High-pitch With Firewire Options

[iShawn]

The problem I am having is noise that the computer is making when the firewire is plugged into it with the Firepod. When the power cord isn't plugged into the computer, the noise ceases but when I plug the firepod into it in any combination of the firewire outs, etc I get this noise. This noise stops for a second when I click on something or other wierd actions like that.

Anyone have a solution?

[macyu]

Yeah I had this problem too. A small discussion was on apple's site as well. A rumor I heard was that it was a 10.3.6 problem.. I'm not sure, but it does seem like a power-manager issues involving the inverter, since when I turn the Energy savings for the CPU to 'low' mode, it disappears. Have you tried it with 10.3.7? I'm on the road right now, and don't have the firepod, so I haven't been able to test it out. I already reported the problem to Apple, and Presonus, but haven't got any answers. BTW, I'm using the 1.25ghz powerbook with the Firepod. Another thing I haven't tried yet is another firewire cable. I have heard that people had problems with the Protools 002 and a bad firewire cable.

[arvidtp]

I have had this same kind of high-pitch sound problem that disappears when clicking and stuff (coming from the computer, not the audio interface) on and off since 10.2.7 (I am now using 10.3.6 on my powerbook 1.25 GHz 15") when I have my USB Mbox plugged in. I haven't noticed it recently though. I did change the USB cable i was using for the Mbox (as the one that came with it was loose and kept disconnecting), so that may be it, but no idea.

Awful about those Tsunamis in Sumatra and Sri Lanka!

[iShawn]

I bought a Belkin Firewire cable to replace the problem and have become somewhat satisfied. The sound isn't gone, but it seems much quieter and someone liveable-with. So... I guess buyer beware of that... unless it's another option I haven't tried yet.

[iShawn]

I have tried to get ah hold of Presonus for any input but haven't had a response back yet. I think tomorrow I'm going to go to the apple store with the pbook and firepod and try out another power cord to see if that might be the problem. That really sticks out in my mind because when the power cord is unplugged from the computer, the noise ceases precisely without any delay... and whenever any sort of spike in power (like the computer is thinking or whatever) there is a silence such as, for instance; when Cubase is starting up... I get nothing, and then the noise again.

This is annoying as hell... but I have messed around on it.. and will have a better review and be a better reviewer of the Firepod when this little mishap gets taken care of.

[fictionmusic]

Hi guys

You may be experiencing the dreaded nap whine. My computer had the same thing: a high pitched whine that would change when I scrolled and moused over different things. The problem is caused by grounding apparently (or so I have heard) and how the mac uses the power to cycle the processors (again I have heard this as an explanation)
At any rate the fix is to download and install the CHUD tools. Once installed there is a window that comes up and it has a checkbox that says nap. Click it to remove the arrow and that should get rid of the whine. I have done it since Oct 2003 and have experienced no ill results although the fans sometimes kick in for a bit when I uncheck it.

go to this page and about 1/2 way down you'll see the link to download CHUD


http://developer.apple.com/tools/performance/

[macyu]

Cool find. I googled it - lo and behold, there's been other reports, even without the Firepod where the powerbook (and even powermacs!) start whining. However, one downside for us laptop users: "However, I'd recommend that you leave Napping enabled (to reduce heat output and increase battery life), so leave it in the default state." (cited from Macintouch) I'll see if this works first of all, and how hard it would be to switch from nap mode to non-nap mode and vice-versa (like for just a recording/mix session).

[iShawn]

Let us know if that does work out for you though... however this is just a treatment. In essence, we want a cure... and just like more humans, I want my stuff to work. I wrote a plea to Mac for some answers... we'll see if that actually gets answered though... hmm

[iShawn]

Well... I'm impatient... and I tried it myself. Wow I must say the whine is gone. How in the hell did that work!!?!?!??!!

I still hope there is some way Apple will fix this for next time though!

This isn't going to have any damaging lasting effect now is it?

