[QLab] Patch problem, possibly MOTU related...

[Rory Dale]

I just had an issue I had to solve at our second stage while running  
a show at our first stage - aren't they always the best?!

System: Latest version of Qlab, with all versions installed, and all  
cues up to date. This is run through a MOTU Ultralite, from a 17" G5  
iMac 19.Ghz w/1.5GB Crucial RAM, and OS 10.4.9.

Background of problems with this system: The only thing that trips  
this system up, is if the MOTU decides to change its Meter to "88"  
instead of "44." If this happens, I have to shut down the computer,  
change the Meter on the Ultralite, start the computer, open Qlab, and  
repatch the MOTU in Qlab's prefs panel. This has happened several  
times on several different shows, but I have recently discovered this  
can be completely avoided by waiting for the MOTU to fully power on  
(and display Meter 44) before starting the computer. Also, it is  
worth noting that if this problem occurs, it happens when Qlab is  
launched and not mid show.

Crux of today's problem: No sound. Everything appeared ok. No red  
crosses, MOTU read "Meter 44," sound-op insists that it worked at  
sound check (not sure if I believe this yet, but I will further  
investigate). Cues were firing on the screen. Amplifiers were turned on.

At intermission of my show, I managed to get to the second stage and  
take a look. First thing I headed for was the Patch prefs panel, and  
I found that Patch 1 was patched to a blank space underneath Built-in  
Audio and MOTU Ultralite. I repatched it to the Ultralite, closed  
prefs, hit escape, selected the next cue, and it worked as it should.

I am very suspicious of operator error on this, as this show has been  
running for 3 weeks without incident, and only two days ago did a new  
op come in (the sort of op that "knows everything" and doesn't really  
listen when things are being explained), however I am not sure how  
the patch became incorrect, especially as when trying to re-create  
the bad patch, I have found you can't patch to a device that is not  
listed. The op did say that he was doing some trouble shooting, but I  
haven't had a chance to talk to him in more detail as to what this  
might have been, as I had to fix it mid-show. I doubt he would have  
even found the prefs quite honestly.

Anyone have any idea how or why this might have happened? I'm  
stumped. Apart from the teething problems with the Ultralite, I've  
never had a problem with this system, and never with Qlab. The best  
idea I can come up with is that maybe he sound checked the system way  
early, then the computer went to sleep. He then woke it just before  
the show, and when he hit the first cue, something had screwed up and  
caused the patch to get screwed up...

Regards,
Rory