docked iPad loses sync

[Fluddman]

For those using a docked iPad1, this problem seems to have become much worse than with MF 1.5.

I have iPad1 permanently docked, mostly for break music. I use an iPad2 to mix, partly because the display is faster (meters etc) and I also run Studio Six AudioTools with Smaart on the iPad2.

Diggo - does Smaart actually run on the Ipad itself? or does it actually run on a computer and is displayed on the ipad?

Cheers

[diggo]

It runs on the iPad as an inapp purchase for StudioSix AudioTools

[Fluddman]

Gee that's fabulous then - i wouldn't have thought and ipad would have the grunt to do it.

Must check it out. Thanks.

[Wynnd]

Just looked.  It's a $50 addon.  The standard RTA app probably will do everything I need.  (Though I own DOD RTA unit.) 

[Fluddman]

Yeah I just bought the basic audio tools and am pondering whether to spend the extra $50 on the smart module.

Nice app though!

[walterw]

doesn't SMAART really need two mics, or a mic and a PA line, to do its job?

i have the more basic studio six stuff like FFT; running that on my iphone while the ipad is used to mix is useful, as any feedback freq's get identified by the phone.

anyway, i just did my first show post-ios7/post-2.0, and it worked flawlessly! i hooked my ipad 3 into the mixer with the 2' cablejive, and it synced up just fine. (it even completed the firmware update through the cable!)

i was having weird sync/charge issues before, but i followed the tip i got here to top off the ipad to 100% ahead of time, so the battery charging wouldn't cause excess line noise down the cable.

it also stayed perfectly linked with our POS 2.4G belkin router when i yanked it off the cable to walk the room.

[nottooloud]

doesn't SMAART really need two mics, or a mic and a PA line, to do its job?

Studio Six only ported SMAART's Spectrum module, which only needs a single input. Rational's Transfer module code turned out not to be portable enough, so they rolled their own Transfer Function. It does, indeed, need two inputs. They sell hardware, too. Their SMAART Transfer module is great as inshow eye candy. I haven't bought their Transfer Function, as I already own SMAART 5 and SMAART 7.

[Jkowtko]

Back to the original post ... I am running two iPad 2s, one docked and one wireless, and an iPhone 4 MyFader.    With MF2.0 the docked iPad dropped the sync about once an hour on average.   I sit with the DL for recording headphones so I notice it.  But I keep the wireless iPad in my hands for controls.

The docked iPad loses sync periodically, and the wireless iPad and iPhone do not.

The docked iPad is recording ... so I don't know if a non-recording iPad will lose sync.

I've only noticed this is with MF 2.0.   I never noticed this with MF 1.x.

Thanks.  John

[nottooloud]

The docked iPad is recording ... so I don't know if a non-recording iPad will lose sync.

Yep. Not recording, dropped sync several times in the last hour.

[WK154]

After it drops sync does it reconnect or do you have to intervene? I've had mine running for about 23hrs. and off course it won't fail. Failed twice before in less than 6hrs. This test is on playback with no other communication (Ethernet) but with some load on the DSP. My indicator is battery charge, I'm not about to stare at it for any period of time. I'm about to propose an exorcism solution for the DL.
1. Threaten to sell it.
2. Put it under serious test mode. Of course this is what you bought it for. 
3. In case it doesn't fix the problem proceed to checkout and sell the D... thing.

[Jkowtko]

In my experience it reconnects immediately.  And so far it hasn't interrupted board operation or the recording to the iPad.  So it just seems to be the connection to the Master Fader UI app.   

Still, it's a bit scary to have that happen to you at all. 

For this gig I don't use the control surface on the docked iPad since I have my wireless iPad in hand ... but if I did it would be very disruptive.  For the next gig I will be using the docked iPad for controls.

[nottooloud]

After it drops sync does it reconnect or do you have to intervene?

Typical event is seconds long, auto-reconnects, doesn't interrupt audio. Eventually, though, it drops and doesn't come back. Sometimes takes days. Under test, though, I'm not having much luck. I set up an old iphone with a motion detection video app, and didn't catch anything in 2 days.

[WK154]

I had two of the "doesn't come back" events but now it's being stubborn. I believe that the 30 pin cable issue a while back may be at the root of this problem. It showed that the signal lines are marginal at best and shows up more frequently by adding a cable. Since Mackie is so generous with any technical details about this mixer  I can only guess. There are both USB like paths and a serial connection between the DL and the iPad. I suspect that all the commands are over the serial line and the data is going over the USB connection. This would explain Music playing but sync is lost and then restored without interrupting the USB Data stream. So my question is what is the sync function really for and how is it detected? Looks like the detection procedure needs to be scrutinized. Mackie send me the code!  My standard rates apply.

[Jkowtko]

I thought it might have had to do with the code refactoring they claim they did in MF 1.4 ... but that release didn't have a problem for me.  It's only 2.0 where I've seen this ... :|

I guess all we can do is voice our concerns loudly and clearly and assume Mackie is monitoring the forums.  They don't provide us with much direct feedback, but they have put features in the product releases based on what's been posted in these forums.  That at least is encouraging.

[Fluddman]

I've got to stop reading the posts here. I was thinking how lucky I was that my DL1608 hasn't missed a beat. Then, last night I started getting disconnects for the first time.

It happened when I was playing backing music from the iPad - Once the band starts I usually go to the music app and stop the track playing but last night I forgot and sure enough the docked iPad lost its sync. Happened at least three times and one time took a bit of fiddling around to get it to reconnect.

My second iPad, connected wirelessly, never had a problem.

Bugger!