Politely asking Defiant for help with iMic problem
So, dear Defiant, the problem is the following: when recording sound (especially long stretches of it) I tend to get clicks and pops in the recording (i.e. little pieces of the sound are dropped).
When trying to troubleshoot the problem, I come up logically with the following possible answers:
- Griffin says there might be an issue with the powering on the USB bus of some comps, causing for interference. This however, I tend not to believe, as they propose a cure in updating to the latest version of the OS (9.2!), and I apparently am a few years ahead technologically-wise (early 2002 iBook 600, 14.1 ", OS 10.2.1).
- It might be the software I am using. Sound Studio actually does a worse job than 500k pieces of freeware like Audio In. Felttip announces version 2.0.7 of their nice software (Sound Studio) for this friday, and claim this will address an issue causing clicks and pops in recording (!). I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
Said Audio In does better, and it might be because you are allowed to specify an immense buffer (200 MEGS and more). The problem: once you are at the end of the buffer, the app literally vomits the buffer onto your RAM, effectively stalling the comp during (depending on buffer size) 10 to 30 or more seconds, during which your recording, at best, is a wheezing tone, at worst, is not there at all. Unacceptable.
The best for now is Audiocorder X. I haven't heard anything but an occasional click.
Yet all this is unacceptable, especially since I can literally cram my HD on an old beige G3 to overflowing with perfect sound, and this G3 was built, when, in '96 or '97?
- It might be a problem with the OS, or with the comp being too slow (although that would be unacceptable, especially in view of the above G3 situation).
The reason for my annoyance: I had half a mind to buy a new TiBook, just to have a silly audio in. I am very angry at Apple for dropping this, as it is one of the things I use my Mac for most. Now I already shell out the cash, much against my will, and I get this. I have never before contemplated leaving Mac, but I am sure if this issue doesn't get solved, I'm gonna lose my right mind...
So, Defiant and/or others, can you help me?
When trying to troubleshoot the problem, I come up logically with the following possible answers:
- Griffin says there might be an issue with the powering on the USB bus of some comps, causing for interference. This however, I tend not to believe, as they propose a cure in updating to the latest version of the OS (9.2!), and I apparently am a few years ahead technologically-wise (early 2002 iBook 600, 14.1 ", OS 10.2.1).
- It might be the software I am using. Sound Studio actually does a worse job than 500k pieces of freeware like Audio In. Felttip announces version 2.0.7 of their nice software (Sound Studio) for this friday, and claim this will address an issue causing clicks and pops in recording (!). I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
Said Audio In does better, and it might be because you are allowed to specify an immense buffer (200 MEGS and more). The problem: once you are at the end of the buffer, the app literally vomits the buffer onto your RAM, effectively stalling the comp during (depending on buffer size) 10 to 30 or more seconds, during which your recording, at best, is a wheezing tone, at worst, is not there at all. Unacceptable.
The best for now is Audiocorder X. I haven't heard anything but an occasional click.
Yet all this is unacceptable, especially since I can literally cram my HD on an old beige G3 to overflowing with perfect sound, and this G3 was built, when, in '96 or '97?
- It might be a problem with the OS, or with the comp being too slow (although that would be unacceptable, especially in view of the above G3 situation).
The reason for my annoyance: I had half a mind to buy a new TiBook, just to have a silly audio in. I am very angry at Apple for dropping this, as it is one of the things I use my Mac for most. Now I already shell out the cash, much against my will, and I get this. I have never before contemplated leaving Mac, but I am sure if this issue doesn't get solved, I'm gonna lose my right mind...
So, Defiant and/or others, can you help me?
Comments
Now I seem to be able to record for hours at a time without problem. I am using audiocorder but I suspect others work as well. I have done more limited tests with a few others without problem. I tested the beta version of Final Vinyl for a few minutes at a time without incident.
I didn't check this rigorously so I can't tell you clearly what the difference was. Perhaps it was when I upgraded to OS X 10.2 and perhaps it was after I wiped the HD clean and did a fresh install. I encountered a severe disk problem which forced that action. Actually, after wiping the disk and doing a clean install lots of things worked better. I recommend it if you have a couple of hours to spare.
