Mbox Or Firewire Interface, confusion on which way to go Options

[digikid]

I've had an MBOX for close to a year and a half now. Everything was fine until I got a new Powerbook G4 1.25 The MBOX has never been so troublesome. I'm running Panther 10.3.2 (part of the problem I'm sure).From high pitch bursts of white noise to not recording properly, i've just had it up to my eyeballs with the thing. I'm anxious to see the new Edirol FA-101, which seems to be much better than the M-Audio Firewire 410, but am I fine with what I have? It seems that the issue is software related, but I'm tired of waiting on
Pro tools Le 6.2.3. I just want to keep moving and get results. I'm really spinning wheels here.

This post has been edited by digikid: Mon 1 Mar 2004, 14:49

[dixiechicken]

I have MOTU-gear myself together with my modest iMac. It rocks pretty solidly.

With Panther 10.3.2 and DP-4.12 I can run up to 12 instances of mono-plate
reverbs without audio artifacts during playback.

The GUI is a bit sluggish at this point, not so hot for all day sessions.

Cheers: Dixiechicken

[digikid]

I really like the configuration you're using Dixiechicken, but I forgot to mention that portability is a must. I also have an iMac G4 700 that was running the MBOX fine in OS 9.2.2, but I couldn't see carrying that iMac out of my home to take to the rehearsal studio everytime I wanted to record an idea with a full band. So I moved on to the Powerbook G4 (1.25). Things were fine in "Jaguar" (OS 10.2.7), then I felt like jumping up to "Panther" (OS10.3.2). That's when all of my troubles began. However, there may be hope. I just downloaded the new PTLE 6.2.3 update, but I have yet to record. I'll report back to see how it performs. I really appreciate your reply.

-digikid
powerbook G4 1.25
Mbox

This post has been edited by digikid: Thu 4 Mar 2004, 20:04

[dixiechicken]

Perhaps you should check the Digidesigns website, I think I saw on the Unicornation BBS while it was still operational, that Digidesign was slow with updating their drivers, for Panther.
(I'm not quite shure about this - check it out)

I have a friend that have a dual G4 and the MBox and ProoTools Light -
he runs 10.2.8 I think (or maybe even 9.2.2) he says it works great for him.
So I'm inclined to think it might be, partly a driver issue.

But also people have reported issues with DP-4 on Powerbooks.
Some of these issues seem to be related to slow internal harddrives.
If you have the opportunity to borrow a fast external firewire-hardrive that might be worth checking out.

Cheers: Dixiechicken

[lepetitmartien]

Others are testing the 6.2.3 on the FR forums, once there's some talk on it, I'll get back with comments…

[digikid]

I actually use an external firewire 400/usb 2.0 BYTECC enclosure with a Maxtor 250gb ultra ATA 7200rpm 8mb cache Hard drive inside (Another thing I forgot to mention). I have it split into 2 partions. One of those partions is strictly Pro tools or where i have all of my sound files going. You know what I mean. I also forgot to mention that i found out that the enclosure is using a Prolific chipset. Is this really that bad? I bought the Bytecc(enclosure) believing that it was using the Oxford 911 chipset, which from what I'm told, is the best chipset to use with Pro Tools. BYTECC's website misleads you into thinking this because there is a firmware update for the oxford 911 under that drive (CHECK THIS OUT AND DON'T BE FOOLED). Now I just purchased a Western Digital 120gb 7200rpm 8mb buffer drive that I should be placing into a Macally combo enclosure. Another thing I found out today is that running PTLE in a user that is not an Administrator is a big huge "NO NO". I've been running PTLE in a seperate user that is not an administrator instead of partitioning (OOPS!!!). Things are starting to make sense now, BUT I still need to make sure everything is going to work properly and I'll be doing so tomorrow at Band rehearsal. I'll be recording the entire band with an sm58 placed in the high corner of the room.
I really really appreciate your replies dixiechicken & lepetitmartien.
I'll report back asap...

This post has been edited by digikid: Fri 5 Mar 2004, 23:17

[lushbudget]

Howdy,
I have the same setup with the exception that my PBook is a Titanium 867Mhz, and I have similar problems with MBox. Notwithstanding the fact that my cat chewed on one of the pots, the MBox seems to work fine in monitor mode with the output switched all the way over to PLAYBACK (which is the signal coming back from the computer only). So using that as an index for what should be going to disk I start recording, usually guitar and vox, and LO AND BEHOLD! my recordings have white noise through and through! I've tried using the T-Racks EQ that came with the MBox bundle and I can isolate some of the noise, but not all (there is still that eternal hum) and I'm a little bummed - I thought I could create listenable, or at least Demo quality recordings with Mbox and the software bundle.
Updated to PTLE 6.2.3 and no change.
Tried patching the Mbox in thru a USB 2 PC card (that I use for my DVD-RW drive) and lost the hum and gained these crazy bursts of feedback sounding stuff Hum was better!
Tried running the Mbox through a self-powered USB hub and that was a complete failure! Latency went through the roof and 1/2 the time software couldn't even see the Mbox!
I'm hoping that an answer exists, but I'm betting that if I want to make solid, rock-ready recordings for folks to listen on, then I'm going to need to invest in some Firewire gear (like MKII 828 or the like)
Any suggestions as to how I can tweak my Mbox?
Any interest in buying a slightly used, slightly chewed on Mbox?

This post has been edited by lushbudget: Mon 8 Mar 2004, 15:29

[dixiechicken]

Generally speaking running usb-audio interfaces through external usb-hubs is NOT a good idea.

BBS:es on web is full of postings on this subject.
Put the audio-usb interface driectly into a dedicated usb-slot on your computer.

Digikid:
The Maxtor harddrive inside your external enclosure is an excellent drive.
We use Maxtors exclusively at my work for mission-critical servers.

Sorry bout the chipset.

Cheers: Dixiechicken

[digikid]

Thanks Dixiechicken! Maybe I should refund that Western Digital 120gb I just bought. I've got plenty of HD space anyway. Plus, I can refund that bytecc enclosure as well. Instead of running Protools Le 6.2.3 this weekend, I tried using the Mbox with "Garageband"...only to get nowhere! I got some immediate replies in another forum on this site when I called Gargeband "useless". The tips in the replies still don't work. I try my best to get results with something before making comments like that, but like I said before, "I'm just spinning wheels".

I've been pulling my hair out since I bought the Roland VS1680 back in the fall of 1998.
FIREWIRE seems to be my only hope. Yes lushbudget, sell that Mbox. I think I'll be selling mine too. It's hardly used and in perfect condition. Not to totally dismiss the Mbox, I believe it's a must have for an OS 9.2 to 10.2 user.

This post has been edited by digikid: Mon 8 Mar 2004, 20:08

[jpschmader]

I use a Powerbook 1.25 GHz running Panther 10.3.2, 2 MB RAM, a Great River 1NV through an Mbox running Pro Tools LE 6.2.3, Soundelux U195 and AEA R84, and ADAM P11 monitors. I'm happy with the sound of my band's demos. I look foward to trying a Millennia TD-1 patched through the Mbox using the same mics. I also use a Metric Halo ULN2 and Nuendo, Mbox and Garageband (set up in Digidesign Core Audio), and the ULN2+DSP with Tracktion, as well as the ULN2+DSP through the Mbox just for kicks.