Clicks and Pops and processor problems on G5

[jsimms]

I just bought a brand new iMac G5 with 1.5 GB of memory and I am having major problems with my 896HD and DP.

I am getting digital glitches on all channels in random spots. They appear to be one sample in length, but obviously create unacceptable clicks. Also, after about 30 seconds, I get the dreaded "Audio playback has overloaded your computer's processor .... etc".

I previously ran with a G4 with much less memory and less processing power (obviously) and never had these problems.

I have tried all the suggested solutions (background task settings, work priority settings, turning off dashboard etc.) and nothing works.

Oh, yeah, I also get these clicks in Garage Band when using the 896HD.

Technical support (when someone actually picks up the phone) was completely unhelpful.

I can't imagine that I am the only one with this problem, as this is a brand new G5 with freshly installed and updated DP and 1394 drivers.

Net result is that I spent $2,000 updating my Mac and now my studio is completly unusable.

Any further suggestions before I put this MOTU stuff on ebay and get a digidesign and Logic?

[boonier]

theres LOTS on this forum about all this, have you done a search? (without meaning to sound patronising! )

usual culprits in my experience are Background Processing. That would include automatic beat detection. By default that is turned on, so go into Prefs and switch both to never look for beats automatically.

Trash that iSight plugin that is installed into one of the folders in the Library/Plug-Ins. I havent a clue what it does exactly but its well documented (in this forum) that it interferes with DP

Also try removing the AU plugins to see if this is a problem.

Finally you metioned that it also occurs with Garageband....it could be that the firewire cable from the interface to the iMac is in need of replacing

[qo]

Open:

/Applications/Utilities/Activity Monitor

Click the System Memory tab. Have a look at the Page ins/outs: field on the bottom. Start DP and do what you do to cause the problem. Are the Page ins/outs numbers increasing?

[jsimms]

theres LOTS on this forum about all this, have you done a search? (without meaning to sound patronising! )

usual culprits in my experience are Background Processing. That would include automatic beat detection. By default that is turned on, so go into Prefs and switch both to never look for beats automatically.

Trash that iSight plugin that is installed into one of the folders in the Library/Plug-Ins. I havent a clue what it does exactly but its well documented (in this forum) that it interferes with DP

Also try removing the AU plugins to see if this is a problem.

Finally you metioned that it also occurs with Garageband....it could be that the firewire cable from the interface to the iMac is in need of replacing

No offense taken on the suggestion to search the forums (I am rather frustrated at the loss of at least 2 days in the studio as the whole band tries to debug this thing.)

I did do search here and the MOTU knowledge base (and called MOTU tech support, who was unhelpful ), and I have turned off the background processing stuff. I am not sure how to diable the AU plugins, short of deleting them completely (or moving them to some other folder somewhere). Same thing with isight. I find it strange that a pristine imac G5 out of the box would have problems like this. Seems like MOTU should be doing testing on the garden variety G5, and that I should not have to delete my AU effects and disable my iSight just to get my $3,000 worth of MOTU hardware and software to work.

Nontheless, I still am stumped by this. I promise to give credits on our eventual album to whoever can help me solve this...

[jsimms]

Open:

/Applications/Utilities/Activity Monitor

Click the System Memory tab. Have a look at the Page ins/outs: field on the bottom. Start DP and do what you do to cause the problem. Are the Page ins/outs numbers increasing?

Thanks. I just tried this and I do not see any change. I am starting to think that the only thing left to try is complete uninstall of everything and reload.

... or go back to my G4, which would be a stinkin' shame...

[chrispick]

Just tossing out some stuff to check if you haven't. Forgive me if anything's oversimplistic

• * Is your RAM good? Anyone can get a bad stick.
  
  * Are you taxing your hard drive too much? Are you dealing with too much through-put?
  
  * Are you using a high sampling rate? Do you get the same results using only 16-bit, 44.1 kHz files?
  
  * Are all hardware and software matched to the same clock rate?
  
  * Is your 896HD working right? Does Garageband run properly when the 896 is removed from the equation (say, using GB's example files)? Does DP?

Trying to help.

[jsimms]

Just tossing out some stuff to check if you haven't. Forgive me if anything's oversimplistic

• * Is your RAM good? Anyone can get a bad stick.
  
  * Are you taxing your hard drive too much? Are you dealing with too much through-put?
  
  * Are you using a high sampling rate? Do you get the same results using only 16-bit, 44.1 kHz files?
  
  * Are all hardware and software matched to the same clock rate?
  
  * Is your 896HD working right? Does Garageband right properly when the 896 is removed from the equation (say, using GB's example files)? Does DP?

Trying to help.

I appreciate everyone's help on this. I did do a memory check and it says everything is kosher. I am using 16 bit 44.1khz, and still seeing the problem.

