Frequent Dropouts in PT LE 7.3.1

  • Thread starter Thread starter austinm08
  • Start date Start date
austinm08

austinm08

the pigeon knows the way.
Whenever I record-arm a track, I get frequent dropouts in that audio signal coming in.

I have already tried changing the H/W Buffer Size to every option available, and also the DAE Playback Buffer (don't know if that has anything to do with it).

Still getting the dropouts.

I'm using a Mbox 2. (USB 2.0)

I am running on an Intel Core2Duo E6550 @ 2.33GHz with 2.75 GB of RAM.
Windows XP Pro.

Shouldn't be a problem with my computer.


Any help?
 
when you say drop outs,, do you get an error message?

could not communicate with hardware? or cpu overloaded?
 
No error messages.. only drops in the audio.

Audio drive? You've got me stumped here.

I do have a drive to do all things audio... I love it.
I don't have a drive (like CD, DVD, floppy, or hard disk) for audio... ?
 
austinm08 said:
Well, I have two of these that I use.

Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 ST3250410AS 250GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OE
Click to expand...

Are you running these drives USB or Firewire??

Then I'd be interested to see what would happen if you took a session that was "dropping out" and "save copy in" (remember to check audio files only) that session to the desktop. You're gonna want to remember to delete that session from your desktop when this experiment is done but for now...open the newly copied session from the desktop and see if you still get drop outs running off the internal drive.
 
These are both internal drives.. no USB or Firewire. :p
 
OK.

Don't want to pull teeth here but how bout the other suggestion??????
 
You're not pulling any teeth. Don't worry.

But.... what other suggestion?

Since the hard drives are internal, they're already on the desktop (meaning computer)..
unless you were implying you want me to create a copy on the Windows "desktop".. which I don't see the point in. Maybe I'm misunderstanding something..
 
austinm08 said:
You're not pulling any teeth. Don't worry.

But.... what other suggestion?

Since the hard drives are internal, they're already on the desktop (meaning computer)..
unless you were implying you want me to create a copy on the Windows "desktop".. which I don't see the point in. Maybe I'm misunderstanding something..
Click to expand...

I may be mixing my PC-vs-Mac protocols but dragging or copying anything to the Mac desktop copies it to the internal drive. The application drive..not the audio drive. I guess you'd call that your "C" drive.

By using Pro Tools "save copy in" function you accomplish two things. 1st "save copy in" will re-write the entire session. That is it will re-write things like audio files and fade files and meta data (from scratch) that perhaps had been corrupted in the original session. It will also copy the session to another drive.

If the problem continues after this maneuver you be able to eliminate the possibility that there is a physical problem with your first drive (if it works on your "C" drive) as well as help determine the possibility that something has grown corrupt or not in the original session.

Finally knowing that it is NOT a drive problem or a session problem free's you up to look elsewhere for the solutions.
 
Currently everything is located on the drive I have labeled "X", but I will try saving it all to the other "C" drive later.. I've got to run for now.

Thanks for the help!
 
The only way I can help the issue (just a little) is to raise the H/W Buffer Size up to 2048 Samples and set the CPU Usage to the highest setting (90%).

The dropouts are still there, just not as frequently.

I already tried saving a copy on the other hard drive.. and opening it.. and still had the same problem. It does this not only with an audio track, but also when I'm just playing a virtual instrument.

I think it's a USB issue. But.. I don't know how to solve the problem. Do I need newer drivers?


I found this thread: http://www.protoolsusers.org/option,com_fireboard/func,view/id,8353/catid,3/
..and I'm having the same problem as this guy. Same exact thing. But I am using internal hard drives at 7200 RPMs.. program on one, audio on the other. I get the problem even when I'm just recording a vocal and a MIDI track at the same time, no plug-ins. This is very frustrating.
 
Last edited:
Not likely a drive problem, of any kind, if it's doing the same thing on your C drive. Is this the error you get??

"Audio processing is conflicting with other CPU tasks. If this occurs often, reducing the "H/W Buffer Size" in the Playback Engine Dialog may help prevent the problem (-9129)"

Is this the only error you get?

Do you have active virus protection running?

Have you searched Digi base( Digi's web site) for possible clues and solutions to error code -9129?.

Are you running an Digi approved PT version and Windows OS?

Are you running some sort of USB hub?
 
is your mbox on a usb 1.1 port, per chance?

try it round the back, if it isn't already.
 
All my ports are 2.0.. and I've tried one on the back and front... :(
 
Joseph Hanna said:
Not likely a drive problem, of any kind, if it's doing the same thing on your C drive. Is this the error you get??

"Audio processing is conflicting with other CPU tasks. If this occurs often, reducing the "H/W Buffer Size" in the Playback Engine Dialog may help prevent the problem (-9129)"

Is this the only error you get?

Do you have active virus protection running?

Have you searched Digi base( Digi's web site) for possible clues and solutions to error code -9129?.

Are you running an Digi approved PT version and Windows OS?

Are you running some sort of USB hub?
Click to expand...

This is the one I get mostly:
"The operating system held off interrupts for too long. If this occurs often, try increasing the "H/W Buffer Size" in the Playback Engine Dialog (-9092)."

But, I have gotten the other one (-9129) occasionally (when the H/W Buffer Size is set at its highest..).

I have a free AVG anti-virus running, but I was having the same problem when I had no anti-virus running.

I have not searched their site for clues or solutions to the error codes, although I presume they're generic suggestions that will not help my situation.. I guess I should look anyway.

I'm pretty sure Windows XP Pro is compatible with LE 7.3.1..

No USB hub. Straight into the PC.
 
On the Digi web site there is a "sticky" in the PC/LE forum which covers MANY items that are essential for PC setup. I'd urge you to follow this closely.

Do you have Service Pack 2 or 3?

Anti-Virus plugs ins almost always have background type services running continuously. I'd at least do some research and make sure it's not hogging resources.

As to searching the Digi site for possible clues as to error codes (and if it were me...which it's not :)) I woundn't assume anything. The error codes are written into the software for a reason. It may not specifically spell out the answer but it certainly is WORTH the very little effort it takes to do the research.
 
Service Pack 3.

I'm checking out to make sure everything is compatible now.. thanks for the heads up!
 
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