VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

Hart · Posted: Wed May 02, 2007 7:46 pm Post subject: Beware of USB devices

A lesson I learned a long time ago but somehow forgot smacked me in the head again tonight.

We're getting ready to go on vacation but I'll need my mobile rig. So I fire up the laptop, plug in the firebox, the mic, headphones. Nothing new, I've done this several times before and it works great. I'm just being cautious and testing it out to make sure nothing is wrong with the cables and such.

I hit record on Audition, speak into the mic, play it back and hear choppy audio. Words are getting clipped off on the beginning, or the end, or in the middle. Sometimes it's "sped up." others it's "slowed down." Really weird, especially since it's never happened before.

(you want the short version? Skip this paragraph)
The only thing that's changed since the last time I used my laptop is the microphone and it can't possibly be that. So I double check the settings in the Firebox control panel, the mixer, Audition and everything is fine. I reboot. Doesn't fix it. I shut down all non-essential processes. Nothing. Now I'm really scratching my head. So I start playing with the latency, no good. I start messing with the computer's performance settings.. that made it worse. I'm trying everything I can think of yet nothing is working and an hour later I'm getting po'd. So I pause to feed the baby his evening rice and BAM! It hits me.

On many machines, especially older ones like my laptop, USB devices can really take over your machine and hog all the resources. The more you add the worse it gets. Well, I started using a wireless mouse on the laptop not too long ago. Sure enough, I unplugged it and was able to record crystal clear, clean audio.

Lesson re-learned.
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Donovan · Posted: Wed May 02, 2007 7:56 pm Post subject:

The Ol' Evening Rice will do it everytime!

When will you be back in town?
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Donovan

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Hart · Posted: Wed May 02, 2007 7:57 pm Post subject:

If all goes to plan we should be back late on the 12th. It's something like an 11 hour drive under normal circumstances but with a 4 month old who knows.
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CarynClark · Posted: Thu May 03, 2007 6:51 am Post subject:

Thanks for the post... I had no idea USB devices could muck up stuff like that. Matter of fact, my laptop (for work) is in a docking station which just yesterday, I thought, how nice to have all those extra USB ports!!! All but one is in use.

Have a good vacation!!
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"A positive mental attitude and having faith in your ability is quite different from being irresponsible and downright stupid." - Dave

todd ellis · Posted: Thu May 03, 2007 7:29 am Post subject:

amen to the evening rice ... sometimes you just gotta step back.

i installed the adobe production suite on my laptop a few weeks ago - the whole darn thing - talk about a HOG - well i ended up un-installing almost everything - 'cept PS, illustrator & audition ... MUCH better now.

happy trip senior hart! don't work so much you forget it's a vacation!
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