Previous Thread
Index
Next Thread
Print Thread
Go To
Page 1 of 2 1 2
Off-Topic
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,568
Veteran
OP Online Happy
Veteran
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,568
Anyone who has a computer running digital audio should periodically test for latency caused by non-audio device drivers. If you get dropouts, you need to find out why. Sometimes it's ASIO buffers, but sometimes it's an unrelated program running that you never expected. You can use Latency Monitor, but my favorite utility for almost two decades has been the DPC Latency Checker. It's free, has nice graphics, and gives directions how to fix problems if you have them.

There are two catches now. One, it's no longer featured on the developer's site. Two, DPC Latency Checker was never updated for Windows 10. However, it works fine! It just reads wrong. The 'normal' base reading is 1000, not zero. If you remember that, it works fine.

You can still get it. For how long, I don't know.

Go here: https://www.thesycon.de/dpclat/dpclat.pdf

Oops, wrong link. See next post.

If the directions look intimidating, never mind. Just run the program for awhile and see if you get red bars. If you don't, great; nothing to do. If you do get red bars, report it here and perhaps one of us can help you diagnose why.

Last edited by Matt Finley; 12/09/20 06:38 AM.

BIAB 2026 Win Audiophile. Software: Fender Studio One 8, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Fender Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
Off-Topic
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 1,031
Expert
Offline
Expert
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 1,031
Matt

That link is for the manual only but if you copy and paste the link, replacing pdf with exe you will get the utility.

Go here: https://www.thesycon.de/dpclat/dpclat.exe


smile Kevin

Off-Topic
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,568
Veteran
OP Online Happy
Veteran
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,568
Thanks Kevin!


BIAB 2026 Win Audiophile. Software: Fender Studio One 8, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Fender Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
Off-Topic
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 2,741
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 2,741
So what am I looking at?



Billy


“Amazing! I’ll be working with Jaco Pastorius, Charlie Parker, Art Tatum, and Buddy Rich, and you’re telling me it’s not that great of a gig?
“Well…” Saint Peter, hesitated, “God’s got this girlfriend who thinks she can sing…”
Off-Topic
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,568
Veteran
OP Online Happy
Veteran
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,568
Billy, is this your old or new machine?

There's something going on you should track down. Every 15 seconds you can see something kick in.

The overall effect isn't so bad that DPC reports a problem, with noting in the red, yet my computer shows a steady reading of almost the same number.

Did you move your mouse a lot, or load or quit other programs? If you did, try again and let it run with no activity from you.


BIAB 2026 Win Audiophile. Software: Fender Studio One 8, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Fender Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
Off-Topic
E
eddie1261
Unregistered
eddie1261
Unregistered
E
Aren't those 15 second spikes just IRQs cycling, acting on instruction? I'd say tune your interface buffers before you do anything or make any assumptions.

Off-Topic
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,568
Veteran
OP Online Happy
Veteran
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,568
Maybe. All I know is most of the systems I have built do not have spikes like those, and any regular pattern like that bears examination.


BIAB 2026 Win Audiophile. Software: Fender Studio One 8, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Fender Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
Off-Topic
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,129
J
Expert
Offline
Expert
J
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,129
How would you even begin to track something like that down ?

Off-Topic
E
eddie1261
Unregistered
eddie1261
Unregistered
E
Originally Posted By: Joe V
How would you even begin to track something like that down ?


Typically that would be hardware based, so you remove hardware one piece at a time, reboot, test again. If it isn't hardware, then you look at some TSR (terminate and stay resident) piece of software that makes a call at a regular interval.

Great example. Had a user who was having her password locked out every 15 minutes. Nobody could figure out why. Until I looked. Adobe Acrobat was set to look for updates every 15 minutes. I went into prefs and turned off automatic updates and that solved it. It was sending an Adobe supplied default password to the company proxy server and locking her out.

Sometimes it is things you never think to look for.

Off-Topic
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,568
Veteran
OP Online Happy
Veteran
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,568
The instructions to help you start are in my first post.

It's generally software, not hardware.


BIAB 2026 Win Audiophile. Software: Fender Studio One 8, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Fender Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
Off-Topic
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 2,741
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 2,741
This is the old machine. I don't have any audio dropouts. There is a unresolved issue with the machine I have been trying to figure out for some time now. The machine has turned itself off and repeatedly tried to reboot

I did finally replace the power supply. This happened again shortly after I replaced the power supply. It has not happen again. The event log clearly shows the Kernel-Power 41 event error. There are many things that can cause this to happen. Bad drivers, power settings and a dozen other things. Power supply failing commonly causes this to happen.

Back when this first happened I installed a new 1TB SSD boot drive and did a fresh install of win 10 pro and redownloaded all the software. I just replaced the power supply and had replaced the CPU cooling heat sink and fan when this first started. This old machine has run without issue for about 40 hours now without issue.

I assume it is possible that there could be some intermittent mother board issue or even some processor issue but more likely some software glitch. There is fifteen to twenty thousand hours of use on the motherboard and processor.

