[milkweg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rjp /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hmmmm... I'll have to grab a powered USB hub and see if that makes a difference. On the other hand, shouldn't the 0404 get all the power it needs from the wall wart?

Yes, but that doesn't make the USB passive I don't think. Try a powered hub to see if it fixes it, if not then I was on the wrong track and I guess it is because your laptop has crap USB hardware. I've seen others post with the same issue when using laptops so make a new post asking how to fix it with that question as the subject header and they may reply with a fix. I've never owned a laptop so can only guess at possible fixes to try. What I can tell you is that I have used EMU 0404 USB on two desktops PCs and have never had any such issue so the issue is with your laptop and not the EMU 0404.

Hey, just came across this info on my external backup HDD and it may solve your issue with USB and EMU 0404. Try it anyway.

Q: My M-Audio USB Audio- or MIDI interface fails to install, doesn't work after installation, or drops out of the system every now and then. What could be the cause of this?

A: A common reason for such problems is the Power Management function of the USB Root Hub. Under Windows XP, disabling the Power Management for all USB Root Hubs in your system should resolve this problem:

1. Open the Device Manager (Start-> right click on "My Computer", click on "Properties" -> Hardware -> Device Manager)
2. Look under the category Universal Serial Bus controllers and find the USB Root Hub.
3. Right click and select Properties, go to the Power Management tab
4. Uncheck the box "Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power." and click "OK".

Repeat this for each of the USB Root Hubs shown in the Device Manager.

 

[milkweg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by iGig /img/forum/go_quote.gif M-Audio makes some nice keyboards, you should go for it! if you have melody in your head it's not too difficult to turn it into music, and with so many nice sequencers it's easy to sound like a pro in no time. I use a Yamaha Motif, mostly as a piano, but I also like coming up with my own sounds. What programs do you have? what keyboard are you looking at?

I already have Gibson SG guitar (version made in China for music students, it was real cheap compared to American made SG but it is a real Gibson) and would like to get a bass guitar too. I was an idiot for selling my Fender Precision Bass about 4 years ago.

Here is the M-Audio midi keyboard I am interested in.

M-AUDIO - Keystation 88es - 88-Key Semi-Weighted USB MIDI Controller

Software I have is all the software that came with EMU 0404 USB and I downloaded this free software some time back called Buzzmachines which from their website looks like all I really need to create elctronica music. Have never installed it because I don't have a midi keyboard yet.

Buzzmachines.com - Jeskola Buzz free modular software music studio

BTW, I've owned various guitars for 34 years now and am still a crap guitarist. I took drum lessons when I was 14 and used to hack around on my Dad's piano when I was a kid. Never got into it really seriously even though I have been asked to join a band before (but that was because the lead singer liked my looks and personality and had never even heard me play bass) and also have been asked a couple of times to manage bands but opted not to. I used to have freinds in ther music industry so could have got into it if I really wanted to. I was even asked to be a concert photographer before and opted not to do that also.

I just came across an EMU midi controller but it only has 49 keys and I want 88 keys.

http://www.stevesmusic.com/index.php...roducts_id=240

 

[rmistry]

That 88ES looks nice. Not bad price either for a dedicated midi keyboard.

My question for the 0404 is does it support simultaneous multi-track recording? As in, can I connect a guitar (SG as well...absolutely beautiful), mic, keyboard and another input and record them simultaneously on Sonar? I'm not sure how much the USB 2.0 can handle in terms of music. Speedwise...it seems like it could support it. Yeah leaning very much towards the 0404 right now...pretty much just need this confirmation because thats one of the big reasons why i'd be getting it.

 

[rjp]

The 0404 is a two-channel interface; it will record (or play back) two channels simultaneously, and no more than that.

In a DAW, you could lay down two mono tracks (or one stereo track) at a time, then mix them down.

 

[rmistry]

So this is news then. Just to make sure I understand what you're saying...I cannot record

1) an s/pdif guitar input and a stereo keyboard input at the same time
2) an s/pdif guitar input and a mic while outputting sound to speakers

 

[rjp]

Argh... forgot about S/PDIF - it's always been completely off my radar, as I haven't had the occasion to use it.

If I had to guess, it would get mixed with the analog inputs, but I don't know that for sure. If it's the case, you'd get analog left + S/PDIF left and analog right + S/PDIF right as two channels going into the computer.

 

[rmistry]

Yeah I guess that woudl go on the list of things needed as well.

I just assumed that 4 in/4 out meant it could do 4 in simultaneously (2 analog stereo, spdif, midi or something like that). So now I guess the thing to look for is the number of channels supported?

For my setup...I would need 1 s/pdif IN, 1 analog mono, 1 midi, and 1 analog stereo simultaneously. So thats what...5 channels? I think.

 

[milkweg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rmistry /img/forum/go_quote.gif That 88ES looks nice. Not bad price either for a dedicated midi keyboard.

Yea, for the money it looks like a good choice but if I want one with a sampler storage bank and controllers for those different samples I need to consider spending $450.00 or more. I can get the 88ES at NCIX for $259.99 CAD which is a good buy so think I will just go for that.

