MOTUnation.com

Posted recently to MOTU tech support but have not received an answer yet. Maybe someone here can help.

Windows 7 64-bit
Lenovo W520 w/ i7 2640M @ 2.8ghz

Installed MOTU Software. Restarted PC. Plugged in 828mk3H with FW 9pin to 4pin cable. Turned on 828mk3H. Hardware does not finish install. I do not believe the device is even recognized on the 1394 port because nothing happens. If I launch Cue Mix, message says no MOTU device connected.

Uninstalled and did the exact same procedure with a USB2 port and it works.

Any ideas on what the issue may be with firewire?

I see MOTU has a firmware update called 1.06, but I do not believe this is intended for the mk3 Hybrid. I have also read suggestions to roll back to a legacy 1394 driver when getting clicks and pops, but I can't even get Win7 to install the interface on the firewire port.

Thank you for any help you can offer!

When you plug it in by firewire, do you see any "Unknown Device" in the Device Manager, or similar?

Either way, try changing the driver for your IEEE 1394 to the one with Legacy in its name, already on the system.

It could be a bad/incompatible cable or if you ever inserted it upside down, then the MOTU firewire chip is blown.

Heh, stumped.

Rolled back to the legacy Windows 1394 driver. I cannot get the system to recognize that I have plugged in and turned on the 828. I doubt that I have fried my firewire port, I'll test it on a Mac to make sure.

Possible it's because my laptop has a cr@p Ricoch 1394 controller in it rather than a TI?

Ricoh is no crap. It's a reputable and very decent company.

That's interesting, as I am reading on several manufacturers' websites that they do not reccomend the Ricoh 1394 controller. Rather, they suggest using Texas Instruments or Agere. Via appears to have mixed results and Ricoh poor results in general when it comes to audio.

I say it plenty of times a day: Don't believe everything you read or see. So many people repost random junk online that they have no clue of.

That being said and taken into account, MOTU recommends TI chipset because that is the chip they have in their units.

Other chipsets work perfectly fine though. Both of my machines use VIA perfectly well and if I had 10 of them, they all would.

How did your test on the MAC workout?

Unfortunately I need a 9pin to 6pin firewire cable to test the 828 with this MacBook. I just spent money on the 9pin to 4pin to use the 828 with the PC laptop. So I am little irked at spending more money for a test. But I'll bite the bullet and do it.

Got a 9pin to 6pin cable today. Hooked up the 828 to a MacBook. No problems.

So what the heck is going on with 1394 on my Win7 PC.

Response from a tech link I have with MOTU right now is saying they do not recommend the RICOH controller. Any ideas short of getting an Express 34 firewire card with a TI chipset in it?

Likely cable issue.

But it is not impossible for the Ricoh not to be working well and where that is the cause instead.

I can't really see any reason for it, though. I don't own any Ricoh 1394 solutions, so unfortunately, I can not test.