How much drift are we talking here - samples, miliseconds, seconds?

I believe cheaper digital cables can cause problems, but you say you haven't noticed lock errors.

I would think it's down to sh*ty M-Audio sh*ty drivers and gawd help you there. Do you get the same errors using different driver models (ASIO, WMD etc). My old M-Audio Dio2448 used to work reliable under one driver type but produce errors similar to what you have described using another (can't remember which way round). And M-Audio don't support that card under XP (b*st*rds) so I can't test it (it plays back but the digi io doesn't funtion).

I spent six hours yesterday trying to resolve my sync problem. I installed Windows 2000 Service Pack 4 and the latest Delta drivers. This made absolutely no difference. I was able to determine that it was the digital signal that was slipping. The analog were fine. I tried every option or preference setting in the M-Audio Control Panel and Vegas that I could think of. Finally, just as I was about to give up, I turned off the Vegas option to show waveforms while recording. This fixed the problem! It seemed to good to be true. I went back and forth three or four times to replicate and verify. I'm not sure why this would solve the issue though. Maybe there's something about video resources or something. In any event, I think we've got it licked. Forward...

You should send this into Vegas as a bug report. It is never clear whether tech support reads these forums or not. You can email them using the Support button at the top of this page.

OK, it turns out it was a buggy version of Vegas (2.0h). (I know, I know, I should have upgraded years ago, but it's a lot of cake and I don't really need the video stuff.) The slip still happened with the wave forms off, it just took longer to show up. A friend confirms that he had exactly the same SPDIF slip using Vegas 2. So anyhow, I downloaded and installed Tracktion. It's rock solid and has an amazing UI and workflow. It's a truly innovative and groundbreaking product. I'm looking forward to finally tracking our record. yay.

I would try downloading and installing some new video card drivers. It doesn't sound like you're very good in the trouble shooting department, so I'll leave it at that. Hopefully, Tracktion has a nice user forum, you where made for each other.

What a jerk. I have the latest video drivers. Where were was your expert trouble-shooting advice when I was mucking around for weeks? What did I NOT do that you, in all your infinite wisdom, would have done? Beside upgrade to V4. Yeah, you're right, the Tracktion forum is much friendlier and helpful. So long a$$ wipe.

"What did I NOT do that you, in all your infinite wisdom, would have done?"

I would have went out and bought me a new pair of Flanneljammies, and lived happily ever after.

Then I might have confirmed that my video card and sound card where not sharing any IRQ's on my Win2k machine that automatically assigns everything to IRQ 9 with every other device. Then I would have made sure DMA was active on my hard drives. Then I would have gone to every hardware's website to see if their was any firmware or driver updates. Then I would have gone to my motherboards site and seen if there was any bios updates. The last thing I would have done in that whole process was changed software apps, because I know if digital and analog inputs are recording out of sync, that probably would have been fixed by a v2.0h release and if it hadn't, there would be a lot of posts in these forums when I did a "search" FIRST in these forums before posting my question, that I wasted a lot of time mucking around aimlessly. Oh, and BTW, my analog and digital inputs are not out of sync using Vegas 2.0h. But I'm sure you'll find out soon enough, that there are other issues on your PC, that will get exposed using Tracktion when you don't make sure it's properly configured for DAW use.

hugs and kisses,
red

>video card and sound card where not sharing any IRQ's on my Win2k machine that automatically assigns everything to IRQ 9 with every other device. Then I would have made sure DMA was active on my hard drives.
Done long ago when I set up my Audiophile. Confirmed when having problems.

>Then I would have gone to every hardware's website to see if their was any firmware or driver updates.
Done. Installed all applicable updates.

>Then I would have gone to my motherboards site and seen if there was any bios updates.
Done. None available.

>The last thing I would have done in that whole process was changed software apps, because I know if digital and analog inputs are recording out of sync, that probably would have been fixed by a v2.0h release
I WAS running V2.0h.

>and if it hadn't, there would be a lot of posts in these forums when I did a "search" FIRST in these forums before posting my question, that I wasted a lot of time mucking around aimlessly.
Searched forums exstensively. No information found.

>Oh, and BTW, my analog and digital inputs are not out of sync using Vegas 2.0h.
Good for you. I know at least one other person who had the EXACT same problem using V2.0h, that was solved by switching to Cubase.