I don't hear my fan come on at all.

The preferences in it can put an icon on the menu bar which you can open the preferences and switch back and forth for ease of use or you can go into system preferences and it puts it under the "other" category with a picture of the powerpc chip.

I'll put this guy's post on the apple forum for others to see as well...

Thanks

[fictionmusic]

Her is the explanation I got from a poster on yahoo LUG group last year.
It was posted by a musician named Rob Yale and here is his take on it

ÈWhen you turn off the Nap setting in CHUD tools, you disable processor
cycling. Because Apple put a cheap transformer coil in the power
supply, the processor cycling induces RF which propagates throughout
the G5. My guess (and backed by a friend of mine, former electronics pro and
now IT...) is that (cheap) filter coils in the PSU start to vibrate,
similar to loudspeaker coils, when the CPUs switch between high and
low power use, which can happen very often at 2 GHz clock cycle. Since
disabling CPU napping results in the CPUs consuming a fairly constant
current, the vibrations stop (the magnetic fields in the coils remain
constant).È

I have used CHUD tools for over a year now (in my menubar as recommended by iShawn) and have had no ill effects. My system has been rock solid and totally quiet. (I have it on 24 hours a day pretty well 7 days a week, in a busy producton suite)

[iShawn]

Thanks man, a beer to you!

[iShawn]

I really hope Apple plans to fix this problem in future events.

[macyu]

I'm back, and yes, turning off the nap mode fixes the whine. I did notice that the fan was more likely to turn on tho. I'll just keep the CHUD tools installed, and turn nap mode when the whine gets annoying.

[iShawn]

I wonder if using a Firewire hub with other firewire interfaces does the same thing? I would imagine it would... but it's no complete problem to me...

[iShawn]

Also, if anyone has gotten a new powerbook since they've come out, I'd love to hear your reaction to this (Applying to any whine that you may hear) especially if you're also using a Firepod.

[iShawn]

I wonder if using a Firewire hub with other firewire interfaces does the same thing? I would imagine it would... but it's no complete problem to me...

Regarding this... other Firewire things that I have used (Well, only one, along with the iPod) don't create this noise. So, that got me wondering if multiple firewire devices were connected together with the hub; if this would pose a solution. Maybe a new driver needs to come into play? Has anyone had this problem before with another device, but since a new driver came out, they have no more problems?

Something needs to be done.

[lepetitmartien]

Somebody with input please?

[fictionmusic]

I am not really sure what the question is. Is it that the whine that is disabled with Chud tools, would not be present in a hub that uses firewire? I don't know for sure as I have only one firewire device plugged in, but as far as I know it isn't a firewire issue as such, so much as a power issue with the actual processor. I found that mouse-overs, and scrolling with scroll bars would stop the whine. Even when I didn't use a firewire device this would happen (although the whine was less).

[Gojinx]

Have you tried swaping out firewire interface cables-some are more equal than others.

[Jubei]

Is this whine that you are speaking of coming through the speakers? I just purchased a Firebox and I am getting this sound through my monitors that sounds like the computer's frequency(best i can describe?) and when I press or depress the mouse or move it over the tool bar the sound changes? Is this what you guys are speaking about? is it the presonus stuff? I was using an imic with the same monitors and it was dead silent....i am using an imac g4 1.25/usb2.0/17 inch.

do i need chud?

[iShawn]

Have you tried swaping out firewire interface cables-some are more equal than others.

I've tried this. The cable makes no difference.

