Subject:Clicks after auditioning wavs in explorer

Posted by: Neil_Palfreyman

Date:10/16/2001 3:24:56 PM

For some time now I have had lots of pops and crackles in Acid Pro 3.0c. My system is a 1GHz Athlon with 384Mb RAM running Windows ME. My soundcard is an SB Live Platinum.

I can reproduce the problem at will just by manipulating a single track's volume envelope. However it also seems to be related to activity in the explorer window.

For example if I create a new project using a single loop by double clicking in the explorer window, then create a volume envleope and raise or lower one of the points whilst playing I get a series of clicks over the audio.

By trial and error I have determined that the rate of the clicks is related to the size of the Playback buffer set in Audio Preferences. If the buffer is large, the clicks are slower. If the buffer is small the clicks are much more frequent. Please note: This isn't audio break up caused by having the buffer set too small. I get breakup when its set lower than 0.3 but between 0.3 and 1 It just slows down the frequency of the pops.

I have also determined that changing my Audio Device Type in Audio Preferences effectively "clears" the problem until I audition another file in the explorer window. I have two audio device types: "Windows Classic Wave Driver" and "Microsoft Sound Mapper" - changing from one to the other - it doesn't matter which - clears the clicks. If I audition a wave in explorer the clicks come back, even when I stop auditioning a wave. This is 100% reproducable.

I know other users have had exactly this problem by reading this Forum. If there's any more info I can provide to help solve this please ask, as its driving me nuts! Anyone else who gets this, please see if you can reproduce what I have described above. If it gives SoFo more diagnostics they may be able to fix it!

Subject:RE: Clicks after auditioning wavs in explorer

Reply by: Rockitglider

Date:10/16/2001 6:52:28 PM

Hello,

I get this happening also, but only when I'm adjusting tracks or envelopes, then when I stop moving the mouse, it stops without doing anything else.

See ya, Rockit

Subject:RE: Clicks after auditioning wavs in explorer

Reply by: Neil_Palfreyman

Date:10/17/2001 2:28:32 AM

Rockit - thanks for the feedback. I've also managed to reproduce the same problem on a different system with an old SB AWE32 under Win2k. Can you tell me what Operating System you're running, what soundcard you have, what version of DirectX (if you know) ? The more info we can get to SoFo the more chance of a fix!

I agree that its easy to reproduce using envelopes - it doesn't matter what type. I can reproduce it using FX envelopes as well as volume. I have also found that I get it moving any sliders: volume, pan etc. It seems to be associated with mouse movement (but I dont get it just moving the mouse around or sliding events around) or graphics.

I've also managed to reproduce the problem with both a PS2 and USB mouse, so I dont think its mouse related.

I've had two replies to a similar post on Acid Planet already saying they had exactly the same thing, so I think there's a significant number of people out there suffereing in silence. I'm interested to see what SoFo have to say.

Subject:RE: Clicks after auditioning wavs in explorer

Reply by: Neil_Palfreyman

Date:10/17/2001 1:31:07 PM

This gets stranger and stranger - just tried it on another completely different machine - Celeron 466, 256Mb memory, SB Live Vaule, PC running Win ME and I get exactly the same problem. 100% reproducible. Come on SoFo - I have loads of diagnostic information here if your interested in fixing it, that is.

Subject:RE: Clicks after auditioning wavs in explorer

Reply by: Iacobus

Date:10/17/2001 2:46:41 PM

Hmmm...

The only time I get a similar (but not the same) occurance is when I'm moving and editing material around while the project is playing back. It stutters a little but as soon as I stop, nothing more. That's understandable.

It could be the soundcard. I used to use my SB Live! until I upgraded recently to an M-Audio Audiophile 2496. (Really nice.) I was getting a lot more problems with the Live! as my playback device, with stuttering especially with effects. That doesn't seem to be the case with the Audiophile.

Have you tried not only a different computer, but also a nicer soundcard like the Audiophile or the Mia from Echo?

HTH,
Iacobus

Subject:RE: Clicks after auditioning wavs in explorer

Reply by: Rockitglider

Date:10/17/2001 3:10:20 PM

Hello,

I have a PIII 800,
512 Meg Ram
32 Meg Ram Video Card
M-Audio Delta Dio 2496 Sound Card
M-Audio Audiophile Sound Card
All 4 Hard Drives are 7200 RPM ATA66
Internal and External Mixers
100 MHz FSB
Running Windows ME
Dierct X 8.0a W/ Video update
All Drivers on everything are up to date.
Acid 3.0c Pro

Thats my System, Hope that helps.

See ya, Rockit

Subject:RE: Clicks after auditioning wavs in explorer

Reply by: Neil_Palfreyman

Date:10/18/2001 2:55:20 AM

mD - thanks for the info. I was thinking it was my soundcard too, but over the past few days I've heard from so many people who seems to be experiencing the same problem, and some of them dont have SB cards, so now I'n not so sure. The thought of a 24 bit card is nice, but I like the live drive on the SB, and I use SoundFonts a lot. Besides, I dont see why I should buy hardware to fix a software problem!

Subject:RE: Clicks after auditioning wavs in explorer

Reply by: Neil_Palfreyman

Date:10/18/2001 2:56:20 AM

Rockit, thanks again for the info - I guess that puts the SB problem theory to bed?

Subject:RE: Clicks after auditioning wavs in explorer

Reply by: Iacobus

Date:10/18/2001 11:11:25 AM

I agree. I was trying to eliminate all possibilites.

Actually, you didn't mention if the people who didn't have an SB Live! had a 24-bit soundcard—they could've had a Soundblaster-compatible (like those from Turtle Beach), which is almost the same thing. 24-bit soundcards like the ones from M-Audio and Echo are truly juggernauts when it comes to audio. Their audio components are so much better.

I failed to mention like the dunderhead that I am that I still have my SB Live! installed alongside my Audiophile, but I don't use the SB Live! for ACID Pro 3; I use the Live! just for games. (Though, I haven't played a game in ages and I'm still seriously thinking of removing it.)

You could still keep your SB Live! and install something like the Audiophile or Mia alongside it. Be cautious. Sometimes, such a config doesn't exactly work for everyone. Things to keep in mind are to make sure each card has its own IRQ. I had to disable my external serial ports (which weren't used anyway) to free IRQ's 3 and 4, which my cards gobbled up right away.

I have to stop writing such long posts...

Iacobus

Subject:RE: Clicks after auditioning wavs in explorer

Reply by: SonyJennL

Date:10/19/2001 6:26:39 PM

This is a known issue in the ACID 3.0c release.

There will be a fix in the next update.