MOTUnation.com

My Dad died recently and left a couple of bits of audio equipment, including this MOTU Ultralite Mk3 audio interface. I have repeatedly followed the usual procedure for installation, I have tried it on two separate computers which both have working firewire ports that I have used for M-Audio interface recently.. I even reinstalled Windows with basic drivers to make sure there were no conflicts with other software, but no matter what I try Windows simply will not detect the hardware for installation.

I don't have a working power adapter, and it was initially set to auto power on so I wondered if that had something to do with it, but I changed that setting and tried again and nothing. I got excited when I tried updating the firmware to 1.06 because... it worked! So it is able to detect it for that, however at the time I had the USB and firewire cables both plugged in.. Windows still won't detect it though.

I am running out of options, but am considering installing 32 bit version of Windows just to see if it works, but am beginning to wonder if there is something wrong with the unit, but apart from this issue it seems to be working fine.

Any suggestions?

How did you update the firmware if the computer will not recognize it?

If it is only working with USB and not firewire, when the machine in question is known to be working well with firewire otherwise, it could simply be that someone plugged in the firewire cable upside down and blew the firewire chip out inside the MOTU.

My condolences for your loss.

Thank you for your reply torrentg, and for providing a viable explanation for what might be wrong.. I did try it via USB but only with the firewire cable plugged in as well, I wonder if it is worth trying to get a power adapter.

The updater program recognized the soundcard, I am not sure why it did when windows won't.. I was surprised and delighted because I thought it meant it would now work but there was nothing from windows, not even a recognition that anything is plugged in in device manager.

*edit
I tried it on my wife's mac, and doesn't recognize so I guess we can safely say the firewire is screwed.. I still have hope that it might work over USB, but can anyone tell me if it should detect USB if it is being powered over firewire? the power adapter doesn't seem to be supplying any power, so can't test without fw being plugged in..

Found a power adapter that seems to work, working over USB!!!

Very excited now, but one problem: device seems to switch itself off after 5 minutes?? Power adapter problems I assume, but I am wondering if there is some weird setting I don;t know about...

If you have the means to, I would suggest making a technote over at MOTU.com and they will repair or replace the unit, at their discretion, for approximately $100 U.S.

I am sure the power adapter you're currently trying to use can not supply enough power (amps). If you don't want to pay to have it fixed or replaced, I would search for the power requirements and ensure the supply is fitting for it.

Voltage x Amps = Power

or

Power / Voltage = Amps

or

Power / Amps = Voltage

I am not sure about that specific unit, but I think MOTU units have a wide range of voltages that they will accept. Be sure to use only a DC power supply.

Right on my Traveler, it says it will accept 10-24V and draws 12 watts.

So assuming 12 volt power supply, that power supply needs to at least be able to supply 1 amp...in my situation.

If the power supply was 24 volts, it only needs to be able to supply .5 amps.

I just checked my Traveler stock power supply and it's 15v set at 1 amp.

Since the unit draws 12W, MOTU gave it a slight overhead (15x1=15W).