Griffin Firewave software not working with Snow Leopard

Griffin says version 1.0 of Firewave software is "for Macs running 10.4 - 10.6.x.":

http://www.griffintechnology.com/software/0000/0012/firewave1_00.zip

If that's the version you already have installed, you may want to try reinstalling it.

I'm having the exact same problem, and going crazy over it!

It is very weird... same problem here, I found a solution though not a very good one, the app opens when the device is unplugged, so for the mo, unplug the firewave, open the app, plug it again... works for me.

if it doesn't do this: 1. Close the FireWave software and unplug FireWave from your computer.

2. Move the following files to the trash:
Applications > FireWave
Home > Library > Preferences > com.griffintechnology.FireWave.plist

3. Empty the trash.

4. Repair your disk permissions. To do this, open Disk Utility. It can be found in the Utility folder in your Applications. In Disk Utility select your hard drive and click the “Repair Disk Permissions” button. After this process has completed, restart your computer.

5. Restart your computer. (before you restart make sure the Firewave is unplugged.) (after you download open the application first then plug in the Firewave)

6. Download and install the latest FireWave software:
http://www.griffintechnology.com/support/products/firewave/
(after you download open the application first then plug in the Firewave)

it still only works when the device is unplugged, but at least, it allows 5.1 sound... hope this helps... if someone has a better solution I'll appreciate it.

Bye!

The problem is a bit different for me. The Firewave application starts without any problems (with or without the Firewave connected) and when I do that speaker test it works. However, in any other program in OS X I only get sound from the internal Macbook speakers. When I go to Speakers in System Preferences, it only shows Internal Speakers as Output Device. Before, it also showed the Griffin Firewave.

Unless someone comes up with a solution, it means going back to Leopard for me. Quite disappointed with this since I don't feel like investing a lot of money in either a receiver or better speakers with a digital input, especially since everything used to work fine.

Would be good if Apple would come up with a solution sometime for this 5.1 surround sound problem in general. Since the Firewave is not supported anymore by Griffin there are no good and affordable solutions anymore for people that want to use their surround set with only analog input. Pretty weird considering that every on-board pc sound card and almost every cheap laptop does offer 3 analog outputs...

I do have the same problem as mentioned.
My mac just freezes randomly when the griffin firewave is plugged in.
I tried the manual above but the problem still occurs.

Did you guys solved the problem?
Let me know, I wanna listen to music in 5.1 again :-D!

best regards

Hello, just wanted to share my scenario in case it helps.

I hooked up my Firewave today after a long break from it. I did check online (Google) to see if I might run into some issues as I am now running 10.6.2. Currently the software and the unit is working fine on my machine and I did verify all the channels/outputs are working properly.

However, I did run into a frustrating problem that stopped me in my tracks at first - until I remembered to use Apple's "AudioMIDI Setup.app" in the Utilities folder. One must select the Firewave in the list of output/inputs/and devices in the left side of the window Then, at the bottom where the "Plus and Minus" signs are for adding and deleting, click on the "Gear" icon and select "use this device for sound output". Now, once you select the device you still have to tell it to output 2 channels, 6 channels, or encoded in the AudioMIDI app and you can also select 2, 4 or 6 channel surround in the Firewave app!

It's frustrating that there are numerous places to set how many channels to use.
(BTW, I think I recall reading on Griffins website a long time ago that you really don't need to use the Firewave App.)
Anyways, many places to change settings - at the Player level (2 places for DVD), the Third Party App level, and Apple Utility and System Preference level. Then you get in to the file level with AC3 passthru, Dolby Whatever, Mutli Channel, blah, blah. It should be easier, right?

As far as apps crashing, the usual suggestions - delete preferences or everything and re-install. Something is messed up as it starts up. I don't think the Firewave is going to cause a kernel panic or cause apps to freeze, but I could be wrong.

So, I'm using Snow Leopard and Griffin's Firewave and it's working. I'm thinking it should work for you too. I will say also that I wished I had bought two units!

Oh, you did say you need 5.1 and if your machine (lots do) has an optical output it should support 5.1 on that too. But again you must select "digital output" in the various places. You may have to use Perian to ensure that you are sending 5.1 and not Stereo to your optical port because of QuickTime issues.

Good luck