Pro Audio Driver and Alphatrack?

[EMRR]

Hmmmm. Alphatrack working fine, then I update AVB system firmware and the new Pro Audio Driver. Alphatrack Manager sees Alphatrack, DP sees it under Control Surface Setup, it's assigned properly both places, I can disconnect and reconnect it to see 'Welcome to Alphatrack' on it's display, occasionally goes so far as to show information related to the DP sequence that's open, but no controls cause any DP functions.

Coincidence?

Related?

Ideas?

[TinenTech]

Uh, oh. The latest driver from Frontier is 6 years old today...? The last post in their user forum was in 2012...?

I sometimes have recognition problems with my Mackie Controller that are cured by powering things up in a different order.

Are you using a USB hub? Play around with that a bit...

[James Steele]

There is a new driver installer and 64bit clean DP control surface bundle for both AlphaTrack and TranzPort available from the developer who worked for Frontier I believe.

See this topic: viewtopic.php?f=26&t=62537

[EMRR]

Thanks James, I'd seen those. I'm on the first gen of the 64 bit driver.

I keep forgetting to take my laptop to the studio and test with the old MOTU driver. That's the next step, be sure the Alphatrack just didn't give up the ghost.

TinenTech, no USB hub. Good thought though.

[EMRR]

Finally remembered to take the MBP with, so having a look again. Note once more I’ve been running the 64 bit Alphatrack bundle for a few years, still the first gen. I can of course throw money at the recent update, but would like some confirmation of the ‘why’ before believing that will be a fix in my case.

On the iMac with updated Pro Audio Driver (AVB) it's acting the same, no functionality yet the Alphatrack display is showing track 1 information, and it's seen by both the Alphatrack Manager and Control Surface Setup. The only additional note is that I can turn the rotary encoders while DP is parked, and it creates movement on the level meters as if it's creating sound, up to about -27dBFS. If it ever did that before, I never noticed it. It isn't audible.

On to the MBP; short version is it works fine there, suggesting the new AVB driver hosed something.

Uninstall Alphatrack 1.4.1 to beging a re-install, this requires a restart. This took out my AVB network. Discovery App no longer sees the AVB interfaces.

Go to uninstall/reinstall the AVB driver, uninstall package is a UNIX executable file that makes no sense to me, and no instructions. Opens Terminal and window shows a spot for entering password, which will not allow any data entry.

Go back and reinstall AVB driver without having (apparently) uninstalled first. AVB network is back. Reinstall Alphatrack 1.4.1, AVB network still present, same Alphatrack behavior as above, no change.

Ditched and replaced the Alphatrack bundle in the MOTU Control Surface folder, then nuked and reassigned the Alphatrack under control surfaces. Still nothing. Restart, still nothing.

So that’s an hour, apparently fruitless, but maybe will help someone else encountering problems or give someone else an idea of something I’m overlooking. It appears the drivers have a conflict, as evidenced by the uninstall of Alphatrack taking out the new AVB driver. Can anyone with an AVB system AND an Alphatrack replicate this, or at least confirm the recent 2nd Gen Alphatrack 64 bit bundle is working fine with the new AVB driver? Maybe that new package is also a driver and a bundle, while the 1st gen is just a bundle if I understand it correctly.

[James Steele]

Maybe that new package is also a driver and a bundle, while the 1st gen is just a bundle if I understand it correctly.

You know, AlphaTrack is an end-of-life product that's been managing to hang on thanks to the developer at the link I gave you. If you don't remember the history, another board member and I track the guy down and cajoled him into updating the DP control surface bundle. The driver as the same one as always, but it required disable SIP in the latest versions of MacOS to work. Also the old Frontier AlphaTrack installer won't even run in some of the new MacOS's. Not sure if that started with Yosemite??

The main difference in the 2nd gen Alpha Track installer is that the installer ACTUALLY RUNS... and SIP is not required to be disabled for the driver to install and function properly. The installer also installs the updated DP control surface bundle in the proper location. I do not know if the actual driver was updated in any way other than to allow it to work with SIP enabled.

