Get the most from your TI

  • Ah Thanks for that, I am experiencing odd bandwidth type problems which are currently being looked at by Tech support.
    The USB ports on my intel mac are taken up with keyboard, mouse, midi keyboard, 2 elicensors (ilok etc) but I get dropouts, apr sync problems and latency etc

  • That doesnt seem a million miles from the problems i was having - which were solved by a dedicated usb device - but i had a webcam too, though.... i don't remember if i had problems with the camera removed also, though....


    Unless the PCI card is cheap - i'd pusue other avenues, first - it if is cheap then its nothing much to lose...

  • Ah Thanks for that, I am experiencing odd bandwidth type problems which are currently being looked at by Tech support.
    The USB ports on my intel mac are taken up with keyboard, mouse, midi keyboard, 2 elicensors (ilok etc) but I get dropouts, apr sync problems and latency etc


    I don't know, how many USB ports you have, I did run (on an 2007 Intel iMac 20" with 3 ports), keyboard, mouse and all licencers (iLok, Apple XS-Key, Synchrosoft Dongle on a good USB2.0 Hub on one port and two viruses on each of the other two ports.
    Worked perfect here.


    You should put keyboard/mouse, ilok etc. on a good USB 2.0 Hub, the MIDI Keyboard might be also okay on that Hub and give the Virus a dedicated Root Hub.


    -timo

  • Hi Timo


    Yes my ilok and syncroft usb keys plus keyboard and mouse are on a 4 way USB hub, the M-audio pro 88 keyboard is plugged into one of the front USB ports and the virus one of the back ports. Mine is a late 2008 3.2 8 core intel mac.


    As far as I know the virus has its own hub now although it told me it didnt when I plugged it in, but I have also tried front and rear ports.


    The message from Joerg Huettner at tech support is that he doesnt see it being a bandwidth problem and has passed the Logic 8 project I sent to him onto your R+D dept (not sure who they are)

  • Does this happen when you change patches whilst your sequencer is still playing?


    I've had this from my Snow but this is normal when you use hard synths sync'd up to a sequencer, remember that the synth is still an external synth, but with a convenient control system in the form of a VST GUI. It might need you to stop and start the sequencer because the Virus has received unusual clock information. When you record a hard synth you always start recording a couple of bars before the part actually starts to allow all the clocks to establish a timing, Access explain this in the manual. By changing patches whilst leaving your sequencer playing your asking too much of it, it can't retrieve the information it requires because it's only sent at certain intervals from your sequencer. Even though it's interface is USB, it still transmits MIDI data (eg note on/note off) so where as standard VSTs may handle the change because they work differently, it pays to treat the Virus as a hard synth, not a VST.


    It's a bit like expecting a musician to come in on time and at the correct tempo, without giving them any time to receive any timing information.


    regards


    shayneberry.net
    oceanstaterecordings.com

  • Hi
    I;m having the same sync errors as you lot, but i think i'm going to try and install a express usb to my laptop and use that just for my VIRUS SNOW. I have the error even after allowing the 1 bar compensation + i'm not asking to change patches or a great deal of midi info either. i think this solution might work. i was about to try and clear off the drivers attached to the USB's, a sort of clean sweep. But now i think it might cause less hassle to just create new usb ports . :) Cheers for the tip.


    Hay Shane Berry you don't half get about a bit :D (i'm therhino/RPM from DMP site) how it going?

  • I sent tech support a Logic project, a description of the specific sync/dropout/glitch/latency kind of problems I was getting, plus mp3s of the problems happening so they could hear what was going on at my end, but tech support and the R+D dept apparently could under no circumstances replicate them.


    I'm not doing anything wrong ...tech support told me not to bother getting the dedicated USB card (I'm on one of the latest intel 8 core macs and only have basic usb devices connected) I have the latest OS, the latest everything, everything set right apart from the I/O buffer size which is set at 256 and not 64 like they suggested but didnt make any difference anyway.


    So my question is ....as so many other people are having these problems ...what on earth are the tech support guys doing that we are not to have such perfect results ?

  • I had some success with the express usb card (maplin £20) using a new usb port for the virus only. The glitches and sync errors became less of a problem, but not all together gone. Untill i made sure my powerscheme settings were correct.
    contol panel // power options
    i thought i had set these on install but when i checked they where on " portable/ laptop" i changed this to "Home/office Desktop" and hay presto the CPU usage gauge droppped to 5 - 10% and no sync / tempo / timing or arp errors WOOOO HOOOO So i am now happy again. the virus is sounding great. Please try.


    Cheers Andy Roden :D

  • I am a bit confused about this USB thing... almost all current USB controllers are USB 2 and should have enough bandwidth to handle several USB 1.x devices - even if there is some overhead, doesn`t it?? Non audio USB devices should also not use that much bandwidth, so can someone explain the real issue behind the curtain??

