Confusing N00B proplem with my Digimax D8

[The StabbinCabin]

I posted a similar thread about looking at a dudes digimax LT.

Pretty much, I have my Firestudio set as the master, internal clock at 44.1 and have lightpipe and BNC to the only inserts on my D8 and I'm getting pops and clicks. I have a BNC terminator on my IN on the Firestudio so there shouldn't be any interference.

I can open up my Presonus drivers and watch the thing freak out on my old pc running XP SP2.

I just installed the drivers and shit on my new PC with Win7 64bit- and I get a blue light in the firestudio, and good light on the D8, but pops and clicks AND I CAN'T open up my Presonus driver... So I don't really understand what the shit is going on. I tried installing new drivers from the Presonus website. And it installed (something) and has some shortcut on my desktop that just doesn't respond.

Like everything on the PC is brand new, no internet usage whatsoever.

So before I attempt to give Presonus a call tomorrow morning, figured I'd ask if there is anything wrong I'm doing and if any of you have the time to help a guy out.

Much appreciated guys

 

[BLUElightCory]

Try clocking the Firestudio to the D8.

 

[The StabbinCabin]

(you can just read the last paragraph if you want lol)

The Universal Control driver download on the Presonus site is hella funky, I'm not used to the settings... I had the original Firestudio driver installed at first on my new pc- I got the blue light that the Firestudio was connected, but when I went to open up the driver window to check levels and route everything- I got an error message saying my device wasn't connected- even though it obviously was acting as the main sound device (the mic signal was coming though, as well as pops). So when I installed the Universal Control Driver, I could only get to open the window once after attempting to a few dozen time only to just ctrl alt del and manually close it down due to no response. When it did open, the clock/bit rate/ buffer drop downs like weren't there- or at least I didn't understand. It locked up almost immediately because I'm assuming the two drivers I installed were conflicting with eachother... I uninstalled the original, and now Universal Control wouldn't even give me a lagged "isn't responding"... The smaller driver window opened up, but had "no available device" to select a buffer/ clock/ ect... Weird and frustrating.

I had a similar problem when I installed my Firestudio with my pcs drivers and Firestudios... All I needed to do was go in through my control panel and tell my pc to default to the Firestudio and it was alright with just the Firestudio recording 8 channels. I couldn't slave the Firestudio because it would just disconnect entirely. That or I would just get pops with the digimax slaved

I've followed the manuals for both units and it's common sense where to plug everything into I know I did that right, at least

I'm going to get some rest, uninstall and reinstall everything and default my control panel to the Firestudio, hopefully then I will be able to try and slave the Firestudio to the Digimax and see how that goes- I'll just give Presonus a call and see if they can help troubleshoot with me- Thank you for the advice- I feel like a goon

 

[The StabbinCabin]

Fail. No dice. Presonus had me on hold for over an hour and my cell phone lost signal in my apartment. FML

I tried reinstalling the drivers and the Firestudio CPL doesn't come up. Universal Control window won't open either- blue light on the Firestudio, signal- when I switch on the Digimax I get pops and clicks still, with no way of slaving one to another.

Not sure what to do other than get my receipts and register my Firestudio from years ago (fail) and troubleshoot that first idfk

 

[Wolfeman]

So even with the unit unplugged, you can't open Universal Control? That means your problem is on the PC side....

Know anybody with a mac? That's the best/easiest/quickest way to see if its a hardware problem or a PC problem.

 

[The StabbinCabin]

It's the strangest thing ever- I have to like turn on the Firestudio, let it connect, click the Universal Control window- and turn off the Firestudio, and then back on (with the right timing, which I bet is REALLY good for any electronic) and the Universal control opens and recognizes the Firestudio.

NOW in the UC menu, I can route I/Os, pan but have no visual on the digital mixer window and am sure I don't have total control over the actual mix- on my old pc I could use Firestudio CPL (old driver) to mute tracks so they wouldn't play through the monitors while I was tracking, but I still get pops and clicks with the D8 hooked up.

