Serious Warning From Windows Users on 8.03
Saturday, March 13, 2010 at 12:46PM | Email Article I'm getting emails reporting a serious issue with PT LE 8.03 for Windows, where loud blasts of white noise are intermittently appearing in Pro Tools sessions.
Users have reported speaker damage and also concern for the hearing of those who have had this through their headphones.
AVID are yet to comment officially on the reports, however our advice is roll back to 8.01 until AVID make a categorical assurance that this issue is cleared up. Some forum users are seeking compensation for their speaker damage, although the chance of that happening is unlikely as AVID would have protected them self from these kind of claims within the licence agreement. Again, this is not about doing the legally correct thing, but if there is even the smallest chance of damaging hearing, then any responsible vendor would pull the release until this was dealt with through a duty of care.
Software bugs which cause crashes are annoying, but this issue, if found to be true, has the potential to damage speakers and hearing, let alone AVID's reputation.
Russ
From feedback both here and in other forums it would appear to be the case that this issue is not only limited to Windows versions of Pro Tools LE.
The overwhelming advice from many users is to stick with 8.01 until this issue is resolved.
Reader Comments (16)
Russ,
I installed 8.03 a while back on Windows XP SP3, I couldn't get the simplest session to play without falling over, and yes, the white noise issue also appeared. I went back to 8.01 and have been waiting to see if something new would appear. I con confirm this is a major issue that needs to be addressed by AVID.
RAS
Not that I'm defending Avid here, but I believe 8.03 is still considered a beta version.
@Bill using 8.0.3 on W7 is considered a BETA but on XP it is promoted as a stable release.
As said 8.0.3 is a Beta release for Windows.
There's absolutely no discrimination between XP and Windows 7 on the main 8.0.3 page
(the link from the digi homepage). So i'm afraid that people with damaged speaker/hearing won't stand a chance with their claims.
This is one of the reasons i never use Beta versions for something so crucial as DAW software as i prefer to keep my monitors and ears intact.
As a matter of fact I don't believe in Beta releases at all. Hardware and software should be released when tested to the max by the developer on as many systems as possible. Have you ever heard of a Beta released Airplane, Car or Train. If we knew they existed we wouldn't hop on any of them. Not even for all the money in the world. When i get on a plane i convince myself it's a 3.0 release. There's probably no way to check but ignorance is bliss ;-)
@bortraws As I stated before "using 8.0.3 on W7 is considered a BETA but on XP it is promoted as a stable release."
Follow this link before you decide to spew more misinformation.
Pro Tools 8.0.3 Updates for Mac & Windows Now Available
http://duc.digidesign.com/showthread.php?t=261761
The AVID 8.0.3 page is a for sales and marketing. To get one sucked in. It does not tell the whole story. The white noise event happened to me on a fully supported XP Pro setup.
That used to happen a lot with me, after the program crash, I would press play and big white noises appeared... . So I had to do a downgrade to 8.1 again, much more stable.
This happened to me when 8.0.3 first came out in Decmber (I'm using M-Powered) and I had to revert back to 8.0.1. Same thing happened AGAIN in February when I decicded to give 8.0.3 another shot. Whats the deal?? This is SO DISAPPOINTING! I cannot believe Avid has not done something about this yet!!!!!!!
I want to share something. My M-Powered rig on a Imac have also burst white-noise sometimes!!! Osx 10.5.8 + PT M-pow 8.0.3 cs3.
So it don't happen to windows users only. I ditch already the pref-files of protools and didn't help much it came back quickly...
I should note that I use Windows XP Service Pack 3 and I update my drivers ALL THE TIME. The white noise only happens with audio tracks. I could have an entire session with midi or instrument tracks and it wouldnt happen. Avid, DO SOMETHING!
@Philip Sapp
You are right and i apologize. By the looks of it 8.0.3 officially IS supported on XP even though it damages people's speakers and ears with random White Noise.
Doesn't change the way i feel about Beta software though.
I think it is still some good advice for Windows 7 users.
I sure hope Digi makes a mighty comeback with proper fixes, good IEP pricing schemes for everyone and hopefully a PT update with all the stuff that users are longing for. Just so the negative talk everywhere can turn into praise and happiness again.
