• From: Toronto
  • Registered: 2007-05-01
  • Posts: 95

Topic: Multiface I mouse/monitor buzz

It's been described before and I've read the threads. Haven't been able to solve it.
Moving windows, invoking the dock, causes digital-ish crackling.
With nothing connected but the headphones and fauxfirewire card connection cable, the hum disappears.
The MacPro (specs below), video and audio monitors are all plugged into the same power bar and into an APC UPS.
Removing UPS has no effect on the issue.
All eSATA and FW storage drives are on a separate power bar but same UPS
Hum persists even if an iNano patch is removed from between MF and Event Studio06 powered monitors.
Hum persists regardless of location of MF (problem also exists with RPM b.o. box, different FW cable, different distance from CPU and drives)
All cables are 1/4" TRS balanced. (BRTB Excalibur brand)

MacPro 3,1
OSX 10.6.8
18 GB RAM
Slot 1 Radeon 2600 video card
Slot 2 RME PCIe card
Slot 3 EMPTY
Slot 4 Sonnet E2P eSATA card

RME Driver 3.04
Multiface I Rev.18

I also own an RME Express34 HDSPe card and power supply for a MacBookPro. It's on another job so I can't test that right now. Would using AC help?

What are my options exactly?

Thanks

SlickSlack
Toronto

  • From: Toronto
  • Registered: 2007-05-01
  • Posts: 95

Re: Multiface I mouse/monitor buzz

That's possible. It's not clear whether the 3.04 driver is only for MF II, it doesn't distinguish. My first reading of the driver download page is that the 3.04 driver applies to all MultiFaces and DigiFaces.

I have to continue working today but I can try to downgrade the driver later in the evening to see if that makes any difference with the hum/buzz.

  • From: Toronto
  • Registered: 2007-05-01
  • Posts: 95

Re: Multiface I mouse/monitor buzz

I am hoping to hear from someone from RME before I go any further.
Suggestions about ground lifts or hum cancellers gladly received.

  • From: Toronto
  • Registered: 2007-05-01
  • Posts: 95

Re: Multiface I mouse/monitor buzz

Anyone have any suggestions, please.
What has worked for people who had this problem in the past?
What is a safe solution?

5 Reply by Seccione (edited by Seccione 2012-11-14 19:00:32)

  • Registered: 2012-10-18
  • Posts: 18

Re: Multiface I mouse/monitor buzz

Hello,

In PC world this kind of behavior occurres when video card is too close to a sound card.
I don't know about Mac internals, but can you move RME PCIe card to another slot..?
Another suggestion: move your mouse to another port, there might be some resource sharing
between USB port and PCIe slot.

  • From: Toronto
  • Registered: 2007-05-01
  • Posts: 95

Re: Multiface I mouse/monitor buzz

After 3 full days of copying files and rendering, I got some time to turn the computer off and mess around.

It seems to be exactly what you were saying Seccione.
I tried a few card orders but the one that worked is
Slot 1 Radeon 2600 video card
Slot 2 EMPTY
Slot 3 Sonnet E2P eSATA card
Slot 4 RME PCIe card

That puts the RME card right up against the hard drive bays and the furthest away from the video card. It seems pretty quiet now.
I don't know what caused this crop up after being faultless for so many years. New card drivers? A failing video card?
It's good to know that this Multiface has outlasted the G4 it was originally hooked up to and will probably outlive this MacPro (and the MacBookPro it currently sees on a semi-weekly basis) Bring on the Thunderbolt only computers!

  • From: Toronto
  • Registered: 2007-05-01
  • Posts: 95

Re: Multiface I mouse/monitor buzz

Aargh. Spoke to soon. It's back. or maybe I didn't have the monitors up when I tested it before (me be big dummy!)
Any other suggestions?

  • Registered: 2012-10-18
  • Posts: 18

Re: Multiface I mouse/monitor buzz

Can you somehow test with another video card?

  • Registered: 2008-05-11
  • Posts: 34

Re: Multiface I mouse/monitor buzz

I would try eternally powering the multiface. That fixed my signal interference.

10 Reply by MC

  • MC
  • MC
  • Administrator
  • Offline
  • From: Germany/Thailand
  • Registered: 2007-04-06
  • Posts: 25,432

Re: Multiface I mouse/monitor buzz

> I would try powering the Multiface externally.

No spiritual or cosmic waves in here... cool

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

  • Registered: 2008-05-11
  • Posts: 34

Re: Multiface I mouse/monitor buzz

My ipad is possessed.

  • From: Toronto
  • Registered: 2007-05-01
  • Posts: 95

Re: Multiface I mouse/monitor buzz

Sorry, been off editing a special. So...no suggestions other than to try an external power supply to see if that helps with the grounding or something. No one at RME HQ has anything constructive to offer?

  • Registered: 2012-12-30
  • Posts: 6

Re: Multiface I mouse/monitor buzz

I had a similar problem with an old hdsp pcmcia card/multiface setup. the only fix in the end was lifting the ground on the laptop power supply.  Powering it externally, eternally, whatever, didn't make a difference.

  • Registered: 2012-12-19
  • Posts: 11

Re: Multiface I mouse/monitor buzz

Brandonx1 wrote:

I would try eternally powering the multiface. That fixed my signal interference.

Worked for me too.

  • From: Toronto
  • Registered: 2007-05-01
  • Posts: 95

Re: Multiface I mouse/monitor buzz

Could I, puhleeze, get some sort of verification from RME about what is causing this and what I can do to try and fix it.

Swap board positions?
Change grounding path of all devices ?
Burn herbs in a clay pot?
Rub crystals together?
Run the multiface with AC?

What? Anything would be of some help. Anything not too cryptic and nothing vaguely dismissive of other people who are contributing suggestions, however misguided they may be.

please?