Motu 828 & Firewire, My powerbook doesn't recognize the unit! Options

[lennyonbass]

Hello all,
I wish my first post to the forum wasn't a cry for help, but unfortunately that is the way it seems to be.
I just purchased a used 828(mk1). The unit appears to be in good condition cosmetically, FWIW.
I have since downloaded the latest driver 1.2.5 from MOTU and installed it without incident on my powerbook (running Jaguar)
I have bought a new FW cable as well.
All connections seem to be good.
I just can't seem to get the computer to recognize the MOTU device through the firewire. Someone...please....help...me!

I have also installed the driver on my wife's powerbook (running Panther) with the same result. No MOTU.

MOTU support lines are busy and I haven't been able to get through. Nor have I rec'd a response to my email inquiries.

Anyone? Thoughts please?

[lepetitmartien]

First if you don't have, do repair permissions…

Next, maybe a reset of the motherboard/ports could be useful. I don't remember the procedure on powerbooks… anyone?

Have you tried to start up the 828 on, off, unconnected etc ?

[gdoubleyou]

Open the system profiler, and check to see if the system sees a firewire device connected.

If it is detected, does the MOTU firewire console open when you turn on the 828?

I own the same interface, and haven't had any problems so far.

[lennyonbass]

Open the system profiler, and check to see if the system sees a firewire device connected.

If it is detected, does the MOTU firewire console open when you turn on the 828?

I own the same interface, and haven't had any problems so far.

Hey folks,
Thanks for the replies. It has been a week now, and I have gone through all the hoopes of installing, unstalling, and reinstalling drivers til I am blue in the face. I've bought new FW cables, too. I have even tried to install it on my wife's p-book. No joy. The unit is simply not recognized by the OS (Jaguar on one, Panther on the other...)
After extensive talks with MOTU, the company, I am shipping the unit back to them for repair, under the assumption that the FW port is defective.
Ugh.

I'll let you know how it turns out.

Lenny

[cornutt]

Lenny, while you're waiting, a few things:

1. When you turned the unit on, did it do the "LED dance"? (The input and output level LEDs flash in an alternating pattern for a few seconds. The two clock rate LEDs continue to blink alternately for about 10 seconds.)

2. You said you downloaded version 1.2.5 from MOTU. I checked and sure enough, that's what's on the Web site. It's strange, though, because I downloaded a driver update last winter (right before Christmas) and I was pretty sure I was up to date until I saw this post. And the version I have is 1.0.9. I wonder why the number skip? I'm beginning to think that 1.2.5 is intended for Tiger and doesn't work with older versions.

I wish you still had your unit. I think I can find the 1.0.9 install package. If you had access to another 828 to borrow, I could email it to you.

I've had an 828 for about two years and it has worked flawlessly since day one.

[lennyonbass]

Lenny, while you're waiting, a few things:

1.  When you turned the unit on, did it do the "LED dance"?  (The input and output level LEDs flash in an alternating pattern for a few seconds.  The two clock rate LEDs continue to blink alternately for about 10 seconds.)

2.  You said you downloaded version 1.2.5 from MOTU.  I checked and sure enough, that's what's on the Web site.  It's strange, though, because I downloaded a driver update last winter (right before Christmas) and I was pretty sure I was up to date until I saw this post.  And the version I have is 1.0.9.  I wonder why the number skip?  I'm beginning to think that 1.2.5 is intended for Tiger and doesn't work with older versions. 

I wish you still had your unit.  I think I can find the 1.0.9 install package.  If you had access to another 828 to borrow, I could email it to you.

I've had an 828 for about two years and it has worked flawlessly since day one.

Hi Dave,
Thanks for the reply and the offer of the driver.
To answer your questions: Yep, the lights did the dance, although the clock lights only dance for 1-2 seconds, if that long.
During my talks with MOTU support, we ended up uninstalling the 1.2.5 driver and installing the 1.0.9 driver. No luck there either, I'm afraid.
I haven't yet sent the unit back, but I'd like to by tomorrow. MOTU has given me an RA number and the box is ready. I am basically waiting to see if the guy who sold it to me will give me a refund. I am not holding my breath though.
Did I say "ugh" already?
Lenny

[gdoubleyou]

Do you have any firewire devices that work? the sytem profiler will tell you if the machine is detecting the 828.

[lennyonbass]

Do you have any firewire devices that work? the sytem profiler will tell you if the machine is detecting the 828.

Hey gw,
Yeah, the FW on the mac is fine. I plug an external HD and my iPod into it regularly...
The MOTU 828 doesn't show in the System Profiler...

