Motu 828 Mkii Problems, screeching halts my recording Options

[Stradivarius]

Whenever I attempt to record or even just work with my files in Audiodesk, sooner or later my 828 unit will cease any playback and produce a piercing high-pitched feedback type sound until I turn it off.  It even persists to do it after I quit Audiodesk.  Sometimes it will even do it when the unit is on and Audiodesk isn't even open.   I am using a 1.6 G5 single processor and have run Disk Doctor and optimized it a number of times.  In fact, I am running Audiodesk from its own 120GB second hard drive with nothing else besides OSX.  I can't tell if problem starts because of playback, recording, or what have you--as it seems to do be able to start during anything.  I've restored factory defaults, installed all the latest downloads from MOTU.com and it just won't work.  We have used the unit on my friend's Powerbook G4 and it will sometimes do it on that machine, but it seems to be less often than on mine.  I also set it as my sound output in the System Preferences to see what would happen--and began to screech after not 6 minutes of iTunes. I need a solution to this extremely frustrating problem.  Please help me out.  Thanks.

[Dave Bourke]

Have you tried trashing the MOTU Audio System prefs and the MOTU 828 prefs (both at the same time) and restarting? You have to drag 'em to the Trash and empty it before restarting.

I'm still using MacOS 9 and a PCI-324 system and I rarely get this but trashing my MOTU Audio System and MOTU 423 prefs always sorts it out.

Because I don't own an 828 and I don't record in OSX, I'm not sure what the prefs file is named - it might be "MOTU 828" or it might be "MOTU Firewire." Just search your Home Preferences folder carefully to identify 'em properly before trashing anything.

If this doesn't help, something else is wrong, or you might even have a bad unit (it happens). Get in touch with MOTU Tech Support.

[jklimeck]

try a clean install of OS X, 10.3.3. You have to ensure, your OS 10.3.3 is not the issue also, re-install audio desk and get the latest firewire driver from MOTU's site. when you re-install the motu fw driver , uninstall the old driver and make sure the 828 is OFF when you do all of this.

I use DP 4.12, 828MK II on a DP 2.0 G5, so your only variable is single G5 and audio desk, make sure you get any updates from MOTU for Audio Desk.

after you do all of this, and it still freezes or have problems, call MOTU it could be the 828 itself, and they will ask if you have done all of the above to makes sure its not your setup.

In fact, as I have stated here and to all doing DP / OS X, pro audio in general, re-format your drive, new install of 10.3, then update to 10.3.3, re-install Audio Desk, updates, latest FW driver, after you do all that , all should be well.

good luck

jk

[snow]

hello Stradivarius
i would try to contact motu support anyway first.
they might know about this issue, and have an easy esc.

[dixiechicken]

Do a search on the MacFixit and the MacinTouch forums as well as Apple.s KB-base.
There have been problems with the SPDIF digital audio out on some G5 models.

The problem with the SPDIF in/outs affected ALL other audion chains as well, both analog and digital.

Cheers: Dixiechicken

[petermeighan]

This may sound silly, but it happened to me :-)

Is there a possibility that you are blending in the signal coming in off your optical or SPDIF ins via Mix1, 2, 3, or 4? If you are not syncing to another digital device, the 828 still "listens" to the digital ins, and sometimes you get noises from the digital ins. turn them all down in mix1, 2, 3, and 4 and see if that helps....

regards,
P.

[ranglooper]

Do you have an iSight Camera hooked up to your G5? I know when I have my iSight and my 828 powered up at the same time- I get all sorts of weird conflicts even though I have chosen my 828 as my default audio in and out in System Prefs.

I've found that when using and 828, I have to unplug any other sort of firewire audio inputs (like an iSight).

[mikelawson]

Do you have an iSight Camera hooked up to your G5? I know when I have my iSight and my 828 powered up at the same time- I get all sorts of weird conflicts even though I have chosen my 828 as my default audio in and out in System Prefs.

I've found that when using and 828, I have to unplug any other sort of firewire audio inputs (like an iSight).

Brilliant! I spent all day trying to figure out what was wrong with my MOTU 828, MachFive (newly insalled today) and my keyboard that was causing the stutter, high pitched squeel and other problems. Turns out if was that iSight camera. Oy vey. The hours I wasted that I could have be making music are lost, but at least I know now. Thanks for posting that.

[ICompoze2]

When I try to use my MOTU 828MK as the output device for system sound (like for Playing iTunes), the sound distorts something awful even on the quietest volume. I'm using a 2GHZ G5. Any one else experience this????

[RegHater]

When I try to use my MOTU 828MK as the output device for system sound (like for Playing iTunes), the sound distorts something awful even on the quietest volume. I'm using a 2GHZ G5. Any one else experience this????

Check with MOTU tech support. It works fine for me : )