Since I've upgraded and transferred my scope system to a new computer I've been running into problems with clicks and distorted sounds when playing back wave files via ASIO from both Soundforge and Wavelab.
At first, I was concerned that there were problems with the recorded files, but if I loop the wav, the distortions don't occur in the same place. It seems 'random.'
I've tried adjusting the ULLI buffer size, but that doesn't seem to affect things. I've minimized IRQ conflicts as best as I could. Is there anything else I should look into?
Im running Windows 7 64 bit, with Scope 5.1 and 24 DSP PCI system on a HP FL979UT Z200 Workstation (3.2 GHz Intel Core i5-650 Processor, 4 GB RAM)
Random Clicks on ASIO Playback
Re: Random Clicks on ASIO Playback
here are some of the usual causes of clicks from Gary b's tip n tricks post hope it helps
some general tips:
as in the letter that came with v5.1, in the bios(you may have already done this) disable any of these things, or anything that is obviously the same, but slightly differently named:
Intel EIST
Intel C State
C1E Support
Overspeed Protection
Hyperthreading
Execute Bit Support
Set Limit CPUID MaxVal to 3 (maybe not so important)
Intel Virtual Tech
Intel VT-d Tech
AMD processors also have speed stepping called "power now" or "cool n quiet" or something similar, which MUST be disabled.
go to start\programs\accessories\system tools\system information\conflicts/sharing and tell me what, if anything is sharing an IRQ with Scope hardware.
You need to dig in to some tools in Windows 8 to see "System Information". Here's how you get there:
1) Go to "Control Panel" ( Press Windows key + Q and type control... )
2) In Control Panel, Scroll down and click "Performance Information and Tools"
3) On the left, Click on the bottom item "Advance Tools"
4) The 6th item should be "View Advanced System Details in System Information".
-OR-
1) Navigate to C:\Windows\System32 folder and open msinfo32.exe
in windows 7 go to start\control panel\power options click on "change power settings". make sure that sleep is "never". click on "change advanced settings". open PCI Express and turn off "Limk State Power Management"(especially for XITEs). i like to set the minimum and maximum level for the CPU at 100%. ok it all.
the reason for the bios changes and the power changes is to insure the the cpu is always 100% on. realtime audio does not have time for the power to the cpu to ramp up, as windows believes the software requires.
for the cards, i would go to the device manager. in XP it's in start\control panel\system\hardware tab. in win7 go to start. right click on computer and choose properties. click on device manager. find the Scope hardware and choose properties. uncheck "reset board if idle". that way if you leave the computer unattended for an hour or two, windows won't decide to cut power and make you have to restart scope and reload dsps.
there are actually a number of ways to get to these settings. if you already have a way you like, use it.
you can also click on the "advanced tab" in xp or advanced system settings and then the advanced tab in win7. push the performance "settings" button. choose adjust for best performance. this will give you plain win98 type windows, but it will save a TON of overhaed that the fancy windows graphics waste.
some general tips:
as in the letter that came with v5.1, in the bios(you may have already done this) disable any of these things, or anything that is obviously the same, but slightly differently named:
Intel EIST
Intel C State
C1E Support
Overspeed Protection
Hyperthreading
Execute Bit Support
Set Limit CPUID MaxVal to 3 (maybe not so important)
Intel Virtual Tech
Intel VT-d Tech
AMD processors also have speed stepping called "power now" or "cool n quiet" or something similar, which MUST be disabled.
go to start\programs\accessories\system tools\system information\conflicts/sharing and tell me what, if anything is sharing an IRQ with Scope hardware.
You need to dig in to some tools in Windows 8 to see "System Information". Here's how you get there:
1) Go to "Control Panel" ( Press Windows key + Q and type control... )
2) In Control Panel, Scroll down and click "Performance Information and Tools"
3) On the left, Click on the bottom item "Advance Tools"
4) The 6th item should be "View Advanced System Details in System Information".
-OR-
1) Navigate to C:\Windows\System32 folder and open msinfo32.exe
in windows 7 go to start\control panel\power options click on "change power settings". make sure that sleep is "never". click on "change advanced settings". open PCI Express and turn off "Limk State Power Management"(especially for XITEs). i like to set the minimum and maximum level for the CPU at 100%. ok it all.
the reason for the bios changes and the power changes is to insure the the cpu is always 100% on. realtime audio does not have time for the power to the cpu to ramp up, as windows believes the software requires.
for the cards, i would go to the device manager. in XP it's in start\control panel\system\hardware tab. in win7 go to start. right click on computer and choose properties. click on device manager. find the Scope hardware and choose properties. uncheck "reset board if idle". that way if you leave the computer unattended for an hour or two, windows won't decide to cut power and make you have to restart scope and reload dsps.
there are actually a number of ways to get to these settings. if you already have a way you like, use it.
you can also click on the "advanced tab" in xp or advanced system settings and then the advanced tab in win7. push the performance "settings" button. choose adjust for best performance. this will give you plain win98 type windows, but it will save a TON of overhaed that the fancy windows graphics waste.
