Rayzoon Technologies LLC

[jas_lan]

I have moved this post from the Jamstix 3.1.3 Beta 2 thread to this, more appropriate, location...

After installing the 3.1.3 Beta 2, everything seemed to be working fine. I am using Cubase 5.5.2 on Vista x32. I had Jamstix configured with the "single output" and "Downmix" selected and was having no problems noted so far.

When I changed the configuration to 8 outputs, I started having a lot of problems. They started when I tried to "freeze" Jamstix. This caused a "Cubase has stopped working" crash. Reboot. I reopened the project file (still in single output configuration since I never saved it) and it seemed to be working fine. I switched to the 8 output configuration and immediately saved the project file. Shortly later, (while just listening to the song) Cubase crashed again. Reboot. The next time I tried to open the project file, I got a series of "EAccessViolation" errors in jamstix3.dll with various addresses. I went through about ten of these windows, clicking "OK" each time before Cubase froze up. Reboot. I tried a different project file with the single output configuration with no problems. When I switched it to the multiple output configuration, there were no problems right away but after a minute or two, I got the "Cubase has stopped working" crash again. Reboot. I tested out a couple other project files and reopened the projects that had already crashed (previously saved versions) and everything seemed to be working fine as long as they were in the single output configuration.

I went back to Jamstix 3.1.2. Everything has been working great since then (in "single output" and "8 outputs"). I use an M-Audio Fast Track Pro 4x4 and an M-Audio Axiom Pro 25 controller with the current drivers. I do get occasional crashes that I am fairly certain are related to these drivers but they are infrequent enough that I have just put up with them. These new crashes related to Jamstix 3.1.3 Beta 2 and multiple outputs are different but they could be related to problems with the audio drivers as well (although, as I described, there are no problems in "single output" mode).

I hope this information helps. If you can't replicate the crashes then I will write it off as a problem with my system (perhaps a good excuse to upgrade to a new machine, Windows 7, and Cubase 6!).

Sincerely,
Jason L

UPDATE #1:
I no longer believe the Cubase crashes related to the multiple outputs configuration is only related to the 3.1.3 Beta 2. I started having the same problem with 3.1.2. This time I was able to cure it by freezing a drum track that was using Halion as the VST instrument (I was in the process of replacing my old, boring drum track with Jamstix drums...) and unloading Halion. I don't believe it is just Halion causing the problem but perhaps Halion with a drum patch due to the large number of samples loaded. Jamstix uses a lot of sample memory too and the multiple outputs creates 7 more channels in the mixer. I think my performance meter still showed my RAM at 50% though so I am skeptical that memory shortage is the problem. I think I am going to go back to 3.1.3 Beta 2 now and give it another try. Of course, if I can pinpoint the problem and find that it is not related to 3.1.3 Beta 2 then I will post it in the support forum outside of this thread.

UPDATE #2:
I have made significant progress on the problem of "Cubase has stopped working" crashes when using multiple outputs from Jamstix. As stated in my first update, the problem does not only happen in Jamstix 3.1.3 Beta 2 (it also happens in Jamstix 3.1.2) but it did occur much more frequently in the Beta. Two things I have done have helped quite a lot. At Mr. Zeuner's advice, I installed the "ASIO4ALL" free ASIO driver. This did not cure the crashes but now, when Cubase crashes, it seems to release the sound driver automatically or I am able to end the process with Task Manager. This allows me to restart Cubase immediately, usually with success. I rarely have to reboot when the crashes happen now. I have also done a full defragmentation of the hard drive after removing some unnecessary software. Now, the crashes happen about 10% of the time and, so far, only while opening the project. It seems most likely to happen when switching from one large project with multiple Jamstix outputs to another large project with multiple Jamstix outputs, especially on projects with a lot of recorded audio (Cubase looking for the fragmented files all over the hard drive?).

I hope this helps someone!

[Sherz]

I'm running a very similar system to you: Win7, Cubase 5.5.2, M-Audio hardware, latest JS3 beta etc. I experience similar problems to you, which occur quite regularly. I haven't tried ASIO4ALL - but that at least sounds worth pursuing even if it's just so I can get Cubase back up and running quickly. As it is at the moment after a crash Cubase remains active in Task Manager for quite some time and therefore doesn't release the driver. Very annoying!

And I now have a new issue: a complete loss of output from JS. It appears to be totally brain dead in this one project. It's happened occasionally in the past but audio output usually comes back after some fiddling, or a restart.... but not on this particular project, a clients project no less! - it simply will not work. I can manually hit an element in kit in JS's interface and get sound but it just won't playback the song. Tried unloading/reloading etc etc... nothing seems to work.

I'm now trying it under Cubase 32-bit (so as to avoid any possible issues with VST Bridge which do occur from time to time with the 64-bit version, but sadly, still silence from JS.