cMP 5,1 With macOS Mojave Intermittent Cursor Freezes / Hangs For A Fraction Of A Second, Randomly,

I have this very, very annoying problem on a cMP 5,1 macOS Mojave 10.14.6:

Intermittent random cursor hanging / freezing for microseconds to 1/2 second, with hiccups in any opened windows at the "release" stage.

Extremely annoying when dragging things around or when drawing because it also looses any active selection I might have, and interrupts the line as I'm drawing.

I originally thought it was a problem with the Inateck Pcie USB card, but nope. Will post updates here as I continue to troubleshoot.

Update 12:

FREAKING HELL!!! I FOUND THE CULPRIT! FINALLY!!!

Do you know what it is??? Guess, I'll wait... One, two, three... All right, I give it to you:

It's having the USB mouse plugged to the Apple USB keyboard plugged to any of the rear USB ports that's causing this shit!

I kid you not. If I plug the keyboard to one of the rear USB port of the Mac and the mouse to a second USB port in the front, all is fine and dandy. WHAT???!!!!

It's a generic HP/Logitech optical mouse if you want to know, model M-UAE96. The keyboard is an Apple aluminum model 1243/2171.

If I plug the mouse/keyboard combination to any of the front USB ports, it's all smooth and good as well!!

This is too much!! I've been tracking this problem for nearly a month now. F%c^@g hell! And I've had this same exact wired mouse plugged to the same wired Apple keyboard cascading like this since FOREVER! It was NEVER a problem.

I recently updated Mojave to 10.14.6. Another thing that happened recently was one of the 8GB RAM module died. Is it related? Is it not? I don't know but I'm happy I got rid of these pesky interruptions.

Un-freaking-believable!

Update 11:

Open Terminal, type: "sudo pmset proximitywake 0"

NOPE!

Update 10:

Go to: Library/Preferences, Removed Power Managements.plists

Rebooted Computer.

NOPE.

Update 9:

Removed Bluetooth Pan from Network Preferences.

Before

After.

NOPE!

Update 8:

Bluetooth Preferences/Advanced/Turned OpenBluetooth Setup Assistant at startup if no keyboard/no mouse are detected OFF. (Were on.)

Removed all listed bluetooth devices just in case.

NOPE.

Update 7:

System Preferences/Energy Saver/Wake for Network Access/ OFF (it was on by default.)

NOPE.

Update 6:

Since the Energy Saver is set to kick in at 10min. by default, I put the Screen Saver on 5min. Monitoring again.

NOPE.

Update 5:

Another suggestion: Open Bluetooth Preferences/Advanced/Allow Bluetooth Devices to Wake This Computer -> Turn Off. (It was on.) Keep monitoring.

NOPE! Still Happening.

Update 4:

There must be a setting that get rid of this stupid "Idle Sleep Preventers" and ensuing errors that make the mouse hangs/freeze.

OK I put it back to its Default Settings, and keep monitoring.

NOPE! No change, still happening.

Update 3:

Opened Activity Monitor app and started monitoring all the while moving the mouse constantly.  When the mouse got stuck, took a picture asap:

Notice this little Kextd bugger right there? Appears each time the mouse micro freezes.

OK, Opened Console app and monitored what's going on while moving the mouse, and Bingo!!! Look at the pesky kextd bugger right after the freaking ERROR, right after... Idle Sleep Preventers:

default 18:56:48.913499 -0700 contextstored Idle Sleep Preventers: <private>

error 18:56:48.912847 -0700 hidd <private>: iohideventsystem_client_dispatch_service_removal:0x10000004

error 18:56:48.912996 -0700 hidd <private>: iohideventsystem_client_dispatch_service_removal:0x10000004

error 18:56:48.914124 -0700 hidd <private>: iohideventsystem_client_dispatch_service_removal:0x10000004

error 18:56:48.914309 -0700 hidd <private>: iohideventsystem_client_dispatch_service_removal:0x10000004

error 18:56:48.915062 -0700 hidd <private>: iohideventsystem_client_dispatch_service_removal:0x10000004

error 18:56:48.915141 -0700 hidd <private>: iohideventsystem_client_dispatch_service_removal:0x10000004

error 18:56:48.915221 -0700 hidd <private>: iohideventsystem_client_dispatch_service_removal:0x10000004

error 18:56:48.915359 -0700 hidd <private>: iohideventsystem_client_dispatch_service_removal:0x10000004

error 18:56:48.915498 -0700 hidd <private>: iohideventsystem_client_dispatch_service_removal:0x10000004

