Current Issues with Surface Pro 2

[chezm]

So after a week and so, the only issue I've encountered is when using Music Multitrack Recording software the ASIO is not recognizing the headphones as an optional choice for Audio output, specifically in my case Cubase (SX2 and 7). While this may not seem like a big issue to some, mixing/editing music in multitrack requires close attention to audio detail. Since this device is mobile and i plan to use it outside of my home studio, not having the option to use headphones is frustrating. I've spent a week trying to find a work around, even if i needed to override the audio setting manually i would be a happy camper...but this isn't even working.

 

[MBytes]

So after a week and so, the only issue I've encountered is when using Music Multitrack Recording software the ASIO is not recognizing the headphones as an optional choice for Audio output, specifically in my case Cubase (SX2 and 7). While this may not seem like a big issue to some, mixing/editing music in multitrack requires close attention to audio detail. Since this device is mobile and i plan to use it outside of my home studio, not having the option to use headphones is frustrating. I've spent a week trying to find a work around, even if i needed to override the audio setting manually i would be a happy camper...but this isn't even working.

I don't know dude... but I think you are asking too much out of a 2$ onBoard sound chip.

If anything, you should be looking at connecting your music equipment via USB if it supports that medium, else get at least a consumer class USB powered dedicated sound card to start with.
Have a look at ASUS Xonar product line. Beside, you'll also enjoy far superior sound quality and headphone amp for high impedance headphones.

 

[chezm]

I don't know dude... but I think you are asking too much out of a 2$ onBoard sound chip.

If anything, you should be looking at connecting your music equipment via USB if it supports that medium, else get at least a consumer class USB powered dedicated sound card to start with.
Have a look at ASUS Xonar product line. Beside, you'll also enjoy far superior sound quality and headphone amp for high impedance headphones.

Maybe you're right...but this shouldnt be asking for too much, the original Surface Pro worked very well as a music production tool (tons of blogs and proof online), what i am trying to get working is mainly an audio output source. It works with other music production software im using such as Fruity Loops, which is a smart enough program to understand that when the headphones are plugged into the jack, it overrides the speakers as primary output audio source. This may very well be a Cubase issue for all I know, but you would think the main audio driver would initiate an override process when headphones are plugged in...much like the laptops do. I'm not asking for the audio output to be revolutionary or compare to my PCI soundboard (1010LT M-Audio, looks similar to the Asus you recommended)...i just want the audio to be outputted through the headphone jack...thats all. Anyway, ill keep digging and see if theres a workaround.

 

[Joe Acerbic]

The chrome scaling issue is 'fixed' by typing "chrome://flags" into the address bar and finding a setting with "hdpi" in it, set that to enabled.

Here's an alternative fix for the touch issue. The drawback is that Chrome then runs without scaling so everything is tiny.

Google Groups

 

[unstoppablekem]

I get two issues when I run PhotoShop, and even when it's not running. Do you think it's a problem, or it's fine?

 

[Emilie Freese]

Oops, I thought I was replying to the post about the cover not being able to flip over backwards. You can re-attach it in the backwards position with the magnet.

 

[Emilie Freese]

Microsoft Store refused my review, wonder why?

Microsoft Store refused my review, wonder why?