So with UC opened up I can select my Firestudio, but can't change my bit rate or buffer... I would select to change it to 48, and it pops right back to 44.1... The buffer issue- I just can't change it at all from 512. I selected all the different types of clocking sources with no results either.

The D8 only had a BNC IN and ADAT out, so I'm unsure as to how that would even work out with making it the clock master.

The studio I'm temping at has a G5 just hanging out, maybe I can try that out and see. I just don't see how there could be an issue with my pc because I checked all my specs for compatibility. Seemed good to me- and my old Dell runs the old driver just fine, just not with the D8. On my new pc there is literally Windows 7 64 and winrar for the patches and drivers to be opened up. Bought Cubase 5 and the D8 on Monday and haven't installed Cubase 5 just yet because I had a feeling this problem would happen.

I'm going to just keep trying everything you guys throw at me and register my Firestudio to see if there's something wrong with it. Sucks because I am supposed to be recording a bands EP and really wanted to go for a roomy sound with the extra inputs and time is running out...

Thank you Wolfeman

 

[Wolfeman]

I had issues with my DigimaxFS being hooked up to my Firestudio. I was about to send the whole deal back to get repaired. But hooking everything up to a mac saved me from doing that. My issue was in how the 2 units were clocked together. Once I got that all sorted out with BNC terminators and selecting the proper unit to be the master, it all worked fine on the PC.

You can make the D8 the master by selecting ADAT as the clock source from the Control Panel. Although I would just use it to test, as 'IMO' you want the Firestudio being the master.

 

[The StabbinCabin]

When I had the control panel open (or when I could get simultaneous synchage and a responsive UC window) I changed the clock source to adat and flipped the Digimax between internal and external. External gives me pops and clicks, slave or master, just quiet little blips here and there- almost as if once the digimax get enough incoming audio, it pops. I had it sit there for a while and the pops stopped momentarily- I plug in a mic- it crackles. Internal clock is worse, pops and clicks and a television white noise type sound. 44.1 and 48 for both and the sync light does not turn on.

I'm about to make a youtube video to show the weirdness going on lol I just need a camera that takes video......

I just sat on hold for 25 minutes to be forwarded to a Presonus voicemail too- I have never really had to call technical support for things like this, but that is kind of lame though. I don't know how that works with customer support, like if they only have 3 dudes in a office with phones ringing off the hook or what. I got a response from a rep via email in under 24 hours- sent me an exe to determine if my firewire inputs are compatible. It seemed to work fine- sent a snapshot of my results and waiting for a reply.

 

[Wolfeman]

Yeah I had the exact issue you are talking about. If you want to sync via adat on the D8, unplug all bnc cables and terminators. Make sure the D8 is set to INTERNAL if you are clocking with adat, and make sure the FSCP you choose adat as the source.

If you want to use the FS as the source, make sure the D8 is set to external, make sure in the FSCP you have the clock set to 44.1(to start with), Firestudio as the master source, uncheck terminate BNC(I'd leave a terminator on the IN plug on the back of the FS). All should work well.

 

[The StabbinCabin]

After I managed to get it to sync... Looks like I'll need to get my PC hooked up online. Unfortunately, I only have free shitty wireless here at my apartment.

Check this out:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/11848604/1.png

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/11848604/2.png

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/11848604/3.png

I was stoked until the last message hahaha I bet once I get the firmware update it will all work out- it's just a matter of plugging and unplugging and switching things on and off in the right order to get that window to open up fml

 

[Wolfeman]

Oh for sure get the new firmware, the current drivers are designed to work with it.

 

[The StabbinCabin]

I really don't mean to sound like a whiny bitch or anything but I have to say fuck this company. On their open days, I have called Presonus only to be put on hold and forwarded to voicemail every single time. I haven't bothered to leave more than one voicemail seeing as how I have no idea how that is supposed to go about getting back to me- I left my personal contact information and was able to give a detailed explaination of my problem at the time.

