HDX Monitoring Latency vs TDM Accel

[Siegfried Meier]

Hey all!

We still use several Accel rigs here but recently I’ve been using an HDX system at another studio. It shocked me to discover that changing the buffer size caused more latency on record enabled or input monitored tracks…this was never the case in TDM - regardless of buffer size, monitoring latency was extremely low and virtually non existent.

What exactly changed? Or am I doing something wrong? Any help much appreciated!

Thanks,
Sig

[its2loud]

If you haven’t worked on an HDX system in a while, you might want to read up on this…

https://www.avid.com/resource-center/hdx-hybrid-engine

it could be what you’re experiencing.

[BScout]

Yes. Most likely in hybrid mode. In pure HDX mode, we don't have any latency issues. In hybrid mode, I've been in more than a few studios who have set the record tracks (from input to the various outputs including monitoring) incorrectly and they experience latency. Helping them trace the routing path, once all the correct tracks/paths were in DSP mode, they didn't have any latency issues anymore.

[LDS]

The native buffer shouldn’t affect the DSP monitoring paths in either classic or hybrid modes. I ended up ditching HDX last year because the hybrid engine was the worst of both worlds in practice. Looser sync and more latency related issues than HDX in classic mode or just sticking to native with a HD Native setup.

It’s a bummer to hear that these issues are still persisting as the hybrid engine is a great idea in principle.

[Siegfried Meier]

Originally Posted by its2loud

If you haven’t worked on an HDX system in a while, you might want to read up on this…

https://www.avid.com/resource-center/hdx-hybrid-engine

it could be what you’re experiencing.

Ahhh yes, I think you are correct…I’ll have to play around more with it, but I wasn’t even aware this was a thing nor that it was enabled on this system.

Thanks for the info!
Sig

[ejsongs]

i utterly despise hybrid mode. I have 2 hdx cards for that reason.

[Siegfried Meier]

Originally Posted by ejsongs

i utterly despise hybrid mode. I have 2 hdx cards for that reason.

What is it you hate about it?

[Guy McDude]

Originally Posted by Siegfried Meier

What is it you hate about it?

If youre asking.
I hate the unreliable delay comp/ sync issues I encounter sporadically when tracking.


Often, tracks print out of time.
and only play in time while theyre in record/ "hybrid" green status.

ZERO issues with the same session working is straight HDX mode.

Ive documented this in video, shared many times with Avid support.
No response other than, "we know" ".....its been a problem". but zero solutions.

other than, dont use it.

very very sad

[Darryl Ramm]

There are too many latency and ADC bugs and corner cases where things don't work, in native and hybrid. Avid needs to get some serious focus on all these issues. Many of us have got bugs open in these areas, so there is zero excuse from Avid about not knowing about the issues.

[XJENSEN]

Originally Posted by Darryl Ramm

There are too many latency and ADC bugs and corner cases where things don't work, in native and hybrid. Avid needs to get some serious focus on all these issues. Many of us have got bugs open in these areas, so there is zero excuse from Avid about not knowing about the issues.

I can fully confirm this statement, after spending 5 days troubleshooting ADC and MIDI timing weirdness while verifying my template for PT 2023.9.

I have been able to find some kind of workaround for most of the current bugs, but it's a definite workflow killer.

One might think that with the release of Sketch, AVID is pulling the card of the creative artist again, but fixing these age-old MIDI and ADC bugs: Oh, no, we won't.

As someone stated elsewhere, it seems the AVID developers have absolutely no clue about how it should all work together in real-life scenarios involving outboard MIDI synths, hardware inserts, multiple bussing and monitoring and cue paths.

They really, really need to address this part of the software with some real artist feedback and proper testing.

When, oh, when?