deafening white noise, driver drop out, KP's, you name it...

[Babybagpipe]

Hello

I have a Mac G5 1.6 single processor, 2 Gb RAM, running OS 10.3.9 with DP 4.6, MachFive with latest download, a fistful of samples up to 30Gb. Hardware Motu 828 (plain and simple 828) and MTP AV.

I have been doing my nut over these problems for months. The most serious is the literally DEAFENING white noise explosion, because it is turning me into a bag of nerves and others who come here to work with me. I open a DP file which maybe has 2 instances of MachFive and about 20 used tracks, the largest sample of which is the harp. I notice these problems more when I load big samples into the mix. I can usually tell when a loud explosion might be imminent, there are odd spikes and crackles, or tiny versions of the big noise...so there's time to go and turn the volume down before I get blown to bits by the big one.

The next problem is the audio driver. If there are few samples loaded, the problem is worse with this. I start to play back a file. At any time maybe a few seconds, or a few minutes, there is a bump...and the audio has gone, as if someone has simply pulled two wires apart, that's the feeling. The only way to get it back is to 'configure audio driver' in DP. If there are many samples that can take up to a minute to get back. Then a few minutes later the driver goes again and I lose sound. That is driving me nuts and I can't concentrate on my composing.
Interestingly when I am using the computer's internal audio system and not the 828 system and driver, I still get the same bump and loss of sound.

Lastly, KP's by the dozen. They mostly happen when I am using audio, and ITunes is a pain here too. So when I am working, especially detailed editing, I am always on the Apple/S keys to save it all lest the dreaded grey screen comes down. I have to say the lack of auto-save on the Mac is a great irritation.

So what have I done to try and sort out this mess?....

I checked all leads and replaced the firewire cable. It had been fine anyway.
I reinstalled all the MOTU drivers.
I repaired the permissions on the HDD.
I ran a thorough hardware test (65mins) and everything passed including the RAM.
I bought a second HDD and set it up with the same OS and MOTU things, and ran the samples from the other disk.

I spoke to MOTU in the US. They just said get your computer checked.
But I already tested it.

So, finally I have managed to sign up onto this site and I am hoping someone out there will have some ideas about what the cause might be.

Ideally composers needing to use big orchestral paletts like me need more than the 1.6Gz I realize that, but I ought to be able to use this machine to do something surely.

Any ideas anyone?

Thank you for reading all this and best wishes to the group.

Adrian Williams

[chucks]

I had the KP issue a while back. What it turned out to be was bad memory, even though hardware diags always tested as good. Make sure everything is seated properly and also try pulling out memory to see if it is related to any of the banks.

[tristan]

ah problems! man i feel for you i just spent 3grand on supposedly the best sound card around (828mk2) and a brand newG5 2ghz dual with 4gig of ram with tiger10.4.2. I am getting horrid noise clicks, pops, midiclock noise, mouse movement noise and a host of other problems including what you mentioned when loading big samples (sampletank) and core audio errors and disc too slow error messages. I read on another forum people slating the 828, firewire being the problem. I just moved from a delta1010LT on a G4 800single1.5gig ram and had no noise or probs whats soo ever. I read that you cant run two firewire devices as it takes up too much firewire bandwidth creating probs. I have a firewire hard drive connected to front port and 828mk2 on the back port. I am going to ditch the hard drive and change the 828 for an internal sound card unless someone can help me. I have clients booked and need to be fully functional now!

[tristan]

just found this at apple site; http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=86655 i am assessing the page and will post my discoveries or solutions. peace t

[tristan]

I just bought a Shark 'ground loop isolator' (£8.00 in Maplin, product code:VW43W). fit it inbetween your sound card and your hi-fi/mixer and it completely gets rid of the problem. hope this solves everyones noise probs it did mine. cheers T