I’m a software developer, Ive worked on embedded systems with USB in the linux kernel in C. The QU series USB is an absolute joke.
I have not seen this level of USB incompatibility since the earliest days of USB - its pathetic. To be honest I am now feeling so aggrieved by this I am wondering if there is possible recourse to trading standards here - as this area of the product has not delivered what is promised. I have wasted numerous amounts of money on USB sticks - the “list” is ridiculously short.
To NOT see a USB device - unforgivable. There is not a single USB device that my laptop from 2004 doesnt see. Yet the A&H QU-SB baulks and refuses to format them.
Incredible.
My Linux machines will see, format and use as a filesystem (name what you will ext2/3/4, rtfs, ntfs, fat32 etc) the QU hardware isnt old enough to not be compatible!!
By my reckoning I understand that A&H can advise that certain specs of USB stick will not perform at the required level of writes, (supposedly…). However there should not be a single USB stick that cannot be seen, formatted and have at least full functionality without streaming writes. i.e. all the scene transfers etc should work as a minimum.
So whilst I am a huge A&H fan…basically I shall write formally to A&H using snail mail to complain and seek resolution to fix my duff hardware/software. Failure to resolve the matter will result in me seeking help from trading standards. I shall also examine all the literature to see if a case may be made regarding the marketing literature via the Advertising Standards Agency.
So A&H. After a year of using a QU-SB I’m at a junction whereby you can take this opportunity to fix the matter and resolve - or I shall feel no other action is possible than to press for resolution using other means - in short you are peeing off a LOT of loyal customers…is this really the way you wish to behave? Does such behaviour make good financial sense? You see when I need a bigger rig - do I buy dLive or do I walk because of this experience and examine the exceedingly good desks available from others?
I’ve ‘wasted’ quite a bit of money myself, trying to find another usb drive that records stereo and multi, without errors. Seems there’s something more to this fiasco than meets the eye. I’ve adhered to A&H tested usb drives with no luck. There isn’t many to choose from. I still have ONE that works flawlessy and has for years, but it is now on the $300 per 64gb price list, with other ‘relic’ drives out of production. I am finding SSD drives fair easier, but it surely would be nice to have more thumb drives that don’t break the pocket. IF ONLY the little tiny short Transcend they claim works, did, I could operate my mixer with the decksaver on it via ipad and wouldnt have to stand guard over my faders from beer and drunks the entire show. Please A&H, do what you can to make this easier on all of us. I LOVE the mixer, I LOVE the d-snake, but…
I misspoke myself in my prior post. I have ZERO usb drives that record without error during multitrack. I wound up with ONE error during a 5 hr gig, that had a break every 45minutes. Nothing is bumping the mixer and noone was in the area when the ‘skip’ error occurred. It seems to happen across ALL tracks and its just missing audio data. No static, no clicks, just complete and immediate audio loss. I have since purchase another drive and the $100 investment was a waste as well. I now have probably $400 in usb3 drives on the list of approved, that don’t work error free. Basically I give up. I will try some random ssd drives and be done with it. Sadly, the multitrack recording was a big draw to this mixer for me. I agree with the previous poster… I was considering a gld mixer in the near future, but am seriously considering looking at other brand offerings… Please A&H, can we get a response to this? Is it just my mixer? Sure would be nice to have a USEABLE multitrack to usb3 drive.
I use the same Sandisk Extreme USB3.0 thumb drives Peter uses, but mine are 16 gigs. Model # is SDCZ80-16G. I have 6 of them and all have worked flawlessly.
I find it strange that I, a total computer novice and “Neo-Luddite”, have had zero problems while professional software developers can’t get things to work. The only thing I can think of is that I have no pre-conceived notions of how things “should” work and simply follow manufacturers recommendations and instructions.
A&H could easily solve the problem: go sell USB-sticks that work. Guaranteed. I’m lucky to have 3 sticks (32Gb each) that work just fine… And I my Q-Pad!!
[XAP]Bob,
You are lucky. A 64 GB version of the drive mentioned above failed me (thus the switch to 32GB). And there are some Sandisk Extreme drives that have failed on the list: Qu-Drive Compatibility Chart (Responses) - Google Sheets
I’ve also had no problem with my Sandisk Extremes (32 & 64), but they’re quite old, and I suspect the spec of them may have changed since I got them, hence the problems reported more recently.
It’s possible that I’ll be installing a couple of QUs at work soon, so I’m going to want a couple more drives. I really don’t know which ones to get now.
A3aan’s idea is great, A&H branded sticks that are guaranteed to work would be very handy.
I think we have to realize that companies don’t always want to get into the business of either selling or endorsing 3rd party hardware. Apple used to sell printers and few other printer manufacturers were willing to compete/supply alternatives. The stooped and then there was an abundance. If you start endorsing, you alienate potential others. Providing the list and allowing other to contribute keeps everything open. I think the list provides a nice selection of options, including many tested by A&H.
I do wish the list was sortable; perhaps it is but I don’t seem to be able to on my iPhone using the Sheets app.
I have a QU-16 and a QU-Pac. The Sandisk work great in the QU-16 with 0 errors. I put the same drive in a QU-Pac and format it there and then get tons of errors and dropouts.
I have a QU-16 and a QU-Pac. The Sandisk work great in the QU-16 with 0 errors. I put the same drive in a QU-Pac and format it there and then get tons of errors and dropouts.
That means that we need separate spread sheets for different mixers.
Did you make sure that the firmware is up to date on both devices? Should be 1.90.
Hmmm? My Sandisk Extreme 32GBs (mentioned above)work fine on these: QU-16, 24 & Pac.
Perhaps A&E should spend some time identifying drives that do work and sell them, or perhaps the hardware/software side of the QU line indeed needs some tweaking.
Providing the list and allowing other to contribute keeps everything open. I think the list provides a nice selection of options, including many tested by A&H.
In theory it does - but manufacturers are awful at maintaining compatibility.
I’ve had a major HDD manufacturer release a new version of firmware to fix a critical bug with their drives…
The firmware version number was unchanged… That kind of behaviour is unacceptable - The lists are great, but you can’t rely on buying the same product twice in a row.
Yep. Same firmware. I have found my QU-16 to be a robust and reliable tool. The QU-Pac for me has given me lots of issues. It’s a real bummer because I’m totally reliant on the QU-Pac now-with the 24x12 breakout box and every channel used.
That’s interesting, my QU-Pac works fine with a SanDisk Extreme USB 3.0, 64GB.
In this case I think your’s is somehow defective, if resetting / reinstalling the latest firmware doesn’t help then A&H should repair it.
Having purchased 5 USB sticks only 1 has ever worked…the Sandisk Extreme USB 3.0 - which is now end of life. And this week I went and mislaid my ONE working USB stick…
SO…A&H PLEASE…
What on earth do I buy as a 64GB - because you only tested one and it isnt available on Amazon.co.uk
Which now leaves me basically high and dry - unable to buy USB sticks because of this fault.
I need 2 that work.
Anyone got any solid recommendations for 64GB sticks that actually work which I can buy on Amazon UK? Please?
BTW Ive seen this sort of error before - its generally in the USB driver - we had it on SoC when I was working on USB kernel for a chip manufacturer (Oxford Instruments). There were two problems, 1 was a clock error and the other was a race condition occuring in the driver. Both produce erratic results - this is probably why you are seeing drive compatibility issues - and why every single one of my linux machines works with all these drives.
my Q-Pad!!