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Topic: Firewire connection keeps dropping on Zero 4

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ok this problem used to happen but then it stopped for a while now its back. i have a korg zero 4 via firewire for midi, sound card and mixer functions. i keep getting a high pitched squeal and then lose of audio from vdj to the mixer. although the firewire light on the mixer stays lit as if the connection isn't lost? i know this isn't a vdj problem but i'm hoping some of you other users can help narrow it down.

I run dpc latency checker during gigs and i am noticing that sometimes i get this problem when it spikes off the charts for no apparent reason. i'm not sure if this is also due to the grounding/power issue i have in another thread at this point. kind of sucks it doesn't happen at a regular intervals so there's no way to know when its gonna happen. sometimes its during a mix or scratching and sometimes it happens when i'm not even touching anything. what else other than dpc can i run at the same time to pin point the latency issue? has anyone else had this problem with any fire wire devices or this mixer? the cable is about 3 months old and shows no signs of wear.

computer specs:
i5 520
4 gigs ram
usb WD 1 TB External HD
windows XP pro with sp3
 
geposted Sun 04 Jul 10 @ 11:08 am
I use Korg Zero 8 with Macbook Pro with no problem. No disconnection. PC's are known for crappy firewire chips. It doesn't mean it will not work but what do you think why is this happening?

Macbook Pro 13" - Win7 bootcamp - Firewire 800 to 400 Belkin cable
1TB internal HDD.
Korg Zero 8
 
i'm not gonna get into a pc v mac debate but its safe to say i'm more than happy with pc. as for why its happening i have no clue at this point other than i believe the latency spikes have something to do with it. i was even thinking of using an express card to test but then if it fails to i'm at square one. the one thing i forgot to mention i can run the mixer connected to my gig laptop for hours on end at home in automix with NO firewire issues. every time i have a problem at a gig i set it up the next morning and walk away checking it every so often and it stays running with no problems.

if i had to guess i would say it has to do with something when i'm hooking into clubs video feeds or tvs. maybe one of the tvs isn't grounded right or something but again not sure.
 
Maybe you should try to upgrade Windows? XP is very old.
 
i had windows 7 and had drop outs EVERY 15 seconds was told by dell to try xp and it def works better for my purpose than windows 7.
 
Hi djsynystr!

I also had the problem with the zero 4 on my new Windows Vista Laptop but right from the beginning. So everytime I connected the Zero 4 to the Laptop (Firewire Card 4-pin, Chipset No Name) I got a connection for a few seconds and the then there was a high pitched squeal and connection was lost.

Before this new Laptop I had a Laptop with Windows XP and also a Firewire Card 4-pin (texas instruments chipset) with no issues.

I couldn´t find a solution for the new Windows Vista Laptop (i tried to reinstall everything but didn´t make a change) So in the end I bought a PCMCIA Express Card with a firewire connection 6-pin (texas instruments Chipset). I also read in the german forum of korg that user which use a firewire card with a 6-pin connection and a texas instruments chipset have less problems. Some also say that the 4-pin connection is not of high quality and the 6-pin connection is more stable but i don´t know.

So in the end I don´t know if it was windows vista, the new laptop, the firewire card or anything else that caused the problems but maybe you give the Express Card a try.

Best regards,
Pachtyman
 
yeah i was gonna try the express card since i have the port on the new machine. it just kills me that i can run it for days on end at home but certain clubs i can't get through one 4 hour night without it happening. i wonder too if small spikes in current etc coming from the video plugs at the clubs are causing it too? Do you have nay problems with the express card you use now?
 
I also had some issues on my firewire connection and resolved it by using a different firewire cord I picked up in a Apple store in manhatten, got two hard drives and my Maudio NRV-10 mixer hooked up and no problems with just the change of the cord.

Hope this helps

Joey....
 
yeah i have new cords in packaging that i bought as back up sand it didn't change the problem. like i said it happens when it wants to. i tried new cable, pluggin everything into the same power supply etc. i just ordered 2 SIIG firewire express cards hopefully that will help but i keep getting different info online.

how are you running 3 devices on one port? is it a 4 to 6 pin or 6 pin to 6 pin?
 
Just daisy chain from one device to the other, two devices have a thru port and the last one in the chain has only one port, my laptop has one built in 4 pin firewire and four USB ports

Maybe you should try an Apple store in your area for the cord solution first its not as expensive as a card which will take up more resources that already has been allocated in your system...just a thought

Good Luck

Joey.....
 
i already tried 2 different BRAND NEW cables. it doesn't happen at home. i actually have it running now with a new cable and its been running for 4 hours in automix with no drop outs or high pitched noises.

aren't you worried about data bottle neck running your hd's and midi/audio mixer off of one firewire port? also i'm not paying for the card dell is sending it FREE because of the issues i am having which they can not fix so no money loss there.
 
Well Good Luck with that hope it works out with no further issues, but I can only give you advise based on my own experience when I encountered what you describe.

Oh and my setup works fine no issue, as for the mixer I use it occasionally to access recording software and to patch effects or VST's to a channel.

Joey...
 
ok the mixer has been running non stop since yesterday afternoon and its still connected. so it has to be a location specific problem. would small spieks cause the dropout and if so will a UPS or ground isolator stop that or is there something else that can be done? i know that last week after i got the "shock" the mixer performed fine without being plugged into there video input. i'm wondering if something is going on with voltage or something from their video side of things.
 
yeah, that might be the cause, they have inline connection isolators that may help, Try Radio Shack for the type of video connector to isolate current spikes feedback from that monitor...

Good Luck

Joey.....
 
ok update time, I didn't have ANY issues last night with a 4 hour set in the venue where i had tons. a few things i did to help out i believe were the following:

1. New firewire cable
2. XLR ground loop isolators on both outputs to powered sub
3. plugged EVERYTHING (except one powered speaker) into the same 12 plug power strip
4. Made sure ALL of my plugs for equipment had the ground pin on the plugs (turned out mixer and laptop didn't, i must have switched cords at a venue with a bad ground loop issue and forgot to switch them back)

so i will further test at some more venues but it looks to me the thing that made the biggest difference was with the ground pins.
 
Good to hear, lets hope it continues that way..isolators do help when all else fails..., But grounding is very important to protect you equipment..
Monster Surge Trip is good.

Joey....
 
ran 4 hours Saturday night no problems. without using the xlr ground isolators. tonight i will run at the main venue without the xlr isolators to see if it makes a difference. will report back in the am or late tonight if i'm up to it.
 
I had the same problem, and in working with a macbook pro!! so this is not a pc problem.

I will try all your recomendations, and ill make you know if it works or not!

Regards!
 
Dude, how do you find such an old topics? Did you see when the last message has been posted?
 
what's old is new again in the real worild, then you have those that never had a problem till it became a problem, they seem to work on their own calendar schedule...tis what it is....

Joey....
 


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