  • I had some success with the express usb card (maplin £20) using a new usb port for the virus only. The glitches and sync errors became less of a problem, but not all together gone. Untill i made sure my powerscheme settings were correct.
    contol panel // power options
    i thought i had set these on install but when i checked they where on " portable/ laptop" i changed this to "Home/office Desktop" and hay presto the CPU usage gauge droppped to 5 - 10% and no sync / tempo / timing or arp errors WOOOO HOOOO So i am now happy again. the virus is sounding great. Please try.


    Cheers Andy Roden :D


    You are asked to select a proper power management setting during the setup of the virus ti software. you should remember this settings.


    -timo

  • You are asked to select a proper power management setting during the setup of the virus ti software. you should remember this settings.


    -timo



    Yeah i know but even though i select a Home/office desktop in power manager every time i install new "installer pack" it states i have a wronge setting. I have a Dell inspiron 1520 with Intel T8300 Core 2 duo 2.4ghz. I know the bios in these laptops can be a T$%T for tring to change power and any CPU speed Settings. and i don't fancy flashing my bios.
    i will live with it.

  • Although the original tip, buying a separate USB controller, might be a good idea it's not always necessary. Your computer has two types of controllers (sort of drivers) universal host controllers and enhanced host controllers. Each 2 USB ports share one universal host controller and as most computers have only one enhance host controller all ports share this one. BTW new motherboards often have two enhanced controllers (check your device manager). As far as I know all PCI USB add on cards only have one!


    Thing is, USB 2.0 is backwards compatible and the slowest device on a controller sets the speed! So.. If your enhanced USB controller, which is responsible for delivering the maximum speed, is on the same chain as a slower device you've got yourself a problem. If you check your device manager you'll find all controllers deliver a percentage of the maximum USB speed/ bandwidth. For audio streaming this is more than sufficient (e.g. 192 khz x 24 bit x 8 channels gives 37 Mb/s uncompressed, which is less than 10%) Make sure USB devices that need max speed don't share universal host controller with a slower device. Better, don't share universal host controller at all. Same goes for the Enhanced host controller, as it probably won't share slower devices but certainly bandwidth.


    If you get dropouts, you might want to check your USB chain. In device manager select "view by connection", check the USB controllers and you will be a lot wiser. Changing your gear to different ports might be all the change you need. Last note, a USB 2.0 device not always delivers the maximum speed. It is USB 2.0 compliant! A USB 2.0 keyboard most likely will be happy with low speed and will set the others (on the same universal controller) to the same low speed. 480 Mb/s wouldn't that be nice... :evil:
    Be advised that changing USB ports will require another driver installation. Especially for midi devices you'd better uninstall previous drivers first. WIndows has a limitation of 10 midi devices. Installing new ones could easily attract problems, without removing the old ones.

  • thanks for the nice tips Coronado, I 'll check my setup!


    I've a question:
    is it possible to use the spdif output delay compensated?
    I mean to use this digital output as a "new USB output" in VC with any sync problem with the host... possible?

  • I'm not getting your point really. You can use the S/PDIF ins/outs, but they're no USB ports. To use VC you will have to use USB, as far as I know. I've not really tweaked my system and the latency is absolutely acceptable. It might not be the Virus producing the latency. If you use another sound card to monitor the master channels, you will have two audio devices that produce latency. Combined that could become quite noticeable. Probably it would be easier to tweak your "master device" first. Most serious devices have the option of lowering sample buffer to improve latency. Also make sure that everything is running at the same sample frequency. All audio devices and the software you use should be set to the same frequency (44.1/48 etc.) There can only be one master, so if you set all sync to internal problems will rise. One should be internal, the rest external. With everything connected right, the externally synced devices should follow the one set to internal. Various problems rise when not synced correctly, from distortion to no sound at all. The Virus warns you in the display when there is a sync problem, but only for a moment.
    I would be a lot happier if synth builders would stay away from building in audio devices. Most of the time your in for a lot of problems, because by now you have three or even more audio devices sitting around, ADAT would be a great way to supply a single digital in/output with 8 channels. Switchable to S/PDif for the people that can't use ADAT. Wouldn't be that hard to integrate in any setup. USB we can still use for midi.. My 2cts.

  • You can use VC a use a harware virus output, and ths S/PDif is connected at the outuput one
    I'm looking to sync this output to the sound that is out from my master in cubase 5
    That is to say adding the same latency time to the virus hardware ouptut than the latency generated by the computer (depnding of vst carge in the project and asio buffer ...)
    I don't really understand how to change internal or external sync? Can we do it with the virus?
    For exemple, imagine that case:


    First midi track to VC ch1, usb1 stereo output in VC. The sound come with the host latency from the sound card converters.
    Second midi track to VC ch2, hardware output 1 in VC. The sound come directly without latency from the virus output.


    If I put the same midi file to the two track, the virus output is the first audible.


    How to make the ti output sync with host latency taken automaticaly?