Hi, all. I have the following issue with my Powerbook G4 and MOTU 828 MkII audio interface (which also includes a 1x1 MIDI interface). When the MOTU is attached (via firewire) to my mac and is switched on, then each time I start Logic (Pro 6) my Powerbook begins to produce a high pitched tone (of about 12kHz, I believe, but it could as well be 13kHz or so). It does not stop before I quit Logic. This happens also with other audio/midi applications like Audiodesk 2 or Steim Lisa X and with both my 828's (I have two). With applications like iTunes or Quicktime player, the Powerbook outputs the tone as soon as an audio file or movie file is played back and ends doing that when playback stops. Furthermore, when opening the Audio MIDI Setup of OSX.3, the mac starts to produce that high pitched tone only if the Audio MIDI setup displays the MIDI devices. If it displays the Audio Devices, the mac is quiet. However, when changing the Audio MIDI Setup to display the MIDI Devices, the mac starts to produce its high pitched tone. When changing back to Audio Devices, the tone does not disappear. However, it does disappear some ten seconds after quitting the Audio MIDI Setup.
While this high pitched tone is not loud, it is clearly audible and as such very annoying.
Does anybody know why my Powerbook does this and how this can be fixed? I tried to delete the Motu 828 MkII's from Panther's MIDI-setup, but this seems not to be possible. Is this perhaps possible in Tiger?
Thanks! The cheap imitator.

Have you tried swapping out the firewire cable?

Hi Gojinx, this doen't help. Same problem with both my firewire cables. Plugging cables in and out or exchanging them doesn't help. As soon as a cable is plugged back in (and some audio/midi application is running), the Powerbook produces that pitch. I even tried resetting the MOTU---no change.

Do you have an external HD hooked up? This is a common FW thing. When you have 2 things hooked up, the controller (which is common to both the 400 & 800 ports) causes a high pitched squeal to come out of the interface. So, make sure that the cord for that HD is good, too. Other than that, I am clueless.

Hi jaffi, I don't have an external HD. Also, I'm certain that the squeal comes out of the Mac, not out of the 828MkII interface or out of anything else. But thanks anyway!

My 15" PB does the same thing. It used to whine when I'd load certain Photoshop Plugins (Eye Candy) and now it does the same thing whenever I have my Edirol FA-101 plugged in.

Must be a "feature."

hello, i'm just wondering if you ever solved the problem with your squeeeling powerbook. Suddenly, i've ecountered the same problem. The weird thing is, it has never been a problem untill today. I have a presonus firepod connected via firewire. This is a repulsive sound. If you have any advice it would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

Hi Miaba,

Sad to say but I did not solve the problem :-( Putting on headphones helps, or shutting down that bloody Powerbook! (in fact, I have had nothing but trouble with this thing; I have owned it for about a year-and-a-half now, and it already has a new hard drive, a new screen and a new motherboard! And right now it is being serviced again, and not even for this 'whining' problem (there's something wrong with one of the fans)!! I don't know if it had the 'whining' problem initially, when I bought the thing, as I purchased my MOTU 828 MkII's rather recently.)

Good luck!

CE