Lenny

[lepetitmartien]

There's been a few reported 828 giving headaches, if the common procedures don't make the beast show off as listed here, spanking MOTU with it a good solution.

To the aftersales up you go

[keem]

hi, i'd really like a followup on this. what happened when you sent it off? i have just experienced the same exact symptoms, except my tibook has killed TWO 828's this week alone! i KNOW its not the firewire port... my personal guess is that their new driver f'd up the firmware, and for all intents and purposes my life, as i have ABSOLUTELY NO WAY TO RECORD ANYTHING NOW, save the lovely line in on the back of the powerbook... please, anyone with an original 828, DO NOT DOWNLOAD THIS DRIVER. DO NOT GO TO TIGER. YOU WILL DIE.
*absolutely f'n out for blood*
-kimsystem

[lennyonbass]

Hello everyone,
Here it is: THE FOLLOWUP.
First I apologize for the delay in posting the follow-up. I have posted to several forums in my search for aid, that I overlooked this one in posting my progress.
OK.
I had sent the original 828 to MOTU to be repaired/replaced. There was a flat fee of 49.95 USD for the service.
I had maintained contact with MOTU throughout the weeks that followed and consistently rec'd replies indicating that there was a backorder of the 828 and my unit was held up indefinitely. As I said, this went on for weeks. Then one day, the replacement unit showed up on my doorstep (sans AC cord...oh well.) Here is the funny part. The next day I rec'd a notice from MOTU indicating that my unit was STILL a month out due to backorder!! The right hand not knowing what the left is doing? yep.

Anyway, I have my MOTU. It works fine.All is well. The total wait was about 6 weeks, but I had an Mbox to bridge the gap.

To Keem, thanks for the heads-up on TIGER.
Regards,
Lenny

This post has been edited by lennyonbass: Fri 1 Jul 2005, 02:19

[keem]

actually, i wouldn't be too worried about tiger after all. i just got one of the 828s working again under 10.4.1 i have absolutely no clue what's up with the others tho.
thanks.

[menace23]

I have been having some problems with Tiger / 1.2.5 driver update with the 828 as well. When recording in LE7, about 4/10 times theres a very glitchy / distorted sound on the recording. I've contacted MOTU and they told me to make sure my inputs aren't overdriven (duh). I think theres a problem with this new driver but I'm not sure if thats the case. Has anyone else had similar problems?

[texastbone]

I'm another 828 paperweight owner. I bought my original 828 model off eBay about a month ago. It has proven to be nothing more than a box ever since. It came with no drivers and no software whatsoever. The MOTU support site offers absolutely no support for their older equipment whatsoever. And this unit is NOT that old!!! What? 2001?

Good reviews. Says its an easy install, etc. But I'm here to tell ya it is NOT when you don't have any support. I did everything mentioned above... newest driver was the only option I had at the MOTU site. 1.2.5 driver. CueMix doesn't recognize the unit. Other Firewire is recognized in System Profiler, but not the 828.

HELP???
I really would like to keep this unit as what it promises would be a big help to me.

Thanks,
Wayne Dyess

[keem]

i'm sure someone around here plugged in the firewire upside down. i know. ouch. sorry for the vitriol.

[lennyonbass]

Good reviews.  Says its an easy install, etc.  But I'm here to tell ya it is NOT when you don't have any support.  I did everything mentioned above...  newest driver was the only option I had at the MOTU site.  1.2.5 driver.  CueMix doesn't recognize the unit.  Other Firewire is recognized in System Profiler, but not the 828.

Hey Wayne,
It sounds as if you are going through the same thing I did. I played the cable/driver/os game for a couple of weeks with no joy. The answer for me was to contact MOTU at the phone number listed on their site and arrange for return of the unit. The charge a flat fee of 49.95USD to repair or exhange.
Call them, and don't give up until you get through.
Regards,
Lenny

[rickenbacker]

texastbone: the fact that your 828 came with no drivers and no software would immediately make me very suspicious. What happened to them? What did the original owner do with them? I mean, what did your 828 come with exactly?

I just sold my 828 and the guy that bought it got the MOTU install disc, the original manual, the AudioDesk manual, the power cable and the FireWire cable, all in the original box it came in and in showroom condition. It's of no consolation to you, I know, but really - what did your seller do with all his stuff???

Anyway, I think that may be part of the problem - either the unit is dead or it's something to do with not having installed the original drivers and software. I'm not sure if the updates on the MOTU site don't presuppose you've already loaded the original software. So if you haven't…

I could be wrong, though. Best off talking to MOTU, obviously. There have been numerous comments over the years that MOTU are terrific to deal with when you're making a purchase, but a bit slack on the customer service side of things post-sale. Good luck, because the 828 is a really good unit and rock-solid once you get it working.

