Tascam US-1800 not working. Need Advice ASAP

[Help Help]

Hi all. My Tascam Us-1800 has ceased working somehow. The USB light does not stay on(is it supposed to? I don't quite remember) and all that can be heard is some weird fluctuating buzzing noises coming from headphones/speakers. My computer has popped up messages saying something like "the device has overheated USB port - restart or cancel" etc which I do not understand. Anyone know what this might mean. I have a deadline and a lot of work to get done. Not sure what to do.

 

[DM60]

Light does stay on.

Have you turned it off and then turned it on while in the session?
Have you tried a different USB port?
Could it be the USB port is malfunctioning?

Just a few possibilities to try out.

 

[Help Help]

Light does stay on.

Have you turned it off and then turned it on while in the session?
Have you tried a different USB port?
Could it be the USB port is malfunctioning?

Just a few possibilities to try out.

Thanks for reply! Yeah I've tried all those things. Turning it off and turning it on has worked in the past when I've had similar issues, but this time it seems much much worse. Has been malfunctioning for days, and this afternoon, no matter how many times I tried it wouldn't register at all. However, just a moment ago, as I was sitting here wondering what to do, I heard the computer make the device connected sound. I looked and the USB light was on out of nowhere, and it was working again. However, still not without issue. When I turn the volume up there is a pronounced fluttering buzzing sound. Not sure what to make of what exactly is the cause of these problems.

Is there a particular way you are supposed to eject the device? I've scoured the manual and the internet and don't see any mention. I've had it for almost a year but have just been turning it off and unplugging it cause I didn't know better. Hope I haven't damaged anything this way. If there is a proper method please fill me in. Did I miss something?

 

[Help Help]

Just now it stopped working again, even with the light still on, no sound. Now the light is off again. Oy vey. I'm on a bad streak of things not working right. I'm going out for a cigarette. Thanks so much to all who have advice

 

[DM60]

Thanks for reply! Yeah I've tried all those things. Turning it off and turning it on has worked in the past when I've had similar issues, but this time it seems much much worse. Has been malfunctioning for days, and this afternoon, no matter how many times I tried it wouldn't register at all. However, just a moment ago, as I was sitting here wondering what to do, I heard the computer make the device connected sound. I looked and the USB light was on out of nowhere, and it was working again. However, still not without issue. When I turn the volume up there is a pronounced fluttering buzzing sound. Not sure what to make of what exactly is the cause of these problems.

Is there a particular way you are supposed to eject the device? I've scoured the manual and the internet and don't see any mention. I've had it for almost a year but have just been turning it off and unplugging it cause I didn't know better. Hope I haven't damaged anything this way. If there is a proper method please fill me in. Did I miss something?

Well, for the most part, it either works or it doesn't. I would first test on another computer if you have on to test with. I have had it give me some issues with Ableton, but not with Reaper. In Ableton I bring it up after the DAW has loaded. With Reaper, I just turn it on, bring up Reaper and go.

But, if this has been working for you in the past, then I suspect on of two things (this is just a guess) you could be having USB port issues on your MB (I would try another port if they are located on different areas of the computer) or the Tascam could be having a hardware issue. Since you have had it running for awhile, I don't think it is the drivers.

Also, have there been any new installs or updates between the time you were running fine and the time you started having issues?

 

[Pinky]

Does this unit work without power from the AC Adapter/outlet? Could the AC Adapter have failed and it's trying to run with USB power?

[otherwise sounds like a dying/near-dead unit]

 

[Help Help]

Hey guys, so here's an update. Because I am in a pinch and rather desperate, I ran off to go buy a new one, thinking I could try to get warranty on this malfunctioning one(as it hasn't been a year), but at the very least I could continue working. After arriving home with the new unit, I first plugged in the new USB cable into the old unit, just for the sake of eliminating any such confounding variables. It turns out(at least thus far) that the whole problem was in a USB cable gone bad. I even retested the old cable again, which re-entered the old problem, which went away when using the new cable. What made it weird was that my computer kept crashing before and I got warnings about the USB port and such. What it would seem to be, was that the USB cable had gone bad, which served to overheat the port somehow, adding heat to the computer which then would crash. I don't know if that makes any sense(I'm not the most tech-savvy), but it seems to apply thus far, as I've had no problems with the new cable. Who knows. With my luck I'm not out of the woods yet ha. But so far so good.

