I am about to LOSE MY MIND (re: Firebox)

[jbl]

I have been through so much crap with Presonus, and I swear I just want a simple answer regarding the Firebox. Their customer service is a complete joke.

First they demand registration for the product or else they can't help me.

They want my frickin serial number and there are 40 freaking numbers on the box
They want me to call some random person
They demand I give them my email so they can send me random stuff

Then I have to sign up for this forum in order to talk to someone online

Again they want my email address to send me random crap

The “spell out whatever this says in the box” thing was nearly impossible to read so I can't even register

All the “ihatepresonus” names were taken
I have to wait for a moderator to approve me to post


So that's why I'm here.


Whenever I plug in the Presonus Firebox it is detected for like 5 minutes, until something happens in the audio recording and it disconnects. I have to completely restart my computer to get it to reconnect. I am running Vista 32 bit. I'm using the latest drivers.


I'm not asking for much. I JUST NEED HELP


thanks

[Booster_Kitty]

Sounds like you are getting a latency spike that is making the computer lose connection with the firebox.

DPC Latency Checker

Download that program and run it. Wait until the firebox drops out again and see if it coincides with a spike.

[jbl]

what if it is due to a latency spike?

The thing is that I can't reconnect it when it becomes disconnected.

[BeK$]

Why dont you call that random dude up!

[Tantrum The Cat]

Presonus is a small company. I know this because they replaced my Firestudio 26 under a warranty a few years ago, so:

- Look for a number that is preceded by "S/N" or similar on the box - it's also
likely stickered on the unit itself.

- Give them your email.

- Call the person that they ask you to. What may sound like "some random person" could very well be their head techie.

- Don't pull a junior high school move and register as "PresonusSuxx420" - you're better than that.

When I sold gear for a living I did a LOT of after-sales support, and I learned first-hand that I could only help people when they were willing to work with me. What may seem like road blocks are systems that have been put in place to make sure that people with issues get taken care of.

I'll also lay money that this is a chipset and motherboard issue with your PC, having sold more than a few Fireboxes in my time.

Anyway, keep your cool, get in touch with a human at Presonus* and I sincerely hope they can help you out.












* Disclaimer: I've never worked for Presonus, but I did work full-time at a Mom and Pop retailer that sold a LOT of their stuff. We had FAR fewer returns on their products than with a lot of other manufacturers.

[KRStudio]

Chip sets make a huge difference. Often it's much better to buy a fire wire card for PCI/PCIe bus. Also check to make sure any virus protection is turned off!

[creegstor]

I think the "driver issues" that everybody talks about with Presonus gear are not "driver issues" at all but power issues. I recently got a Firestudio Tube. (I nearly got talked out of it by people on GS but there was no other product with the features I was looking for so I took a punt) My first few sessions (nothing serious) were fraught with dropouts and lost connections until I put a good power conditioner in the setup and I haven't had a problem since. This is all on a dfegad Vista PC and without the TI chip everyone says is necessary for safe firewire operation. (Ricoh firewire instead)

I think Presonus gear is just super sensitive to power fluctuations.

[Henchman]

Yep, interface issues are usually chip related.
I have a firebox, and had ordered a new Dell top of the line laptop ti sue with it.
Spent 4 days and nights trying everything to get it to work.
Had to send the dell back.
Incompatible fire-wire chip.
Wouldn't really work with any audio interface I found out afterwards, and Dell was fully aware of the problem too.

Got an HOP NC8430, worked like a charm right away.