Firestudio Project won't stay sync'd

[unbrand]

First off, this product has a huge amount of potential and I can't wait to use it. I'll describe my situation in the hopes I can get this bad boy working. <fingers crossed>

My setup:

Mac OSX 10.5.1
MacBook Pro 17", 2G RAM, 2.33 GHz processor, Intel Core 2 Duo
Firestudio Project firmware 1.12
Firestudio Driver version 30070
Two synthesizers with their audio outs plugged into inputs 3-8 on FSP (one synth has 4 audio outs)

I received my FSP today by courier. I hooked everything up (without connecting to the computer). Turned my gear on and played. All good. Ten or so minutes in, the FSP crackles and I lose all audio. Audio comes back for a few seconds, then crackles and drops. The cycle repeats until I turn off the FSP. No problem, I thought: I just need to have the FSP connected to a computer. Ok. I wasn't really expecting to use the FSP standalone, so no real problem.

I downloaded the latest drivers from the Presonsus website. I installed them. I rebooted as instructed. I plugged the FireWire cable in to my mac. I get audio, no problems for about ten minutes. FW Sync light stays blue. Then, at about the ten minute mark, I get a lot of scratchy noise and I lose all audio. THe FSP comes back after a few seconds, stay up for a few seconds, then loses sync. This cycle repeats just as when the FSP was not plugged into the computer until I power down the FSP.

So, the FSP is useless at this point.

Help. Please.

Any and all suggestions will be appreciated. Thanks.

UPDATE: just tried it out on windows xp sp2 via bootcamp (same Macbook Pro as above -- no, I don't have a separate windows box to try this on), latest drivers just downloaded from Presonus, and I'm seeing the exact same behaviour as mentioned above. Complete loss of audio after about 10 min, then a few sec on, a few sec off, repeated ad infinitum.

[Wesley DeVore]

Do you have airport on? Any other firewire device (FW400 or FW800) connected? Are you in safe mode in Windows?

In XP, check the chipset of your firewire port. What is it?

[unbrand]

Hi Wesley,

"Do you have airport on? "

Yes. Why would that matter?

"Any other firewire device (FW400 or FW800) connected?"

No.

"Are you in safe mode in Windows?"

No.

"In XP, check the chipset of your firewire port. What is it?"

After booting into bootcamp, I see Intel i945GM and TI-TSB82AA2 OHCI controller.

Cheers.

[unbrand]

More info: Tried with and without airport on, no difference.

I also see the following in the OSX console:

12/12/07 6:27:13 PM kernel PaeFireStudio::ReadFWBuffers dbc 19, received: 0038, expected: 0000
12/12/07 6:27:13 PM kernel PaeFireStudio: Skipped, strm = 0, grp = 1, expected = 00000010, actual = 0000c7f5
12/12/07 6:27:13 PM kernel PaeFireStudio: Skipped, strm = 0, grp = 1, expected = 0000c815, actual = 0000c817
12/12/07 6:27:17 PM kernel PaeFireStudio::ReadFWBuffers dbc 20, received: 0078, expected: 0000
12/12/07 6:27:18 PM kernel PaeFireStudio: Caliberation done, offsetToApply = 00000185!
12/12/07 6:32:13 PM kernel PaeFireStudio: Skipped, strm = 0, grp = 0, expected = 00003dff, actual = 00003e3f
12/12/07 6:32:13 PM kernel PaeFireStudio: Caliberation done, offsetToApply = 00000185!
12/12/07 6:42:03 PM kernel PaeFireStudio: Skipped, strm = 0, grp = 0, expected = 0000f03f, actual = 0000f06c
12/12/07 6:42:03 PM kernel PaeFireStudio:AsyncRead Could not execute read command, error code = e00002d7
12/12/07 6:42:03 PM kernel PaeFireStudioClient::AsyncRead: Exit with failure
12/12/07 6:42:03 PM kernel PaeFireStudio:AsyncRead Could not execute read command, error code = e00002d7
12/12/07 6:42:03 PM kernel PaeFireStudioClient::AsyncRead: Exit with failure
12/12/07 6:42:03 PM kernel PaeFireStudio:AsyncRead Could not execute read command, error code = e00002d7
12/12/07 6:42:03 PM kernel PaeFireStudioClient::AsyncRead: Exit with failure
12/12/07 6:42:03 PM kernel PaeFireStudio:AsyncRead Could not execute read command, error code = e00002d7
12/12/07 6:42:03 PM kernel PaeFireStudioClient::AsyncRead: Exit with failure
... (lots of repeats of the last 2)

6:27 is when I powered on the FSP, and 6:42 is when it lost sync and all audio.

Hope this helps.

[freelanceperth]

this is the exact problem that i have!! friggen annoying, tried absolutely everything to get rid of it!

[aemaury]

ditto ditto ditto. macbook pro, leopard, nothing but problems. worst 400 dollars i ever spent.

