Virus TI2 does not work with newer MacBooks

  • hi Marc


    I will try that this evening.


    Not sure why it would make a difference though as the cinema display is connected on the other USB port?


    The virus has it's own port and is going in through the Belkin hub.


    cheers, Simon

  • I tried to work with the support.
    They replied to me a few times but nothing changed for my setup. One my last letter they actually never replied. This happened early December. I had a lot of patience. I guess they didn't...


    Apart from that, I think we are talking about different things here. If you are running snow leopard then your macbook pro is probably not new enough! You can't install Snow leopard on a newer macbook pro. So, you are not one of the unlucky ones. Virus did not give me any problems with my old macbook 2006 either.

  • I believe you Simon,


    like back then, I don't know what to think, once our systems are practically the same. I have tried everything really. Over months. The only think I could conclude to is that the VC is not trustworthy. What might work one day might not work on the other. The only way I can get it instantiate is by NOT using a hub and playing at 44,1 kbits/sec. And then I need a little automation to start producing chaotic results. And with more than a few instruments I get distorted sounds. With the Belkin USB hub, I can't even instantiate the virus Control most of the time. I get communication errors.
    I still believe that Total Integration is a joke on the new systems and even though I am glad it is working for you, I wouldn't be surprised if you came across difficulties one day with a larger project.
    I am currently trying to work without it, in order to succeed something stable. With the Virus Control I wouldn't even think getting on stage as the risk of having the virus Control taking a big crap on me while performing is more than high.


    Unlike you, I am quite disatisfied with Access when it comes to this. Their TI advertising policy and their support.

  • dimgrim


    it took me the best part of 6 months to get my TI working with a mid 2010 MBP and the solution to my problem wasn't a suggestion given to me by Access support.


    there's a lot to be said for perseverance...


    the i7/i5/i3 architecture is post TI technology too, so to say that Access is causing you this problem is putting the cart before the horse.


    I also have an RME interface (ff800) so my setup is quite similar to yours.


    I previously owned a macbook (13" model), and prior to that a PC desktop, of which neither had any issues with getting the TI to play nice using either Ableton or Logic. both computers used the ff800.


    from reading your posts it seems that you can get the TI working at 44100 in Logic, in which case, I doubt there's much to be gained from 48000, unless you're a bat or a dog.


    if you can get by automating one MIDI channel without glitches and can record it without any issues, get used to bouncing regularly!


    there might not be any other way if you want to use the software. a limitation I myself have to live with, even with a brand spanking new(ish) MBP.


    if I have more than 3 or 4 patches running through USB at the same time I get sync errors like a motherfu%&er.


    frustrating, I agree. further to this I'd like to add that if you're not playing around with audio that you yourself have recorded, you're missing out on a lot of fun!


    it is also worth noting that many of the CD's that I, and probably you too, still and will forever consider to be kick-ass, are CD's I'm only ever going to hear played back at 44100. arguments for 48000 plus sample rates are made by wankers on forums, IMVHO.


    so without further ado...


    here's what worked for me.


    unplug all USB devices.


    plug your TI into the USB port shared with the IR receiver & built in iSight.


    delete your logic preferences. (google it if you don't know how, I'm drunk (this is also the only reason I'm typing this) and cbf telling you how as I don't even know 100% if this will do any good. I currently use Ableton which has it's own specific but somewhat similar problems... O_o )


    open a new project. (make sure you're not using a template, if so, delete that too.)


    add the virus plugin to a MIDI track.


    wait for the communication error. (yep, you read that right.)


    unplug the USB cable from the TI, and wait for the plugin to register that no Virus is hooked up.


    wait for 10 -20 seconds.


    plug the USB cable back in.


    cross your fingers, hope to die, and hopefully VC should load up without any issue.


    at this point, you might even get a MIDI driver failed error. in which case you'll need to restart Logic and try again. I re-iterate that I'm on Ableton and when I get that message I have to restart the program, so I don't see our issue as something that is too far removed.


    (if the above steps don't work, try unplugging your soundcard from the FF port and have a go at it without it.)


    you might even need to uninstall the Virus Control software and try all over again.


    it's also worth noting that I too sometimes get blasted by distorted and very loud noise from the unit.


    when this happens, I either have to unplug the USB cable and plug it back in (as described above) OR unplug the unit (without closing the project) and do the full ARP Edit reset.


    As you can see, this isn't a straightforward solution.


    Hope that helps somewhat, let us know how you go.

  • simon,does this change in any way when you don't use the cinema display?thanks, marc


    No change Marc.


    Also, when looping round a 32 bar pattern (for example when initially building up a track) the arp (when 'hold' is clicked on) gets thrown out of synch immediately when the cycle loops round and repeats.


