Firepod Won't Sync. Dang. Need Help.

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fretwire3d

New member
I just bought a new motherboard (ASUS AN8 SLI Deluxe) after my old one burnt out. My computer is working like a charm now, but no matter what i do, i can't get the firepod to install. It says plug in your firepod. I do and continue the install but i can't find my firepod. THe sync light is blue for a few seconds when i flip it on, then turns red.

I've tried:
Firepod to firewire to PCI card.
Firepod to my motherboard's onboard firewire stuff
I've tried different cables. (one brand new)


All firewalls are off.
Windows doesn't have any other trouble finding other hardware.
1394 ports are connected.
I plugged a mic and headphones in, set it to monitor the inputs and it works.

So what should i try? Is it possible my firepod is dead? Is there anyway to reset my firepod's firmware without it connected to the computer?
 
Unfortunatley it sounds like your FW chipset may be fried. Pretty well known issue with the firepod. I suffered the same shit and ended up having to send it to presonus to switch out the chipset, a real pain in the ass but it has to be done if you ever want to use the pod again.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.
 
fretwire3d said:
I've tried:
Firepod to firewire to PCI card.
Firepod to my motherboard's onboard firewire stuff
I've tried different cables. (one brand new)
Click to expand...

IIRC, there's a FireWire hot fix for XP SP2. If you don't have that installed, that may be the problem.

Also, at least on my Mac, it shows red until the OS is partially booted, which suggests that it shows red until a driver actually starts talking to it. In other words, this could be a driver problem.

Oh, and if it is set to external sync, it will behave in this way. That said, mine reverts to internal sync every time I power it off, so I doubt this is the case unless you have a different firmware version.

If none of that works, odds are whatever torched your motherboard also torched the Firepod. For a sure-fire test, find somebody with a Mac and plug it in. The light should go blue almost immediately. If it doesn't, the Firepod is fried.
 
dgatwood said:
For a sure-fire test, find somebody with a Mac and plug it in.
Click to expand...


ahh, music to me ears!!!
there is evidence from another source that mac is superior to pc!!!

ok ok ok, irrevelent..

how old is your firepod?? what caused the burn out on your motherboard??
 
i'm not sure how old it is, i bought it used. How much am i talking for the repair?

and i'm not sure what the motherboard was doing, but it kept on making hardware conflictions when there should have been none and then a .sys file would become corupt. I could reformat and it would work for a while, but i couldn't get anything to work quite right, and then it would corupt a .sys file again. It was doing all sorts of crazy stuff.

No problems at all with the new motherboard. With my old motherboard, i couldn't install a firewire pci card without a sys file becoming corupt. With the new one, everything is dandy.
 
id say pray for warranty because tech guys charge an arm and a leg because of the complexity of the units, even if its a simple fix.
 
fretwire3d said:
i'm not sure how old it is, i bought it used. How much am i talking for the repair?

and i'm not sure what the motherboard was doing, but it kept on making hardware conflictions when there should have been none and then a .sys file would become corupt. I could reformat and it would work for a while, but i couldn't get anything to work quite right, and then it would corupt a .sys file again. It was doing all sorts of crazy stuff.

No problems at all with the new motherboard. With my old motherboard, i couldn't install a firewire pci card without a sys file becoming corupt. With the new one, everything is dandy.
Click to expand...

There is a year manufacture’s warranty on the firepods so hopefully you fall into the parameter. Can't remember the actual term for being able to plug and unplug your firewire hardware while the system is on etc but ultimately at the end of the day that is where the problem lies with the pods. You are supposed to be able to connect it and unconnect it with everything on and active but ultimately is fries them. Shame really considering people of course would like to record live shows and whatnot but with the chipset being so fragile I would never trust it on the road. Best advice I have with the pod, is to plug it in and never move the damn thing. Great interface for the loot but nothing as far as ruggedness and durability goes.

Also once you have an rma # from presonus and send it back you will want to make several phone calls to check on the damn thing and even with that, you will be lucky to get it back within a month.
 
VincentVegas said:
You are supposed to be able to connect it and unconnect it with everything on and active but ultimately is fries them. Shame really considering people of course would like to record live shows and whatnot but with the chipset being so fragile I would never trust it on the road.
Click to expand...

FireWire PHYs are cheap if you're good at very tiny surface-mount soldering.... Request free samples at:

http://focus.ti.com/docs/prod/folders/print/tsb41ab1.html#samples

or

http://focus.ti.com/docs/prod/folders/print/tsb41ab2.html

assuming that they use TI's PHY chips.... Or just rip them off a cheap FireWire card. :D


VincentVegas said:
Also once you have an rma # from presonus and send it back you will want to make several phone calls to check on the damn thing and even with that, you will be lucky to get it back within a month.
Click to expand...

So I'm -not- the only one.... :D
 
TragikRemix said:
ahh, music to me ears!!!
there is evidence from another source that mac is superior to pc!!!
Click to expand...

That's like saying having a pull with your left hand is better than the right
 
firepod firewire failure

Apparently firewire interface failure is a known problem with the Firepod. Hot-swapping the firewire cable (plugging in or out when the computer is on) kills the firewire chip and the unit. I had the same problem, wouldn't sync with the computer and another Firepod together, eventually wouldn't sync to the computer as the only interface. sent it in and the repair took 8 weeks. My used unit was out of warranty and cost $85 for the repair. Presonus apparently swapped the entire electronic mainboard to restore it to functioning condition.

If you have to send yours in for repair, be prepared to be without it for a while.
 
Dang. I'm going to plug it into another computer. If it doesn't work, off it goes to presonus. Now is a good chance to buy another one for 16 inputs!
 
Also, try the other FireWire port. Dual-port FireWire PHYs don't necessarily fail on both ports simultaneously... or it could be that the cord got yanked the right way and damaged the connector.
 
fretwire3d said:
Dang. I'm going to plug it into another computer. If it doesn't work, off it goes to presonus. Now is a good chance to buy another one for 16 inputs!
Click to expand...

Geez, what are you recording? A symphony?
 
Firepod poor q.c.

fretwire3d said:
Dang. I'm going to plug it into another computer. If it doesn't work, off it goes to presonus. Now is a good chance to buy another one for 16 inputs!
Click to expand...

Maybe Firepods are like the new ADATs... where you have to own 3 units to ensure that 2 work at any given time... hmm.

You'll need more than 8 inputs at once to give you more options later, that's why many people are running their Firepods in pairs.

Presonus customer service is very good, once you reach them. Better to phone them than send an email. Other than the slow Firepod repair turnaround I experienced, I would say that their service is very good.
 
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