[talkindrum]

Hello Guys,
im new here ...im using an imac intel 2.4 Ghz duo core 2 w/ 4 GB ram,
im also using the latest V3.0.0.70 drivers. i also just upgraded leopard
from 10.5.0 to 10.5.2 & i still get the same noise from my FSP!
Has anyone heard of a fix coming? talkindrum

[KMR]

Hello Guys,
im new here ...im using an imac intel 2.4 Ghz duo core 2 w/ 4 GB ram,
im also using the latest V3.0.0.70 drivers. i also just upgraded leopard
from 10.5.0 to 10.5.2 & i still get the same noise from my FSP!
Has anyone heard of a fix coming? talkindrum

WOW...Im not alone....I have had my FSP for about 2 months and I too am having the exact same issues. Guitar Center said "to bad to sad" when i wanted to return it so I figured Id play with it and keep reading the forums before I decided to Ebay it and get something else. The sound quality is amazing when I can keep the thing from crackling. Im not a professional musician but come on this thing needs to work better then this for $499.00...

[Alan Fraser]

Same problems here. Running Leopard 10.5.2 and scratchy audio will start at random intervals. Turning FSP off/on will correct it. I frequently find the scratchy audio will have started even when I have not used the computer for a while as I never shut it down.

Firecontrol goes into a loop after it starts up. Turning FSP off/on will temporarily correct the problem but it will go into a loop again after a while. If I force quit Firecontrol, the FSP will usually not connect after a restart.

System is Mac Pro Quad 2.66 with 4 GB RAM, 2 TB SATA disks, 2 TB FW800 external disk. If it's suggested the FW800 is the problem then I'll need to find another solution as that is not acceptable given that the FSP is coming in over FW400. All software is at highest maintenance levels and I do not run any cutesie haxies.

[Clancy]

Same problems here. Running Leopard 10.5.2 and scratchy audio will start at random intervals. .

Firecontrol goes into a loop after it starts up. Turning FSP off/on will temporarily correct the problem but it will go into a loop again after a while. If I force quit Firecontrol, the FSP will usually not connect after a restart.


Are you using FSP for system sounds?

Or only with an Audio/MIDI sequencer.

I had a bit of this and found out that lowering the audio buffers
seemed to clear it up.

Running at 256 or less seemed to get rid of the odd garbled/static problems.
Haven't tested it throughly on the Mac yet, these are just first observations.

Clancy-

[Alan Fraser]

I had system sounds going to FSP and I have now changed that to built-in. Default input and default output go to FSP.

I don't see any way to change the buffers, at least not in Firecontrol.

Thanks

[Clancy]

I had system sounds going to FSP and I have now changed that to built-in. Default input and default output go to FSP.

I don't see any way to change the buffers, at least not in Firecontrol.

Thanks

Mac's don't change buffer size in Firecontrol but from within the audio program. What DAW are you using?


ie: Logic names it "I/O Buffer" Cubase calls it "Audio Buffer".

Clancy-

[Clancy]

I had system sounds going to FSP and I have now changed that to built-in. Default input and default output go to FSP.
Thanks

Also....

If you're only using the FSP for recording/playing back through your Audio software you can also set Default Input/Output to built in.

Almost all pro, semi-pro audio programs allow one to select the audio device from within the program so the "default Input/Output" has no effect on those programs. I would do this while troubleshooting. Reduce the variables.

Clancy-

[Alan Fraser]

Mac's don't change buffer size in Firecontrol but from within the audio program. What DAW are you using?


ie: Logic names it "I/O Buffer" Cubase calls it "Audio Buffer".

Clancy-

I use GarageBand for performance and hence the need for multiple live input channels. I'm in process of moving to Logic Studio but haven't been using it. The chattering / scratchy audio problem will manifest itself regardless of whether I'm using either program. It could pop up while playing a movie in Quicktime Player. In any case, you can change buffers in GarageBand but the only options are large or small and I'm set for small.

[jaedrum]

I'm having a similar problem as some of the other posters are in that the sound is fine until I start editing and adding inserts and then I get the scratching sound, almost as if the sound was being muted and unmuted at a very fast rate (I haven't experienced the "loop" or the sound shutting off completely and then returning). My first thought was cpu load so I messed with buffer size which didn't help. So, I spoke to a friend of mine with a DAW and he mentioned the the buffer size of both the software (logic) and the interface (FSP) need to match. According to the FSP manual you can adjust the FSP buffer size if you install on Windows but NOT if you install on Mac.
Can anyone tell me what the default I/O buffer size is on the FSP? And is there a way to change it?

[jaedrum]

I'm having a similar problem as some of the other posters are in that the sound is fine until I start editing and adding inserts and then I get the scratching sound, almost as if the sound was being muted and unmuted at a very fast rate (I haven't experienced the "loop" or the sound shutting off completely and then returning). My first thought was cpu load so I messed with buffer size which didn't help. So, I spoke to a friend of mine with a DAW and he mentioned the the buffer size of both the software (logic) and the interface (FSP) need to match. According to the FSP manual you can adjust the FSP buffer size if you install on Windows but NOT if you install on Mac.
I'm using a Mac... Can anyone tell me what the default I/O buffer size is on the FSP? And is there a way to change it?

[rtrpogo]

If you're place of residence uses 240v power then you will need to buy a stepdown transformer for your FSP to work properly. I think there's a bug in the production line and the voltage switches inside them aren't working. This appears to be the only solution if this is your problem.