Scope PCI freezes WIN7 64 bit Cubase 6 by "digital clicks"

[TonSucher]

Hi to all,
I am new here and hope to receive some advices for my problem:
I use two 14 DSP PCI cards under WIN7 and Cubase 6 (no XTC). Of cause I use quite some plugins but everything runs well until I load Reverbs (pro or clasic) into the AUX. DSP load shows no overload, and I don't receive an overflow message, so that performance seems to be ok. After a while I receive "digital clicks" from these plugins (or channels?) in the MAIN MIX channel: sometimes it's caused from AUX1, sometimes from AUX3 (all loaded with reverbs). Then it takes just a couple of seconds until the whole system freezes in. No further warning, no nothing..just crash.
I use latest scope version.

Thank you for your help!

Cheers

Ed

[ChrisWerner]

Hi Ed and welcome to Z, you'll like it.

I just try to circle in the prob.
When you say that you use plug ins, do you mean native or scope intern plugs?

Second, how does your system quits ? Blue screen or how?

I am sure Z will find a solution.

[dante]

Have you done all the recommended (bios etc) tweaks ?

http://www.hitfoundry.com/issue_11/tsg_mast.htm

What I/O's are you running ( any ADAT, SP/DIF etc ? )

[Eanna]

Make sure you're not overheating in your PC too - two full-length PCI cards in a modern computer often not designed appropriately to take them might cause heat issues.

Is Scope serving the Master clock, or are you Slaved to an External clock?

Don't understand why reverbs in particular would cause the system to behave like that. But I'm no expert... Load it up with a few multi-voiced 'big synths', keep them ticking over with high polyphony - no clicks?

Good luck...

[siriusbliss]

Make sure you have a good beefy power supply in your computer.

G

[TonSucher]

Hello again to all of you!
Thank you very much for your quick response.
Well, I use the internal scope plugins. I don't have a blue screen - the system just freezes, I only can do a hard reset (no mouse, no taskmanager, no nothing!).
I already made all the suggested settings to bios and windows (provided that they were possible).
I use a Dell vostro 410, Intel Core Quad Q6600, Nvidia Gforce 8800 GT 512 MB, 4GB RAM
The power supply has 300 w. ... I guess that's not enough to run all 28 DSP's at the same time, right?

Further more I have the problem that the interrupts of both cards are shared: 1st card shares with the ICH PCI express root port, and the 2nd card shares with USB Unihostcontroller.
I can't make any changes in the bios! Does anybody has experience if the above mentioned sharings are harmful?
(I already switched the pci- slots, because one card shared with the Gforce, and I know that this always causes trouble.)

Scope serves the masterclock.
Due to a probably heating problem, I opened the pc-case and installed a add. fan.

I found a matching power supply with 750W. Do you think that might solves the problem?

Thank you very much in advance!

Cheers

Ed

[garyb]

you will need to disable the USB controller that is sharing in the device manager.

what do you mean that you can't make bios changes?

[TonSucher]

I cant make BIOS changes in regard to the IRQ. Its a simple Phoenix BIOS. I cant disable USB Controller, behause I have to use the I-Lock.
Cheers

Ed

[garyb]

nonsense.

you have probably 6 usb controllers, you don't need them all.

there's a name to the controller sharing the irq, something like 2DHY or similar. just disable the one controller that is sharing.

irq problems don't get fixed via the bios. irqs are hardwired into the design of the motherboard. the bios changes like disabling EIST or AMD's speedstep are manadatory for core2, i series and any other processors with powerstepping. those can certainly be done.

[Eanna]

Hi, if you any digital outboard, even an old effects unit with SPDIF, you should be able to use RCA into Scope (if you have the Project breakout cable set), and set Scope to slave on the SPDIF In (or ADAT, or Wordclock if you have the Syncplate) in the Samplerate dialog.
I know that things run better for me when I slave Scope to an external clock.

But the computer freezing up - sounds like a PC problem.

Are you satisfied that it's only when Scope is under load that you get the system lock up?
And it's Load, and not Reverbs on an Aux bus, that causes it?
If you fire Scope up on a blank project and leave it tick over on idle, does your PC lock up?
And, just to rule out an IRQ problem, do try to disable those USB devices, and limit your I/O count for a session - just connect what you need to - use PS/2 connectors for Keyboard and Mouse and disable all USB devices if you can.

And the new PSU - does it make a difference?

[TonSucher]

Hi again!
well, I finally disabled the USB's which I don't need, and the cards have own IRQ now.
I could work a lot longer than before, but the system still freezes.

I haven't got a new power supply yet.
How important is it for the DSP cards to rise the power supply from 300 W to 750 W?

Cheers

Ed

[Fluxpod]

300w is not enough for a quadcore and a 8800gt+2 14 dsp cards.750 is good.Be sure that it fits in a dell.

[garyb]

not al the usbs you don't need, just the one that's sharing the irq....

[TonSucher]

I have ordered a new power supply and hope that this solves the problem.