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Big problem here [message #86096]

Wed, 25 June 2014 23:28

Guitarwhisperer
Messages: 19
Registered: August 2013
Location: Santa Fe, NM

Junior Member

I just bought a new macbook pro retina 2.8 ghz 16 gigs of ram and a SSD 764 gig drive. My DAW of choice is Reaper. I've downloaded and installed all the drivers Mio console etc. However when I plugin my ULN-2 nothing happens the meter lights don't light up and nothing works...... Reaper cannot find the ULN-2. When I use my old computer a Macbook pro running on Snow Leopard as soon as I plug in the ULN-2 the meters come on instantly and reaper recognizes the ULN-2.

Please help me to understand what I'm doing wrong on my new computer....... I thought at least from powering up on my computer the meter lights would light up, but nothing at all is happening.

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Re: Big problem here [message #86097 is a reply to message #86096]

Thu, 26 June 2014 00:18

bj
Messages: 638
Registered: July 2011

Senior Member
Administrator

Are you trying to use bus power? That won't work with the Retina and a Thunderbolt adapter. Use the ULN-2's external power supply to power it; then plug it into the computer... all should be fine then. Also make sure that you have installed the MIO driver on the new machine...

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Re: Big problem here [message #86098 is a reply to message #86097]

Thu, 26 June 2014 00:22

Guitarwhisperer
Messages: 19
Registered: August 2013
Location: Santa Fe, NM

Junior Member

Yes, it never accord to me it would work off of bus power! I mean one of the main reasons I got the ULN-2 was for portability. There is no solution other than plugging it into a power source? Thanks for your reply!

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Re: Big problem here [message #86099 is a reply to message #86098]

Thu, 26 June 2014 00:39

bj
Messages: 638
Registered: July 2011

Senior Member
Administrator

You could use a battery pack. Thunderbolt simply does not provide as much bus power as FireWire did. Part of the power is consumed by the FireWire controller and the thunderbolt controller in the adapter; there is only about 7-7.5W of power available on the output of the Thunderbolt adapter; the ULN-2 requires at least 8 Watts; so there is no way to power the ULN-2 from the TB->FW adapter. So -- just to be clear -- it is not the ULN-2 -- it is the TB adapter; as you saw, things worked as expected on the native FW port.

Depending on how long you want to run for via battery, you can work with a pretty small battery pack; for example, if you get a 9v Lithium battery (which is the size of a 9v), you can probably power the ULN-2 for about 1-1.5 hours.

Something like this:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/922934-REG/bescor_bcs_ bmepic_bm_li_ion_battery_bm_cgr_auto.html

would power the ULN-2 for about 10-11 hours. There are many options like this. Look at B&H's listing of battery packs to get an idea of the options:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/buy/Battery-Packs-Belts/ci/372 2/N/4028759421

Note that a lot of these have 4-Pin XLR power outputs that you can plug directly into the 4-Pin XLR Power input on the ULN-2.

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Re: Big problem here [message #86100 is a reply to message #86099]

Thu, 26 June 2014 00:46

Guitarwhisperer
Messages: 19
Registered: August 2013
Location: Santa Fe, NM

Junior Member

OK well thanks for all those links and the quick reply....... I'll definitely look in to getting one. I can always use my old Macbook for portability too, but alas the battery is quite old on it and it won't last that long. I was beginning to think either both my thunderbolt ports were bad, or the firewire adapter was faulty...... thanks for clearing that up! BTW, I love the ULN-2!

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