ProTools 9 Crashes When Selecting PCI-424 As Playback Engine

[siraltus]

Just did a clean installation of Pro Tools 9.

If I select the PCI-424 CoreAudio driver as the playback engine, Pro Tools crashes with a KERN_PROTECTION_FAILURE exception of type EXC_BAD_ACCESS (SIGBUS) in thread com.digidesign.framework.DAE.

Machine: MacPro 8-Core 2.8GHz 16GB 2TB 8800GT 512MB 10.6.5

Audio interfaces: ProFire Lightbridge, MOTU PCIe-424 card with 24 I/O and two 2408mk3, latest drivers installed for both (1.9.3 for the Lightbridge and 1.5.38352 for the PCI-424 interface).

Crash is consistent and 100% reproducible as follows:

1. Start Pro Tools 9.
2. From the "Setup" menu, select "Playback Engine."
3. In the "Playback Engine" dialog, select "PCI-424" in the "Current Engine" drop-down list.
4. Click OK. Within 3-4 seconds, Pro Tools crashes with the above exception.

Crash does not occur if any other audio interface is selected as the playback engine.

The PCI-424 interface works without issues in other host apps on the same system - Cubase 5.5.2, Logic 9.1.3, and Ableton Live 8.2.1.

Bug in Pro Tools, or bug in the MOTU driver?

[rodger1811]

I own ProTools 9 (some of my clients absolutely insist) and I haven't had that problem at all. I tried reproducing the fault per your suggestion with no problem.

[mesaken]

I just installed PT9 on my rig with a PCIe-424 and three BLA HD192s and it is running fine.
I'm not sure what the "lightbridge" device is, but I think you can rule out MOTU bugs.

You can run the buffer as low as 64 and you don't have to reboot as on a PC. The only thing
I haven't checked out is the low latency monitoring for tracking. PT9 has an issue with input
monitoring, which I think Cuemix will cover. Waves is close to releasing RTAS versions of
their plugs and just told me their betas are running fine. For me, that leaves Stillwell
as the only one not having RTAS versions as of now.

MOTU's website is really trumpeting their interfaces and PT9. I've worked with PT clients for years, and several PT engineers are very happy they won't have to bring their rigs in or go through the bounce thing. They're happy with the MOTU sound, albeit modified by BLA (as well as clocked), and they use Apogee, Digi, and all kinds of other converters. If you're a DP studio that works with the PT world its great for compatibility and session transfers.

I love DP7 and am very happy to have PT9 as well.

[Kubi]

Very wild guess - could it be OS 10.6.5 in this particular mix (PCI424/PT9/OS10.6.5)? Seems like both posters who are running PT9 successfully are running 10.6.4

Don't have PT9, just an observation from reading this thread.... Like I said, very wild guess.

[mesaken]

I'm running 10.6.5 on the PT partition and 10.6.4 on the DP partition per sig.

[emulatorloo]

Well, there you go - Avid has not certified 10.6.5 for PT9 yet.

http://avid.custkb.com/avid/app/selfser ... cId=380535" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Mac Systems
Computer: Avid-qualified Apple computer (see details)
System Software: Snow Leopard: Mac OS X 10.6.2, 10.6.3, or 10.6.4 (32 or 64-bit)*
Total System RAM: 2GB minimum, 4GB or more recommended

*Pro Tools 9 has not been qualified with Mac OS X 10.6.5 (released November 10, 2010)

[JohnG]

I rolled back my OS to 10.6.4 and I still am unable to actually hear anything through the MOTU hardware (I am using 2408mk3s through a PCI-424 card). I have the latest everything -- drivers etc. -- and ran a clean install of PT, repaired permissions.

Even when I select the 424 it automatically reverts to "ProTools Aggregate I/O" in Setup, and there is no other choice available.

[mesaken]

Its not a simply an OS 10.6.5 thing as many PT 9 people are using it with no issues just like many people here are using 10.6.5 before it is "sanctioned" by Motu. I suspect its the way PT is dealing with aggregate I/O. My setup has been stable, but I'm only using the Motu driver.

[JohnG]

I had exactly the same problem as siraltus -- same crash with MOTU hardware. Solution appears to be to limit the number of channels coming in or out or possibly the sum of the two.

I'm using four 2408mk3s attached via a 424 card in a venerable old Mac that's running Pro Tools 9.0. With 12 outputs available and 66 inputs ( coming in from the 2408mk3, I can play back the demo file and move around within PT. Haven't tested further so far.

However, adding just one more input replicates the crash, so there is a limit, apparently, though its exact nature is possibly more complicated than a single, hard number.

[n2mpujack]

I had exactly the same problem as siraltus -- same crash with MOTU hardware. Solution appears to be to limit the number of channels coming in or out or possibly the sum of the two.

I'm using four 2408mk3s attached via a 424 card in a venerable old Mac that's running Pro Tools 9.0. With 12 outputs available and 66 inputs ( coming in from the 2408mk3, I can play back the demo file and move around within PT. Haven't tested further so far.

However, adding just one more input replicates the crash, so there is a limit, apparently, though its exact nature is possibly more complicated than a single, hard number.

Remember that PT9 (non HD or sans the Native card) is only 32 channels I/O. Note that that is not the amount of tracks that can be played back which is a lot higher.