I will rerun the scan.

Billy

This is the one of the reason I built a new computer.


“Amazing! I’ll be working with Jaco Pastorius, Charlie Parker, Art Tatum, and Buddy Rich, and you’re telling me it’s not that great of a gig?
“Well…” Saint Peter, hesitated, “God’s got this girlfriend who thinks she can sing…”
Off-Topic
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 2,741
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 2,741
This is the scan I just ran.



In looking at the PDF there were two examples, one with all green lines and the other with the large red lines. Unless I am missing something yellow lines were not described. It would seem logical that could indicate a lessor problem. I am going to run this on the new machine to see what happens.

Billy

EDIT: I disabled and reenabled every audio driver in device manager on the old machine without any change. Also the yellow graph looks about the same on the new machine.

Second EDIT: I have run this program a good bit now. It occasionally shows issues. I have in the process recorded some music and watched some video both of which ran without issue. Everything on this old computer is currently running normally.

Last edited by Planobilly; 12/09/20 07:25 PM.

“Amazing! I’ll be working with Jaco Pastorius, Charlie Parker, Art Tatum, and Buddy Rich, and you’re telling me it’s not that great of a gig?
“Well…” Saint Peter, hesitated, “God’s got this girlfriend who thinks she can sing…”
Off-Topic
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,568
Veteran
OP Online Happy
Veteran
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,568
Billy, that last chart looks great.

Both of you, read my second paragraph. If you are on Windows 10, yellow is normal. There is no green any more because it reads about 1000 too high. But as you say, look for spikes, especially red ones and regular ones.

I have not noticed any effect during testing from being connected to the Internet unless your router driver has a problem. You don’t want to be running or doing anything else but the test, though.


BIAB 2026 Win Audiophile. Software: Fender Studio One 8, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Fender Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
Off-Topic
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 2,741
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 2,741
Hi Matt,

I read the 1000 comment but it sort went over my head. Now I understand. Thanks for clearing all that up.

Truthfully I have not had a lot of computer problems. The occasional virus that got past the defences and a few updates that failed.

There is a huge amount of complexity with our current computer systems and solutions are frequently extremely difficult to come by.

I have known many people of the sort that muso alluded to "they would spend ages fine tuning various tech". Fortunately, I have never found it necessary to spend countless hours trying to fix every possible issue event viewer displays.

Also I would like to know if the current paid driver update software has any real value.

Thanks,

Billy


“Amazing! I’ll be working with Jaco Pastorius, Charlie Parker, Art Tatum, and Buddy Rich, and you’re telling me it’s not that great of a gig?
“Well…” Saint Peter, hesitated, “God’s got this girlfriend who thinks she can sing…”
Off-Topic
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,568
Veteran
OP Online Happy
Veteran
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,568
I have the skills to do fine tuning, and used to in the past when it was necessary, but with Windows 10, it simply is not necessary now. No more Black Viper tweaks. I do set the power properties so everything is on and doesn't turn off, but that's it.

"Current paid driver update software" - which one?


BIAB 2026 Win Audiophile. Software: Fender Studio One 8, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Fender Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
Off-Topic
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 24,703
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 24,703
Same here Matt. All I do is to make sure that all of my USB ports and hubs are always on. Win 10 eliminated all other tweaks.


OK, a random thought;
Why does toilet paper need a commercial? Who's not buying it?

64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
Off-Topic
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 2,741
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 2,741
Originally Posted By: Matt Finley
I have the skills to do fine tuning, and used to in the past when it was necessary, but with Windows 10, it simply is not necessary now. No more Black Viper tweaks. I do set the power properties so everything is on and doesn't turn off, but that's it.

"Current paid driver update software" - which one?


Just a general question Matt. I see lots of advertising for such programs. I don't own any and have had very little driver issues to begin with. I have had some driver issues with the old Pro Fire 2626 interface and an occasional need to delete and replace the driver for my Native Instruments interface. I also set power properties so it stays on.

When I installed Win 10 on the new machine I opted out of everything Microsoft that I could. The pop up info about One Drive continues to be a irritant.

I also looked at task manager to see what is running in the background. One of the noticeable things was the high number of PIDs for Chrome and the resource use when connected to some site. I assume that would cause some effect on the dpclat app.

Billy


“Amazing! I’ll be working with Jaco Pastorius, Charlie Parker, Art Tatum, and Buddy Rich, and you’re telling me it’s not that great of a gig?
“Well…” Saint Peter, hesitated, “God’s got this girlfriend who thinks she can sing…”
Off-Topic
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,568
Veteran
OP Online Happy
Veteran
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,568
What you don't want to see in Task Manager is something shooting to the top of CPU usage, then subsiding, then shooting back up etc.

The various entries for standard application programs like Chrome pose no problem.


BIAB 2026 Win Audiophile. Software: Fender Studio One 8, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Fender Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
Off-Topic
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 2,732
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 2,732
I get some green on my hog.....

