Strange problem with Hercules 16/12FW

[bugmenot]

I keep having this strange problem with my Hercules 16/12FW (http://www.hercules.com/showpage.php?p=91&b=1&f=1) FireWire audio interface. Suddenly, I can't hear any sound at all. This happens whether audio programs or not. When I turn the 16/12FW off and then back on, it usually works again.

I'm using the latest drivers (2005-03-09 (http://ts.hercules.com/eng/index.php?pg=view_files&gid=2&fid=30&pid=161&cid=1)) on Windows XP Professional SP2 with all the patches. My motherboard is Intel DG965SS (http://www.intel.com/products/motherboard/dg965ss/index.htm) with Intel G965 Express Chipset (http://www.intel.com/products/chipsets/g965/index.htm). Also, the chipset drivers are the latest. 16/12FW is connected to the integrated FireWire port on my motherboard.

Do you have any ideas what could be the problem and how could I fix it? Any help greatly appreciated!

[itsplayed]

Have you looked to see if the firewire device is sharing an IRQ?
Have you tried disabling the 1394 Net Adapter if not in use?

[jmail]

Have you looked to see if the firewire device is sharing an IRQ? Have you tried disabling the 1394 Net Adapter if not in use?
Those are biggies, especially the Net Adapter thingie... in other words - "Ditto", with the 2nd being my guess as the probable cause, since the computer seems to see the 16/12 after you "re-initialize" with the power off/on cycle...

However, did it ever function "as intended"? Does it do this only when you 1st power-on the computer, or does it do it arbitrarily as you're using the computer and interface? When you say "... all the patches ...", do you mean even the firewire "fix" (SP2 had some "issues" with firewire ports)? MS has a Knowledge Base article on it. Go there and do a "Search" to find it (you probably do have it). What's the Device Manager say your firewire chipset is? Intel, or Texas Instruments, or some other?

[bugmenot]

Those are biggies, especially the Net Adapter thingie... in other words - "Ditto", with the 2nd being my guess as the probable cause, since the computer seems to see the 16/12 after you "re-initialize" with the power off/on cycle...

I've disabled the 1394 Net Adapter.


However, did it ever function "as intended"? Does it do this only when you 1st power-on the computer, or does it do it arbitrarily as you're using the computer and interface? When you say "... all the patches ...", do you mean even the firewire "fix" (SP2 had some "issues" with firewire ports)? MS has a Knowledge Base article on it. Go there and do a "Search" to find it (you probably do have it). What's the Device Manager say your firewire chipset is? Intel, or Texas Instruments, or some other?
My firewire chipset is Texas Instruments OHCI Compliant IEEE 1394 Host Controller and the only devices that are sharing an IRQ with it are Intel(R) ICH8 Family PCI Express Root Port 4 and Intel(R) ICH8 Family USB Universal Host Controller. I don't have anything connected to PCI Express Port since I use only the integrated graphics adapter. The only USB device I'm using is a mouse so that shouldn't be the problem either.

I've installed the SP2 firewire fix but the problem isn't gone. :(

Do you think that a PCI Firewire card would help?

[itsplayed]

My firewire chipset is Texas Instruments OHCI Compliant IEEE 1394 Host Controller and the only devices that are sharing an IRQ with it are Intel(R) ICH8 Family PCI Express Root Port 4 and Intel(R) ICH8 Family USB Universal Host Controller. I don't have anything connected to PCI Express Port since I use only the integrated graphics adapter. The only USB device I'm using is a mouse so that shouldn't be the problem either.


You might think that, but you'd be wrong. The last thing you want is the firewire controller sharing it's resources with anything else. Try getting the firewire controller onto it's own IRQ allocation.
If this is not possible disable the other devices sharing the IRQ with the firewire controller in the Device Manager.
You should have more than one USB controller/Hub, disable the one sharing and use the other for that mouse.
If your not using the PCI-E port...look to see if this can be disabled in the BIOS as well as that additional USB port, this would be a better option then doing so in the Device Manager.

[jmail]

The "Texas Instruments" chipset is a good thing. The IRQ sharing is generally not, especially for audio. I wonder why the motherboard manufacturer thought it a good idea for the onboard firewire to share with USB *and* PCIe??? If you can't find help in the documentation for the motherboard, as to what ports the firewire is sharing with, I'd be tempted to contact them (Intel?) via email tech support, in an attempt to see if they can tell you. I'd also contact Hercules (I *feel* your pain - I used to use a Guillemot ISIS - ee-yuch! poo-iee too-iee!) for possible help, although I'm certain you'll get a generic "IRQ conflicts can cause trouble, and should be avoided..." kind of reply... Other things you could try for troubleshooting is to temporarily disable apps & services running in the background on the computer, to see if they're conflicting with the 1612 driver/mixer apps...

To my un-educated mind, it looks like your 1612 is "losing its place", if you will, when either the USB or PCIe device/port is getting addressed, and the firewire is not getting "re-initialized" (whatever the correct terminology...) until you do the power on/off cycle. But, do you happen to have another computer you could test the 1612 in, that has a "free" IRQ for the firewire, so you can make sure there isn't a problem with the 1612? Does it happen to have a wall-wart power supply? You could check that and make sure it's not gone bad on you. Beyond that, I don't know how you'd test the device itself... Another thread of interest to you might be
http://www.audioforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15726

If you happen to discover what the trouble is, be sure and post back with the solution please, so others can use the info you gleaned...