US-122 MKII metallic screeching noises start up (cyloning)

[jroswald]

I operate my US-122L on a Windows 8.1 system and I have also used it on Windows 7 on another computer. I always have the same problem, after a while a cyclical metallic distortion starts up and the only way to stop it is to unplug the USB and replug it. I have searched about this problem and found that plenty of other people suffer from it too, I think it has even been termed "cyloning" by some creative individual, but I have seen no fixes offered by Tascam. Anyone else had this problem and have they found a fix?

 

[Gravity Jim]

I don't know what "cyclical metallic distortion" means, but if I had to guess... it sounds like some kind of digital loop, where the output of one or more channels is being fed back into those channels' input.

 

[jroswald]

It is a common problem which has been discussed elswhere on the internet, but I am yet to see a SOLVED thread. I figured I would go to the horse's mouth to try and get it solved...but it seems tascam the horse is mute on this matter. Its called cyloning, I suppose, because it sounds like the side effect they use on Battlestar Galactica every time the Cylons appear (not that I ever watch the show). To be fair, it would make a decent sound effect for some insectoids appearing in some scifi flick, but I am trying to do big band arrangements, and sinatra and giant cockroaches dont mix well. The only way you can solve it is by persistently disconnecting the USB and reconnecting.... Apparently some have had luck with rolled back drivers, but although I can use my 122 plug and play, I cant install other drivers because I am using Windows 8.1.

 

[jroswald]

Well I havent had much help here, but just in case someone else has this problem, I think I may have solved it. Tascam clearly stopped their support for the US-122L long ago, however their support for the 122 MK II continued until Windows 7. The drivers can be found here http://tascam.com/product/us-122mkii/downloads/. I tried out of desperation to install the 2.03(64 bit) 1.76 Mb version , running in troubleshoot mode in the "properties" for a version that works in Windows 7. , even though I have no MK II. Initially it hung, since I tried installing it without the 122 plugged in (as was usual for that model). I then tried installing it with the USB plugged in, and it went through the installation fine. It now works, and I have had no cyloning for several days. Also the MIDI driver now works peoperly, which it didnt before. Its a real shame nobody in this forum or at tascam could give this advice....really poor I must say...so the moral is...if you have an old MK 1 122 interface, the MK 2 drivers work just fine (and better) for it, also under windows 8.1.

 

[jroswald]

I notice in my earlier post I described my device as a MK II, it is not, it is just a US-122L, which is the predecessor, sorry if that caused confusion.

 

[Gravity Jim]

"Its a real shame nobody in this forum or at tascam could give this advice....really poor I must say..."

This forum is made up of users. You are one of them. You just gave this advice. Therefore, someone in this forum could give this advice, and did.

The only thing "poor" here is your attitude.

 

[jroswald]

I actually provided a solution to a real problem quite a few people have been facing, I dont see what is "poor" about that. I wasnt referring to your post by the way, I was most peaved about the fact that tascam couldnt be bothered to provide support or explanations on this issue. And I think that is a fair point, perhaps I should have rephrased what I said to discount other normal users like yourself.

 

[Gravity Jim]

This forum doesn't belong to Tascam. We're all "normal" users.

Your interface has been discontinued, and replaced by another unit, which has also been discontinued and replaced. Trying the MKII drivers was not only the right thing to do, it was the first thing I would have tried.

If anybody here used that interface, faced the same problem, and knew of a solution, you would have heard about it. But you were the first. So, congratulations! I'm glad you got it working.

 

[psongman]

Well, I have been experiencing a similar problem. It seems that the Tascam usb interfaces don't handshake very well with usb ports. We tried everything over the weekend. Another issue that arises, is a small latency occurs when you use your keyboard or mouse, small lag or the playback doesn't start right away, never had this happen until I bought this unit. I am beginning to think that firewire is way way better than usb, even though everyone claims it isn't, any thoughts, psongman

 

[Derek Trotter]

Jees Gravity Jim sound like a right old trumpet. Keep smiling mate, not all of us can afford to just go out and buy hardware whenever we like.

Big thanks to jroswald if it works.