Attached Files (Click to download or enlarge) (Only available when you are logged in)
Untitled.jpg (73.55 KB, 66 downloads)



Steve

BIAB/RB 2022, Pro Tools 2020, Korg N5, JBL LSR 4328 Powered Monitors, AKG/Shure Mics.
PC: Win11 PRO, 4 TB M2 SSD, 2 TB HD, 128 GB Memory
Off-Topic
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 2,741
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 2,741
Yes Steve, but you have a very special machine...lol

As I am no longer using Pro Tools, I think I will delete it. Avid is always running in the background. It may not be causing any issue but getting rid of unneeded software is most likely a good idea.

Happy Holidays,

Billy


“Amazing! I’ll be working with Jaco Pastorius, Charlie Parker, Art Tatum, and Buddy Rich, and you’re telling me it’s not that great of a gig?
“Well…” Saint Peter, hesitated, “God’s got this girlfriend who thinks she can sing…”
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Go To
Page 1 of 2 1 2

Link Copied to Clipboard
ChatPG

Ask sales and support questions about Band-in-a-Box using natural language.

ChatPG's knowledge base includes the full Band-in-a-Box User Manual and sales information from the website.

PG Music News
XPro & Xtra Styles PAK Sets On Sale Now - Until May 15, 2026!

All of our XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAKs are on sale until May 15th, 2026!

It's the perfect time to expand your Band-in-a-Box® style library with XPro and Xtra Styles PAKs. These additional styles for Band-in-a-Box® offer a wide range of genres designed to fit seamlessly into your projects. Each style is professionally arranged and mixed, helping enhance your songs while saving you time.

What are XPro Styles and Xtra Styles PAKs?

XPro Styles PAKs are styles that work with any version (Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition) of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). XPro Styles PAKS 1-10 includes 1,000 styles!

Xtra Styles PAKs are styles that work with the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). Xtra Styles PAKs 1-21 includes 3,700 styles (and 35 MIDI styles)!

The XPro & Xtra Styles PAKs are not included in any Band-in-a-Box® package.

The XPro Styles PAKs 1-10 are available for only $29 ea (reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Listen to demos and order now! For Mac or for Windows.

The Xtra Styles PAKs 1-21 are available for only $29 ea (reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the Xtra Styles PAK Bundle for only $199 (reg. $349)! Listen to demos and order now! For Mac or for Windows.

Note: XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2025 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.

The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 19 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version as they require the RealTracks included in the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.

Supercharge your Band-in-a-Box today with XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAK Sets!

Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Mac Videos

With the release of Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac, we’re rolling out a collection of brand-new videos on our YouTube channel. We’ll keep this forum post updated so you can easily find all the latest videos in one convenient spot.

Whether you're exploring new features, checking out the latest RealTracks or Style PAKs, this is your go-to guide for Band-in-a-Box® 2026.

Check out this forum post for "One Stop Shopping" of our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 Mac Videos!

Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Mac is Here!

Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac is here and it is packed with major new features! There’s a new modern look, a GUI redesign to all areas of the program including toolbars, windows, workflow and more. There’s a Multi-view layout for organizing multiple windows. A standout addition is the powerful AI-Notes feature, which uses AI neural-net technology to transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI—entire mixes or individual instruments—making it easy to study, view, and play parts from any song. And that’s just the beginning—there are over 100 new features in this exciting release.

Along with version 2026, we've released an incredible lineup of new content! There's 202 new RealTracks, brand-new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two new RealDrums Stems sets, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!

Special Offers
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac and save up to 50% on most upgrade packages during our special offer—available until May 15, 2026. Visit our Band-in-a-Box® packages page to explore all available upgrade options.

2026 Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK Add-ons
Our Free Bonus PAK and 49-PAK are loaded with amazing add-ons! The Free Bonus PAK is included with most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac packages, but you can unlock even more—including 20 unreleased RealTracks—by upgrading to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49.

Holiday Weekend Hours

As we hop into the Easter weekend, here are our holiday hours:

April 3 (Good Friday): 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM PDT
April 4 (Saturday): Closed
April 5 (Easter Sunday): Closed
April 6 (Easter Monday): Open regular hours

Wishing you an egg-cellent weekend!

— Team PG

Update to Build 10 of RealBand® 2026 for Windows®!

If you're already using RealBand 2026 for Windows, download build 10 to get all the latest additions and enhancements.

Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® users: Build 904 now available!

If you're already using Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®, make sure to grab the latest update! Build 904 is now available for download and includes the newest additions and enhancements from our team.

Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® users: Build 1237 is now available!

Already a Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Windows user? Stay up to date and download the build 1237 to get all the latest additions and enhancements.

Forum Statistics
Forums57
Topics86,201
Posts801,899
Members40,067
Most Online64,515
Apr 8th, 2026
Newest Members
isledge, Gtrplr66, Mando Kat, GlennMans, François Sohm
40,066 Registered Users
Top Posters(30 Days)
MarioD 126
zedd 109
DC Ron 100
rsdean 90
Noel96 89
vicarn 64
Today's Birthdays
Jay Street, JazzLOCO Almenas, smallchamber
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5