[hydra]

MOTU 828-related question:

Using Tiger 10.4.2, MOTU driver 1.2.5, Tracktion 2

Getting lots of random glitches/popping noises. Have tried different target disks (external SCSI, internal ATA, external Firewire), different latencies, plenty of RAM, G4 CPU.

CPU usage is plenty low. The glitches/pops happen at random points, nothing to do with load or levels.

Anyone else getting random glitches using MOTU and Tiger?

[nokin]

Yet another disgruntled 828 owner. Bought mine on eBay about a month ago. It was working great as soon as I got it. Then, a couple days ago, my PowerBook stopped recognizing the unit. Tried everything suggested. Not a cable problem. Not my PB's FW port. Tried the on/off reset technique to no avail.

So, I guess I have to send it in to MOTU? ROAR!!!!!! What a lousy piece of hardware. I knew I should have gone DigiDesign.

[lepetitmartien]

Have you tried the unit on another computer? It may be the FW port, a still bad reset of it and not the 828.

[texastbone]

i thought repair permissions was a good idea as I had not tried that. No luck. The unit is a piece of junk. I am NOT sold on MOTu and will steer away from the company in the future. Their customer support is the worst I've seen in my 58 years...

Sad... 828 showed great promise. It's a shame MOTU doesn't.

--WD

[lepetitmartien]

There's been a deadbeat serie in the 828 with problems, but MOTU has always repaired/exchange the faulty rack. Now they are certainly not the fastest customer support nor the most communicative but their interfaces are of the best stuff you can buy in the middle to pro range.

OOPS i said something positive about MOTU…

Ah, and the Windows drivers usually s…k big time. But we don't care

Now, simply, have you trashed the 828 preferences (someone had a strange problem on the French side and it did the trick on a 896)?

[DANO10]

Another trick you might try is to reset your 828mkII to factory defaults. This has worked for me several times on my 828mkII.

DANO10

[datch]

hello,
just a hint; i encountered similar problems with my MOTU 828 today and i installed the new drivers (under Tiger 10.4.3) 1.2.5; i first selected the custom install since i do not have the traveller > didn't work; i uninstalled everything and started again with the standard installation and now everything works well. maybe this can help.

Good luck!

[kaboombahchuck]

You know there is a lesson here.. Buyer beware! And I don't nesseceraly mean the brand either. Buying used gear is always a crap shoot. It's always best to save more money for a new product, tha to lose alot of time over a used one... an incoplete one at that.

BTW My 828mkii works flawlessly (except when it comes to user error, then.. head ache time!)

[nokin]

Just an update on my last post. I have been sitting on my 828 and have not yet sent it in to MOTU to get repaired.

I wanted to check it out on another computer first. I tried it out the other day on my friend's PC. We installed the drivers and plugged the unit in and it worked flawlessly.

So, wtf?

Apparently it's NOT a problem with the 828 and I know it's not a problem with my mac.

I don't know anymore.

I might just get an mbox and be done with it.

[experimentaldog]

This may be a little old, but this is what I had to go through.

Got a brand new 828 mk1 a few years ago. One day it stopped being recognized by every machine. Sent it back to Motu. They returned it. Then, for a few days it worked until it did the same. I got a mk11 since then, but I still wanted my mk1 to work. I tried daisy chaning it to the mk11 and it worked. but now it has stopped again. It must be the drivers.

ugh!!

I hope someone solves this

[lepetitmartien]

More likely it's something inside which behaves erratically… And not all units are concerned so for the mk1 it's a bit of a heartbreak.

[shirzadsharif]

Try un-installing it using the installer application by selecting the install type to uninstall and then re-install it if that doesnt fix it go to www.macupdate.com and look for the motu firewire and it should give you motu firewire update 1.4.1, this fixed it for me which was weird since it looked like the same regular 1.2.5 installer but something in it fixed the problem.

hi, i'd really like a followup on this. what happened when you sent it off? i have just experienced the same exact symptoms, except my tibook has killed TWO 828's this week alone! i KNOW its not the firewire port... my personal guess is that their new driver f'd up the firmware, and for all intents and purposes my life, as i have ABSOLUTELY NO WAY TO RECORD ANYTHING NOW, save the lovely line in on the back of the powerbook... please, anyone with an original 828, DO NOT DOWNLOAD THIS DRIVER. DO NOT GO TO TIGER. YOU WILL DIE.
*absolutely f'n out for blood*
-kimsystem