VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

[melissa eX]

I just swapped out my 8 year old XP computer with the internal emu1212m card and Sound Forge 8 with a newer win 7 computer and am having nothing but problems. I'm running SF Pro 10 and using a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2.

1. I cannot record in 16bit 44.1. when I try there is a buzz throughout the entire recording. That's not SO much of a problem because I can record in 16bit 48k and in both 48 and 44.1 in 24 bit. But it still shouldn't happen. What's worse is:

2. If I'm working in SF and play a file in windows media and then go back to SF I get a message saying the sample rate can't be changed because it's being used - sometimes it will say being used in audiodg - other times it's blank. And then sometimes it won't play in windows media after that.
(I'm not sure if this message happens when I open up files with 2 different sample rate in Sound Forge or only when I play files in both SF and in windows media. I thought it did but then spent 2 hours on the phone with the tech who said it shouldn't - I have to test again). Whenever this happens its of no help shutting down SF and reopening - I have to reboot the ENTIRE system. And then half the time I get the BSOD. This also happens with Word2Wave. Not good.

The tech - after 2 hours said what's happening is windows won't release the driver - and windows is not set up to allow different sample rates to be worked with or played at the same time, so if I'm working with one sample rate in SF and the file I open in windows media is a different sample rate it'll freeze everything. He said this is a windows and a Scarlett issue - also saying the Scarlett isn't made for people to use it in that manner - since windows media and the like aren't professional programs.

Of course immediately after this I got an ADR audition for a voice match and I had to play an .m4v file for reference while recording in SF. I got a couple of takes off - going back and forth to listen and then got the BSOD - everything shut down and I lost what I had done - even SF didn't manage to save it. Had to bring up the reference file on my iPad when I went for a second go.

My old XP computer had NO issues at all with playing multiple files and switching back and forth between formats, sample and bit rates. It only had the emu1212 - there was no other sound card in the computer - maybe that had something to do with it. I find it hard to believe that win7 and the scarlett are not set up to allow that. Is this true? If so, how do you work around this? I'm constantly switching back and forth - and sometimes I'm playing a file in windows media while playing something in SF - for timing purposes. If the ability to do this is not possible with my current set up this is not going to work.

Thanks for any suggestions.

Well, not just ANY suggestions .... the first person who suggests I get a mac will be wearing a campari & soda the next time we meet.

[Lee Gordon]

[heyguido]

Wow. BSOD in Win 7? Never seen one.

First off, whose tech? Secondly, I thought you bought a RAIN.

My initial reaction would be to make sure you're running the most current driver for the 2i2. Often, the one in the box is not the latest. And Focusrite drivers are a common issue.

I'd shoot a PM to Corey. Best Windows guy I know. And I have my doubts about the skills of that tech you talked to.
_________________
Don Brookshire
"Wait.... They wanna PAY me for this?"

[Ed Fisher]

[Bish]

Not wanting to be at the soggy end of a Campari & Soda, I offer the following suggestion...

Nuke & Pave with Win XP.

Disclaimer... I am aware of the issues as Mel and I have already discussed them (at length). The buzzing issue noted in point one is a simple one of a sample being forced to zero every 10ms, giving a 100Hz buzz. I busted out the wave and it's there every 441 samples... obviously a clocking issue between the PC and the interface. I'm out of my depth with Windows drivers, ASIO stuff and all that other goodness. The DAW (Soundforge) can be set for a particular sample rate (44.1 or 48kHz), but there's something in the system that's over-riding it. As I said, I'm out of my depth here.

As for the BSOD... that's the primary reason for the Nuke & Pave suggestion. Something in the system is fubar, and needs to be fixed. I'm guessing Win 7 would be OK, but XP worked fine for all your stuff, so why change it? (yes, I know MS will supposedly withdraw support April 8th, but XP still holds a user-base of 29% of all Windows users, and is not going away.)
_________________
Bish a.k.a. Bish
Smoke me a kipper... I'll be back for breakfast.
I will not feed the trolls... I will not feed the trolls... I will not feed the trolls... I will not feed the trolls.

[melissa eX]

I know, Don. I haven't seen a BSOD since Windows 98

The guy from Rain. Which is why I'm not completely skeptical - he's good and certainly knows audio. He went in an disabled unnecessary services - did a lot of i-have-no-idea-what but to no avail.

Yes, it's the latest driver. My next call may be to Focusrite. Or Corey if he doesn't check in here.

There just have to be people that have this setup and work the way I do - but with no problems. Something is simply wrong here I think and no one can figure out what it is.

[melissa eX]

Peter, I'm wondering if the fact that my XP computer had ONLY the pro soundcard and not one that came with the machine has anything to do with it. Maybe there are two things here trying to use the same thing. Which is part of what I think the tech was saying.

[Lee Gordon]

If you're using the pro sound card in the new computer and it also has onboard audio that you are not using, perhaps you can disable the built in card, either with Device Manager, if that's what they still call it in Win 7 (I wonder if that's what the Rain guy was trying to do). If that doesn't do it, maybe you could disable it in BIOS.
_________________
Lee Gordon, O.A.V.
Voice President of the United States
www.leegordonproductions.com
Twitter: @LeeGordonVoice

[Lance Blair]

I've read a few instances of people just not being able to get their Scarlett to work. It might be that.

Maybe re-installing sound forge will fix things?

I just had a weird (good) thing happen. I used to have an XP computer with an Texas Instrument chipset. I used an Echo Audiofire 2 on it with no problems. Then, when I got a new computer with Vista, and not a TI chipset, it wouldn't work. So I went with an M-Audio Fast Track Ultra USB 2.0 interface. Didn't sound as good, but Rock solid.

When I upgraded to Windows 8, it killed my computer. Locked the hard drive. Lights out.

I bought a new hard drive and upgraded to Windows 8.1 Fantastic.

Today I took the old Audiofire out to see if it would work with Windows 8.1 and the new hard drive. Rock solid, sounds great!

Good luck!!!
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and now, http://lanceblairvo.com the blog is there now too!

[DougVox]

Melissa and I discussed this briefly earlier today, and I was absolutely no help.

And FWIW, I love Campari.
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Doug Turkel (tur-KELL)
Voiceover UNnouncer®
UNnouncer.com

[Lee Gordon]