dropouts, 98Se and Windows XP

  • Thread starter Thread starter Fab4ever
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Fab4ever

Fab4ever

Getting better
Howdy all.

So I have been frustrated with dropouts in Sonar 2.2. I have a PIII 1 gig/512 mg ram with an ASUS mb and a separate 7200 rpm drive for audio. I can get up to 6-8 tracks, but if I add even a couple plug-ins I start getting dropouts. And that's recording 24/48.
And I am running, ahem, in Win 98 SE.
I have done searches and found lots of tips about getting my machine optimized for audio. I've eliminated background activities, even changed some settings, tweaked the buffers, etc. Still am not pleased.

But I've decided to bit the bullet and upgrade to Win XP. I just ordered it and expect it to arrive in a couple days.

Now the question: Should I expect more stable performance and/or fewer dropouts under XP?

Any other advice you might have for me would be greatly appreciated.

Fab
 
Fab4ever said:
Now the question: Should I expect more stable performance and/or fewer dropouts under XP?
Click to expand...
It really depends on your soundcard and the drivers you are using. WinXP will open up a new world to you, WDM-drivers! :)

If your soundcard can use them, then yes, expect fewer dropouts...


And after you've installed WinXP, click your way over to www.tweakxp.net and get your computer set up for audio... ;)
 
Have you tried:

1. Open the AUD.INI file in the cakewalk program folder

2. Scroll down to the line "stop if starved = 1"

3. Change it to "stop if starved = 0"

4. Save the file.

After many months of frustration, this completely solved my dropout problems. I don't know why the setting is there in the first place.

Sorry if you've already done this.
 
Thanks for both replies.

I have a Delta 66, and I can use WDM drivers. I can't wait!

Also, I have tried the AUDI-INI tweak, but I'll do that again after I install XP and re-install Sonar.

Now, anybody have time to help me get ready for the reformat and clean install of XP?

I got some tutorials from the microsoft website on reformatting, but do you have any special hints? Also, my copy of Sound Forge was purchased as a download from Sonic Foundry. I can call them and ask to re-download it, but I wonder if there's a way to move it from my apps drive to my audio drive - just temporarily, until I reformat and install XP, then move it back.

Is that possible?

Fab
 
Also, my copy of Sound Forge was purchased as a download from Sonic Foundry. I can call them and ask to re-download it, but I wonder if there's a way to move it from my apps drive to my audio drive - just temporarily, until I reformat and install XP, then move it back.
Click to expand...
In short, no. When you install programs, they write information to the Windows Registry. Windows needs this information in order to interact with the program.

When you install Win XP you will be creating a new Registry, and therefore it will not have any of the information needed to run Sound Forge.

It's possible that you might be able to manually tweak the new Registry, but that's beyond my ability and can be somewhat dangerous.
 
Re: Have you tried:

Wurlitzer said:
1. Open the AUD.INI file in the cakewalk program folder

2. Scroll down to the line "stop if starved = 1"

3. Change it to "stop if starved = 0"

4. Save the file.

After many months of frustration, this completely solved my dropout problems. I don't know why the setting is there in the first place.

Sorry if you've already done this.
Click to expand...
If you get dropouts during recording, this method will leave a click or pop in the wave, so I do not recommend it... ;)

Dropouts is a sign telling you that either you demand too much from your system or there is something wrong...
 
Re: Re: dropouts, 98Se and Windows XP

moskus said:
WinXP will open up a new world to you, WDM-drivers!
Click to expand...
Point of order Mr Chairman! I have Win98SE and I use WDM drivers with my Terratrec EWX 24/96. I certainly acknowledge that WDM drivers were only available from 98SE onward.

--
BluesMeister
 
Last edited:
Yeah, but some (if not most) audiocards doesen't have WDM for Win98SE...

And how low latency do you get?
 
Fab4ever said:
Also, my copy of Sound Forge was purchased as a download from Sonic Foundry. I can call them and ask to re-download it, but I wonder if there's a way to move it from my apps drive to my audio drive - just temporarily, until I reformat and install XP, then move it back.
Click to expand...

I bought Sound Forge XP 4.5a then upgraded it to 4.5h. The file which I downloaded off the net 4.5 requires me to put in the CD for verification that I bought the software. The downside of it is that Sonic Foundry are an ass when it comes to registering the software... fine you get 30 'free' uses, however it seems like a couple of days wait to get that activation code... especially here in Australia.

