Completely disillusioned with PT8 and windows

[cosmograf]

I'm getting more and more frustrated with PT8 Mpowered and windows, just get constant DAE errors, and insufficient memory issues. Despite a good spec my rig is unusuable over anything more than 20 tracks and 10 mins of audio.

I have a Core 2 Duo PC running 3GHz with 4gb ram installed on XP. I've got a dedicated SATAII audio and program drives, and I've got 8.0.4 loaded and using a Maudio Profire 2626 with latest drivers.

Everytime I bounce a track then try and continue a session I get DAE errors , insufficient memory to playback etc.

If I change session then the same thing happens. THe only way I can continue is to close the session , shut down pro tools and reopen the new session. Surely I shouldn't have to do this.

If I play with the DAE settings things improve slightly when I set the memory cache to 'minimum' but why should I have to do this. I have 4Gb of RAM!

At the moment I can't handle more than 3 VIs and a handful of plug ins on say 20 tracks. This is rubbish. My old copy of Cubase on a P4 could do better.

Can someone give me some clues what I need to look at apart from a Mac.?

Why am I constantly getting memory issues when I have 4GB ram installed.?

[Dism]

Originally Posted by cosmograf

I'm getting more and more frustrated with PT8 Mpowered and windows, just get constant DAE errors, and insufficient memory issues. Despite a good spec my rig is unusuable over anything more than 20 tracks and 10 mins of audio.

I have a Core 2 Duo PC running 3GHz with 4gb ram installed on XP. I've got a dedicated SATAII audio and program drives, and I've got 8.0.4 loaded and using a Maudio Profire 2626 with latest drivers.

Everytime I bounce a track then try and continue a session I get DAE errors , insufficient memory to playback etc.

If I change session then the same thing happens. THe only way I can continue is to close the session , shut down pro tools and reopen the new session. Surely I shouldn't have to do this.

If I play with the DAE settings things improve slightly when I set the memory cache to 'minimum' but why should I have to do this. I have 4Gb of RAM!

At the moment I can't handle more than 3 VIs and a handful of plug ins on say 20 tracks. This is rubbish. My old copy of Cubase on a P4 could do better.

Can someone give me some clues what I need to look at apart from a Mac.?

Why am I constantly getting memory issues when I have 4GB ram installed.?

Sandra report, please.

[spkguitar]

Originally Posted by cosmograf

I'm getting more and more frustrated with PT8 Mpowered and windows, just get constant DAE errors, and insufficient memory issues.

DAE and memory issues can be caused by quite a number of different things, but most of them are actually compatibility and requirements issues.

Originally Posted by cosmograf

Depsite a good spec my rig is unusuable over anything more than 20 tracks and 10 mins of audio.

"Good spec" does not always mean "compatible with Pro Tools" I'm afraid.

Originally Posted by cosmograf

I have a Core 3 Duo PC running 3GHz with 4gb ram installed on XP. I've got 8.0.4 loaded and using a Maudio Profire 2626 with latest drivers.

Core 3? Never heard of it. Must be a typo?

If you would, please read the "Help us Help you" post and follow the instructions for posting details about your computer. It will... help us... um... help you.

Originally Posted by cosmograf

Everytime I bounce a track then try and continue a session I get DAE errors , insufficient memory to playback etc.

If I change session then the same thing happens. THe only way I can continue is to close the session , shut down pro tools and reopen the new session. Surely I shouldn't have to do this.

No, on a compatible rig that meets the requirements and is setup correctly for Pro Tools, you shouldn't.

Originally Posted by cosmograf

If I play with the DAE settings things improve slightly when I set the memory cache to 'minimum' but why should I have to do this. I have 4Gb of RAM!

Windows XP will not even address the whole 4GB. You could have 6 or 8GB or RAM and Windows XP still would only address 3.75 (or less) of it, and then has to share that with all of the programs that are running.

Originally Posted by cosmograf

At the moment I can't handle more than 3 VIs and a handful of plug ins on say 20 tracks.

Which VIs and plugins. And which versions? It really makes a difference.

Originally Posted by cosmograf

Can someone give me some clues what I need to look at apart from a Mac.?

We really need more info from you to be able to do that. As well as the information requested above about your computer, we need to know how you have the session set up; how many tracks, which plugins, how many and where, sample rate, bit rate, etc etc.

Originally Posted by cosmograf

Why am I constantly getting memory issues when I have 4GB ram installed.?

Because you're... umm... running out of memory?

All kidding aside, it's hard to tell you without the info that I'm requesting. Just one instance of a drum sample VI with a large library loaded could chew through that amount of memory very quickly if not setup right, so...

[Julia B]

Do you have elastic audio enabled? Try disabling it on your tracks. I found that when it's enabled even on a fully compatible system that it caused a ton of problems. Digi folks suggested this solution. Basically if you don't need it enabled for your session, disable it.

