MacBook Pro model 2008 - problems with firewire under Windows ?

[ISedlacek]

I have MacBook Pro 2,5 GHz (not the latest "zebra" model but the one before that). Just plan to install boot camp with XP and run Samplitude under it (for recording connecting to Weiss AFI1 firewire interface - on the way here). Just talked to a friend from Austria. He said he had terrible problems with this firewire chip running under Windows - drops etc.. No way how to make it working. In the end he sold the MacBook, bought the model 2007 and it works great (has a different FW chip). He also said that this fact is widely known ...

That brought me to slightly pesimistic mood ... Has anyone experienced and reported something similar ? What is the difference between these chipsets ? How to know which one I have ? On "about this mac" no specifications are written

[videoteque]

Ivo, Apple is great for some things, really stingy and stupid for others. Firewire chipsets being one of them.

Check very well your configuration before putting hard earned money on a system that may not work together.

If it is just a firewire problem, you maybe could buy a ExpressCard Firewire adapter. But to know if this adapter could work in Bootcamp, check in Windows Compatibility or in Bootcamp forums of Apple discussions.

Two words: good luck!thumbsupthumbsup

[luigichelli]

i suggest taking a look to rme's forum...the agere/lsi problem it's well discussed there....
you could start from here
RME User Forum / Hardware Alert: FireWire solutions with Agere FW chip

anyway my early 2008 mbp 15" (the first with multi touch pad) has TI chipset and works perfect...
you should check if your mbp is TI or Agere.

GL!!! :P

Luigi.

[ISedlacek]

Originally Posted by luigichelli

you should check if your mbp is TI or Agere. .

but where can I see it ??

[luigichelli]

boot with cmd-s at half screen it says: "Firewire (OHCI) TI" if is texas instruments.

[ISedlacek]

Originally Posted by luigichelli

boot with cmd-s at half screen it says: "Firewire (OHCI) TI" if is texas instruments.

With comand-S Windows was booted ... (no other screen). I looked at the device manager in Windows for 1394 driver and it says: Texas Instruments ... Does it mean I have the one ?

(sorry , I wanted to post it in the computer forum - just missed the line)

I tried command+S again after specifically selecting macintosh in the bootcamp - nothing happened, just the normal start

[ISedlacek]

I checked again just (command+S does not work): under Windows device manager, the firewire 1394 port is labeled - manufacturer: Texas Instruments, OHCI ... Seems I am the lucky one ?

One more issue was also reported : the graphic card problem (pulling most of the power to video performance, not audio, resulting in some spikes) - has anyone experienced he problem ?

[luigichelli]

yeh you are a lucky man!

those are some OLD hints to minimize latency on early 2008 (and before) mbp's:

http://www.gearslutz.com/board/1961838-post3.html

newer hints and discussion (but based on late 2008 mbp) can be found here on RME's forum.

RME User Forum / HOWTO: Low DPC latencies (<100 us) on bootcamped Macbooks (Pro)

[ISedlacek]

Originally Posted by luigichelli

yeh you are a lucky man!

those are some OLD hints to minimize latency on early 2008 (and before) mbp's:

http://www.gearslutz.com/board/1961838-post3.html

newer hints and discussion (but based on late 2008 mbp) can be found here on RME's forum.

RME User Forum / HOWTO: Low DPC latencies (<100 us) on bootcamped Macbooks (Pro)

Thank you very much ! Sounds like recording directly to some Mac application would be much less stressful and risky ?

[luigichelli]

...yes, i think so, anyway some problems like kicking in of speedstep (what does coolbook do to 2008 mbp's?) and various latency spikes could still be there, and i don't know any app like dpc checker on osx side...
Anyway many many expert engineers are working on osx...and personally logic 8 never had a hiccup when recording only (not feeling the need of spending 185€ in boomrecorder...)
It's your choice! let us know if u find any news, cya!!
Luigi.

[Timur Born]

Hey there! I was the one writing the later MBP Bootcamp optimization thread and also work with the Coolbook developer to make it run smoothly on the late Macbooks (Pro).

ExpressCard support for (bootcamped) Windows seems to be a catastrophe and on OS X at least problematic on the late Macbook Pros, I cannot tell you anything about the older TI based models. Have a look here for details: RME User Forum / Firewire ExpressCard unuseable on late 2008 Macbook Pro!?

Coolbook has now reached a state (with the latest beta I got send via email) where it's working properly with the late Macbooks and Leopard. You can easily set the CPU to a fixed clock-rate (mostly necessary for running low latency effects at low CPU load) or have it run automatically. There seems to be only one small cosmetic issue left which I am sure is quickly fixed and published (within days). Unfortunately I did not find a corresponding tool working on bootcamped Windows yet.

Anyway many many expert engineers are working on osx

That's surely correct, but that doesn't mean there are no issues. Here is a short list:

1. Using the 9600M GT (instead of the 9400M GT) can cause drop-outs even at medium high Audio Buffer/Latency setting when running Logic.

2. Using the 9600M GT (instead of the 9400M GT) can cause 5W higher minimum power-draw (wattage) after waking up from Standby.

3. Ableton Live performs 20-30+% worse on OS X compared to Windows. It crashes into a hard wall at 80% CPU load with larger Audio Latency buffers (which is hopefully an issue of Live and not OS X) while on Windows you can go all the way up to 100% CPU load. With small Audio Latency buffers it is even worse.

4. (Not Audio related) The Broadcom WLAN driver on OS X only reaches 130 mbit/s of 300 mbit/s which is also true for the driver coming with Bootcamp and Windows 7 Beta. BUT the latest Windows driver published via Microsoft Update Catalog reaches all the way up to 300 mbit/s. So the OS X driver is just as bugged as the older Windows drivers while newer Windows drivers are fixed.

[luigichelli]

Hi Timur!
first lemme say that is a pleasure talking with you, you're doing a fantasting job with your posts....many people (including me :p) were ignoring the issues of daw recording, until a vary bad dropout happens and a job gets heavy damaged!!

it's always a real challenge having a perfect workstation up for working!

Thanks a lot for your inputs, and please continue keeping us tuned with your experimentations and solutions!!!! (..expecially for the upcoming version of coolbook^^ )

Take care, Luigi.

[Timur Born]

Originally Posted by luigichelli

Hi Timur!
first lemme say that is a pleasure talking with you, you're doing a fantasting job with your posts....

Thanks alot for the flowers! Several people over at the Ableton Forum hate me for my writing style (but I was banned from there anyway, so who gives a).

many people (including me :p) were ignoring the issues of daw recording, until a vary bad dropout happens and a job gets heavy damaged!!

it's always a real challenge having a perfect workstation up for working!

Well, most "audio" professionals should rather ask an "IT" professional with a background in audio to setup their systems instead of messing with it themselves. But I recon that this is a cost problem and that IT pros knowing about audio related problems are probably rare.

Thanks a lot for your inputs, and please continue keeping us tuned with your experimentations and solutions!!!! (..expecially for the upcoming version of coolbook^^ )

My pleasure. I have to do that work anyway for my own audio setup and for some reason or the other I like to share my results. Call it an "artist" thing... we always need the appreciation and feedback for the things we do.

Most people ain't very much interested into this techno-mumbo-yumbo talk though. Especially since my posts tend to be quite long.