8.0.3 on Windows XP is NOT a beta. It's an OFFICIAL RELEASE. Only Windows 7 on 8.0.3 is public beta:
http://www.digidesign.com/index.cfm?navid=54&itemid=40359&langid=1
White noise bursts have been in official releases as far back as 2002 when the original Mbox appeared on the scene. It has plagued many systems including HD, LE and M-powered on both Mac and PC. There have been posts over the years on the DUC by Digidesign saying that they have reproduced it in house. Countless threads over the years have been created regarding this long standing and extremely dangerous issue and bug. The most current one is here:
http://duc.digidesign.com/showthread.php?t=269242
Another appeared here with the official release of 8.0.3 and hearing damage was a big concern including a warning issued by the user:
http://duc.digidesign.com/showthread.php?t=264148
Another long winded thread from 2007 is here:
http://duc.digidesign.com/showthread.php?t=211626
A quick search will reveal thousands of posts with urgent requests for Avid Audio to sort this out. Many users even issued warnings as this could cause serious hearing damage:
http://duc.digidesign.com/showthread.php?t=231010&highlight=white+noise
http://duc.digidesign.com/showthread.php?t=244093&highlight=white+noise
http://duc.digidesign.com/showthread.php?t=240150&highlight=white+noise
http://duc.digidesign.com/showthread.php?t=252272&highlight=white+noise
http://duc.digidesign.com/showthread.php?t=251679&highlight=white+noise
http://duc.digidesign.com/showthread.php?t=227094&highlight=white+noise
http://duc.digidesign.com/showthread.php?t=255301&highlight=white+noise
http://duc.digidesign.com/showthread.php?t=220767&highlight=white+noise
http://duc.digidesign.com/showthread.php?t=215583&highlight=white+noise
http://duc.digidesign.com/showthread.php?t=211603&highlight=white+noise
The above list goes on and on and goes back several years. When you are putting people's ears at risk, this bug must be TOP priority for a fix without any question whatsoever.
One user was recording an entire Choir last week and all the singers where using headphones. The white noise bursts where a big issue and really affected the entire session. Another user had his client yell at him which ruined the entire session. These are EXTREMELY DANGEROUS situations that are putting people at risk.
I highly advise all PC users to use 7.4 or 8.0.1cs1 and DO NOT pay for anymore upgrades until these long standing and extremely dangerous bugs are resolved. I have very little hope left with the survival of Pro Tools and Avid Audio. It was an amazing system back in the day, but nothing but problems in recent times which just seem to be getting worse.
I have been using 8.0.3 since it came out on XP Pro service pack 3. I haven't had any of these issues that's been mentioned. Not to say that it won't happen to me, I really hope it doesn't. I uprgraded to 8 from 7.4 and was having all kinds of glitches and bugs on the GUI so i updated to 8.0.3 and it fixed everything for me. I use the Profire 2626. I've ran big sessions with nothing but audio tracks and sessions with both audio and midi and still have not came up with the white noise issue. I guess I'm lucky. I absolutely agree that this needs to be taken care of and AVID should really do something ASAP. I've even seen this at the DUC about PTHD. So It's not just the low end systems. Maybe its the recording industry trying to get back at the small studios because they're losing business..... :)
i used pt803cs1 with digi 003 and xpsp3 core 2 duo - in beginning sometime come out with sparkling but now evetything goes find - before i always feel sound not right - i mean detailed on hf but now ok - with digi 003 for reaper and pt now sound almost same - before reaper more detailed and had dimension - so what happend then
Hi Russ, I think the major issue people have is with Windows 7 (particually 64 bit). The audio that comes out of the mobox - both from pro tools and WDM in windows, sounds like its routed through Darth Vaders mask first. Took Avid months to admit the bugs in the drivers as well. ;___;
Running 8.0.3 M-Powered w/ a PMIO on Win7 x64, and fortunately I have not had the sudden white noise issue so far. I have, however, experienced a few subtle (almost "quiet") cracks/pops randomly during takes. It's infrequent enough that I can get a good take and miss the behavior, but it's really odd and I never had this on 8.0.1.
Shane is nothing but a drama queen. Saying he will sue Avid is just ignorant. Apparently he cant read, but glance over the Terms when you install any version of Pro Tools and you will see Avid cannot be held liable.
Iv been running 8.0.3 since the day it came out with absolutely NO problems. Alot of the problems people get is they are trying to run NEW software on a 10 year old OS, upgrade to Windows 7 and get back to work. If you cant get 8.0.3 to run just as stable with the same performance as 7.4 in XP then you dont know what you are doing and dont deserve to use this great program. Alot of the problems are from guys who are stuck in the past and dont know how to setup PT 8.0.3 correct.
This post probably wont get posted because of the "good ole boy" system employed by people on the DUC and other sites, but what ever, if you really want to get your info from a group of guys that want to deny progress and stick with the old XP OS, then go ahead, I'll be here actually working in PT 8.0.3 and making bucks, not whining about how great the good old days were working in Sound Tools and Tape machines.