New Powerbook Audio Stutter / Looping / Echo problem

Okay, I deleted the DeviceSettings.plist file as described above and I deleted the NVRAM. And I haven't had an echo-loop ever since. I doubt that deleting the NVRAM was the thing that did the trick, but here's how you do it (you at your own risk:

1. boot into open firmware by holding down opt-cmd-O-F at startup
2. type reset-nvram and hit return
3. type reset-all and hit return

The machine should start again.
HTH, Eric.

PowerBook G4 15" 1.67 GHz Mac OS X (10.4.3)

I have the same problem. My powerbook is in the store for reparation again and again. this guy acted like i was tripping, so I recorded it and let him hear it. he said that it still does not prove anything. I glad to hear it is a commen problem. But it does make me a very unhappy costumer!!
Obviously he does not know what to do either otherwise the problem would have been solved from the first time i came back to the store

It seems to get worse when the powerbook gets hot. It seems to me that it can happen anytime any moment. some days it's worse than others. This problem needs to be fixed, it's a disgrace.

Just called the store,
apple is aware of this problem.

The main device in my powerbook has to be replaced,
alternatively I get a new powerbook;

This nightmare is over.

I have experienced this audio looping/feedback effect in several applications using the Powerbook's built-in audio device. However I did not have any issues with audio looping while using my external M-Audio Firewire Audiophile soundcard. I use this Powerbook for DJ'ing and have no use for the built in audio anyways.

Hello, this is my first post. I have had this brand new PB for about 3 weeks now. Just last night I was using VLC when I first noticed the looping problem you have all been describing.
For me, It does not seem to be associated with any particular program. It happes sporatically even with OS sounds (trash, entourage sounds). iTunes actually seems to be working just fine.
The only thing I did differently to aggrevate this problem initially was to adjust the balance setting.
I do hope there will be a fix for this soon. I just switched from a 3 year old VAIO and everything has been great until this.

To Apple: Read this flippin fourm and provide a fix. This is obviously a "known" problem by now and needs to be addressed appropriately to avoid leaving a bad taste in the mouth of otherwise happy MAC users.

I have the same problem with my brand new hires PowerBook 15". Someone pointed out something about RAM. I didn't have any problem before updrading my memory from 512 to 1.5. However, that might be a coincidence. I'm using a non-apple memory module (kingston). What is your memory configuration guys?

Nope, not ram related - happened with 512Mb and 1.5Mb

... and 2 Gb ram too

Just sarted having this same problem myself yesterday. Not good, especially as I upgraded from a perfect Ti Book to this one for more speed when working with audio and video.
I will be speaking to Apple about it.

This on top of a problem with Windows media files, and MPEG files which requires the launching and closing of Garageband to cure. What is going on Apple??

I'm another one afflicted with this obvious and severe hardware defect. Between the defective batteries, kernel panics (bad logic board on early models), the screen problem which presents in ALL new laptops despite what anyone says, and this looping audio problem (the extent of which is unknown) this new 15" is officially a lemon. Did they expect us not to notice?

How this happened so late in the life of this model is a mystery that lives with some engineers in CA.

Getting your computer serviced is a lot like going to the doctor: if you've done any real analytical work on your own, you've already isolated the problem to a reasonable degree of certainty. You're at the doctor because you want to conform or deny this and also to take action on it and get more information. And while 1 in 100 doctors will listen to you, work with you and respect the validity of your observations, the other 99 will gloss over the details, jump to conclusions, protect their interests, and generall act like they know what they're talking about just to make you feel comfortable. It honestly makes me sad that people have to endure things like "maybe its because you are overloading the computer" in response to this obvious audio hardware bug. What we need is a FIRMWARE UPDATE OR RECALL FROM APPLE.

A R E Y O U L I S T E N I N G, A P P L E ?

Depending on little more than how long I'm using it each day, I get this infuriating loop 10-100 times a day. 3-5 seconds, louder and louder then gone. I don't know about anybody else but I also use my mac to power a stereo and run it pretty loud, so when my speakers blow (cut it close just now) I'll send Apple the bill? This audio bug is system wide, persistent across system installs, etc. etc. -- just like the screen flicker/lines.

