Jan 05, 2008 02:43 pm Neither my M-Audio UNO midi interface or GR2 pedal (which has a USB audio interface, or WD external USB drive use any CPU while idle.
Could be it's loading software in the background to support it.
Dan
USB Interfaces suck Processors?
Posted on Jan 05, 2008 02:33 pm
Keith Warren
Mans reach exceeds his grasp
Member Since: Oct 23, 2007
I'm not sure if all USB interfaces are like mine, but I was monitoring my computer to see if I've managed to slow it down any and noticed that the CPU usage hovers at about 20% when my Tascam US-144 is plugged in, but when removed drops to zero. Do other USB interfaces have this problem too, and if so, why?
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Jan 05, 2008 02:43 pm Neither my M-Audio UNO midi interface or GR2 pedal (which has a USB audio interface, or WD external USB drive use any CPU while idle.
Could be it's loading software in the background to support it.
Dan
Jan 05, 2008 03:17 pm I don't think any other UDB Interface does this to be honest. It's really got me scratching my head!
Here's a screenshot of the task manager:
note that even though the system idle process is using 99%, the CPU usage at the bottom says there's 18-21% going somewhere else. Is there any way I can see what background process are running and eating that 18-21%?
Jan 05, 2008 03:33 pm You can try clicking on the Show Processes From All Users check box and see if it shows up. You could also use System Info to see what processes are being loaded though there is no monitoring in real time.
Dan
Jan 05, 2008 04:45 pm I checked the "Show Processes from All Users" and there's no change to the list. I also tried looking through Services, as well as component services and everything seems to be in order, no services I can see either of those places that I don't recognize; most of them are (disabled anyway) Any other way I can back-door this and see whats going on?
Jan 05, 2008 11:59 pm I have to agree with OD on this. I have several USB devices running including midi interface and either my PODxt on one PC and the UX-2 on another and I don't suffer any system usage spike like that at all. I have external USB hubs, burners and a printer/scanner/copier on my old PC as well as the PODxt and it does nothing to the system at all. I wonder if Tascam does have something running invisible in the background that isn't showing up?
Oh ya, and on the main studio PC I run external HD on USB as well and its always on and never sucking any CPU cycles.
Jan 06, 2008 03:04 am I'm really confused now. I spent the five bucks to get on the Tascam Forum and nobody on there has any idea what I'm talking about. Maybe I got a bad box with an internal firmware loading issue that keeps a load cycle in cue? I mean, I'm down to looking at stupid, retardo problems now. I NEED that extra 20% CPU. That's why I bought the parts and built the 1000$ PC in the first place- because my laptop had piss-poor processor response and ram availability. Also, on a side note, I forbid anyone on this site from using GigaStudio. I sprang for the full version and it NEVER installs right. I thought it would be a one up on Dimension Pro and I could return that, since I'm in the 60 day still and not entirely happy with it, but GigaStudio is the most HORRIBLE program I've ever installed on a computer in my life... and I've installed Windows ME... GS beats Windows ME on the suck scale. DAYUM.
Jan 06, 2008 01:09 pm Do you have any other USB devices you could plug in to see if they do it as well? Or plug it in to a friends PC and see if it does the same thing.
If it's a firmware problem check Tascams site to see if they have an update. Try different UBS ports as well it could just be a bad hub.
You can uninstall the USB port drivers in device manager then Scan for New Hardware and Windows will reinstall it to see if that cures the problem.
Dan
Jan 06, 2008 06:59 pm It appears as though there was a firmware and driver update for the unit.
www.tascam.com/details;8,15,70,19.html
Not sure if that will help but it is worth a shot for sure.
Firmware updates usually cure major problems such as this. The page is loaded with a ton of update and info on the updates.
Jan 10, 2008 09:16 pm Yeah, the first thing I did when I got the Tascam was get the updated firmware and driver. I'm beginning to wonder about this thing- it clicks and pops while I'm recording sometimes and it's destructive clicks and pops. It's just such a hog. In the firmware there's an option for latency, and if I choose most latency it only takes about 5-7% from the CPU, but leaves me with about a 1 second delay. The lowest I can have it on is low latency, which leaves me at a respectable 6 ms, but still eats the CPU. 0 Latency my ***... only if you have a superman computer.
Jan 12, 2008 01:12 am Keith, try switching that Sample Clock Source to Internal, which will force it to use internal all the time. Sometimes when some interfaces are set to automatic they mess up and kick the clock in and out a couple of times which can cause some issues as well.
As for the 0 latency thing. They and other interface makers fool the buyer by saying that. If you read the fine print part of it it is actually 0 latency monitoring. Which is monitoring through their internal circuit, not through the application. I hate when they do that. I never monitor that way at all.
Jan 12, 2008 02:58 am I switched it to internal, and there's no more of the occasional click or pop so far (3 hours.) I didn't know there was another update for Sonar. I havn't been checking my e-mail lately, but checked for your message and downloaded it then. As for the 0 latency thing, I've always known the trickery they employ, but I half expected this thing to do a little bit better than it is, but 6ms is about as good as it gets anyway, so I'm not really complaining, just venting the fact that it eats my CPU to death.
I'm just waiting on Tascam support to send an e-mail back to me. Maybe one of these days it'll happen.
Jan 12, 2008 07:06 pm Ya, Tascam support is not known for being there when you really need them.
Jan 14, 2008 06:26 pm I actually got a call from Tascam support today... it was meaningless, but still, they made contact!!!
They said, and I quote, "We've never heard of this issue before. Please allow us about a week to ask the design and testing engineers if they ran across this problem during development."
Translation: "Bull**** bull**** bull****, we already have your money, bull**** bull**** we'll never contact you again bull**** bull****." That sounds about right, right?
Jan 14, 2008 09:37 pm Ouch. I guess maybe dreams can come true.
But I wouldn't hold my breath either on that one.
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