The new unit hasn't even left the box, I just took out the USB cable. So I suppose I'll try to explain my situation to the store I got this new one from and see if they sell or will let me keep the cable, and I'll return it.

 

[DM60]

Hey guys, so here's an update. Because I am in a pinch and rather desperate, I ran off to go buy a new one, thinking I could try to get warranty on this malfunctioning one(as it hasn't been a year), but at the very least I could continue working. After arriving home with the new unit, I first plugged in the new USB cable into the old unit, just for the sake of eliminating any such confounding variables. It turns out(at least thus far) that the whole problem was in a USB cable gone bad. I even retested the old cable again, which re-entered the old problem, which went away when using the new cable. What made it weird was that my computer kept crashing before and I got warnings about the USB port and such. What it would seem to be, was that the USB cable had gone bad, which served to overheat the port somehow, adding heat to the computer which then would crash. I don't know if that makes any sense(I'm not the most tech-savvy), but it seems to apply thus far, as I've had no problems with the new cable. Who knows. With my luck I'm not out of the woods yet ha. But so far so good.

The new unit hasn't even left the box, I just took out the USB cable. So I suppose I'll try to explain my situation to the store I got this new one from and see if they sell or will let me keep the cable, and I'll return it.

The USB cable is a standard USB cable. Just match the ends. One is common full USB (A type) and the other is USB (B type), pretty sure. Should have them at any electronic stores. Nothing special.

Glad it was something simple.

 

[Help Help]

The USB cable is a standard USB cable. Just match the ends. One is common full USB (A type) and the other is USB (B type), pretty sure. Should have them at any electronic stores. Nothing special.

Glad it was something simple.

Yeah I thought so. The only thing that makes me paranoid is that in the manual they say to only use the provided connections that come in the box. I know that not all such things need to be heeded(the manual for my 4-track says to demagnetize the tape heads once a day it is used?) but still, not being sure of things, it still makes me paranoid. But yeah, sure glad it was something simple. Thanks.

 

[mjbphotos]

Glad you got it figured out - I was going to suggest you try another USB cable, but then saw you did!

 

[Help Help]

Hmmm. So as I had told about how it had turned out to be the USB cable that was the problem, I returned the second US-1800 as I didn't need it. However, on returning it I of course couldn't keep the USB cable. So I bought a standard one. When the first USB cable wasn't working my computer would repeatedly crash inexplicably. When I had used the new USB cable provided by Tascam, over the course of 4 days of steady work, I didn't have a single problem. Now with this new standard USB cable, my computer is continually crashing again if ever I hook up the US-1800. Could it really be that the Tascam US-1800 requires it's native USB cable? Or is this some sort of coincidence? I am so confused.........

 

[DM60]

Hmmm. So as I had told about how it had turned out to be the USB cable that was the problem, I returned the second US-1800 as I didn't need it. However, on returning it I of course couldn't keep the USB cable. So I bought a standard one. When the first USB cable wasn't working my computer would repeatedly crash inexplicably. When I had used the new USB cable provided by Tascam, over the course of 4 days of steady work, I didn't have a single problem. Now with this new standard USB cable, my computer is continually crashing again if ever I hook up the US-1800. Could it really be that the Tascam US-1800 requires it's native USB cable? Or is this some sort of coincidence? I am so confused.........

That really is strange. My suggestion is to contact Tascam. Surely this is not a hard question for them and you can find out what part number it is if they require a special USB cable.

By the way, I have been using the Tascam more these days and have found it acts quirky with Ableton. I now wait and turn it on after Ableton is up. Not sure what is going on there, but there is something going on between the Tascam drivers and Ableton.

 

[Help Help]

That really is strange. My suggestion is to contact Tascam. Surely this is not a hard question for them and you can find out what part number it is if they require a special USB cable.

By the way, I have been using the Tascam more these days and have found it acts quirky with Ableton. I now wait and turn it on after Ableton is up. Not sure what is going on there, but there is something going on between the Tascam drivers and Ableton.