[editbrain]

i have had the same problem. i have had 4 G5 from apple. they replaced them because there is a power distribution problem. the whine you here is from the CPU in the G5 not having enough power. The power supplies in the G5 are crap in my opinion.
you can download the chud tools and uncheck a box, but it will not remember you setting so everytime you boot your computer you will have to go into sys prefs and uncheck this box, or deal with the whine. but why should we have to do a fix like this when we paid large sum of money to have a working computer. i have found that apple likes to sell and idea, get the money and then build the product in the 3 or 4 rev that works.
just like i ordered logic 7.1 on april 6. they tell me my order has been delayed until may 19. what the hell. so they sold me software that wasn't even developed yet. i paid for sudo code.
i tell you. i have some very convencing audio from a exec customer sales rep from california saying some really bad things about apple and there execs in a heated conversation about this whine problem. i think i might just make it public.

[lepetitmartien]

You need to install the developer tools to install CHUDs. Next it's the "NAP" checkbox in the specific system preference "processor.prefpane"

Ce message a été modifié par lepetitmartien - ven. 29 avril 2005, 19:55.

[cornutt]

Seems like there ought to be an Open Firmware command to set that setting and make it stick...

[arvidtp]

I got this whine on my powerbook with my new firebox and it is coming through the builtin audio out
111111111111111111111111111111111111111 ahh! i leaned on my other keyboard! oops. anyway it is OK when i unplug the builtin audio out. But i would like to be able to keep it plugged into my mixer... Downloading CHUD right now (There was a guy on one of my school baseball teams nicknamed Chud...) maybe I'll try to write a UI scripting applescript to set turn off nap at login if it is possible to do so? If i can make it work I'll put it up for y'all.

by the way, which versions of CHUD run on panther? 4.1.1? 3.5.2?4.2.0a15? I assume that the later is not a final release - does the a stand for alpha? cant find any info on apple's site.

Ce message a été modifié par arvidtp - jeu. 9 juin 2005, 18:15.

[iShawn]

I tried doing this so myself but had no luck doing so. The part that I don't like the having to install XCode just to use the CHUD stuff... and when I tried that, the version of CHUD that came with the computer didn't show up in the status bar and work for me... the install CD which it came from was for OS 10.3.4

I do wish you luck with this.

Hell... with the new processors I am sure this will be nonexistent. I've learned to cope with it (can't hear it with headphones on) but am also considering to make an IsoBox. To buy them is too expensive for my tastes.

This might help too... http://www.macosxhints.com/article.php?sto...4620&query=chud

Ce message a été modifié par iShawn - jeu. 9 juin 2005, 21:09.

[ourmanflinty]

Did anyone get to try swapping power supplies on their powerbooks? Laptops are double insulated, no earth, so hooking up to a studio and suddenly finding noises and maybe even a tingle in your fingers would mean you could have earthing / power supply problems..I've had serious buzz noises when using landline phones and typing / surfing at the same time with the mains lead plugged in, not when on battery, shortly before my mains lead burst into flames! I kid you not, little blue flames right where it went into the mains plug. I chopped off the plug, stripped back and fitted a standard uk 3 pin mains to it and all is well, no noise anymore...A sure sign would be charging problems or the little light on the power plug not lighting when you plug it in or going intermittent.

[fictionmusic]

I use an older version of CHUD tools as the newer ones contain a lot of stuff i don't need. The version I am running on my g5 2x2 with OSX 10.3.9
is CHUD 3.5.1 and it works fine. I am not sure if it is still available or not from Apple but is worth looking for, and it doesn't need any additional software to be installed (like x code etc)

All I can say is, it makes my mac, which otherwise is a whing, chirping little monster, dead quiet. I have a totally grounded system, so it is nothing to do with faulty grounding in my studio, it is a mac problem and one I heard was not cured by changing the power supply.

Whatever, I hope it gets worked out, good luck!

[arvidtp]

cool - it works! (CHUD 4.1.1 - I already had developer tools installed so I dont know if they needed to be or not). My powerbook is now (largely) silent when plugged in. Bravo!

And here are some "Napplescripts" i whipped up (easier than i thought because they include a commandline tool for the processor control)

http://files.arvidtp.net/napplescripts.dmg

Put "Nap Off" in your startup items and you are good to go without your mac being so babyish, napping and whining all the time