I've downloaded the combo updater for Mac OSX 10.5.4, loaded the 7.4.2cs1 update. Repaired disk permissions. Made sure the usual system settings are correct for ProTools optimisation. I've done a full erase on the audio firewire 800 drive as Mac OS Extended (Journaled). Then dragged back in my original session.

Haven't tried the Latency yet . . . in trying to open the same session, Protools is hanging on even more channels now. Before it was 2 channels (one audio and 1 midi), now it's 4 tracks. "ProTools not responding", this message appears in the force quit box when trying to open session.

Any suggestions please.

[DigiTechSupt]

Can you open the session if you remove all plug-ins from the plug-ins folder?

Are ALL your installed plug-ins up to date?

Pro Tools Leopard Plug-in Updates

Have you tried testing this from a different Admin account?

[studio42]

Ahh. Remove the plugins and I can indeed get into my sessions. All plugins are up to date. The offenders here are Smack and Sampletank. Thank you, I'll look into this. As suggested by tech suppport, I inserted a character in the title of the plugins folder i.e. %Plugins, . . . when you start Protools it says it can't find plugins folder enabling me to open the session without plugs. Sorted.


As for the latency delay, 7.4.2cs1 has resolved my issue. There is still a difference between using my main hard drive (for a latency test) which produced no latency at lower buffer settings, . . . and my firewire 800 external drive which still gave off a very small amount of latency even at very low buffers, definately not as tight as the internal. More homework, but issue resolved thank you. Funny, but upgrading to the higher spec imac only gave me 1 800 port and 1 400 port where as the older white imac had two 400 ports and worked great, should have picked up on this . . .

Cheers for your help peeps : )