Traveler Troubles, Quad G5, No audio from Traveler on Quad G5 Options

[GitGeezer]

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

[lepetitmartien]

Have you trashed the system caches? The audio/MIDI prefs? Temp files?

For the caches, temps files, use OnyX

go to maintenance, run top half of options (don't mess with classic if you don't use it/have it installed)
go to cleaning, check almost all in the bottom 2/3 save the items on the right but do check in these the police cache.
(no OS/finder/whatever should have no dead beats left in under the hood files which can be expended -recreated by the OS anyway)

and right after that, shut down, unplug mains and peripherals, wait 30s, replug, restart.
(now, ports should be reinitialized)

redo your audio MIDI set up.
If it's not working after another restart, it's 99% likely the driver or the driver/OS/hardware combination has a problem. As there's been some issues on the Quads (acknowledged by Apple) , i'd check the support pages at Apple too!

[GitGeezer]

Thanks for the lightning fast response, lepetitmartien! I still haven't heard from MOTU.

Have you trashed the system caches? The audio/MIDI prefs? Temp files?

Haven't yet, I was waiting to make sure the major apps were running ok, which it seems they are. I will use your excellent instructions when I do. I downloaded Onyx (I had been using Cocktail) which looks like it's a little more specific with cache clearing. I did try disconnecting a firewire drive from the Traveler's FW port, no difference. The behavior seems to have settled into always restarting to get audio output.

there's been some issues on the Quads (acknowledged by Apple)

Money doesn't buy everything, apparently! I'll be watching the Apple support pages. Actually, when everything works it works VERY well. Highest CPU levels in Reaktor's large ensembles were around 30%. One did crash but no more than 30% CPU was showing. We'll see how the Garritan sample library works.

Thanks again for your very helpful (even though I haven't done them yet) suggestions. I'll be backing up and cleaning tomorrow.

[ptiano]

i have also found that having an isight connected to the firewire bus freezes up the Traveler. i have to keep my isight unplugged until i need it. my system is a similer quad G5 system. anyone else have the same problem?

[GitGeezer]

i have also found that having an isight connected to the firewire bus freezes up the Traveler. i have to keep my isight unplugged until i need it. my system is a similer quad G5 system.

No isight on my system, no change in the problem. I just received an email response from MOTU so I'll try their suggestions this weekend and get back with the results.

[GitGeezer]

I just tried the following suggestion from MOTU and it revived my audio output:

Change the Optical I/O settings in the MOTU Audio Setup utility. I changed the settings from NONE to ADAT and my audio returned. Audio continued to work after changing them back to NONE. A quick workaround, but I'll be exploring the rest of their suggestions as well. I'll need to make some SMPTE copies from my DAT masters later, so we'll see how that works.

Stay tuned.