Hi All,
We finally finished a couple of long-standing projects, so I thought now would be a great time to update ProTools to the latest version (2019.10 or .12) I was hoping that the updates to the AAE and firmware update to the HDX cards (that came with 2019.5?) would resolve some of the CPU issues we have had ever since we bought the HDX set up and the then new Mac Pro 6,1 two years ago. But so far it appears not.
We’re on High Sierra, with 2 x HDX cards in a Sonnet TB2 PCI chassis. I cannot run most sessions at a low buffer setting due to CPU spikes and 9093, 9171 errors etc. Since doing the update today, CPU usage generally (according to PT’s CPU usage meters!) appears to have dropped significantly, but on lower buffer settings (even on 512 in some instances) there are regular CPU spikes and errors which halt playback. Recording audio isn’t too much of an issue at the higher buffer setting, we can just route directly to the stereo bus and there's next to no latency whilst recording. But for tracking midi on VIs, the latency is a big issue at higher buffers.
I have established that certain plug ins are causing more issues than others. Altiverb is one (but not the only one) for example. I have a session with just 2 audio channels, 2 aux channels and two instances of Altiverb which will not run at the lowest buffer setting on PT HDX without regular CPU spikes and error messages, even spikes occasionally at 256 (but is fine on any native system I have tried it on)
What I would like to establish, is whether it just our PT HDX system, or whether this issue can be replicated on other PT HDX systems? I’d be particularly interested to know whether the issue is the same with a PT HDX system running the HDX card in a Mac Pro 5,1 rather than in a TB / PCI expansion chassis on a newer Mac.
If anyone (who has HDX cards and also Altiverb) cares to take a look and report back, it would be much appreciated. Try running the session in loop playback at the lowest buffer setting.
Also - since updating today, I have noticed that PT kind of freezes for a minute or so (spinning beach ball) after changing the buffer setting - something that wasn’t happening before.
Anybody else getting this after the firmware update that came with (I think) PT 2019.5?
Download link
https://we.tl/t-JECgUL2hJv
Many thanks
Dan