I am new n-track user and need help.
When I record one track and I hear playback all is O.K.
When I record second separate track and I hear both tracks playback, I hear every 5 - 10 seconds in playback short noise only in time while HDD is working (LED lights).
I have desktop with Pentium 4 1,8 GHz; Motherboard with chipset Intel 845; RAM 1 GB; Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce 2 MX 400 AGP, Audio: Creative SB X-Fi; HDDs: 2 x 120 GB; Windows 2000 Pro.
I give iron tinplate between soundcard and HDD - same effect. When I try to record tracks on USB key 1 GB, this noise is not so big and is every 30 - 40 seconds.
Is my problem simple writen somewhere in forum, or I must change HW, or better setting n-track?
Thanks
Hi ballast:
There doesn’t appear to be anything in your hardware list that should give you any issues…
In fact your setup should be respectable enough for almost any number of tracks… at one time on the timeline…
You might think about running ms config. from the “RUN” command and look at the IRQ Assignments…
to see if your Audio Card is sharing or might be sharing the same IRQ with your Graphics Card, or some other piece of hardware…
Maybe, there is another Board Member that can put their finger directly on the issue you have…
Bill…
If your copy of n_track is does not have the registration number entered then you get a noise something like you are discribing.
Bax
Which version of N are you using?
Curious - because you are not getting the ‘unregistered’ tone
with just one track. Needs further investigation.
Pardon me - but I don’t understand -
Quote:
I give iron tinplate between soundcard and HDD - same effect.
Are you using a translator program?
Need some more details of how you set up your hardware in N.
For example are you using ASIO drivers,
What is your record setup?
16 or 24 bit?
More details and maybe we can solve this mystery.
Hi, thanks for interesting of my problems.
To bax3: I have original registered n-Track 5.1.1. 24 bit version.
To sevenOfeleven: It is no “unregistered beep 1 khz” but noise. Grounded iron tinplate I give to computercase as electromagnetis shield opposite induction to signal, but without success. Yes, I have 1-Creative ASIO drivers for playback and recording; ASIO buffer latency 5 ms; samplig freq. 48 kHz 24 bit, same as Creative console of soundcard.
To woxnerw: You are right, my soundcard have same IRQ 16 as USB Advanced controler, and GeForce have same IRQ 21 as Host USB controler. Can You advice me how I can change IRQ?
I try: Run - system32/config, but I do not know where and how to change it.
Thanks to all.
Is the soundcard pci? If so try changing to another pci slot to see if this frees up the IRQ. Creative products (My E-Mu card) don’t like sharing IRQ’s.
If you don’t have another pci slot free, not sure about changing IRQ data in Windows 2000.
No, it is AGP card, I cannot change slot.
Sorry, my mistake, video card is AGP. I try it.
I see - you tried grounding the case
to get rid of noise.
Above suggestions are good - but I think you are on the
right track as far as noise is concerned. Sounds more
like a bad (broken) or ungrounded cable - or your power supply
is dumping a lot of noise into the sound card. Is your
microphone input turned off? See even if the IRQ is shared,
which is bad, and should be fixed, I think there still may
be an issue with the noise. Let us know what happens.
Also - what is your environment.
Air conditioning, those lamps with adjustable level (rheostats?)
anything that uses a compressor, fridge, freezer, etc.
These things can inject noise into your computer box, unless steps
are taken to sheild.
Flourecent lamps to close to computer can be bad also.
I love a good mystery. 
This noise is only in time (cca 0,3 - 1 sec), when is Hard disk drive of my computer working (LED on front panel light) and sound of this playback is delayed for short time. So I think that source of this noise is in computer. First I must repair IRQ conflict, but I not know how to change IRQ.
Well at least your computer has a sense of rhythm.
Just kidding - Hope you find the culprit.
But really what you mean is the noise is 'cyclic’
That’s an important clue. And seems to be related to
the hard disk somehow. Not sure but how about that setting
where you update disk writes right away or wait til there
are unused CPU cycles to ‘write back’?
Any details on your HDD?
IDE or SCSI? Have another disk to try?
Bad disk cable? Wow the list goes on.
Hi ballast:
IRQ issues are fixed in the BIOS…
To reach the BIOS you normally press the “DELETE” Key when you start your computer…
Sometimes it’s “F5
or
F8”…
but the Delete key should open your BIOS…
In there you’ll scroll to IRQ assignments where you’ll reserve an IRQ for your Graphics Card and one for your Audio Card…
AND…
That will depend on what IDE Slot is available to select for your audio card…
If you have a built-in audio card you may not have a selection option…
The manual should give you the information for your Mainboard… The AGP port will have the same information in your mainboard manual…
The BIOS access/screen may have all the options available to you without going into your Board’s manual…
IRQ assignments are very important for a good working computer…
This helps correct resource managment within your computer.
Sometimes “Automatic” IRQ assignment managment doesn’t work right for using your computer as a DAW…
I hope this helps you get your computer up-and-running…
Bill…
[EDIT]
There are some great computer experts here on this Board…
I have learned from all of these guys who frequent this place…
It’s difficult to fix a computer issue over the internet and you don’t have “Hands-on”
with what might be the real issue…
p.s. I thought of something else… Could the Hard Drive Properties be set incorrect? Make sure that your Hard Drive is adjusted for DMA Operation…
Oh yeh - what OS are u using? XP?
cus it’s a plug and play OS. Which means the OS handles the IRQ’s
I think I read somewhere to get around that, (i.e assign manually) you have to do the
XP install with the /p parameter. Which of course would mean
you would have to re-install. (confidence rating of 75%)
But do a search of XP install parameters and you’ll find it.