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bluegreengold
- Posts: 9
- Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2015 7:00 am
Re: Random Clicks on ASIO Playback
Thanks for the reply. Your advice on investigating the IRQs in the device manager was helpful. I'd reserved non-competing slots for each of the scope boards in the BIOS, but it seems like Windows 7 ignored that, and while windows reported "no conflichts" there were shared IRQs. I disabled the onboard audio and some USB ports and there is no longer any shared IRQs for the Scope boards.
Unforturnately, that did not fix the problem.
I tried switching from ASIO to Wave input and output and used the WDM driver in Soundforge and Wavelab. There are no clicks in playback using the windows wave driver, however the ASIO has problems.
Is there an updated ASIO driver for scope? Is it possible to setup the windows driver for an arbitrary number of channels? I'm currently tracking 40+ channels via ASIO.
I've always tracked into a DAW via ASIO. Should I maybe consider switching over to VDAT for recording/playback of mulitrack audio?
Unforturnately, that did not fix the problem.
I tried switching from ASIO to Wave input and output and used the WDM driver in Soundforge and Wavelab. There are no clicks in playback using the windows wave driver, however the ASIO has problems.
Is there an updated ASIO driver for scope? Is it possible to setup the windows driver for an arbitrary number of channels? I'm currently tracking 40+ channels via ASIO.
I've always tracked into a DAW via ASIO. Should I maybe consider switching over to VDAT for recording/playback of mulitrack audio?
Re: Random Clicks on ASIO Playback
it's not the ASIO driver.
you cannot reserve irqs in any way. windows7 will allocate the irqs and there WILL be sharing. this is ok, as long as the card(s) is not sharing an irq with somtheing that is "chatty", like USB, Firewire, or LAN. if those things share an irq with a Scope card, you must disable the device in the device manager.
other than that, the bios changes are mandatory, as are the power settings.
you cannot reserve irqs in any way. windows7 will allocate the irqs and there WILL be sharing. this is ok, as long as the card(s) is not sharing an irq with somtheing that is "chatty", like USB, Firewire, or LAN. if those things share an irq with a Scope card, you must disable the device in the device manager.
other than that, the bios changes are mandatory, as are the power settings.
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bluegreengold
- Posts: 9
- Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2015 7:00 am
Re: Random Clicks on ASIO Playback
I went digging through the bios settings, and under the security tab, I did find some 'virtualization' options, but not ones named
Intel Virtual Tech
Intel VT-d Tech
Still, I turned those off.
Hyperthreading is also disabled.
I could find no entries in the bios for any of the following:
Intel EIST
Intel C State
C1E Support
Overspeed Protection
Execute Bit Support
Set Limit CPUID MaxVal to 3 (maybe not so important)
One of my scope boards was sharing an IRQ with two USB ports, so I disabled those.
Windows is set for 'best performance'
I have no LAN running. All networking devices are disabled.
I am using the built in Intel HD graphics, but there is no IRQ conflict with the scope boards.
Pretty much everything unnecessary is disabled.
I am still experiencing a lot of clicks and pops during playback using ASIO. There does not seem to be a problem with the using Wave IN/Out.
There does not seem to be a problem recording with ASIO. The clicks and pops appear at random times on playback, and do not appear in the waveform display for the recordings. It is a not a problem with the hard drive as this occurs even with new unsaved samples residing in RAM (unless I am mistaken and unsaved files are stored as temp files and still streamed off the drive. I can load audio files from a non OS fast sata SSD and I still experience clicks).
I'm not to keen on trying the interrupt filter program that was mentioned in another thread, considering the bad luck most people seem to have had with it.
Why would the wave inputs seem to work while ASIO clicks a lot? Why does it seem to only happen with playback?
Is there anything more I can do before going back and trying 'random net suggestions' for altering the register?
Should I do a new clean install of Win7? This computer came with windows pre-installed. I removed all unessential preloaded programs, but perhaps it's possible there are hidden issues?
This is a 3 card PCI setup -- Scope Pro, Pulsar 2, and luna with ADAT expansion.
Sleep is disabled.
I do see something I missed:
"open PCI Express and turn off "Limk State Power Management"(especially for XITEs). i like to set the minimum and maximum level for the CPU at 100%. ok it all."
I will try this next.
Intel Virtual Tech
Intel VT-d Tech
Still, I turned those off.