I just bought a Surface 2 Pro and had it a week before I returned it. From all the reviews and all the specs, I couldn't wait for it to finally arrive. Oct 22'nd finally gets here and that morning I was waiting for the BestBuy to open. YES!, I am admittedly a MS fan-boy, and LOVE the windows PC experience, at least until Win8. I was kind-a surprised that they didn't do a midnight launch like for a PS3 or an X-Box, lol. I rushed home to play with it and loved the responsiveness and the gorgeous 1080p screen. Then you get to the desktop and WOAH, look at the tiny little task bar and the tiny icons. Microsoft's fix was by default to use 150% magnification and it still wasn't enough and I had to do 200%. I was pleased with this until I tried to open up programs on the desktop and they were zoomed off the screen. WHAT! Microsoft never tried to open any programs from the desktop and noticed the scaling problems? Then I tried to watch some 1080p video mkv's with the Start-Menu X-Box video player app that can't even see them let alone open them, it's just for mp4's, and wmp's. WTF!, Microsoft's developers don't even give you a native mkv video player built-in, this on a 1000 dollar tablet hybrid. Ok, lets go to the Microsoft App Store, surely after Win8 has been out for a whole year there must be ton's of excellent video player app's that are touch optimized just for Win8 tablets. None of the dozen, paid or free that I tried were acceptable, either they couldn't handle the mkv playback or didn't have touch capability. Next I installed TMT6 from the desktop and it did play just beautiful BUT, the touch interface had problems unless you used the mouse and the image brightness and contrast controls were greyed out. Did Microsoft not think that anyone would ever want to play HD 1080p mkv's on this tablet? Say you were staying at a hotel and wanted to use it to watch a movie, sure you could hook it up to the HDMI and get a great picture. That is if you have a micro-display port to HDMI cable that Microsoft doesn't include, and then if you want to pause or fast forward you have to get up and go across the room to pickup the surface and tap on it. What about including a cable and a credit card sized remote control like my 150 dollar Sony watchman had, or at least a smart-phone app with blue-tooth controls. No!, Microsoft could not think outside the closed box and really make a killer video tablet appliance, no lets just make a plain old boring desktop with a keyboard. Next I tried to open a pretty standard e-pub or mobi file with the provided Reader, WTF! It won't even recognize those file types. I go and download the Adobe Reader which does open PDF's, but nothing else. Next I go and download Adobe Digital Editions and get it installed, but WAIT, it doesn't have a Start Menu app and has to be run from the desktop, but WAIT, it also doesn't do SWIPE with your finger to change pages. OK, I get it. Microsoft doesn't care that you bought a 1000 dollar PC & Tablet device with the latest Win8.1 on it and it's not user friendly after being marketed as the best touch OS EVER!. They have all these highly paid engineer's and developers on the payroll who I guess go home at night and use iPad's and android tablets to watch their HD videos on tablets using the great (even the free version) MX-Player that I use on my Galaxy Tab 7, and using FB-Reader I use on my EVO4G to read e-pubs. No wonder Microsoft is going down the tubes, or at least I hope they will because they treat their customers like idiots. I should not have to wait until VLC makes a Start Menu MKV player, if Microsoft is SERIOUS about wanting to become a real player in the mobile marketplace then MAKE SOME USEFULL START MENU APPS! I should not have to crawl around the internet finding, downloading and installing crappy app software when last time I checked Microsoft was in the SOFTWARE BUSINESS.

 

[thekeeblerelf]

This review is awful. You could have replace "Surface Pro 2" with any laptop/desktop from any brand, and you'd get the same results.

You're basically complaining that no one has published an app on the Store that supports mkv playback that meets your standards of "acceptable". Nothing supports mkv playback out of the box.

You're complaining that Adobe hasn't implemented touch controls in Adobe Digital Editions, or made it run in the "metro" environment.

How does any of this relate to Microsoft? A remote would be neat, and who knows... maybe they'll make an accessory.

 

[MBytes]

Sorry dude, but your reviews is really not good.
All your issues that you are mentioning are out of the hands of Microsoft. Plus you complain about Windows 8 in itself... which makes no sense. You bought the device knowing it came with Windows 8.1, and you complain how it's terrible like you knew this in advance. Also, your Windows 8.1 opinion has no purpose in the Surface Pro 2 review.
Finally the simple use of caps locks, doesn't make you right or give you any validate. In fact it does the reverse effect on expression your opinion.

Also, it's Mini-DisplayPort, and it's full size version, is a standard computer display connector, which is already set on a path to replace DVI for it's numerous advantages, and 0 downsides. I don't know what this "micro-DisplayPort" is, and HDMI is not a standard computer display connector. HDMI is for entertainment and it's total junk, and arguably more limited than DVI, which is sad.