I took a call from an Apple Exec about this problem 3 weeks ago and gave her about an hour of my time. I explained in explicit detail the nature of this screen problem and how she could reproduce it. She maintainted the entire time this line about "isolated incidents" and how apple Exec has to take them as they come, collect data, etc. etc. What I told her is that just because Apple Executive doesn't know about a problem doesn't mean other parts of the company dont. That was 3 weeks ago and still no word from Apple on any of these widely reported problems.

AT SOME POINT IN THE PAST 3 MONTHS SOME ENGINEER SPOKE UP ABOUT THE SCREEN PROBLEM (and maybe this emerging audio bug too) AND GOT OVERRIDDEN IN THE PUSH TO BRING THESE NEW PBs TO MARKET, PERIOD! Anybody who works for an American corporation and especially a tech company knows this. What is so dismaying is that this represents a clear shift at apple AWAY from supporting its loyal consumer base of years (design pros) and instead on selling the 1 billionth music player.

There was a time when Apple represented a real break from the other manufacturers in both design and support, service, sales etc. Now its pretty much just design and that field is expanding and changing rapidly too. No longer are they all that different from Dell, they're just "my" Dell. And that *****.

slightly O/T but may help someone --

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=25466

this obscure tech note details a problem i encounter at least 2-3 times a week that may worsen the effect of the looping audio bug. basically it boils down to the fact that the Left / Right audio balance setting in Sys Prefs will "drift" and can get stuck on one side or the other. i've owned or worked extensively on about 10 powerbooks since 10.2 introduced this fun problem -- i guess i'm just always too fast with the keys.

as of today, almost 3 YEARS after this tech note is published, this problem is still unresolved. honestly you would think that someone at apple would think to provide an option to DISABLE fading the system audio L / R. but i guess thats the price you pay for a keyboard that can become vaguely and unevenly illuminated in the dark ... or any time you stand up and create a shadow... or when you put a piece of paper over the speaker.

PS. I just deleted my com.apple.etc audio file detailed above, reset PRAM, NVRSAM, hail mary, etc etc and within 5 mins in itunes, 3 loops.

AAAH!

PS. as I type this my right shift key has ceased to work.

Hey people - I just wanted to sum up the range of problems I have on my new 15inch just to see if it turns out that you guys have these problems too AS WELL AS the echofeedbackloop:

1: The audio coming out of the onboard speakers clip. i have only recently noticed this (I have been using external speakers this entire time), but the sound is slightly distorted ( I actually think this is only the left speaker)

2: The infamous oldschool bug Sleep-to-Death where my machine consistently goes black and very hot overnight if I leave it on - it doesnt respond to a force restart.

3: On top of the echo problem I have weird sound glitches - like the Move-To-Trash sound sometimes sounds like Aphex Twin remixed it. A loud static noise.

4: A flickering noise, like little random glitches. These come rarely, but sound disturbing.

As you can see most of these problems are audio related, so I was starting to see some sort of suspicious thread here... does anyone have the same symptoms?

Since my last post, I have noticed other weird things that dont happen on my old Ti Book (now my step-sons) or my very old G3 powerbook.

If I plug my headphone in during a recording session on Audacity, I loose about a quarter of a second of the recording, then same if I pull the plug out. This hot plugging of headphones has never been a problem before.

Here's something else I've noticed...

17" Powerbook, 1.67GHz,1.5GDDR2, Audacity 1.2.3 uses 49% (average) cpu, and 25MB of real memory, and 245MB of virtual memory. This one loses part of the recording if I unplug the headphones.

15"Titanium Powerbook 1GHz, 768MB PC133. Audacity 1.2.3 uses 49% average cpu, and 12MB of real memory, and 121 MB of virtual memory. This one doesnt lose any of the recording when I unplug the headphones.

How come the lesser computer uses less of its system resources to perform the same task?????

Have also noticed a strange squeaking coming from the speakers as I type? This even though I have universal access setting off.

Something is definately going on!

BTW Everyone, Here are all the post and discussions regarding this issue:

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=1287819&#1287819

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=1200715&#1200715

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=1307909&#1307909

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=1289966&#1289966

Enjoy!

(We definitely need to MAKE this an issue, not just whine and cry bout it - USE you power - Customer is King. Right?)

JC