The TC Interface Lives!
I need to update everyone on the status of my TC Electronic Konnekt Live computer audio interface.
When we last discussed this thing, it was at TC’s N American service depot. This was suggested by the TC TS department, when they were unable to guide me in getting the unit working on any of three computers.
Long story short, service found nothing wrong with the unit. They sent it back to me with no repair performed.
Shying from my Windows boxes, I tried it on my Hackintosh. Hey! It seems to work! After days of uptime, using it intermittently, I encountered no issues.
Encouraged by this, I got a different FireWire PCMCIA card from BestBuy. This was the Dynex DX-FC202 – their house brand. I used this in my IBM R40 laptop to try to connect to the Konnekt, instead of the integrated FireWire chip on the motherboard. Hey! This seems to work too! Curiously, the (non working) integrated chip is a TI chip, which is the solution recommended by TC. The chip in the working PCMCIA adapter is a Via chip, which TC says to stay away from. Whatever. At least it’s working. The particular chip is a Vendor ID 1106, Device ID 3044.
I’ve now been using this for several weeks with exactly zero BSODs. All is not wine and roses – there are still a few issues with the system. If I leave the TC mixer applet up for more than a couple of minutes, while running a DAW, it will lock up the audio subsystem. To get resolve this, I need to break the FireWire connection, kill the applet and the DAW, reconnect, then restart everything. Still, it’s a damn sight better than a BSOD. Plus, I can work around it by not leaving both the DAW and the applet up at the same time.
But hey – I’m working with it, and I’ve gotten rave reviews on the improved sound.
Themocracy
Nice post,
So you’re not using integrated IT firewire?
Buying another card will do?
I have R50e thinkpad and just bought IT pcmcia card.. and have problems with it.. I cannot run that card on any system with any service pack and any drivers.
Hackintosh post seems cool also.. I could give it a try but I like having multiple operating systems.. I work under slackware, do music in my XP or 7 and if it can run with multiboot – then it will be my choice for live stand!
Hey…
I just bought another (cheaper) PCMCIA card (via) .. and it works!
Darkman -
I am happy that you found a solution for your Konnekt Live. Interesting that we both had problems on ThinkPads, which have TC’s recommended TI FW chips. Also that a cheapo non-recommended Via based PCMCIA FW card worked for both of us.
The Hackintosh I built as a means of evaluating whether I’d be able to live with my primary machine as an OS X machine. I’ve decided I’m going to get a MacBook Pro.
Like you, I run a variety of OSs – Linux, Solaris, Win, now OS X. I like the fact that OS X is built atop BSD. And frankly current Mac laptop hardware seems heads and shoulders built better than anything in the Windows world — at any price.
Did you need a special kext for your pcmcia firewire card to be recognized with your hackingtosh. I have the same card and can’t get my laptop/hackingtosh to recognize. Any info would be helpful.
Thanks,
Jmo
Jmo –
Sorry – I guess I was unclear. The FW PCMCIA card was needed on my XP laptop. The Hackentosh is a desktop – it has an integrated mobo FW that works fine with the TC Konnekt Live.
I’m not deep into the Hackentosh tech. I specifically chose a mobo and other components with which others already had success. My naive understanding however, is that any card that works on a genuine Mac should work with a Hackentosh. As to where you might find an appropriate kext, I have no idea.
No problem. Thanks for the response back. As it turns out I finally have it working, so now I have my little m-audio 410 working on the hackingtosh laptop and lovin it!
Jmo