>But I'm sure you'll find out soon enough, that there are other issues on your PC, that will get exposed using Tracktion when you don't make sure it's properly configured for DAW use.
Nope. Everything is working fine. As far as your advice about properly configuring a DAW, looks as though I was one step ahead of you all the way. Once again, thanks for nothing, you self-righteous jerk.

"Searched forums exstensively. No information found."

Hmmmmm, you obviously have problems using a search engine also then, because you would have found tons of posts with people having problems with m-audio audiophile sound cards. oh wise one.

Lots of posts on problems with m-audio cards? Yes. Issues with random SPDIF sync? No. (I just did another search on "SPDIF sync" and came up with nothing of relevance.) Look, I don't know what your problem is, but you came out of the gate bashing me AFTER I solved my own problem. I am not a recording or computer newbie and I have a pretty good understanding of digital audio and DAW tweaking. This was an odd problem. Vegas 2.0h seems to be the cause of it. Because I cannot currently afford, and don't need the functionality of, Vegas 4, I purchased Tracktion. End of story. BTW: I had absolutely no problems whatsoever tracking with Tracktion during a five-hour session last night.

Congratulations, I'm truly happy for you. I came out bashing, because you wrongfully came out bashing Vegas as the problem.

"So anyhow, I downloaded and installed Tracktion. It's rock solid and has an amazing UI and workflow. It's a truly innovative and groundbreaking product. I'm looking forward to finally tracking our record. yay."

So is Vegas A**hole. And you where able to determine all these things in the matter of one day of running Tracktion? Sorry, boy wonder you'll have to spend a few months with an app before you truly see all it's pitfalls. Until then, we could care less of what the amazing "innovative" and "groundbreaking" product you think it is. In what ways is it "Innovative"? In what ways is it "groundbreaking?" Vegas has the best UI and a great worflow, how is Tracktion better? Maybe you should compare Tracktion, to Veagas 4.0, or better yet 5.0 and tell us how "innovative" Tracktion is. I suppose when your reference point is older technology, then everything is "groundbreaking" in your eyes. You know Microsoft has a new
OS it's called "Windows", once you move from DOS, I'm sure you'll find it quite "innovative" and "groundbreaking". Get the point dumb a**?

"Lots of posts on problems with m-audio cards? Yes."

Exactly, with your own confessions. Big deal, if the symptoms are different. You're also running an older version of Vegas than everyone else is running with an M-audio card. My Echo Gina ran flawlessly with Vegas 2.0h, with dual Gina cards, therefore multiplE digital and analog inputs. ALL IN SYNC!!! So is Vegas the problem, or is it possibly more the M-audio cards that everyone seems to be having problems with? As I said, trouble shooting doesn't seem to be your specialty. Have you tried, a new soundcard? Slap in a more professional card like an RME, or Echo card next time, instead of blaming Vegas for your poor choice in soundcards.

I wasn't bashing Vegas. I concluded that with my setup, Vegas was the problem. A buddy of mine had exactly the same problem with 2.0h using an Echo Layla. I like Tracktion's workflow and UI better than Vegas (even V4). So what? You don't, no problem.

Menuless input assignment and FX insert and single-screen UI make Tracktion easier to use (FOR ME). I agree that until I found Tracktion, Vegas was the best. I sang its praises to everyone. Take a look at it and download the demo. I'm sure you won't switch, but you might admit that it's taken the Vegas UI to the next level. And yeah, next time I probablly will buy Echo instead of M-Audio, but for now it's working fine without Vegas. I still use Acid and have never had a problem.

BTW: I think you and I are a lot alike: strongly held opinions and intolerant of incompetence. Lets call a truce and have a beer together some day. Cheers.

"Menuless input assignment and FX insert and single-screen UI make Tracktion easier to use (FOR ME). "

Vegas already has these features, as of v3.0 I believe, it has had track inserts. That's the beauty of Vegas, you can make it "single-screen", or it also supports dual monitors, where you can easily undock tabs and drag them to a seperate monitor. All the windows are all customizable for size too. So, I guess Tracktion isn't so "groundbreaking" or "innovative", just stealing ideas from Vegas.