Hi Bryan, I appreciate the good info and appologize if i sounded short in my frustration with this Fast Track Ultra. I am obviously missing something if what I'm understanding you say is true, but seems like there is much more in fast track ultra that I'm not able to get to besides buffer size. isn't the software where i'd go to assign to specific tracks etc. it appears as though certain channels are not checked or something and I'm unable to read any of that info. is this something that i should be able to read with jaws from your experience or not? I do understand that it is a good quality unit for the price and not complaining as far as that goes. Do you know off hand if my adk computer is setup with firewire or not. Don't know what a firewire connection looks like to know if i have one or not and if so, what particular type your company would have had installed. You are right in that i would not necessarily want to spend a bunch more money but am willing to go more expensive to get something more accessable than what i'm currently experiencing. You are right, that noisey inputs would not be good and would best to avoid. Could either go for a more expensive yet accessable usb unit, or perhaps a firewire if you can think of any that would be easier to access. As i say, its possible that this fast track is more accessable than I realize and I'm just doing sometihng wrong, but jaws doesn't appear to read much in its software at all. Have you or others you know currently using this unit and if so, are they able to use its software to assign channels to certain tracks? hopefully this question makes since. Am mainly interested for the instance where may wish to record more than one person at same time, and as far as i know, would usually do this in its software unless i'm way off; which could be admittedly. If it turns out that would need sighted help to makes these changes etc, then I would definitely be interested in antoher unit, even if more expensive, in order to be able to take full advantage of it. So far, been just recording one track at a time and where its doing the trick, have a feeling would not be good if trying to record a band. Any suggestions will be very appreciated. Again sorry if this is such a novice question that it comes off really stupid. Never used firewire so just don't know if this computer has it or not. Would think so since kind of the state of the art system from you all at the time. Thanks in advance, Dave ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bryan Smart" <bryansmart@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <ddots-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Monday, August 09, 2010 12:27 PM Subject: [ddots-l] Re: m-audio fast track ultra softwareDave, there are some Firewire interfaces that are reasonably accessible, but you must have Firewire support on your computer, and the Firewire controller must be produced by a specific manufacturer, or you're likely to have problems. It is very difficult to promise to people that these interfaces will work if they're using them on a computer that they already own.
Some USB interfaces are accessible, also. However, while their control panels are accessible, I've found that most of them are are also lacking in major areas that aren't acceptable to me.
For example, Tascam sells some USB interfaces with completely accessible control panel software. However, the drivers for those interfaces are terrible. One major problem is that it is next to impossible to use projects with different sample rates with one of these interfaces. They absolutely hate switching sample rates, and you must often reboot to make the change. This isn't acceptable to me, as, if your interface isn't stable, then all of the quality and accessibility in the world doesn't do you any good. I'd feel embarrassed suggesting such a device to you, and having you call me to explain why it stops working after you switch between certain Sonar projects.
The Cakewalk interfaces have reasonably accessible control panel software, and stable drivers, but the quality of the inputs is poor. We never expect inexpensive interfaces to have pristine inputs, but the Cakewalk interfaces have the frustrating tendency to pick up on bus noise from your computer. That isn't acceptable to me, as that compromises the quality of every recording that you make.
Compromising performance or stability isn't acceptable for me. Accessibility of the control panel is important, of course, but the only major setting in there, the buffer size, has to be set once when you setup your computer. Getting access to that at the cost of something that will hurt you on a daily basis isn't a good trade.
If you want something that is both high quality and accessible, there are options, but they will either cost you in terms of money or setup complexity. Most people that I speak with, that have a casual interest in recording, are unwilling to spend more than about $200 - $300, and don't have patience for a lot of technical hassles. That's why I suggest the FastTrack, at the moment.
Bryan -----Original Message-----From: ddots-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:ddots-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Dave Hillebrandt
Sent: Sunday, August 08, 2010 8:18 AM To: ddots-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [ddots-l] Re: m-audio fast track ultra softwareHi Tom, Thanks for response. Well, I had normally used Windoweyes til getting into the pc recording game so not sure if its something that i'm not doing correctly with jaws or if simply not accessable. have a feeling its the software but couldn't say for sure and very few replies yet. one thing i know for sure, most likely they sent you a crummy driver with your unit so will have to go to their web site and download most current version anyway. Forget what it tells me when I install the original disk, but something to the effect that this software will not load on my computer and to go to the m-audio web page to get most current driver. i did this with no problem and installed. Even with the install it will tell you that this software did not pass microsoft tests and asks if you want to install anyway and you choose yes. At least if go to their web site, you won't have to open their driver disks. One of them is just for the free program of Appleton which is not really useful as far as i can tell; some sort of cheep recording software. hope you have good luck and then in return can tell me what you find out about their software. like i say, its a pretty good unit for the price; very low noise and not bad in latency department, but so far do not know how to use that dern software. Even though its primary interface that dancing dots sells, have found nobody replying who uses it and nobody from dancing dots commenting on any way to use it so either they've never tried to use it or they have with no luck. If they knew it was not accessable, would have been real nice if they mentioned it ahead of time so would have bought something else from another company. May go up to local music store and try something else. Wish i knew more people using interfaces like this locally that i could compare to. This way could at least borrow the software to see if it is useable. Will be very anxious to hear what you find. let me know if anything I can do to help you out. Am very new to pc recording and as i say, new to jaws too really, but have a feeling its the software. Really bugs me too that they can't pack a somewhat up to date driver with it too, as the one on their web page is not especially new, but much newer than one they pack that can't be used at all. Please keep in touch. you will like this interface, especially if you can get all of its functions working. Who knows, maybe everyone has to come up with work arounds. You are first to contact me who actually has this unit and yet even you haven't tried yet so odd that more people on dancing dots list don't use this. Oh well, we will see soon I guess. Take care, Dave
----- Original Message ----- From: Tom De Rosa <mailto:TDEROSA1@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: ddots-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Sent: Sunday, August 08, 2010 1:22 AM Subject: [ddots-l] Re: m-audio fast track ultra softwareHey Dave, I just bought the same interface and haven't yet tried to connect ot my lap top. I had no idea that reading the software would be a problem. I am glad you posted this message. I hope you get some advice it will certainly be helpfull to me. If it's not accessible I can return it if I don't open the discs to download the drivers.
Thanks tom Tom DeRosa URL www.myspace.com/tder08----- Original Message ----- From: Dave Hillebrandt <mailto:dave@xxxxxxxx>
To: ddots-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Sent: Saturday, August 07, 2010 1:21 PM Subject: [ddots-l] m-audio fast track ultra software Hello Friends,Would like to get some suggestions on interfaces that have easily accessable software. i have the m-audio fast track ultra and have not had any luck being able to access its software in order to route signal paths. i know that if i want to record a few people at the same time on different tracks, there should be a way to route them on this software but do not see how it would be done when using jaws. If anyone has this interface and have luck using it, perhaps you can contact me off list so as to not bore others. i like the interface very much as far as being small and having very low noise but don't know what is required to read its software. Willing to buy a different interface from another company if easier to use their software or does everything onboard the unit. any ideas. Thanks much. Very much a novice and still trying to learn so could have overlooked something but don't know where to start. Right now can only use one input at a time cause can't read the software. Dave
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