Protools 8 Pathetic sync with Spdif sources and Control 24? Am I the only one ?

[Jamaican]

I have a Protools Mbox Pro 2 system running on W7/64bit. Anytime I sync with my Xlogic Alpha Channel via spdif I eventually get the recording done with clicking the "ignore pops or whatever box", regularly switching between internal and spdif clocking as it often starts making distorted sounds while recording and sometimes tries to deafen who ever is recording with an unending beep until I have to close the session and restart. When using spdif I always notice also that it is somewhat inevitable that protools will freeze for about 3-5mins no over exaggeration and then just become functional again, my guess is that it is not interacting with my hard drive smoothly.

I already have to bounce and re-import when working on production with vsti and a say 20 plugins and then voice on 2 track instrumental mixes with instrument tracks with vsti's made inactive just so I can use a semi-decent buffer of 256samples and if the project is real 128 samples. It is also embarrassing when clients are wondering why there recordings are sounding a bit off timed or why it is that when I click record it sometimes start actually recording and then somewhat freezes but stops capturing input whilst appearing to.

Where the Control 24 is concerned. I notice I seem to have to launch protools first then enable it in peripherals then close protools and reopen to get it functional. Other wise, if I'm working on a project and decide I'm ready to use my mixer, when I turn it on within a session and then enable it, it just says there is a dialog on protools screen. The performance with the control 24 also seems more dodgy, so you can imagine how annoyed it is for me to work with both my Alpha Channel Synced and My Control 24.

Please do not suggest running the Alpha in analog, as the A/D conversion of the preamp is one of the sole reasons I bought it and in the hardware tab of protools it states that to capture spdif input, my device must be synced to spdif. I cannot afford a Big Ben, lynx, benchmark or whatever other syncing product you may recommend.

I operate from within a 3rd world country mostly which is Jamaica and all my equipment cost over 50% of what it would cost if I were to reside in America. This is as a result of our heavy custom taxes primarily. Electronic devices attract a duty tax of 47% (not at receipt price bought, but at MSRP). This does not include the international cost of shipping and the fact that if I do not collect it from customs withing a couple days that it might go missing.
With this said, you all should know that I will greatly appreciate any form of response even it partially addresses what you think could help make my production process smoother.

I really should not have to be forced to buy a mac for a program that is said to be both pc and mac compliant. I also have been saving to try get some used Hd pci cards and I'm just petrified of buying them and having probs of having Avid discontinue because mac users are now mainly using pcie and pcie also works with pcs. I'm not a mac person.

Avid, with Icon systems being sold at the price of luxury vehicles is it really an unreasonable wish that you hire 5 tech heads to solely test easily available pc components such as Asus, Supermicro and Gigabyte boards and cpu processors for the sake of your pc users being able to operate your software the way it was meant to.

I've been using protools since 6.4 and its been a rocky road. I'm already having to repeatedly mix projects in separate sessions and then combine mixes because of the ridiculous track limits. Some of my friends just record in protools then export and mix in Acid or Nuendo, its not a good look.

Sorry for such a long post guys. Appreciate you taking time to read.

[rqstudio]

Your post is so long I didn't read all of it but have you tried better cords and terminating the last sync output? I've actually never had a problem.

[rqstudio]

Come to think about it though, I'm using BNC connectors. But it's still worth a try.

[Jamaican]

Could the cord really be a factor ? Cuz it really is some no name brand cord, not even like a hosa or anything like that. It's hard finding that stuff here, so what you recommend guys ? Think I should Sweetwater a Monster Power cable ?