Not sure what you mean by HW and SW matched to the same clock rate. I am using internal clock on the 896--- is there a setting I need to do on the MAC (also tried using the Mac clock). Garageband works properly without the 896, and also the 896s also work just fine with my G4 with the same cables and setup.

[qo]

How many tracks are you trying to record, and playback, at once? Also, are you using an external FW drive?

[chrispick]

Not sure what you mean by HW and SW matched to the same clock rate. I am using internal clock on the 896--- is there a setting I need to do on the MAC (also tried using the Mac clock). Garageband works properly without the 896, and also the 896s also work just fine with my G4 with the same cables and setup.

In Audio MIDI Setup:

Are the inputs and outputs pointing to your 896 via firewire?

Are your i/o properties for the 896 listed as 44.1kHz?

Is your clock source set to internal? Is your 896 slaving to this internal clock source (you can only have one clock master, as you probably know)? Try using internal clocking first.

And qo addresses my hard drive throughput question more directly: Are you stressing your internal hard drive by making it do too much at once?

[jsimms]

How many tracks are you trying to record, and playback, at once? Also, are you using an external FW drive?

I am down to a single track to debug this, and I still have the problem. I also am using MX4 BTW... although I am now unloading that as well.

I am using the internal drive, but I have tried an external FW drive and have the same problem.

[jsimms]

Not sure what you mean by HW and SW matched to the same clock rate. I am using internal clock on the 896--- is there a setting I need to do on the MAC (also tried using the Mac clock). Garageband works properly without the 896, and also the 896s also work just fine with my G4 with the same cables and setup.

In Audio MIDI Setup:

Are the inputs and outputs pointing to your 896 via firewire?

Are your i/o properties for the 896 listed as 44.1kHz?

Is your clock source set to internal? Is your 896 slaving to this internal clock source (you can only have one clock master, as you probably know)? Try using internal clocking first.

And qo addresses my hard drive throughput question more directly: Are you stressing your internal hard drive by making it do too much at once?

Got is set up for the 896 internal clock at 44.1khz. The HDD can't be taxed, since I am only running DP and a single track of recording. BTW-- CPU max utilization is like 10% so that can't be the problem

[chrispick]

Got is set up for the 896 internal clock at 44.1khz. The HDD can't be taxed, since I am only running DP and a single track of recording. BTW-- CPU max utilization is like 10% so that can't be the problem

Hmm...

So, what do we know? GB runs fine without the 896.

Does DP? Have you tried playing a project using internal audio only?

We know your 896 runs fine with your old system. Is your firewire card and/or connection in your new G5 working okay? Do you have Tech Tools or other diagnostic software to test?

[jsimms]

Got is set up for the 896 internal clock at 44.1khz. The HDD can't be taxed, since I am only running DP and a single track of recording. BTW-- CPU max utilization is like 10% so that can't be the problem

Hmm...

So, what do we know? GB runs fine without the 896.

Does DP? Have you tried playing a project using internal audio only?

We know your 896 runs fine with your old system. Is your firewire card and/or connection in your new G5 working okay? Do you have Tech Tools or other diagnostic software to test?

I think I may have solved the problem. I tried using a really short 1394 cable I had (like 2 foot) and it looks completely clean on all tracks now. Maybe my firewire port is running at a faster clock speed on this machine or something. Anyhow, now I have to buy a cable that will actually reach from the 896s to the Mac to ensure that my setup works.

thanks in advance to everyone who helped me on this, but I am getting pretty excited that this may be it..... Now off to circuit city to see if I can buy one of their overpriced cables....

[jsimms]

Got is set up for the 896 internal clock at 44.1khz. The HDD can't be taxed, since I am only running DP and a single track of recording. BTW-- CPU max utilization is like 10% so that can't be the problem

Hmm...

So, what do we know? GB runs fine without the 896.

Does DP? Have you tried playing a project using internal audio only?

We know your 896 runs fine with your old system. Is your firewire card and/or connection in your new G5 working okay? Do you have Tech Tools or other diagnostic software to test?

Problem definitely solved !!!! Thanks again. Hard to believe it was the cable, considering the G4 was running fine with it, but maybe the clock speed was higher on the G5

I think I may have solved the problem. I tried using a really short 1394 cable I had (like 2 foot) and it looks completely clean on all tracks now. Maybe my firewire port is running at a faster clock speed on this machine or something. Anyhow, now I have to buy a cable that will actually reach from the 896s to the Mac to ensure that my setup works.

thanks in advance to everyone who helped me on this, but I am getting pretty excited that this may be it..... Now off to circuit city to see if I can buy one of their overpriced cables....

[chrispick]

Well, jsimms, did you fix the problem?