Advantages of DisplayPort
-> Support significantly more plug-in and out before port breakage than DVI, making it idea for laptops and tablets.
-> DisplayPort 1.2 supports 4K resolution @ 60Hz @ 8-bit colors per channel (HDMI is stuck at 1080p @ 60Hz @ 8-bit colors per channel, unless you get the brand new HDMI 1.4b, with cables and supported hardware, then you can support 4K @ 24Hz @ 8-bit colors per channel, but you face multitude of issues that can arise, as 1.4b is more of a patch to get 4K out of teh door, than properly support it. HDMI 2.0 is not out yet)
-> DisplayPort carries full monitor information in a standard and clearly defined mater, like DVI. HDMI does not. You need to, most of the time, fight with the graphic card control panel, in trying a multitude of options to get the image display correctly, unless lucky.
-> DisplayPort support 10-bit, 12-bit, 14-bit and even 16-bit color per channel, allowing support for multiple trillion color displays. DVI and HDMI does not. HDMI is limited to 8-bit colors, and DVI can do 10-bit colors but compressed, unless the resolution is low.
-> DisplayPort support 1920x1080 at 144Hz at 8-bit colors, and can do more. DVI requires dual -link DVI, a hacked up version of DVI, where it's 2 DVI put together to acheive such reqiurement for support display. The same hacked up plug is required for anything larger in 1920x1200 in terms of resolution.
-> DisplayPort consumes less power than any display connector on the market, making it great for tablets and laptops
-> DisplayPort has a internal ribbon cable version, for tablets and laptops internal display, which consumes even less power.
-> DisplayPort carries audio, and auxiliary (what ever the hardware manufacture wants, pretty much: like USB, or Ethernet for example) as well as video
-> DisplayPort 1.2 supports daisy chaining multiple display as extended, from 1 plug on the graphic card/device. You can plug up to (if the graphic chip and display supports it): 4x 1920x1200 display @ 60Hz)
-> DisplayPort carries error correcting bits, much like DVI, ensuring the best visual experience at every frame. (HDMI does not)
-> DisplayPort is backward compatible with single-link DVI, HDMI and VGA with any simple, basic, inexpensive adapter. No conversion required.
-> DisplayPort is royalty free, making the implementation of the port, and cables far more cheaper
-> DisplayPort full size, have a latch system connector, to make sure it wont' fall out. And doesn't have a screw system which is annoying to tight in and out.

As you can see, DisplayPort massacre any connectors that is on the market right now, and is why it has been selected. DisplayPort is known and expected features on a business class laptops since 2008. And are finally slowly entering the consumer grade market.

If you want HDMI, get a Sony device or any strong supporters of HDMI (Sony original idea).
Sony wanted DVI, but with encryption system which "will eliminate piracy of movies for ever" (well we can see how that turned up to be false), and the DVI consortium laugh their head off. So Sony formed the HDMI consortium with several companies, and billion dollars later, in great rush for Blu-Ray release: here comes HDMI, a less capable and more problematic connector than DVI (not to mention supports shorter distance). With a wide range of supporters (if you are not supporter, you have to pay ludicrously high royalty fees.. that is how Sony got people on board), and massive Apple-like advertisement campaign to push HDMI, leads to what we have today: Over priced TV's, over priced cables, a ****ty connector that falls off all the time, and the protection system got cracked in no time.

So, how does it make any sense for Microsoft to even include HDMI?

 

[Jas00555]

Seriously dude, your review sucks. I personally use Microsoft Reader over Adobe Reader. Try that. Also, why should Microsoft have to include just a .mkv app? That seems like a very highly specific app for Microsoft to care about when they have an entire OS to worry about. I don't see it as a make-or-break thing enough that I would put it in a review and return it. VLC is almost here, so I guess patience doesn't matter to you, but I'm rocking a SP2 and since my computer broke, it is now my all-in-one PC and am loving it.

 

[Jas00555]

My only problem so far has been after I installed an update, everytime I press the power button (just press, not hold. Like I touch it for 1ms) to put it in standby, then click it again, my surface restarts. I'll wait to see if an update comes to fix this.

Just thought I'd let everyone know that I got another update and it fixed this problem. Now I'm issue-free.

 

[unstoppablekem]

Just thought I'd let everyone know that I got another update and it fixed this problem. Now I'm issue-free.

