GitGeezer

Traveler Troubles, Quad G5

For those of you with (or considering) a MOTU Traveler firewire interface:

Very slow (if any) response from MOTU on the following issue, so I thought I'd find out if the forum had some comments...

Audio output from the Traveler is never available after the first cold boot. Sometimes it will return after a restart. Mac audio software (iTunes, iPod, Quicktime) also behaves erratically after attempting to use the Traveler interface, but is usually available even when audio doesn't work from the applications listed below. Attempting to configure speakers from Audio MIDI Setup produces nothing (no pink noise) but a few soft clicks. MIDI is being received by applications.

My system:

Interface: MOTU Traveler, external AC powered
System: Mac Quad G5, 4Gig memory, 200Gig available disk space
OS: OS X 10.4.2
Core Audio Framework version 3.0.1

Traveler firmware: 1.05, bootloader 1.0
Last installer used: fw_1.3.0
Drivers: 1.2.5
Cuemix: 1.5

Audio apps: Logic Pro 7.1.1, Absynth 3, Reaktor 5.2, Sibelius 3, Garritan Personal Orchestra


I have repaired permissions many times. I've installed the most current drivers (see above) from the MOTO support website. The Traveler is set as the default input and output device in Audio MIDI Setup. I would prefer not to upgrade to OS X 10.4.3 yet (and definitely not to 10.4.4), but if necessary I will.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions,
GitGeezer

Firewire Interfaces And External Drives

I'm looking for suggestions and experience with this connection problem...

Having recently purchased an M-Audio Ozonic Firewire keyboard, I find myself without an available Firewire port to connect my external drive. This drive, the only LaCie portable drive running at 7200RPM, has one Firewire and one USB2 port, NOT two Firewire ports. This prevents daisy-chaining the portable drive and the interface.

My questions are:

How do you use Firewire external drives (in order to avoid recording on the slow internal drive) with Firewire interfaces when there is just one Firewire port on each device?

Is it ever OK to daisy-chain Firewire audio interfaces with Firewire drives?

Do Firewire hubs work in this scenario, and if so, must they be externally powered (not powered by the Firewire bus)?

My system:

G4 Powerbook 667 (Titanium)
1 GIG memory
OS X 3.7

LaCie Mobile Hard Drive, 60GB 7200RPM, one Firewire 400 port & one USB 2 port

M-Audio Ozonic Firewire Keyboard/Audio/MIDI interface, one 6-pin Firewire port

Any help or case histories would be very much appreciated. I picked up the hardware yesterday expecting to work last night when it dawned on me how port-deprived I was.

Thank you.
GitGeezer