    It is annoying as I love arps and they are unfortunately not usable. Happy to send you a Logic project if you would take a look?


    cheers, Simon

  • Slesh,
    My problem is that I believe that Access should inform about their product not really being compatible with the newer technology. It is actually standard technology nowadays. It is not reproducing at 44,1 or 48 Kbit/sec.
    I bought the device simply for the TI. and TI doesn't work as expected and my unit will never work as expected.
    I have tried what you are describing, believe me, over numerous days and months. I don't believe this product is intented for consuming such an incredible amount of time in order to set up. And if it does, then in the end I would at least expect it to work as it should.


    and about the blasts of noise. I can't simply put up with this. The levels are dangerous when working with headphones and Access should make sure that their machine should under no circumstance reproduce such an output. But as you see, nobody mentions anything about it. All they will come up and say is maybe: "The machine works fine here and we cannot reproduce the problem". It is all about implementing a damn limiter.


    Anyhow, I am off the Virus Control now and I am trying to set up the device this way that I don't use the software at all. That would be the best way to go at the moment, once Access is not willing to help me ( I am still waiting for a reply since the 6th of December ) and I wouldn't feel good with myself to resell the device to a person with a modern computer to a good (for me) price. I honestly think it would be unfair as he/she would face the same problems I did.

  • I think, with hindsight, Access should have upgraded the USB to at least 2.0 from the current 1.1 when they introduced the Snow and Ti2 range. It seems that the poor support for 1.1 devices by modern motherboards and USB chipsets is causing most of the problems reported on this forum, and I can only see that situation getting worse as both PC and Mac move further away from the slower standards. The Ti range really needs a PC or mac system optimised for using USB 1.1, as it is so bandwidth dependent, particularly if you use the USB audio options.


    Although my 4-year-old iMac setup works near perfectly with the Snow, I know that if I had to buy a new mac, I would quite likely lose the ability to use the Snow in my studio due to the newer, inferior handling of USB on the i5 and i7 models. it sounds as if PCs using these chipsets have exactly the same problems.


    If Access wish Ti users to be happily making music with their synths well into this decade, then they might need to address this issue sooner rather than later. Personally, I would like to see them develop at least a USB 2.0 upgrade for the Ti range, with the ability for current users to send their existing synths to Access to have the upgrade fitted (for a reasonable fee of course). :)

  • agreed,



    but I really doubt this would ever happen, once Access doesn't officially acknowledges the problem. According to them, if you have a newer system and you want "Total Integration" you need a usb-hub and theoretically your Total Integration should work.



    If they don't acknowledge that this is far from what is actually going on, then I don't think they would ever offer you the chance of upgrading your system for free.

  • I know that if I had to buy a new mac, I would quite likely lose the ability to use the Snow in my studio due to the newer, inferior handling of USB on the i5 and i7 models. it sounds as if PCs using these chipsets have exactly the same problems.


    If Access wish Ti users to be happily making music with their synths well into this decade, then they might need to address this issue sooner rather than later. Personally, I would like to see them develop at least a USB 2.0 upgrade for the Ti range, with the ability for current users to send their existing synths to Access to have the upgrade fitted (for a reasonable fee of course). :)


    Agreed.


    This is no-one's fault, Sandybridge chips weren't made in consultation with Access of course, but never the less it is causing set up issues and frustrations and would ideally be resolved by an upgrade option.


    I'm sure development costs would be large however.


    Not sure about USB 2.0, surely Firewire or Thunderbolt now!

  • I think, with hindsight, Access should have upgraded the USB to at least 2.0 from the current 1.1 when they introduced the Snow and Ti2 range. It seems that the poor support for 1.1 devices by modern motherboards and USB chipsets is causing most of the problems reported on this forum, and I can only see that situation getting worse as both PC and Mac move further away from the slower standards. The Ti range really needs a PC or mac system optimised for using USB 1.1, as it is so bandwidth dependent, particularly if you use the USB audio options.


    Although my 4-year-old iMac setup works near perfectly with the Snow, I know that if I had to buy a new mac, I would quite likely lose the ability to use the Snow in my studio due to the newer, inferior handling of USB on the i5 and i7 models. it sounds as if PCs using these chipsets have exactly the same problems.


    If Access wish Ti users to be happily making music with their synths well into this decade, then they might need to address this issue sooner rather than later. Personally, I would like to see them develop at least a USB 2.0 upgrade for the Ti range, with the ability for current users to send their existing synths to Access to have the upgrade fitted (for a reasonable fee of course). :)


    Marc has stated in another thread that the ports on the TI range are USB 2 hardware. If this is correct then it should be fairly easy to implement an upgrade to the TI line to USB 2.0


    I'm lucky enough that my virus runs as close to solid as you can get with my 2008 MBP. However when I upgrade later this year I'm hoping a permanent solution has been found.

    Indulgence gets us friends, but truth gets us hatred.

    OB-6, Polivoks, Polivoks Pro, Virus TI x2, Waldorf M, MS-20, MS2000, Radias, Minilogue, Minitaur, Argon8, Erebus, Alpha Juno 2, TR-8S, Xio 49, Ultranova, Microfreak,

    2 Mal editiert, zuletzt von djantimatter ()