I had this similar problem on my 1394 drive when I was editing my 30 minute documentary... I had full tapes captured on the drive. I just purchased a new system and am optiing for the mobile HD racks:

http://www.startech.com/ststore/itemdetail.cfm?product_id=drw110ata&topbar=topbarp.htm

They seem to work great so far, and I can have an HD per client.

My only real issue with Vegas is this one. Where are the SoFo guys on this forum anyway these days. Haven't seen any official SoFo posts in over a week.

I saw a response to this topic from Dr Dropout on the DMN forum this morning. I'm sure he'll come around here soon enough.

I'll just keep saying it: Add an option to put *.sfk files onto an internal drive, away from the media files. Seems like a small thing but I think it might pan out.

Any reason why this can't be done (Besides a major code rewrite?)

Rob Mack

Rob, if you are right and the sfk's are the problem then your idea sounds great. What I find confusing about this issue is that many people I know who really do know what they are doing have not had the problem. Very strange.

Just out of curiosity, are you using either a USB mouse or keyboard? If so, you might want to get the old direct connect devices out of the closet, substitute them for the USB devices, and see if it makes a difference.

JackHughs

.sfk files....I highly doubt that is the issue.

I had a Maxtor 1394 drive hooked up awhile back. I froze up all the time, very much like some of you describe, had to ditch the thing. Same problems on every system I tried it on. Feels like the drive went to sleep right?

Late last year (pre-Vegas 4) I hooked up a Pyro 1394 drive kit with a (different) Maxtor IDE inside it, worked perfectly. I have a second such unit now, Maxtor inside, works flawlessly.

Anyway I assure you, 1394 drives can be used, lots of people doing it, but all 1394 drives (heck, 1394 devices in general) do not behave identically.

Is anybody here, who is freezing, using the ADS kit? If so, what drive is inside? What 1394 driver?

Nope. Doesn't feel like the drive went to sleep.

I've had performance problems with small files. Things really slow down. Big files are fine.

Just to be clear, I don't think SoFo is the source of the problem. I DO think you can be part of the solution. In the mean time I have to tell people to avoid 1394 drives for use with Vegas because it's a crap shoot.

I have three very different drives on three very different systems. I'm not going to experiment with new hardware when I know that none of the old stuff works. I'd rather spend money on something other than 1394 drives. Probably bays to stick into the 1394 enclosures and into the system chassis. Just swap the drives back and forth.

I can still use the drives for capture, storage, and playback from anything but Vegas. It's not a total loss.

How about an option to put the sfk files on an internal drive? (Yes, I must be getting annoying by now.)

Rob Mack

Good thought. I've left the shuttlepro at home today so I should try this out.

Rob Mack

Rob, let us know if that makes a difference---Sonic, all my drives are housed in ADS enclosures. Interesting point you made about some drives working and some not. What confuses me is if a particular drive doesn't work in Vegas, but works for every thing else, what the problem might be. Anyhow, thanks for everyone's input.

Sorry, no joy on the USB front. I have no USB devices connected and still get stalls.

Hitting F5 helped. It often does. After hitting F5 I've played through 4 clips totalling 4:04:26. No problem. I'm on my second loop now.

Rob

I don't have any USB devices either. I'm new to Vegas, but doesn't the F5/audio mute deal indicate an audio buffer issue? And isn't there a way to deal with that?

Pete,
F5 rebuilds peak files. That may not be the same as an audio buffer issue-I don't know. If I remember correctly, a peak file is used to draw the waveform in the audio track.

Muting the audio ought to remove the need to look at the peak file while playing.

Not displaying waveforms and thumbnails should also remove the need to access peak files.

I don't think that audio buffering is really the issue, even though it can have an effect on the total demands on the 1394 drive.

BTW, after hitting F5 I've been playing the same 4 minute loop of 4 clips for about a half hour. I haven't touched Vegas. Just working on other projects. No stalls.

That will go away, though.

Rob

Rob Mack - man on a 1394EEE mission! Will u b at the SoCal users group tomorrow nite?

I have since sold the ADS 1394 kit I had, BUT, I had one with a 80 GB Western Digital 7200 HD in it and it was giving me the same stutter problems described in this thread. I might add, this was happening in VV 3.0; I did not have it to test it in Vegas 4.

I'm in NoCal. It's a bit of a commute.

Rob

Hi, I also have the problem. Thought I had it licked back in 3.0c when working with clips on the timeline. But am working with a 20 GB file in the Trimmer (selecting clips and copying to the Timeline). It freezes so often it's a showstopper. Had to copy the file to the internal drive in order to get anything done.

I see the problem with my external FW drive connected to any of the following: 1) Laptop's built-in port, 2) SIIG 2-port Cardbus (VIA chip), 3) ADS Pyro Cardbus.


Here is my config: Dell Inspiron 8200 Notebook, 1.74 Ghz P4, 256K, 40 GB internal, 100 GB WD external in ADS FW enclosure. Windows XP Home. Vegas 4.0c


Regards,

Albert Shroyer

Uisng th oxford chip set the older/newer Maxtor drive were grief, using new 120GB IBM drive no problems.

> How about an option to put the sfk files on an internal drive?

If the media folder is write protected, Vegas will build SFK files elsewhere (it's either in the application temp directory, or the record path).

///d@

I don't have this problem, but am very curious why some of you do and will be following this thread in hopes of learning what you find to be the cause of the problem and what you do to cure it.

I do all of my capturing and playback on firewire drives - have four of them - three Maxtor 80 gig enclosures - and one Pyro ADS enclosure (soon to be two - my original ADS enclosure died, don't know why, but no drive would be recognized by the system - that unit was sent in for warranty service and ADS have notified me that it is fixed and being returned to me).

I recently got brave and opened up one of my Maxtor units to swap the drive. That, too, proved fairly simple, and the unit really isn't particular about what drive I install.

The only time I've experienced anything similar was back in the VV2x days - my system would freeze, not for half a minute, just for a second or two. Obviously, during Print To Tape, this would ruin my project - even if it occurred only once during the session.

Turned out to be a mouse driver that was periodically making hoggish demands on my system resources.

I removed the driver (Logitech, by the way), and went with the driver Widows 2000 supplied by default, and the problem was gone.

I am now running WinXPPro and never experience this problem - I use all its default drivers.

I'll be watching to see how this works out.

Good luck to you all.

Caruso

I've been plagued by this problem but may now be resolved!!

Received the December Firmware Update for the Oxford bridge from ADS Tech Support
and updated the firmware on my ADS Pyro external case (with WD 100 GB inside).

Immediately following the update I opened up a project with a 20 GB file in the Trimmer (the same file which kept continually locking up during playback) and it was smooth sailing. Bear in mind I didn't have but a short time to test this, but during that brief 10 - 15 minutes of my playing back this file at multiple speeds, etc. trying to get it to fail, it did not. Previously it has very quickly locked up in that amount of time.
I'll keep my fingers crossed this is a permanent fix but will test further and post if the issue shows up again.
One oddity was that the upoader program failed to detect the connected ADS drive case with either the ADS Pyro or SIIG cardbus cards I have. When I connected the drive directly to my laptop's built-in 4-pin port it detected the drive immediately.
Regards,
Albert

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.

How old is your enclosure?
Is the update available online?
Is it a firmware update?

Rob