Massive CPU overload, then stays overloaded.

[Drywsef]

I had a mysterious problem with a session today. I have a fast i7 machine, and was running a mix using 11% cpu. Then suddenly, pro tools would stall, the cpu meter would jump to 99-100%, give me the overload error, then stay at 99-100% even after dismissing the error window. This has never happened before, and no matter how many time I reopen the session, the problem will eventually return. I tried restarting, and trashing databases/prefs. I have also tried working from session backups, in case that particular session file was corrupted. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance.

[albee1952]

Are you using TL Space in the session? Post a Sandra report for better help.
Click the link up top that says: Help us Help You - READ THIS Before Posting!

[Drywsef]

Originally Posted by albee1952

Are you using TL Space in the session? Post a Sandra report for better help.
Click the link up top that says: Help us Help You - READ THIS Before Posting!

I will post one as soon as I get to my windows machine at the studio tomorrow. Has TL Space been known to cause issues? I do use it, but it has been in all my other sessions without issue.

[dave911]

I don't use TLSPACE but on the Waves IR reverb processor loading is highly dependent on the Convolution length.
I always have to bump the buffer up to 128-256 for the edge of the universe impulse.

[Kris75]

If you are using Sansamp put a Dither Plug in front of it.

[Drywsef]

Originally Posted by Kris75

If you are using Sansamp put a Dither Plug in front of it.

Really???
How interesting. Why is that?

[lowlights]

Hi Drwysef - yes the "dither" plugin before Sansamp (and DVerb too) is a good workaround for the problem of "denormalization" (search it on the forum).

Evidently - certain instances of non-data or zero-data cause the code of certain plugins to, let's say, "wig out" - they slowly insist on hogging all the CPU and will crash your session. It's like a divide-by-zero kind of problem for them.

Putting the dither plug-in just before that plugin - the dither just keeps enough latent digital information (call it "noise") going into the plugin to avoid the divide-by-zero problem. It just goes away - not an audible change to anything. But it fixes the weird quirk.

[albee1952]

Ever since 9 and 10, TL Space has caused cpu(RTAS) issues for me. Tried updating it, and tried sticking a dither plugin in front of it, but it still causes stalling for me(sad because I really like it). As soon as I add an instance, the usage meter will have a bouncing line that moves all over, from as low as the solid meter bar(which can be all the way down to 10%), and bouncing all they way to the end of the meter scale. I'd love a solution to it, but for now I just don't use it.

[Drywsef]

For the record, the solve to this problem was unchecking the CPU optimization option in UAD preferences!