Clicks when recording with audiophile, w2k

[Pedro]

Hi

I get irritating clicks when recording with Audiophile running under w2k. My setup:

Cubase SX 1.01:
File/preferences/vst: auto monitoring: manual
Devices/device setup/VST multitrack: M Audio Delta ASIO
Vst performance is always in the green
Input levels are low enough not to cause digital distorsion

W2K:
Optimized for background services
Standard-PC (not ACPI)

Computer:
Dell Dimension 8100
P IV 1,4 Ghz
Intel 850 chipset
Seagate Barracuda IV 80 gig
No IRQ-conflicts
Graphics hardware acceleration turned off

Any ideas?

Thanks

Pedro

 

[Slackmaster2K]

What are your buffer settings in both the delta control panel and your software?

P.S. you might just turn graphics acceleration back on, as disabling it can seriously hinder performance. That's an old optimization that only worked with a very limited amount of (crappy) hardware.

Slackmaster 2000

 

[Pedro]

I am not in front of the computer right now, so I can't check it. I have tried changing the buffer settings to really high values though and it didn't work.

 

[Slackmaster2K]

Well, it's kind of tricky.

If you use WDM, then you need to set your audiophile control panel buffer settings to ~256 samples or so, a low value. Then you need to adjust the buffer settings in your application much higher (I find 60ms worth of buffering to be adequate for very even large projects, and that's low enough latency that you don't feel it when mixing).

If you use ASIO, then try setting the audiophile control panel buffer settings to ~2048 samples. When you use ASIO your software buffer settings will no longer matter because it will just use the ASIO buffers.

If you haven't already done so, make sure you're running SP2 or SP3 for Win2k. The delta (audiophile) drivers do not work properly without at least SP2.

Also, try a couple different driver revisions. I personally think that the driver from May of 2002 is the best so far (I think it's .26 where the newest is .27) in terms of performance.

Do you notice any pattern to the clicks? Do they occur more or less when certain things are happening on screen, etc?

Did you follow one of those big optimization FAQ's that are designed to completely destroy computers? I recommend not doing any optimization until you can record properly, since optimizations are rarely required for the machine to function. Then, you should optimize in very small steps, and only keep an optimization if you notice a measureable performance increase. I know that every now and then some optimization will magically make somebody's machine work, but in most cases they do little and in as many cases they render a machine worthless. My 2 cents.

Now some of the stuff you've done isn't optimizing as much as it is configuring. Not using ACPI is fine...watching for IRQ conflicts is fine.

Slackmaster 2000

 

[LiquidBronze]

...

i recently formated my machine to try XP
and i had those annoying clicks as well...
so i went back to 98se
and it works again
IMHO
98se is the best OS for DAW systems
and shit gets fucked up when using 2000 or XP (im my experience, ive tried 200 and XP now for music just doesnt cut it)
casue the drivers or whatever just arent optimized enough for
those newer OS's

peace
LB

 

[Pedro]

I previously had Windows ME and the same problems as with W2K.

I just struck me that I have a cordless keyboard and mouse. Could that be the cause?

 

[Slackmaster2K]

Windows 2000 is the superior operating system for audio work. Sorry you couldn't get it working properly.

Slackmaster 2000