Motu Ultralite/Nuendo 3?

[BTLG]

Looking for a little advice here....

I'm running Nuendo 3 with a MOTU Ultralite FW interface. (recently upgraded from an M-Audio Delta 44 which I never had any problems with)

My computer is a 2.9 gHz/1 gB of ram AMD Athlon 3000 XP processor. I run my programs off of the internal drive and run an external (mac formatted via Media Four's Mac Drive so i can go back and forth between home and work ! ) LaCie 160 GB FW drive as my audio drive.

The OS is WinXP w/ SP2

The Ultralite seems to work really well (and sounds great too for it's price point), however when I run a Nuendo session off of the FW Drive, there are audio stutters whether there are 8 tracks or 24 tracks. A la scientific method here's what I can figure out:

1. It doesn't matter whether or not the drive is PC or Mac formatted because I've tried it with both and had the same result.

2. When I ran a session off of the internal drive, performance vastly improved (i'm going to investigate more tonight to find out if its as good as useable for now)

This leads me to think that it's an issue with running a FW interface and a FW drive on the same FW bus (the computer has 4 ports, one bus).

I'm wondering:

1. Is this because of the known FW problems with SP2, and should i just install SP1?

2. Could it also be because the Ultralight is drawing power from the FW Bus, and can I disable the bus power so both the Ultralight and the Drive are powered via apartments electricity (instead of either of them drawing form the bus?)

3. Is it worth it for me to buy another internal drive and does anyone have any suggestions?

4. Anyone else have similar issues?

Thanks in advance,

Matt

[itsplayed]

The purchase of an 1394/PCI add in card is probably the way to go....I would think. Does the Motu unit have a firewire interface on it? and if it does, is this how your connecting the hard drive? If not, try that first.

[BTLG]

I'm connecting it to another port.... on the CPU.

Hadn't thought about connecting it through the motu. I'll give it a shot after I get home from the job.

Thanks!

Matt

[itsplayed]

Your welcome, running it through the MOTU may just be the ticket....that's what it's there for.

[BTLG]

Interesting.

The only issue I'm thinking is that because the drive is Mac Formatted, it may not see it through another device.

The reason its Mac Formatted is because I work at an all Mac studio and have a PC at home.

M

[Sonic Valley]

I'm also using Nuendo 3 with various additional drives including a Lacie FW. I haven't had any problems. The firewire is from my only FW source which is a Audigy 2 ZS although I use a Delta 1010 for recording.

I think if you try the fw from the motu might be the ticket as it's played suggested.

[BTLG]

So, I tried the port on the MOTU. No dice. Plenty of drop outs there. I ran the same session on the internal drive, and it ran fine.

This seems a little funny to me. My friends computer (older and slower than mine) has no problem running 2 FW Drives and a DIGI 002 with Nuendo.

The only difference is that the DIGI 002 isn't bus powered...

The other only difference is that his computers old enough to still be on SP1 (which is ok since it never goes on the net)

I'm thinking it may be an SP2 issue.... Am I completely off base here?

I've looked at PCI FW cards, they're all fairly reasonably priced, does anyone have any suggestions?

Oh and I just realized I lied in my first email. The computer is a 2.1 GHz.

Thanks,

Matt

[itsplayed]

Not all firewire controllers are created equal. VIA cipsets are usually the cause of many issues concerning high throughput firewire devices. Most soundcard manufacturers even suggest the use of TI chipsets for their devices. That said, this could also very well be a power issue, however I would suspect the firewire controller first. Do you know what firewire controller chip that your system uses? I don't think this is SP2 related.

[dcwave]

Get an Adaptec 4300C FW card. Its one of the few that seems to be recommended by most pro audio manufacturers.

[BTLG]

It's a "VIA OHCI Compliant IEEE 1394 Host Controller".

I've got 3 PCI slots I can use. One currently holds my Delta 44 card (which can go at any point). Another holds my modem (also useless). The third is empty.

Sounds like it might be time to get a new FW card?

Matt

[BTLG]

If I Do get the Adaptec card, will that make a difference even though I have a VIA chipset in my motherboard?

[itsplayed]

Your on-board firewire controller chipset will be bypassed.

[BTLG]

So I can't have two firewire busses? (keep my VIA for the harddrive and the Adaptec for the motu?)

excuse the ignorance.

[itsplayed]

So I can't have two firewire busses? (keep my VIA for the harddrive and the Adaptec for the motu?)

excuse the ignorance.

Yes, your on-board firewire interface will not be killed by using an firewire add-in card.

[dcwave]

The Adaptec card I referrenced has 3 FW ports. If you use it your may want to turn off the onboard FW from within your Bios settings.

[BTLG]

dcwave,

have you used that card in the past?

Matt