Alpha track needs to be reset each session

Digiuser · Post by **Digiuser** » Fri Jun 06, 2014 8:07 am

I'm on dp 8.0.6, mavericks, late 2013 macpro.
Alpha track with the new purchased driver worked for 3 months. Lately, when I open dp, alpha track doesn't spring to life. It's lights are on but it's not active in dp, though the alpha track monitor tab at the top of Mac OS says it's active. Every session, I need to go into setup control surfaces, remove alpha track, unplug usb from alpha track, then add alpha track back with the plus button, then re plugin the USB, wait about 5 seconds and then alpha track becomes available in the control surface menu. I then select it and it comes to life and works perfectly.
What gives?
I've trashed dp preferences but that doesn't make a difference, repaired permissions.
No luck there
Anybody else seeing this issue?
Thanks
Ben

mikehalloran · Post by **mikehalloran** » Fri Jun 06, 2014 10:16 am

There are a lot of threads concerning Alpha track. I would first use the search function to see if this has been discussed elsewhere on this board.

NazRat · Post by **NazRat** » Fri Jun 06, 2014 12:22 pm

Sounds like it could be some kind of power management issue. If you're on Mavericks something to try - do Get Info on the AlphaTrack Manager and make sure Prevent App Nap is checked. Just a shot in the dark.

YouTube · Post by **James Steele** » Fri Jun 06, 2014 1:22 pm

Definitely not normal. I'm using it with no problems here. Perhaps re-download and install the updated AT bundle for DP... and maybe even redownload the actual last Frontier AT driver installer which I think is still available online. Also, there's an option to keep the control surface enabled in the background. Make sure that's enabled. Also, I don't know if this is even an issue any more, and it's just a shot in the dark, but do a Get Info on the DP app and if the "App Nap" option is still there, make sure it doesn't App Nap.

frankf · Post by **frankf** » Fri Jun 06, 2014 3:36 pm

Guessing here, but Alpha Track runs on bus power and you may be overloading the USB bus. What else do you have connected to the USB bus. If other gear, try disconnecting everything except AT, keyboard and mouse

Frank Ferrucci

mikehalloran · Post by **mikehalloran** » Fri Jun 06, 2014 5:28 pm

frankf wrote:Guessing here, but Alpha Track runs on bus power and you may be overloading the USB bus. What else do you have connected to the USB bus. If other gear, try disconnecting everything except AT, keyboard and mouse
Frank Ferrucci

Does bus power turn off when the MP goes to sleep?

Digiuser · Post by **Digiuser** » Tue Jun 10, 2014 8:22 am

Thanks for the input...but still no luck.
I don't allow my Mac Pro to sleep. I've tried connecting the alpha track directly to my computer without a hub, but the performance issues are identical. Once I reinitialize it...alphatrack works until the computer is restarted.
Somebody mentioned downloading the latest AT bundle from DP. I don't see that on the motu website. Do you mean reinstalling the universal MIDI installer?
Thanks for your continued help.

YouTube · Post by **James Steele** » Tue Jun 10, 2014 11:10 am

There is the driver and AlphaTrack manager by Frontier and there is the newer 64-bit compatible DP control surface bundle with sells for about $50 from the developer. Google "Synclavier AlphaTrack" and you should find it. I can't get the exact link right now.

Digiuser · Post by **Digiuser** » Tue Jun 10, 2014 11:19 am

Hi James-
Yes...I reinstalled the $50 Synclavier AlphaTrack 64bit driver as well...hoping that would do something. Same issue. The Most frustrating thing is that this all worked from January until a month or so ago.

rukidding · Post by **rukidding** » Tue Jun 10, 2014 5:06 pm

Mine works intermittently also. Not sure what to do other than disconnect and reset Control surface settings. I use a DLink hub and nothing else has power issues using it.

Digiuser · Post by **Digiuser** » Tue Jun 10, 2014 5:10 pm

I think at one point as an experiment I trashed my DP preferences and it didn't help the situation. "Glad" to hear somebody else is having this problem. Did yours work perfectly for any period of time like mine did...say 2 months or so?

YouTube · Post by **James Steele** » Tue Jun 10, 2014 7:59 pm

Digiuser wrote:Hi James-
Yes...I reinstalled the $50 Synclavier AlphaTrack 64bit driver as well...hoping that would do something. Same issue. The Most frustrating thing is that this all worked from January until a month or so ago.

Do you have the last version of the AlphaTrack driver? It's version 1.4.1. I'd get download that version and reinstall it. Here's a direct download link to the zip file:

http://www.frontierdesign.com/download/ ... _1_4_1.zip

FYI, the Synclavier 64-bit bundle isn't really a driver, but a special DP-specific control surface bundle, so swapping it out probably wouldn't do much. I'd reinstall the 1.4.1 driver if that's not the one you were using.

FWIW, I just checked the AlphaTrack Manager app and even though the option is there to "Prevent App Nap" it wasn't checked and I haven't been having any problems, so that's probably not likely to help.

Digiuser · Post by **Digiuser** » Tue Jun 10, 2014 8:02 pm

I did the 1.4.1 reinstall and app nap button the other day. No improvement. I guess this might just be part of my routine. I suppose a fresh install of DP 8 is possible...but man I'm too busy to mess around with that.

YouTube · Post by **James Steele** » Tue Jun 10, 2014 8:18 pm

Digiuser wrote:I did the 1.4.1 reinstall and app nap button the other day. No improvement. I guess this might just be part of my routine. I suppose a fresh install of DP 8 is possible...but man I'm too busy to mess around with that.

I don't know what to tell you. I know it's not of much help, but I never have your issue. I'm using a MacPro4,1, 24GB RAM, OS 10.9.3 and every time I start up my Mac and launch DP8.06 and click on a track, the AlphaTrack springs to life and the fader jumps to where it should be for that track.

MOTUnation.com