IEEE 1394a/b bus controller for XP SP3 that works as well as XP SP1

TheRealRoach · 02-24-2009, 08:10 PM

My current configuration:

MB: nvidia nForce 780i SLI (bios version 2.053.E6)
RAM: 2 x 2gig SuperTalent DDR2-800 PC6400 blue
Video: PNY 9400 GT (IRQ 16)
CPU: Intel Core2 Q9300 (4x2.50GHz)
OS: Windows XP Pro SP3 32bit
Other: SIIG Firewire 400 PCI (NN-440012-S8)
PSU: Cooler Master 650W 80 Plus
HD: 1x140 gig Seagate SATA, 1x500 gig Seagate SATA
Audio: Two daisy-chained MOTU firewire 896mk1

I am in need of IEEE 1394a/b bus controller for my XP SP3 system to replace the terrible windows drivers. Here is a brief run-down of the MOTU/Windows SP2, SP3 and Vista trauma.

MOTU FW Audio worked great under XP SP1, flawless I would say. SP2 it was broken for many users: sync issues with multiple MOTUs, audio drop outs, stutters, squeals... and these problems get worse as your lower your sample buffer size. SP3 was the same thing, Vista is the same thing. Drivers 3.6.7.x seem to be favorites for those in XP, while drivers 3.6.8.x seem to work better for Vista because of the new windows RT support (which is similar in nature to OSX's core-audio. The new 3.6.8.x can mess things up for 828mk1, 896mk1 users though). Running a pair of identical MOTU FW units is the best barometer for measuring FW stability. On system idle - with no DAW loaded - the sample clock LEDs should be locked and solid on the same rate. They should NEVER blink (and it's worth noting that they will hold for up to 30 seconds or more and then blink a couple of times as they fall out of sync).

One workaround that seems to work for many users under the XP platform is to replace the ohci1394.sys and 1384bus.sys files from SP2 with the versions from SP1. The main problem with the SP2 drivers being that Windows crippled FW performance down to 100mbps. A patch was provided that subsequently required registry editing SidSpeed values to SidSpeed value #3. This combination of replacing Windows SP2 FW bus controller drivers with those from SP1, in conjunction with manually editing the registry to allow for full bandwidth 1394/firewire was the fix.

Along comes SP3 now and unfortunately the above fix does not work as predictably and success is not as repeatable (trust me I've been pulling my hair out for the past few days). The problem is that upon SP3 Windows said that any previous 1394 issues were automatically included as part of this service pack upgrade. Then came a press release saying that they had actually broken it again, and apparently in a different way. They provided a patch however it doesn't fully resolve the issue.

So here I am looking for a third party developer that has written a 1394a/b driver that actually works as well as XP SP1. I came across UniBrain who developed "UbCore" which is a collection of 1394 bus controller drivers for XP and Vista that do just that. However when installed my system does not correctly identify my FW Audio hardware (but it does load the FW hard drive no problem). I contacted Unibrain's support and they replied back that they don't support any pro audio, only Firewire IIDC cameras and external firewire SBP2 disks. Is there anyway to force the system, with these UbCore drivers to recognize the MOTU hardware? Why wouldn't they be seeing them correctly? And finally, if there is no hope for the UniBrain drivers, are there any other third-party drivers available that work better as 1394a/b bus controller.

02-24-2009, 08:10 PM	#1 (permalink)
TheRealRoach Registered User Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 17 OS: Windows XP Pro, SP3	IEEE 1394a/b bus controller for XP SP3 that works as well as XP SP1 My current configuration: MB: nvidia nForce 780i SLI (bios version 2.053.E6) RAM: 2 x 2gig SuperTalent DDR2-800 PC6400 blue Video: PNY 9400 GT (IRQ 16) CPU: Intel Core2 Q9300 (4x2.50GHz) OS: Windows XP Pro SP3 32bit Other: SIIG Firewire 400 PCI (NN-440012-S8) PSU: Cooler Master 650W 80 Plus HD: 1x140 gig Seagate SATA, 1x500 gig Seagate SATA Audio: Two daisy-chained MOTU firewire 896mk1 I am in need of IEEE 1394a/b bus controller for my XP SP3 system to replace the terrible windows drivers. Here is a brief run-down of the MOTU/Windows SP2, SP3 and Vista trauma. MOTU FW Audio worked great under XP SP1, flawless I would say. SP2 it was broken for many users: sync issues with multiple MOTUs, audio drop outs, stutters, squeals... and these problems get worse as your lower your sample buffer size. SP3 was the same thing, Vista is the same thing. Drivers 3.6.7.x seem to be favorites for those in XP, while drivers 3.6.8.x seem to work better for Vista because of the new windows RT support (which is similar in nature to OSX's core-audio. The new 3.6.8.x can mess things up for 828mk1, 896mk1 users though). Running a pair of identical MOTU FW units is the best barometer for measuring FW stability. On system idle - with no DAW loaded - the sample clock LEDs should be locked and solid on the same rate. They should NEVER blink (and it's worth noting that they will hold for up to 30 seconds or more and then blink a couple of times as they fall out of sync). One workaround that seems to work for many users under the XP platform is to replace the ohci1394.sys and 1384bus.sys files from SP2 with the versions from SP1. The main problem with the SP2 drivers being that Windows crippled FW performance down to 100mbps. A patch was provided that subsequently required registry editing SidSpeed values to SidSpeed value #3. This combination of replacing Windows SP2 FW bus controller drivers with those from SP1, in conjunction with manually editing the registry to allow for full bandwidth 1394/firewire was the fix. Along comes SP3 now and unfortunately the above fix does not work as predictably and success is not as repeatable (trust me I've been pulling my hair out for the past few days). The problem is that upon SP3 Windows said that any previous 1394 issues were automatically included as part of this service pack upgrade. Then came a press release saying that they had actually broken it again, and apparently in a different way. They provided a patch however it doesn't fully resolve the issue. So here I am looking for a third party developer that has written a 1394a/b driver that actually works as well as XP SP1. I came across UniBrain who developed "UbCore" which is a collection of 1394 bus controller drivers for XP and Vista that do just that. However when installed my system does not correctly identify my FW Audio hardware (but it does load the FW hard drive no problem). I contacted Unibrain's support and they replied back that they don't support any pro audio, only Firewire IIDC cameras and external firewire SBP2 disks. Is there anyway to force the system, with these UbCore drivers to recognize the MOTU hardware? Why wouldn't they be seeing them correctly? And finally, if there is no hope for the UniBrain drivers, are there any other third-party drivers available that work better as 1394a/b bus controller.