error 18:56:48.915777 -0700 hidd <private>: iohideventsystem_client_dispatch_service_removal:0x10000004

default 18:56:48.940097 -0700 trustd cert[2]: AnchorTrusted =(leaf)[force]> 0

default 18:56:48.946275 -0700 trustd cert[2]: AnchorTrusted =(leaf)[force]> 0

default 18:56:48.962305 -0700 trustd asynchronously fetching CRL (http://crl.apple.com/root.crl) for client (kextd[57]/0#-1 LF=0)

default 18:56:48.962367 -0700 trustd cert[2]: AnchorTrusted =(leaf)[force]> 0

default 18:56:49.999748 -0700 trustd asynchronously fetching CRL (http://crl.apple.com/root.crl) for client (kextd[57]/0#-1 LF=0)

default 18:56:49.999814 -0700 trustd cert[2]: AnchorTrusted =(leaf)[force]> 0

default 18:56:49.034727 -0700 trustd asynchronously fetching CRL (http://crl.apple.com/root.crl) for client (kextd[57]/0#-1 LF=0)

default 18:56:49.034790 -0700 trustd cert[2]: AnchorTrusted =(leaf)[force]> 0

default 18:56:49.068190 -0700 trustd asynchronously fetching CRL (http://crl.apple.com/root.crl) for client (kextd[57]/0#-1 LF=0)

default 18:56:49.068284 -0700 trustd cert[2]: AnchorTrusted =(leaf)[force]> 0

default 18:56:49.082342 -0700 trustd asynchronously fetching CRL (http://crl.apple.com/root.crl) for client (kextd[57]/0#-1 LF=0)

default 18:56:49.082403 -0700 trustd cert[2]: AnchorTrusted =(leaf)[force]> 0

default 18:56:49.094638 -0700 trustd asynchronously fetching CRL (http://crl.apple.com/root.crl) for client (kextd[57]/0#-1 LF=0)

default 18:56:49.094698 -0700 trustd cert[2]: AnchorTrusted =(leaf)[force]> 0

default 18:56:49.109420 -0700 trustd asynchronously fetching CRL (http://crl.apple.com/root.crl) for client (kextd[57]/0#-1 LF=0)

default 18:56:49.109482 -0700 trustd cert[2]: AnchorTrusted =(leaf)[force]> 0

default 18:56:49.127156 -0700 trustd asynchronously fetching CRL (http://crl.apple.com/root.crl) for client (kextd[57]/0#-1 LF=0)

default 18:56:49.127217 -0700 trustd cert[2]: AnchorTrusted =(leaf)[force]> 0

default 18:56:49.146118 -0700 trustd asynchronously fetching CRL (http://crl.apple.com/root.crl) for client (kextd[57]/0#-1 LF=0)

default 18:56:49.146178 -0700 trustd cert[2]: AnchorTrusted =(leaf)[force]> 0

Could it be my Energy Saver Settings?...

Really? This is the setting that generates all these interruptions and mouse freezing hanging? OK then, how about this?

NOPE! Still does it.

Update2:

I'm getting to the bottom of this problem:

- Disconnected Display port monitor, leave just DB15 monitor connected. Nope.

- Disconnected DB15 port monitor, leave just Display port monitor connected. Nope.

- Disconnected SDI monitor from BMD card. Nope.

- Disconnected Voyager USB hard drive dock. Nope.

- Disconnected Behringer USB audio interface. Nope.

- Swapped USB Keyboard + mouse from USB port 1 to 2 to 3. Nope.

- Restarted computer in Safe Mode (SHIFT.) NOPE! Still happens.

- Restarted Computer holding Option/Command/P/R to clear PRAM. Nope.

- Re-installed Inateck card.

Update 1:

No, I'm wrong, the Mac continues to hang... The card has been out of the machine for the last two weeks and the problem still exists. So it's not the Inateck.

I'm gonna have to do some more research and testing. Dang.

Original Post:

 I have an Inateck KT4004 Pcie USB3 (5Gbps) Card Adapter (rev B4?) in Slot 3 of my cMP 5,1 running macOS Mojave 10.14.6 and it makes the system hangs for sub seconds constantly.

My 2014 Inateck KT4004 Card

By this I mean that the mouse will freeze and will come back to life, freeze, come back to life, and on and on in an intermittently and randomly manner.

Drives me crazy as if for example I try to drag something from my left monitor to the right one it will freeze, loose whatever item I was dragging and drop it in the middle. It makes it impossible to draw on screen among other things.

