Im using a dual core pentium laptop T4200 @ 2.00GHz, windows 7 (32 bit), with 4gb ram installed, but only 3gb is usable in 32 bit windows and Ableton version 8.2.
I play in a live band setup using a saffire USB 6 card,outputs 1+2 go to the front PA system and outputs 3+4 are used for a stereo click track for the drummer to synch to.
Now I've been getting drop outs now and again, the frustrating thing is its totally random when it happens, the drummer loses his click and the PA outputs both drop out for a few seconds then return.
Now my laptop used to have a seagate momentus HD that ran @ 5400rpm, so I thought this must be the problem, so i upgraded to a seagate 7200rpm, but alas the problem is still occuing, albeit less randomly. I also had this problem using a Novation Nio USB card so I dont think its the audio card.
My worry is that im overloading my USB ports on the laptop and think this may be the problem.
But i dont know much how USB ports operate so im throwing this out there.
The laptop (Asus X5DIJ) has 4 USB ports 2 each side, now on the left side i have the soundcard and my m-audio trigger finger plugged in, and o the right side I have a remote 25 and my mouse.Should i just have the card plugged by its self with nothing in the port next to it? Would this make any difference?
Theres not a great deal going on live, one channel has the backing tracks, one channel has the clicks, one channel has samples triggered by the trigger finger, and i have a midi channel midi'ed to an Access virus B connect4ed to the saffire's misi ports. NO vsti's or effects running.
Can anyone help me out as its driving me nuts trying to work out whats up with the random drop outs!!?/
Oh my audio buffer in the saffire is set to 14ms any less than that and i get clicks etc......
Could this be the problem, sharing the soundcard with the trigger finger plugged in next door?
Should i rasie the saffire buffer higher? 15+ seems extreme!
I had AVG installed in the system, and realise it runs in the background, so this is now uninstalled but not played out since so I odnt know if its fixed.
Also should I change the backing track clips to RAM mode?
If i do them all (inc click tracks) i get a out of memory message.
But just the backing tracks leaves my memory pushing 3/4 full.
Should i switch to windows 64bit to use my full 4gb RAM, is htis the answer???
Any advice mostly appriciated.Confused.
cHEERS.