Wait, do you have a Pro or Pro 2? Because when I click your name, it says you have the regular.

 

[chezm]

New possible issue. I just picked up some AWESOME Sony Bluetooth/NFC headphones, work great and sound amazing... very excited I'm finally going wireless now. Anyway, when I use my headphones to listen to Xbox Music Collections albums I purchased, theres a stuttering or constant pauses..as if its buffering with issues. It doesn't happen with locally saved audio tracks, only tracks it seems are saved from the Xbox music cloud? Ive checked for driver updates but none to be found, running latest. Anyone with Bluetooth headphones that could test id appreciate it.

 

[chezm]

Maybe you're right...but this shouldnt be asking for too much, the original Surface Pro worked very well as a music production tool (tons of blogs and proof online), what i am trying to get working is mainly an audio output source. It works with other music production software im using such as Fruity Loops, which is a smart enough program to understand that when the headphones are plugged into the jack, it overrides the speakers as primary output audio source. This may very well be a Cubase issue for all I know, but you would think the main audio driver would initiate an override process when headphones are plugged in...much like the laptops do. I'm not asking for the audio output to be revolutionary or compare to my PCI soundboard (1010LT M-Audio, looks similar to the Asus you recommended)...i just want the audio to be outputted through the headphone jack...thats all. Anyway, ill keep digging and see if theres a workaround.

I purchased some awesome Sony Bluetooth headphones and after some playing around (randomly) with the audio asio config I've managed to have the Bluetooth connected phones override the speaker. Didn't work as easily with the phono jack....hmmmm. Anyway im a happy

 

[vipkl]

Just wanted to say that the three SP2 [256GB] units I bought together from a local store, have some hardware production variance from unit to unit (still waiting for my fourth SP2 [512GB] online order to arrive). I'm talking about physical symptoms I can see before even turning them on.

The first unit has excess glue (?) sticking out of the bottom of the screen where the edge of the glass meets the metal body. It's like a 3-4 inch strip area around the center line of the screen (right underneath the capacitive Windows button). It got more noticeable because the glue kept picking up more lint and fluffy fibers from the Type and Touch Covers when closed. Tried using 70% isopropyl alcohol pads to wipe the glue off, over and over again, but not much luck. Guess I'll need something stronger, but I don't want to damage the frame or glass coatings?

(This first unit also has a white pixel in the middle of the screen, noticeably on dark backgrounds. Haven't checked the other two units closely yet.)

The second unit's power connector seems to be slightly slanted such that when docking the pen, the head of the pen angles away from the side of the unit and there's a gap. With the other two units, the pen docks flush touching the body of the unit from head to tip. The problem is with the power connector itself and not the pen, since I tried all 3 pens with that unit.

The third unit's kickstand has considerably more wiggle at each notched position, and opening/closing it makes a harder sound. With the other two units, the kickstand feels tighter at each notched position, and opening/closing it produces a softer "cushioned" sound.

Does anyone recommend that I try to exchange any of these units, and which ones?

 

[russmov]

My sp2 seems to constantly be doing maintenance for some reason. Anyone else? Also when im typing in a forum whenever I close the keyboard I can see my desktop through the webpage.

 

[MBytes]

Yes exchange all units with issues.
It's not normal you have excess glue, nor a bright pixel on the screen
Most high-end consumer grade IPS monitors like Dell UltraSharp or Professional series, even ASUS PA and PB line screen, just for example, have a 0 stuck and bright pixel policy, because it's the most annoying faulty pixel issue, where people "can't live with it". So I know you'll be annoyed by it. I had this once on a new monitor. Really annoying to see. This is an expensive device, and perfection is what you need to seek. If you still have trouble, it might be best to return, and wait next months for a new batch, and get it a different store.

 

[Jas00555]

Wait, do you have a Pro or Pro 2? Because when I click your name, it says you have the regular.

thank you for noticing that. I'll fix it as soon as I get home.

 

[chezm]

My sp2 seems to constantly be doing maintenance for some reason. Anyone else? .

mine as well

 

[russmov]

I don't know enough about computers to know if this is an issue.