I removed the card and sure enough the system is smooth as butter. Need to run some more tests but I feel I might need to replace this card I bought back in 2014 with a more recent one.

Inateck KT4004 (current Version)

I have an Ableconn PU31-AC2 USB3 (10Gbps) in the same Mac Pro and that one works flawlessly, but I need more inputs.

Abletonn PU31-AC2

What's your favorite USB PCIe Card for cMP? Let me know in the comments.

Missing Sound Effects in Final Cut Pro

 Out of the blue Sound Effects have gone missing in Final Cut Pro.

The sounds are still on the computer where they belong: /Library/Audio/Apple Loops/Apple/Final Cut Pro Sound Effects.

Several users have complained in past years and no real solution have been offered. Even some people went to the length of trashing all prefs, trashing the sound package, re-downloading the sounds, re-installing FCP... To no avail, the stuff of nightmares.

I found that closing all FCP Libraries and creating a new FCP Library... Boom! The Sound Effects appeared all of the sudden. From there, re-opening my working project, closing the empty newly created Library, and yes the Sound Effects are still there.

There is a glitch somewhere that makes Sound Effects disappear and re-appear. At least this workaround works for me.

I also noticed that the Photos folder was also missing altogether from the list. It showed only Logic Pro X, iTunes and Sound Effects (empty.) After the "re-trigger" move described above, the Photos folder re-appeared.

Sound Effects folder populated. Photos folder back at top of the list.

Compressor And File Names

 Tips on Using Apple Compressor: if the source file name contains L-R-C-LFE-Ls-Rs or any of the surround naming conventions used by Compressor, it will automatically recognize the file as a Surround Group instead of say a WAV multichannel.

This is wrong and will yield to bad results. Make sure to name the source file accordingly.

Adobe Encore - Do No Use The Loop Feature In BD Menus

 Basically it's a useless feature and does not work properly in Encore for Blu-ray. I tried everything and I cannot have it loop seamlessly, even less correctly. No matter what I try it truncates the beginning of the music/audio, or it puts an interminable silence at the end of the music.

The solution: DO NOT USE IT! It is much better, less aggravating, seamless and accurate to just set the loop to NONE always. If a menu needs to loop, just make it point at itself in the End Action. That's it.

More about this snafu here.

Adobe Encore - Replace Asset

 Be super wary of Adobe Encore's Replace Asset function.

It is very handy when switching asset, without the need to redo everything you've done with it.

There is a huge gotcha though, if the asset is of a different length for example, Encore still thinks the new asset is the old length.

Not good for looped menus with music. If the Music is 30sec. and you replace it with a 40sec. music, the loop is still stuck at 30sec. If you manually change it to 40, the image is cut short 10sec.!

The right way to do this is to relink/reload the new music in the Motion Menu Panel. Encore will register the new length and all is good.

Adobe Encore Blu-ray menu buttons selection/highlight not visible

 Another troubleshooting of Encore this time with BD. Preview works great, everything is just fine. Build the project, open with BD player and... NO BUTTONS visible. No selection, no highlight...

The bug is in the Menu Color Setting. Anything that's not Automatic or 100% opacity does not work. Here is an Adobe forum page about it.

Now, another thing that might turn off the highlight color is "Export Highlights in Rich Color." If that's turned on, turn it off. Make sure each menu page has this option turned off. Encore will preview it correctly but the option sometimes is sticky and hard to get off of it. Select all Menus and turn it on and off a few times, then do it one Menu at a time.

Also, forget using an app the likes of Leawo for playing/checking Blu-ray packages on your Mac. It's not accurate and will make you doubt your build is correct.

For example: at the end of a menu the app stops everything. Not the case with a burned disc played in a set top Blu-ray player.

The app just becomes irresponsive and does not show any buttons with a looped menu that has background music. It will be fine on a burned disc played back in a regular Blu-ray player.

The buttons are not positioned properly. Not to worry, it will be fine again when played back from a disc on a set top player. 

Adobe Encore Error Message: "frame values not permitted by indicated format"

 Another cryptic message by Encore CS6.

"frame values not permitted by indicated format".

As it happens the culprit in my case is the caption file.

The film asset is 23.98, Encore conforms the timeline to the asset.

The caption file (.scc) works fine with a 29.97 Timeline and asset, but it generates the error on a 23.98 Timeline/asset.

Fix: I imported the .scc into Annotation Edit set to 23.98 and exported it to .scc. The roundtrip worke, the exported file did not generate the error.