What The Hell is Going on with the Octatrack!

Shoki · 2015-02-14T22:56:24.000Z

Why does it have to be the OT, always ? i had a similar problem some years ago with an imac, solved when i changed for a macbook …

m150 · 2015-02-14T23:02:00.000Z

Hi Guys,

sorry about the feelings on the screen ;).

This ist my second Machine … and the second Time with the same Problem.
And i have two Mac’s. A Mac Pro and a Macbook Pro.

One with Mountain Lion, and the other one with Mavericks.

Wich is you’re preferred CF?

mtinkerhess · 2015-02-14T23:31:24.000Z

I used to have a lot of trouble with USB mode – couldn’t write to the CF card from the computer. Then I reformatted the card, and I haven’t had any problems since then.

Ozone · 2015-02-14T23:37:24.000Z

Hey I have owned 2 octatracks, multiple cf cards and 2 macs for 3.5 yrs.
Was never able to get cf card to detect as a usb harddrive ever on usb mode.
But I do have a separate cf card reader that works perfectly. $10 or so off eBay. Try it.

Madchiller · 2015-02-14T23:47:51.000Z

OT, stock CF, Macbook Retina with yosemite. No problems here.

Shoki · 2015-02-14T23:52:59.000Z

I use a sandisk extreme 60mb/s 400x, pretty solid !

audiotonomy · 2015-02-15T00:22:41.000Z

I have problems unless I plug the usb from OT into my MacBook before turning on the OT, then it works fine

giftown · 2015-02-15T00:23:00.000Z

This weird thing happens in my studio where when the heating switches on my USB powered interface cuts out. Also if I have my Octatrack connected to my macbook via USB then my interface will send back sporadic noise through the unbalanced outputs.

So try a different USB wire, different plug, different room. I bought an external CF reader for cheap at Radio Shack, you can always just skip USB mode all together.

m150 · 2015-02-15T11:48:39.000Z

@ audiotonomy, i think that’s the solution!

i try this workflow, 4 times, no problems, anyway … i give a update =)

m150 · 2015-02-15T12:13:32.000Z

OK, NOW for the first Time in my Life with Elektron Gear, i can say it WORKS
perfect.
i can copy, paste, rename folders and files, no problems at all, since i work now with the workflow from audiotonomy!

why is in the manual under troubleshoot no description about that ??

anyway, i am happy … thanks a lot, guys!

reeloy · 2015-02-15T13:13:00.000Z

…
…that,s funny, because i really had a hard time with handling the ot in first place…and blamed it a lot and loud here, too…
and the only thing that alwyas worked straight away for me, was getting the ot on the desktop…

…at least with .mountain lion …no other os tested so far…

but i experienced quite some differences in proper behaviour depending on the use of different cf cards…

especially streaming issues…some cards would just make the ot stop playing at some point…stuff like that…

but all cards showed up in usb mode…

go to a photo pro shop and buy the most expensive hi end camera cf card you can find…
don’t go for huge ones…go for fast and small…16gigs is more than enough here…
always think in two identical cards…
use a proper usb cable…
and try again…

pretty sure, no swedish lies here…
if you dig for help, we need details instead of rants…

andreasroman · 2015-02-15T15:24:04.000Z

""audiotonomy"":

I have problems unless I plug the usb from OT into my MacBook before turning on the OT, then it works fine

Same here. It’s a 100% repro rate for me.

Took awhile before I figured it out. Didn’t think much of it, since these days, I don’t really think any transfer method is solid anymore. Bluetooth is shaky most of the time, WiFi is like a chaotic relationship going on and off, USB seems to have a book of dark secrets where specific combos of machines, cables and software just won’t work.

When modern technology leaves its comfort zone, it rarely works like it should. Seeing as I work with this kind of crap every day, I’ve seen it all, suffered it all, and condemned it all. Like we have police just because people keep breaking the law, and doctors because we keep getting sick, we have testers and engineers just because technology keeps fucking up.

robotunes · 2015-02-15T18:37:54.000Z

""m150"":

@ audiotonomy, i think that’s the solution!

i try this workflow, 4 times, no problems, anyway … i give a update =)

would be awesome if you edited your first post to include the answer to your problem. years from now, when people see this thread, they will know immediately how to solve their issue.

audiotonomy · 2015-02-15T18:50:40.000Z

Glad it worked dude! It’s scary when you’ve just bought an OT and you can’t get the samples across.

reeloy · 2015-02-15T21:37:59.000Z

…ooops…did a time warp again…

m150 · 2015-02-15T22:47:02.000Z

so, i think i put a link in the first question, than i think new people can come to here, visit this posting

sicijk · 2015-02-16T07:28:48.000Z

Coming to CF itself…OT is a €1k piece of gear.

Invest €120/150 on a good capable CF.

I bought a Lexar 700x 64GB.

I never physically unmount the card away from the Ot’s bay.

And loads faster

sicijk · 2015-02-16T07:31:24.000Z

""audiotonomy"":

I have problems unless I plug the usb from OT into my MacBook before turning on the OT, then it works fine

And I think I am experiencing the same (not have done my homework in this area so far)
But I feel it started to happen since the last or two OSupdates.
But never a bigger than this issue

cooptrol · 2015-02-17T06:15:45.000Z

My octa came with a perfectly functioning 32gb card. Maybe it’s new politics from elektron since this thread is old. Good god, I should have known when I entered the elektron world that I was going to be surrounded of Apple acolytes… The octa can be blamed for many things, but this time the problem is mac (no surprises here).

bkinsman · 2015-02-17T12:56:13.000Z

Just gonna throw my 2 cents in here (Apple Certified Technician & Technical Co-Ordinator. System, Network and Infrastructure Engineer) as i know a few things about computer troubleshooting…

Is the issue persistent after performing a Restart, SMC or PRAM reset of your mac, how about if you boot to the recovery partition or know good OS then open Disk Utility with the card and/or octatrack connected?
What happens you if you connect a different card to your mac or your card to a different computer, does it show up? This list could go on…

I know that troubleshooting an issue is a frustrating thing to do and that it’s easy to get pissed off and loose your cool…Try taking a step back, approach the problem in a methodical & logical manner.
Use the split half search method (google it…), making note of what action you performed and it’s outcome. Don’t just point a finger at something you think it could be when you haven’t taken the correct steps to isolate it…

If you are still convinced that it is the computer then take it to an Apple Store and yell at the poor muthafuckers behind the Genius Bar, they get paid to deal with dickheads…