Thanks for reply. Yeah I can't for the life of me figure this out. I tried opening up Cubase first but the computer is crashing almost the moment after I plug it in. Tried re-installing the drivers but the same thing happens. I can't help but think that the same USB cable is, at least by some absurd quirk, necessary. It worked perfectly again while I used a new Tascam provided cable. I need one ASAP too. Oh well. Such is the recording journey. Long and arduous with many hurdles along the way.

 

[Steenamaroo]

Glad you got it figured out - I was going to suggest you try another USB cable, but then saw you did!

+1. Cable was going to be my first suggestion (yeah yeah!).

If the computer reported that too much current was being drawn and that the port was deactivated for safety, that means your cable has a short between pins 1+4 - 5v and ground.

Throw it in the bin.
Tascam tell you to use their cable because they assume you're an idiot and you're going to force a scart lead in there or something.
The cable for the us1800 is generic. You'll find them at any electronics place...or probably in the back of your man drawer.

If you've had the same issue with two cables then I'd say that either the two cables are bad, or the computer/us1800 port is intermittently bad, allowing a short.

Do you have, and know how to work, a multimeter?
Try a different port on the computer to rule that end out.

You may need to restart every time you get a warning. I'm not sure how long your computer will deactivate the port power supply for each time.....Probably until reboot.

 

[mjbphotos]

, or the computer/us1800 port is intermittently bad, allowing a short.

That's my guess - the odds that 2 out of 3 USB cables are bad are slim. However, if one of the USB ports is marginally bad, a good-fitting (tight maybe) USB cable could keep the problem from happening.

 

[Help Help]

+1. Cable was going to be my first suggestion (yeah yeah!).

If the computer reported that too much current was being drawn and that the port was deactivated for safety, that means your cable has a short between pins 1+4 - 5v and ground.

Throw it in the bin.
Tascam tell you to use their cable because they assume you're an idiot and you're going to force a scart lead in there or something.
The cable for the us1800 is generic. You'll find them at any electronics place...or probably in the back of your man drawer.

If you've had the same issue with two cables then I'd say that either the two cables are bad, or the computer/us1800 port is intermittently bad, allowing a short.

Do you have, and know how to work, a multimeter?
Try a different port on the computer to rule that end out.

You may need to restart every time you get a warning. I'm not sure how long your computer will deactivate the port power supply for each time.....Probably until reboot.

Hmm..interesting. However, fancy this. So I arranged to exchange the new USB cable I had bought with the Tascam one. Apparently you can do this. With the new one my computer was crashing the moment it was hooked up to the US-1800. With Tascam's cable, once again, no problems thus far! I will report back if that changes. Could it really be that Tascam's USB cable is necessary somehow? Probably not. But maybe a certain caliber of cable is? I don't know.

If I have further troubles, and it could be the USB port, should I just load the drivers on another USB port and expect things to be good? Does it need to be USB 2.0 or can the 3.0 port be used? Thank you all so much for your support! I hope this thread may serve to help someone with a similarly obtuse problem.

 

[DM60]

Hmm..interesting. However, fancy this. So I arranged to exchange the new USB cable I had bought with the Tascam one. Apparently you can do this. With the new one my computer was crashing the moment it was hooked up to the US-1800. With Tascam's cable, once again, no problems thus far! I will report back if that changes. Could it really be that Tascam's USB cable is necessary somehow? Probably not. But maybe a certain caliber of cable is? I don't know.

If I have further troubles, and it could be the USB port, should I just load the drivers on another USB port and expect things to be good? Does it need to be USB 2.0 or can the 3.0 port be used? Thank you all so much for your support! I hope this thread may serve to help someone with a similarly obtuse problem.

I've read there are some machines that won't work with USB 3.0 ports. I don't know why, but I have seen it reported. But you should be able to switch to other USB 2.0 ports and it work, shouldn't have to reinstall the drivers (Presonus you do, on the older drivers at least), but even if you do, what is that 30-60 seconds?

 

[Help Help]

Yeah exactly. The only things I consider problems are the things I have no understanding or control over. Then I come here and you kind folks give me advice ha. I never even knew that you were supposed to use the same USB port until recently. Seems the Tascam works with any of them.

 

[JimmyS1969]

Just to add, I used my 1800 on a USB3 port. That was to keep it separate from the other USB2 devices (mouse, keyboard, external drives..). Though that is not to say that will definitely work with your MOBO or whatever.

I run my new USB2.0 interfaces with PC's USB3 port as well.