You can record over spdif using AES mode I believe but you need the software than can access it. EMU 0404 comes with that software but the Proteus software crashed on me the very first time I opened it so need to go look for patches for all the software the EMU 0404 came with. I had never installed any of the software until jut a few days ago and I've owned the 0404 close to 2 years now.

 

[iGig]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rmistry /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yeah I guess that woudl go on the list of things needed as well. I just assumed that 4 in/4 out meant it could do 4 in simultaneously (2 analog stereo, spdif, midi or something like that). So now I guess the thing to look for is the number of channels supported? For my setup...I would need 1 s/pdif IN, 1 analog mono, 1 midi, and 1 analog stereo simultaneously. So thats what...5 channels? I think.

Go to the production forums I linked earlier, they have an 0404 and a Sonar subforum. I bet you’ll get your answer quickly and with certainty. I did a quick search for you but I got too many hits, and not wanting to take all the fun away from you I’ll just let you do your own search.

 

[rmistry]

Heh. No thats fine. I'm actually looking into one as well so please, continue. I'm trying to decide between a solely midi keyboard or one with midi functionality that can be used standalone as well.

 

[linuxworks]

before you run away yelling '0404 has usb clicks' (lol) try a live linux boot cd.

the 0404 is now supported, it seems! at least for playback. it appears as a usb-audio device (very easy) and I have been enjoying my 0404 with ubuntu linux on a VERY underpowered system (1ghz via epia!). no clicks, no distortion, just pure joy.

usb can work wonders. windows can ruin things, though. I had clicks and 'junk' on the SAME hardware but with win-xp instead. rats - xp just fights too much to get audio working as well as linux.

at any rate, 0404 is highly recommended. my main gripe is about it needing to power-cycle to auto-lock on spdif inputs when run standalone. if I have spdif from my stereo receiver and I want the 0404 to drive an analog-out from it, you have to power off/on the 0404 to get it to re-read the spdif and figure out if it should be 44, 48, 96 (etc). it won't auto-train to each new signal via spdif without a reset ;(

but driven from a computer with usb, its great. on linux, at least

 

[linuxworks]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rjp /img/forum/go_quote.gif The 0404 is a two-channel interface; it will record (or play back) two channels simultaneously, and no more than that.

are you SURE?

I thought that using asio, it had a true multichannel interface and all the inputs were accessible (in parallel). no?

I have yet to get asio in recording to work on xp as my recording programs don't USE asio and instead of having a proper MIXER (like m-audio does on their RME boxes) to assign virtual ins to real ins, they just make each input its own physical channel and if you can't ACCESS the high numbered channels (like me) then you are out of luck.

but with the 'proper' recording software, I thought you could access at least the 2 spdif ins and the 2 analog ins at once (??)

 

[rjp]

Quote:

Originally Posted by linuxworks /img/forum/go_quote.gif before you run away yelling '0404 has usb clicks' (lol) try a live linux boot cd. the 0404 is now supported, it seems! at least for playback. it appears as a usb-audio device (very easy) and I have been enjoying my 0404 with ubuntu linux on a VERY underpowered system (1ghz via epia!). no clicks, no distortion, just pure joy.

Hmmm... I should try this again. Last time I tried was with Hungry Hippo Hoary Hedgehog, and it didn't quite work. I should try plugging it into my recently-built server running Intrepid Ibex on a Core 2 Quad...

I had the USB problems on both an IBM ThinkPad (1.8 GHz P4, pre-Lenovo) and a Dell Inspiron (Core 2 Duo, I forget what speed). Both systems ran XP - Pro on the ThinkPad, MCE on the Inspiron.

 

[milkweg]

@iGig, a woman holding a bass guitar has a certain sex appeal. The bigger the bass the better.

If you are a woman then why do you have this on your personal info?

"Mainstream Consumer and Cheap person by trade."

I want 88 keys for the reason you mention. I aspire to playing Chopin too.

My SG is the same color as Angus Young's of AC/DC. Well, he uses more than one SG but he is mostly known for the mahogany one. Same as this except mine says Signature Series on the head and the one below says Epiphone, which is Gibson. Didn't know there was an Epiphone version of Gibson SG until now. I used to have Epiphone E335 but neck was too narrow for my big fat fingers. I think I would rather have Gibson Les Paul so I can pretend I am Marc Bolan instead of Angus Young.

Gibson - Gibson Guitar: Electric and Acoustic Guitars, Bass Guitars, Baldwin Pianos and

Music has been a part of my whole life because my father was a jazz nut so always had music in my life from day one. I was supposed to inherit my father's double bass but it got broken in a wind storm. Too big to carry about anyway.

My copy of Ableton Live unlocked fine and did it just a few days ago.

 

[Sherwood]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rmistry /img/forum/go_quote.gif For my setup...I would need 1 s/pdif IN, 1 analog mono, 1 midi, and 1 analog stereo simultaneously. So thats what...5 channels? I think.

If you need them simultaneously, then the 0404 is not for you. Technically, the S/PDIF is stereo (unless, I suppose, you run your guitar through a mono ADC, but you would be the first person I will ever have seen to do that) and you also want a stero TRS. That, with the midi and the analog mono, makes for 6 channels. So there's reason enough to bump up to the 1616.