In this time, I have determined from an email sent to me from a online rep, that my firewire card is compatible with the interface....... Sick alright cool... With no response after my sent in results of "yes it is compatible" from the OHCI checker .exe the dude sent.

So from the one response I got 5 days ago, I have managed to troubleshoot it myself and dig into the forums on their site and read up on other peoples problems that turned ou to be the exact same.

The "problem", from what I've read, is that the "older" models of the Firestudio have such outdated drivers, that the firewire cards themselves need to have firmware updates APPARENTLY. From my device control settings, I was able to switch my driver on my WIN7 pc to the most recent "Legacy" host and got an update from that. I have to do this on a different system though...... My XP was already using the Legacy drivers. From there, supposedly I'm supposed to be able to just turn on my Firestudio and it should magically be recognized by Universal Control. And THEN the firmware update to the FS should be able to work without a random -994 error... It doesn't. On either computer. And since these changes made to my firewire cards on boths pc, and mainly from just installing fucking Universal Control, my Firestudio is now unable to be rolled back to previous drivers compatable to my XP... So now I can't get a response from it on either computer (it's blue but neither driver will open) AND all of my recent projects on my XP are now unable to be opened.

PRESONUS FTW:Smokedev: :Smokedev: :Smokedev: :Smokedev: :Smokedev: :Smokedev: :Smokedev: :Smokedev: :Smokedev:

No but seriously though- I need to chill the fuck out. I can't expect IMMEDIATE CRITICAL response just for some kid who owns 3 medium priced things of theirs... And I have made this much "progress" on my own I suppose. Although I can't give myself some peace of mind just opening old sessions on my old pc...

But none of this is even mentioned on the website at all. You would think that with all the driver updates and modifications a company would make to improve their product that they would at least be on their game to keep track of things that may cause confusion to owners of their "older" models. The whole "WTF WHY IS MY INTERFACE NOT WORKING" thing, to me, seems like way to big a deal to just forget to consider enough to be like oh hey btw this is why our state-of-the art driver isn't working... You know? There are hella not-so-computer savvy people out there that don't know how to just figure that out on their own. It just bugs...

I'm going to throw a pizza in the oven and grab myself a beer and pick this up tomorrow... I might make a video for this mess to show how retarded it is or to document how retarded I AM

 

[Wolfeman]

Meh blame it on Windows, I've never seen a Presonus owner with a Mac complain

 

[DudeManGuy]

Sucks about your problems, there. I hear you man. I went through some hassle getting mine to work right, but I got it nice and stable now. FS as the master, hooked up to a Digimax LT via ADAT and to an ART MPA Gold Digital via s/pdif.

I had an issue with a bad BNC cable and also a bad s/pdif cable that gave me the same problems you have, cracks and pops all over.

Update your drivers first, then get the FS to work by itself. After that, hook up the D8 and make sure the FS control Panel is seeing the D8. I would have the D8 slaved to the FS, make the FS the master. Hope you get this working soon.

DMG

 

[The StabbinCabin]

I've tried multiple BNCs and Lightpipe cables. That's the thing like I don't think I'm being stupid about this and just complaining like I have now literally tried everything I can think of and now it has resulted in my interface no longer working on my old computer running XP so now my old sessions and solo things are just like... un-openable...

I got a response on the forum from a user saying that "he had alerted the right people and that I should be hearing from them soon" that was three days ago

And the guy that is the tech support rep via email for Presonus is a total fucking winner. He has sent me 3 emails that have done nothing but show me that he didn't even read anything I wrote to him. Like I'm fucking retarded or something. I have taken notes on paper and gone back to type them in order of their attempt and their results and where I am now as well as including the thinks to the many threads I have found with people with the same problems. Doesn't say anything but "You need to install the latest version of Universal Control from our website and run the firmware check in order to have your Firestudio working properly..."

OH... so you're saying smearing my shit in the inputs and beating it on the concrete isn't going to make my interface work?

Me no understand. *grunt* Make work.