[weezul]

Welcome to the party pal! near-identical set up, very similar problems. There is no real solution, you just have to only buy the tested hardware. I've tried every fix, every Firewire driver, every ProFire driver, every version of m-powered all to no avail. I even bought the compatible FireWire card along with my profire just to make sure. Just for no reason at all, it won't play back and just gives you cache errors. or error 9009. And the bizarre thing is there's no logic behind the errors. They need to really re-write the program from the ground up imo. its a frankenstein of errors and patches. re:elastic audio, yes turning off a key feature of the DAW which I use in nearly every session, can help stabilize things. But then when you need it, only on one track a re-enable causes it to crash again.

I never had any of these issues using a USB interface, it was solid as a rock on the exact same machine and PT7. *sigh*

[Julia B]

Suggestion for a work around on the EA....

* make every track other than two (the one you're clocking to and the one you're editing) inactive. It's a royal pain to do in large sessions, but I've got too much $$$ invested right now to change things.

[jojo99]

They need to really re-write the program from the ground up imo. its a frankenstein of errors and patches.

bumping for truth

[albee1952]

Originally Posted by weezul

Welcome to the party pal! near-identical set up, very similar problems. There is no real solution, you just have to only buy the tested hardware. I've tried every fix, every Firewire driver, every ProFire driver, every version of m-powered all to no avail. I even bought the compatible FireWire card along with my profire just to make sure. Just for no reason at all, it won't play back and just gives you cache errors. or error 9009. And the bizarre thing is there's no logic behind the errors. They need to really re-write the program from the ground up imo. its a frankenstein of errors and patches. re:elastic audio, yes turning off a key feature of the DAW which I use in nearly every session, can help stabilize things. But then when you need it, only on one track a re-enable causes it to crash again.

I never had any of these issues using a USB interface, it was solid as a rock on the exact same machine and PT7. *sigh*

Folks, its rather ludicrous to make this statement since neither of you has posted a SANDRA report. Give us the info we need and we may be able to help. If you just want to gripe.............as for the comment regarding Pro Tools needing a complete re-write, then why do so many of us use it successfully, day in and day out?

[jojo99]

Originally Posted by albee1952

as for the comment regarding Pro Tools needing a complete re-write, then why do so many of us use it successfully, day in and day out?

Well wait a sec...Don't you think it's possible some (inc me) are suggesting this because we LIKE PT, but want to see it perfected (or at least be brought up to today's standards)? I hardly think it's just "baseless gripe", and to suggest that it is complete BS at this point.

Show of hands from those who frequent the digi msg board because we DISLIKE PT please? (speaking of ridiculous).

I've used digi/PT since it's near birth using session 8, since then I've used all kinds of DAWs....and I can say that PT8 is still patchwork based and extremely limited in comparison. Not that that would be a 'bad thing' - if it was working so well as to never have the topic raised time and time again. And a new UI/look is not the real answer here.

No. The suggestion of a complete rewrite is pretty much on target, especially when we're talking about stemming off so many accumulated incompatibilities, unnecessary workarounds (elasticA anyone?), accumulated showstopping errors (that mostly are far from resolved once this all-telling and glorius "sandra reporting" is done and posted). All of that aside from it's miserable format support, it's memory hogging in comparison to other daws, it's ridiculous limiting route of "bouncing" only, and more

but let me ask you this...why would you be against a complete rewrite anyways? What's the reasoning there? I'm sorry but the old defense built on "allegiance to digi" (who ain't digi anymore, really) has run it's course. Don't ya think? it might have flown in the 80's/90's...but it just isn't anymore.

No, sorry. Some of us actually LIKE PT and want to remain using it, but also recognize when it's problems begin to outweigh it's pros. We comment this way because we WANT to see it brought back to the standard. Blind allegiance just to pontificate on a msg board though? Sorry - look elsewhere. Some of us have work to do.

[Slapmonsta]

Sorry...just had to join in on this one....

PT8 has....


No in-built delay compensation.
No off-line bouncing.

Yet every other piece of give-away software with a $100 interface has those two obvious workflow needs as standard.

Why?

All the pointers are towards the issue that the program would need a re-code virtually from scratch....and it's not economic to do it anymore.
So many bits and pieces have been bolted onto PT over the years that unless your system is virtually "digified" there is no gaurantee that even obvious,modern,everyday components are going to work.

My system is balanced with PT in mind...Cubase and Reason just work,seemingly whatever.

In my experience,PT is by far the "fussiest" piece of DAW software (at least on PC) and up until this latest version was I was never confident enough to use it on a "critical" session,choosing to record in C4 then mix in PT later.
V8 has defiantely improved the "feel" of the program but you still get the impression that ultimately it's like improving the air-conditioning in a 10 year old car.

I don't mind PT but I admit that I use it mostly beacause I have to for the sake of "compatibilty."
But after any major edits or takes I've ALWAYS got my eye open on the screen waiting for "access violation" or "DAE" stuff.....