Topic: Pops in recording...need help.

[waltflanagansdog]

Anyone else use the PC and possibly made changes without your knowledge?  (Doesn't hurt to ask!)
Maybe try to run into someone else's PC via USB to see if you can duplicate the problem?
How exactly have you optimized the PC for audio?
Is the UA5 stock or modified?

No one has touched it, as far as I know.

I am gonna try the wife's lappy here in a minute.

I have no clue how the PC is optimized...how do I figure this out.

The UA5 is all stock

[Brian Skalinder]

What are your PC specs - HD, RAM, CPU, USB 1 v. 2, OS, Service Packs, etc.?

[waltflanagansdog]

OK:  I just recorded on my Dell Latitude CPxJ...same results.  Pops and messed up looking levels.

I recorded on my wife's Latitude (much newer, XP) and had jacked looking levels, but no pops.

My specs:  20G, 256 RAM, P3 (650), 1 USB, Win2000, Service Pack 3.

Looks like we are gonna reinstall the OS and see what happens.

[Brian Skalinder]

Before you re-install the OS (when was the last time you did this, BTW?), check out Black Viper's Win2k Pro Services Config site.  (May want to install SP4 first.)

I just used it to tweak my home machines using the Gaming configuration.  Not sure exactly which config you should use as your base, but...you can always revert back to your old settings.  Give it a go - this should help free up much needed PC resources.

When you say "messed up levels" and "jacked looking levels", what exactly do you mean?

[waltflanagansdog]

I will give the SP4 a shot!

The levels on the Wavelab looked smooth last week.  It looked real time.  No it looks as though it is only recording every .5 seconds, but it IS recording everything.

It looks as though it starts recording, then stops...constantly.

[Brian Skalinder]

I will give the SP4 a shot!

The levels on the Wavelab looked smooth last week.  It looked real time.  No it looks as though it is only recording every .5 seconds, but it IS recording everything.

It looks as though it starts recording, then stops...constantly.

I know exactly what you mean.  I get the same look when I'm transferring DAT > PC in Cool Edit Pro 2 and I'm taxing my PC heavily with other stuff.  I don't get pops, but I no longer perform PC-resource intensive tasks while transferring.  This further suggests to me it's a PC resource issue, not the UA5.

Try SP4, and then try using Black Viper's site to turn off some unnecessary services to see if it helps.

When was the last time you (re-)installed Win2000?  I know in my experience running Win2000 for too long without re-installing causes problems.  Part of it I think is related to a bloated registry from installing and un-installing software.  Part of it I think is related to DLL hell.  And part of it is...PC gnomes?  

So if it's a been a while since you've re-installed Win2000 and we're not able to further track this down, that may be an option to consider (as you already have).  But try this other stuff first, we'll see what we can do before we resort to a re-install.

[waltflanagansdog]

I have never re-installed Win2000.  I got the lappy back in June and have not done it.  I will install SP4, give it a whirl and if that doesn't work, I'll try the re-installation.

Thanks Brian!  I'll let you know what happens.

[Brian Skalinder]

I have never re-installed Win2000.  I got the lappy back in June and have not done it.  I will install SP4, give it a whirl and if that doesn't work, I'll try the re-installation.

Thanks Brian!  I'll let you know what happens.

June?!?  Shit, you shouldn't have to re-install that soon, unless you've gone really crazy installing and un-installing software over those 6 months.  Even then, that's too soon.  Let us know how things go...we'll definitely try to keep a  Win2000 re-install as a last resort.

[momule]

Part of it I think is related to a bloated registry from installing and un-installing software.

here is a great reg cleaner, But I must warn ya now, if your Not Real PC friendly, Be carefull as you can really mess some shit up fast if ya go in and delete the wrong file. But you might be suprised at what ya find, When you think you have deleted a Application and all you really deleted was the shortcut.

http://www.macecraft.com/downloads/RegSupreme_setup.exe

[waltflanagansdog]

Do you think a Wavelab 4.0 update might work?  I think there is one on Steinberg's site.

[waltflanagansdog]

Would the "jacked up" levels have anything to do with me cranking the buffer levels to the max?

[dklein]

The levels on the Wavelab looked smooth last week.  It looked real time.  No it looks as though it is only recording every .5 seconds, but it IS recording everything.

It looks as though it starts recording, then stops...constantly.

This suggests a resource issue - if there isn't even enough processing power to display the level meters, something else is running and hogging your resources.

And the dropouts certainly sound like a busy bus.  Try this:
ctrl-alt-delete
click on task manager
processes tab
then click on the CPU Time tab to sort the list  - what are the big ones?

BTW, did you ever try the advanced drivers (for 24 bit).  I haven't had any problems with those...but I understand...it was working before so that shouldn't be it.

[waltflanagansdog]

I did dry the advanced drivers all the up the ladder and the same problems.

CPU Time:
system Idle Process 1:30:46+
IEXPLORE.EXE 0:02:08
Mcshield.exe 0:01:14
explorer.exe 0:00:24
msnmsgr 0:00:21
System 0:00:08
CSRSS.EXE 0:00:08
WinMgmt.exe 0:00:03
services.exe  0:00:02
winlogin.exe 0:00:02
aim.exe 0:00:01
FrameworkServic 0:00:01

[waltflanagansdog]

Still working on getting the issue resolved.  I am gonna plug headphones into the UA5 to see if it's a UA5 issue.  Then work from there.

Mike

[joemango]

My guess is you might have a bad UA5.  If it went in the middle of a show, I bet a capacitor popped.  Make sure you use the input monitor on your UA-5 to listen with headphones, so you hear it after it has gone thru the input stages.  if you hear pops or hiss, your input stages might have a bad component and you'll have to get it looked at.

Trying a new laptop didn't fix it, so I guess the computer isn't the problem.  Good luck.  I love my UA-5, it's hard to hear someone had such problems with theirs.