Digi-Why was tiger better then Leo using all cores?

[woodsdenis]

Originally Posted by c-tone

You still need to reduce the number of processors on a new Mac, so no, it doesn't solve the issue. Being on a newer Mac just makes the problem easier to handle, but you still are losing processing power.

I think on an 8 core Mac you dont lose RTAS processing power because RTAS doesn't use all 8 anyway.

Denis

[Tobias Eichelberg]

You guys, I think the point is clear now. RTAS VI performance has been discussed for years now. Remember how PT 7.0 brought us "improved RTAS performance"? I believe digidesign would be the last to willingly let Pro Tools users suffer from a bad performance. Obviously it's not so easy to get an improved RTAS VI performance for both Intel and PPC on OS 10.5.

I can really really recommend this kind of workaround, especially for HD users that are still on PCI (G5dual) and fear the expenses involved with going from PCI to PCIe: Keep the G5 with PT HD and sync a second mac running Logic Pro for virtual instruments alongside Pro Tools. Get a cheap lo-quality (e.g. M-Audio ) interface for Logic and route the audio into your HD system.
Midi-over-Lan keeps everything in sync and it's really easy to use.

You'll get tons of horsepower for VIs, the ability to freeze instrument tracks and your Pro Tools will run all the audio stuff. With a gigabit ethernet switch your Logic session can even stay (and being run off) an internal HD on the Pro Tools G5.

Toby

[PhilBuckle]

Wondering if RTAS performance suffers the same problems in LE as it does with TDM and PT8.
I'm thinking that Digidesign make more income from LE than the "getting long in the tooth" HD systems.
I remember a rep telling me that was their main focus some time ago.
Is anyone buying HD systems anymore I wonder.
Now might be a good time to dump the whole HD thing (I don't record bands and only ever record one track at a time)

I'm really feeling that ...for me (composer) this rig has long passed its use by date and, in regard to native plug performance problem with PT8, has been long overtaken by totally native systems.
I was once able to say that I had the best of both worlds, the stability of PT hardware and the ability to use native RTAS.
These days I use more RTAS, plugs and VI's than I use TDM and with this current problem with PT8 and RTAS it means I'm going to have to change something.
Should I throw more money (chassis or PCIe upgrade) at an old system (Accel 2) or sell it now and get the mother of all native systems.
If I was tracking bands or needed to attract clients with the HD sign I would hang on but I'm not and I'm starting to think it's time to jump off the train.

Just chewing things over.
I really don't want to spend money on a dead system. A hardware system that in my view is not being developed anymore.
There has been NO talk of any new DSP hardware from Digi and these Accel chips are OLD.

[Bentley Ferrari]

Originally Posted by tobias eichelberg

you guys, i think the point is clear now. Rtas vi performance has been discussed for years now. Remember how pt 7.0 brought us "improved rtas performance"? I believe digidesign would be the last to willingly let pro tools users suffer from a bad performance. Obviously it's not so easy to get an improved rtas vi performance for both intel and ppc on os 10.5.

I can really really recommend this kind of workaround, especially for hd users that are still on pci (g5dual) and fear the expenses involved with going from pci to pcie: Keep the g5 with pt hd and sync a second mac running logic pro for virtual instruments alongside pro tools. Get a cheap lo-quality (e.g. M-audio :d) interface for logic and route the audio into your hd system.
Midi-over-lan keeps everything in sync and it's really easy to use.

You'll get tons of horsepower for vis, the ability to freeze instrument tracks and your pro tools will run all the audio stuff. With a gigabit ethernet switch your logic session can even stay (and being run off) an internal hd on the pro tools g5.

Toby

+1 +1 +1

[PhilBuckle]

Yeah that could be a good option. I started doing that with some old Mac laptop I bought. I used to run Logic on it through an M-Audio box in PT. Those were the days when Superior Drums used to bring PT to its knees (how pathetic)
Worked great.
I also used to run Reason on that rig.

Definitely an option because I still have the M-Audio Firewire box.

[studiom]

I've come up with another workaround for anyone on G5 systems. I too have a G5 2.7/HD4 accel PT8. The VI performance especially when using power hungry VI's can be a hassle but I found using a separate host, in my case plogue bidule, works very well. I don't rewire it into Pro Tools (although you can), I use it as a separate host that has say Omniphere loaded and just send it out a Macs digital out back into a pair of digital inputs in protools. Getting midi from tools is simple once you set up bidule. This is WAY more efficient than running Omnisphere as an RTAS plugin in Tools. I can load patches on the fly and can run larger multi's than I ever could when running it as an rtas plugin. Only stereo out is a limitation but I guess you could use a adat/light pipe interface for more outs.

[zobomix]

+1 on studiom's solution. I prefer bidule in rewire mode as I don't use as many VIs as someone here. It's amazing that I can actually use Kontakt RELIABLY as a VST plug in bidule.

I think Digi should get over some of the marketing BS and hire more people in the development dept.

Peace.

[overnight]

I know very little about the distributed CPU model that I've heard Macs since the G4's are capable of. I know we're talking about running the VI's exclusively through another platform, another computer even, but is there any way to run internal program operations off of two computers? Could I run all my plugs within PT off another CPU? Like I said, I really know nothing about the distributed CPU stuff. Just very curious. I'm afraid that even with no VI's, the normal RTAS plugs would still render my system crippled after a dozen or 15 instances in PT8.

I really appreciate this thread and the DigiTech's candor and honesty but I too wish I had found it before I plunked down the dough for PT8 (and OSX 10.5.6, and Complete Production Toolkit... $2K... uhhhhg!). I've retreated to 7.4 again and am sooooooo bummed about it but I just can't make PT8 work on my G5 2.3 Dual. I don't have the 2.5K to 3.5K it would take to buy a viable computer that would last me for 3 or 4 years. So I have to try and sell Complete Toolkit (at what looks like probably an $800 or $900 loss) so that I can get DV Toolkit and just take it like a man.

I feel like this thread should be re-titled and stickied. Call it "If you have a G5 and are thinking of PT8.... not so fast." This thread pretty much answered all the questions I found it very hard to find answers on prior to buying.

[Bentley Ferrari]

Originally Posted by overnight

I know very little about the distributed CPU model that I've heard Macs since the G4's are capable of. I know we're talking about running the VI's exclusively through another platform, another computer even, but is there any way to run internal program operations off of two computers? Could I run all my plugs within PT off another CPU?

No. The only DAW I'm aware of that can do this is Logic. I assume Logic Express and Apple's other audio apps have this capability, too, but I'm not sure since I don't use them.