<a href="http://www.griffintechnology.com/software/software_imic.html"; target="_blank">http://www.griffintechnology.com/software/software_imic.html</a>;
<a href="http://www.griffintechnology.com/downloads/software/current/FinalVinyl_0-7.sit"; target="_blank">http://www.griffintechnology.com/downloads/software/current/FinalVinyl_0-7.sit</a>;
oh and could this be a problem ?:
[quote] that adds high quality stereo input and output to any USB based Macintosh and includes a switch to select between microphone or line inputs. <hr></blockquote>
:cool:
[ 11-01-2002: Message edited by: Defiant ]</p>
<strong>head, Final Vinyl 0.7 came out today:
oh and could this be a problem ?:
[ 11-01-2002: Message edited by: Defiant ]</strong><hr></blockquote>
I'll try the first one (although I don't like the interface they've given that gruesome thing one bit.
The mic switch isn't a problem (I believe that only causes volume problems).
neutrino23: what comp and setup do you use (an imic and ibook?)?
I did a clean install of Jaguar, actually, somewhere in September I think, so ... (I did horrible things to my system since then though
I'll just sit it out. Maybe I'll get to buy a fast firewire drive, and record to that (which should be okay, I guess).
I tried a few different applications in OS X. The last two were Audiocorder and Final Vinyl. Both worked well. I recorded a three hour program off of NPR recently without any problem. That was going on in the background while I was doing my normal work in the foreground.
The problem I saw a few months ago was that about every 70 seconds there was a small gap which sounded like a little click.
With OS X now it is hard to know where problems come from. Process Viewer (or similar) is useful to see if some program is hogging CPU time. Disk errors seem to be another source of problems.
could you try this ?
(final vinyl however doesn't give me good results, at all).
I saw, in the video 'power of X', that the audio structures in OS X extensively use Altivec acceleration, which, as you would probably believe, is not present in a G3 ibook.
Maybe this is an issue?
oh, and the last link above was for iMic Control 1.5 , ya know
[ 11-15-2002: Message edited by: Defiant ]</p>
(if it came over wrong, that's a compliment).
thanks !
yes, I am still searching. all that stuff above didn't worked ?
*sniff*
[quote] he problem is that recording audio with a microphone right next to a hissing, buzzing high voltage Macintosh, not to mention its giant two monitor setup with video deck and component preview NTSC monitor yields exactly what you would expect. "SZHEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEME..."
<hr></blockquote>
it isn't that, is it ?
maybe have also a look <a href="http://www.griffintechnology.com/support/imic/IMIC-MAC.html"; target="_blank">here</a>.
<img src="graemlins/hmmm.gif" border="0" alt="[Hmmm]" />
I have a Powermate from Griffin and it only works when connected to the internal usb port. When operated through my usb-hub it produces some very erratic behaviour.
[ 11-25-2002: Message edited by: Quick ]</p>
However, I don't use any hub (and am not inclined to shell out more cash to get one - I have only two usb devices - imic and camera - and I never use them at the same time, which leaves my two usb ports rather unused.
Maybe I should try recording again now, after all, I upgraded my system to 10.2.2 (and did a clean install). and have some nice new software (kudos to defiant
I will have a go tomorrow (record an hour uninterrupted -leaving my ibook alone). and tell y'all how it goes.
<strong>I will have a go tomorrow (record an hour uninterrupted -leaving my ibook alone). and tell y'all how it goes.</strong><hr></blockquote>
so ?
Clicking and popping like there's no tomorrow.
However, I haven't yet tried the iMic Driver, and I used Sound Studio, which has always given the worst result (at least in my current situation). Audio Hijack seems to be for some other purpose (hijacking audio produced by another program, as a web browser, or RealOne Player, ...)
I should also try in Classic, but by now, I'm getting a bit... frustrated. I'm slowly starting to come up with schemes to upgrade to a newer PowerBook (with Audio In!). Alas... no good deals in sight yet.
The sad thing is that now, I just don't bother recording anymore, whereas I know I might regret it later (some shows go on to become classics...).
At least, for now, I think the problem is software (mac os x in particular - I mean, you gave the link to that mac troubleshooting place yourself: they do seem to have a problem). In second place, I'd see this ibook underperforming.
The Carbon Sound Manager Update improves reliability and performance of some applications that access Carbon Sound Manager.
Maybe this might mean something... Installing now.