Focusrite Saffire Pro 40 Firewire Compatability

[adrianww]

Since you found the OHCI tool, I'm guessing you may have already seen this, but there's a FireWire compatibility article in the Focusrite support knowledge base at:

http://www.focusrite.com/answerbase/...le.php?id=1057

The PDF document linked from that article may be useful, although I don't know how up to date it is.

The TSB12 prefix TI chipset isn't one that is listed as being one of their recommended controllers. However, TI chipsets are usually a fairly safe bet in general (except for one card that the document does list as having caused problems and which is based on a TI controller).

[fireberd]

Focusrite says to use the "legacy" firewire driver. Windows does not install this by default with the Firewire controller. You have to manually select this. Focusrite has an article about how to do this.

I used to have a Saffire Pro 40 and used the legacy driver in both Vista and Win 7.

[DarkMarco]

Thanks fireberd switching to the legacy driver did solve a lot of the problems but I still get the occasional audio glitch. Also if I turn the Saffire on before booting the computer I get really bad popping. Is this normal? I have found that I get the best performance (found this through trial and error) if I start up the computer then MixControll then the Saffire. But even this doesn't give me total stability. Is there anything else I'm missing? or should I just buy a new firewire card?

[fireberd]

Run the DPC Latency checker and see if shows anything (with and without the Saffire Pro 40 connected). May be something in your system causing the problem rather than the Saffire Pro 40. Popping, crackling, etc is a common complaint in Windows 7 systems (I do a lot of support on the Windows 7 forum). Sources of this are wi-fi (turn off wi-fi if you have it while recording), sound card drivers, video card drivers, some monitor software, etc.

DPC Latency Checker: DPC Latency Checker

[DarkMarco]

I ran the program on both my 7 and xp boots. On 7 it said that I would get drop outs so I tried disabling devices but none of them made it any better.

Here are the readings I got:

Windows 7: Absolute Maximum = 2900

Windows Xp: Absolute Maximum = 1900

Note: I don't use my xp boot because it is a very sick old install.

[fireberd]

Do you happen to have a Gigabyte motherboard with the "Easy Tune" installed? If you do, uninstall it as it will cause large latency spikes.

I had a problem and it turned out to be Google Chrome and the updater. I had very good latency as reported by the DPC Latency program. I installed Chrome and ran the DPC again and got some spikes. I uninstalled Chrome but was still getting them and it turned out to be the Google Updater (didn't get uninstalled with the Chrome uninstall). I had to manually edit the registry to get rid of it as it was in multiple places in the registry.

Absolute maximum in my system is 93usec. The 2900 and even 1900 indicates major problems.

[DarkMarco]

I also use google chrome. Its not really lag spikes that I'm getting, my systems usec is always in the yellow or red. Here is a list of my computers hardware:

Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce 9800 GT
Motherbored: ASUS M2N68-CM
CPU: AMD Athlon 7750 Dual-Core
Network Adapter: D-Link DWA-160 Xtreme N Dual Band USB

[2manyrocks]

http://www.presonus.com/uploads/prod...ty_7-25-12.pdf ASTRA32 - Advanced System Information Tool

Download and see what is says about your FW card or just look in the case. Then check your FW card against the compatible FW card list at Presonus.com. For some reason, Presonus seems to be more specific about cards that work with their products. That might give you some further information to go on as a cross reference or at least maybe help narrow your search to FW cards that seem to be working.

[Alndln]

Originally Posted by DarkMarco

Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce 9800 GT

A lot of systems here report trouble with NVidia's drivers. I haven't kept up on their latest though, but I've avoided that company in favor of ATi and never have FW trouble. Worth consideration.

[fireberd]

Network Adapter: D-Link DWA-160 Xtreme N Dual Band USB

The wireless adapter is one known cause of pops and clicks.

Disable the wireless adapter and then run the DPC latency program (or see if the audio noise is gone).