Sorry, just had to have my rant about Sonic Foundry,

Porter
 
Re: Have you tried:

quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by Wurlitzer
1. Open the AUD.INI file in the cakewalk program folder

2. Scroll down to the line "stop if starved = 1"

3. Change it to "stop if starved = 0"

4. Save the file.

After many months of frustration, this completely solved my dropout problems. I don't know why the setting is there in the first place.

Sorry if you've already done this.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If you get dropouts during recording, this method will leave a click or pop in the wave, so I do not recommend it...

Dropouts is a sign telling you that either you demand too much from your system or there is something wrong...
Click to expand...

I beg to differ. I'd be interested to know where you got this information from, but I've been running Sonar with the aud.ini tweak for a couple of months now and it hasn't done any harm at all to my audio recordings. I record at a very low latency where I used to get dropouts all the time, but now Sonar keeps going and the resulting audio files sound fine.

This tweak has finally made Sonar properly usable for me.
 
Wurlitzer said:
I'd be interested to know where you got this information from
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Dropouts is occuring because there's something wrong with your setup. That's not discussable!

And the option caused clicks or pops in my recordings. Maybe you're more lucky than me... :)
 
moskus said:
Yeah, but some (if not most) audiocards doesen't have WDM for Win98SE...
Click to expand...
I bow to your superior knowledge in this area Mr Moskus. :)
And how low latency do you get?
Click to expand...
Well I haven't had the occasion to fully test latency - that won't happen until my shiny new Asus P4PE puts in an appearance.

However I have seen documented evidence of 2ms latency with the EWX 24/96 and WDM driver. Just don't ask me where I saw that - I can't recall... But it wasn't more than three months ago that I read it.

--
BluesMeister
 
BluesMeister said:
However I have seen documented evidence of 2ms latency with the EWX 24/96 and WDM driver. Just don't ask me where I saw that - I can't recall... But it wasn't more than three months ago that I read it.
Click to expand...
But that could be when using WinXP/2000, right?;)

That's why I wonder what latency you have... :)
 
A couple of weeks ago I upgraded to 2000 Professional, (I had 98se before) and so far, I'm liking it.

Using a Delta 1010 with WDM drivers I can get my latency down to around 4 ms. close enough for input monitoring with effects, I'm liking it a lot, I was able to get in the same range using ASIO drivers with 98se (Sonar 2.2 XL)

My System is certainly running much smoother on 2000, I wish I had upgraded a year ago....

I went with 2000 Pro because my old 600mhz P-III Gateway was getting kinda crappy on me, and before going with 2000 I bet I reinstalled 98se 4 times inside of 2 months, I wanted an OS that I can just re-install anytime I want, no calls to uncle Bill for re-authorization needed.

Anyone know of any links to any articles for tweaking 2000 for audio?
 
I've just installed the latest driver for the EWX - and I'm getting an error message Wave-Out format not supported. :(

Well, what would you expect? A smooth ride? Trouble-free upgrade?

I'll reboot later and see if I can determine the latency under Win98SE.

Don't touch that dial...

--
BluesMeister
 
A good upgrade feeling!

I've got that feeling when I went from Win 95 to Win98, from Win98 to Win98SE, from Win98SE to Win2000, and finally from Win2000 to WinXP.

But I didn't get it from Win3.11/DOS6.2 to Win95. DOS RULES! :D
 
BluesMeister said:
I've just installed the latest driver for the EWX - and I'm getting an error message Wave-Out format not supported. :(
Click to expand...
Try MME-drivers.
 
hey guys, no doubt many people are happily and stably runnin 2000 and xp with wdm drivers .
my scenario, however is as follows.
1.2 gig athlon t-bird ,via 133a chipset, motu2408,24i, motu wdm driver set for (98se,me,2000,xp) and sonar1.31 on win98SE 2.9ms latency stable.
 
moskus said:
Try MME-drivers.
Click to expand...
No need, a cold reboot did the trick.

I played your JazzHouse track and was mightily impressed. Very cool. Very tasty.

And yes indeed, DOS Rules! I never had any crashes running AutoCAD under DOS. There again, it was terminally slow, it would take upwards of 45 minutes to plot an A0 size drawing :(

My Epson 3000 Sylus Color printer here at work spits out plots faster than Stephen King... :D

--
BluesMeister
 
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