Hyperthreading is also disabled.
I could find no entries in the bios for any of the following:
Intel EIST
Intel C State
C1E Support
Overspeed Protection
Execute Bit Support
Set Limit CPUID MaxVal to 3 (maybe not so important)
One of my scope boards was sharing an IRQ with two USB ports, so I disabled those.
Windows is set for 'best performance'
I have no LAN running. All networking devices are disabled.
I am using the built in Intel HD graphics, but there is no IRQ conflict with the scope boards.
Pretty much everything unnecessary is disabled.
I am still experiencing a lot of clicks and pops during playback using ASIO. There does not seem to be a problem with the using Wave IN/Out.
There does not seem to be a problem recording with ASIO. The clicks and pops appear at random times on playback, and do not appear in the waveform display for the recordings. It is a not a problem with the hard drive as this occurs even with new unsaved samples residing in RAM (unless I am mistaken and unsaved files are stored as temp files and still streamed off the drive. I can load audio files from a non OS fast sata SSD and I still experience clicks).
I'm not to keen on trying the interrupt filter program that was mentioned in another thread, considering the bad luck most people seem to have had with it.
Why would the wave inputs seem to work while ASIO clicks a lot? Why does it seem to only happen with playback?
Is there anything more I can do before going back and trying 'random net suggestions' for altering the register?
Should I do a new clean install of Win7? This computer came with windows pre-installed. I removed all unessential preloaded programs, but perhaps it's possible there are hidden issues?
This is a 3 card PCI setup -- Scope Pro, Pulsar 2, and luna with ADAT expansion.
Sleep is disabled.
I do see something I missed:
"open PCI Express and turn off "Limk State Power Management"(especially for XITEs). i like to set the minimum and maximum level for the CPU at 100%. ok it all."
I will try this next.
Re: Random Clicks on ASIO Playback
EIST is definitely there. it's the important setting. the virtualization setting are not nearly as important. it can also be labelled with the full name Enhanced Intel Speedstep Technology.
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bluegreengold
- Posts: 9
- Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2015 7:00 am
Re: Random Clicks on ASIO Playback
http://h20564.www2.hp.com/hpsc/doc/publ ... -c02016424
This is a link to a list of the configurable options in the HP Z200 bios. There is no setting for EIST that I can see.
This is a link to a list of the configurable options in the HP Z200 bios. There is no setting for EIST that I can see.
Re: Random Clicks on ASIO Playback
then you should be good.
what is the card sharing an IRQ with?
which processor do you have? Hyperthreading, Speedstep and Turbo are options for several of the processors used in that model. any of those need to be disabled.
what is the card sharing an IRQ with?
which processor do you have? Hyperthreading, Speedstep and Turbo are options for several of the processors used in that model. any of those need to be disabled.
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bluegreengold
- Posts: 9
- Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2015 7:00 am
Re: Random Clicks on ASIO Playback
The card was sharing an IRQ with two of the USB busses. I disabled them in the device manager.
The CPU is a 3.2 GHz Intel Core i5-650 Processor.
This should have EIST, however I cannot find a setting for it in the BIOS.
Hyperthreading is already off.
I do see an option for Turbo in the bios. I will disable that.
The CPU is a 3.2 GHz Intel Core i5-650 Processor.
This should have EIST, however I cannot find a setting for it in the BIOS.
Hyperthreading is already off.
I do see an option for Turbo in the bios. I will disable that.
Re: Random Clicks on ASIO Playback
there is a listing called "processor stepping" on the System Information(1st) page of the BIOS. this is probably the EIST setting. in the OS Power Management page of the BIOS, there is an "Idle Power Settings" entry. this is related to EIST. the "runtime power management" is also probably related.
Re: Random Clicks on ASIO Playback
Just, what came on my mind... 
-check for any BIOS updates
-motherboard / chipset drivers
-graphic driver
-windows updates
-DPC Latency Checker
http://www.thesycon.de/deu/latency_check.shtml
-LatencyMon
http://www.resplendence.com/latencymon
I use DriverToolKit application, i know it's payable , but you can also use it on multiple computers, like i do at home (3 computers).
-check for any BIOS updates
-motherboard / chipset drivers
-graphic driver
-windows updates
-DPC Latency Checker
http://www.thesycon.de/deu/latency_check.shtml
-LatencyMon
http://www.resplendence.com/latencymon
I use DriverToolKit application, i know it's payable , but you can also use it on multiple computers, like i do at home (3 computers).
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bluegreengold
- Posts: 9
- Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2015 7:00 am
Re: Random Clicks on ASIO Playback
Thanks for the help everyone. It turns out it was the "turbo" setting in the bios that was causing the problem. Everything else was setup correctly. No more clicks. Very happy.