What version of MacOS are you running. Your sig lists one machine has 10.5... Leopard? Maybe that info is old?

[EMRR]

(OS)X.10.5 = 10.10.5 Yosemite. It does not pose any installation problems that I know of.

Yes, I do recall the history of the 3rd party control surface bundle update. Thanks for confirming the driver itself has not changed from 1.4.1 which was required for the 3rd party bundle to function.

So maybe the AVB driver update constitutes Alphatrack end of life. Love to hear from someone else using AVB.

[James Steele]

(OS)X.10.5 = 10.10.5 Yosemite. It does not pose any installation problems that I know of.

Roger that. I missed the X.

Yes, I do recall the history of the 3rd party control surface bundle update. Thanks for confirming the driver itself has not changed from 1.4.1 which was required for the 3rd party bundle to function.

As far as I know, it has not changed. I do know that the installer had to be updated to allow to run with SIP enabled on systems that require it.

So maybe the AVB driver update constitutes Alphatrack end of life. Love to hear from someone else using AVB.

Definitely would be helpful if someone else using AVB and AlphaTrack could respond... someone who might have tried the "gen2" driver and bundle. Changes were made to the bundle I think, but don't know if that would account for the issue.

[James Steele]

I made a post in main topic about the new AlphaTrack installer. I quoted it below. I know you don't want to spend $35 to try and solve it, but I'm curious if the developer is using a new method to keep AlphaTrack online instead of a kernel extension and perhaps it won't conflict with AVB?

Just need to post an update for anyone who might be experiencing AlphaTrack becoming unresponsive with the latest installer from New England Digital. What was happening for me was during a project, if I'd click a new track, AlphaTrack wouldn't update the track name and it would seem to cease functioning unless I unpugged and re-plugged the USB cable connected to it. This seemed to kick in if the AlphaTrack "sat" for a while and wasn't used.

That got me to thinking... and I may have solved it... seems to be working so far.

Here's what to do:

• Go to ~/Library/Application Support/AlphaTrack Assistants/
• You'll see two files called "AlphaTrack Launcher" and "AlphaTrack Menu"
• Do "Get Info" on those files and check "Prevent App Nap".

That seems to have solved it for me. Hope this helps someone.

[EMRR]

Thanks James. Good tips on App Nap, haven't thought of that one in awhile. I'll check. What I see frequently is Alphatrack not found at startup, disconnect/reconnect USB brings it back. Still does, though it's always unresponsive now. I don't think it ever napped in the past after startup.

I don't find those files in the previous version, so I guess they are new.

I got a PM response from MOTU based on my GS mirrored post about this, requesting I do the full AVB driver uninstall/reinstall and report back. They say they don't see the problem on their end so far. Suffice to say deadlines have kept me from doing so yet. I'll file a report.

[EMRR]

When you double click on the uninstaller, it should open a Terminal window. This window asks for the password associated with your user account. Though it appears not to be an editable field, you may start typing then press Return.

Very arcane, and not like my other experiences in Terminal. Type the password, nothing is ever visible, hit return and the type field moves down and is then an enterable field. So have I done anything? Don't know. Enter password again, which is visible this time, hit return, tells me none of those files exist. So it has apparently uninstalled in a non-obvious manner, evidence being lack of AVB Discovery app and loss of connection to AVB.

AVB uninstall/reinstall done, no change.

Today the data for the first track I clicked on in DP appeared in the Alphatrack window, then no other changes are possible. Nuked and reassigned the Alphatrack under control surfaces again, just in case. No change. Now I notice the name of any selected track will occasionally change, but not immediately, there's a long lag time.

Tried a different USB cable and port....ya know....every time I mess with it.

I do find those Alphatrack files in the library on the iMac, but not on the MBP; looked under both overall and user. Same install package, strange. Prevent Nap isn't doing anything for the iMac that I can tell.