Can't record at a low buffer !!!!! Help !!

[audiobob]

Originally Posted by john1192

BARRY, i want to BUMP this for the Hyperthreading info .. please share with us how you did this .. thank you john

Download Xcode from the App Store. Control click on the app and show package contents. Go to Applications and drag Instruments to the dock. Open Instruments and go to Preferences. Click on the CPUs tab and uncheck Hardware Multi-Threading. You'll have to do this every time you restart...but not after logging out. You'll have to launch PT again to see the changes in the System Usage window.

I found this helped maybe 5 to 10%. Still had CPU errors at low buffers with HD Native that were unacceptable.

[john1192]

Originally Posted by audiobob

Download Xcode from the App Store. Control click on the app and show package contents. Go to Applications and drag Instruments to the dock. Open Instruments and go to Preferences. Click on the CPUs tab and uncheck Hardware Multi-Threading. You'll have to do this every time you restart...but not after logging out. You'll have to launch PT again to see the changes in the System Usage window.

I found this helped maybe 5 to 10%. Still had CPU errors at low buffers with HD Native that were unacceptable.

thank you AudioBob !!!

[Barry Weeks]

Ok, the App I'm using for turning off Hyperthreading is called " Instruments " and the version is 8.3.3 (8E3004b). The way you use it is, you launch the app then go to Prefs and then uncheck Hardware Muliti - Threading. Keep this one important issue in mind. If you restart the computer it turns it back on. When I turn it back on the CPU spikes and I have to raise the buffer way up in order to record.
I also had to turn off "Dynamic Processing" and ignore errors during playback.
I had already optimized the system prior to doing all of this and that didn't make any difference with CPU overload and buffer.
I couldn't have done any of this without Daryl and the rest of you guys helping. You're the best.

You can check out my web site at Barryweeks.com for info on what I do.

[john1192]

Originally Posted by Barry Weeks

Ok, the App I'm using for turning off Hyperthreading is called " Instruments " and the version is 8.3.3 (8E3004b). The way you use it is, you launch the app then go to Prefs and then uncheck Hardware Muliti - Threading. Keep this one important issue in mind. If you restart the computer it turns it back on. When I turn it back on the CPU spikes and I have to raise the buffer way up in order to record.
I also had to turn off "Dynamic Processing" and ignore errors during playback.
I had already optimized the system prior to doing all of this and that didn't make any difference with CPU overload and buffer.
I couldn't have done any of this without Daryl and the rest of you guys helping. You're the best.

You can check out my web site at Barryweeks.com for info on what I do.

like this thread !!! http://duc.avid.com/showthread.php?t=382111

[Darryl Ramm]

Originally Posted by audiobob

Barry...I have a Mac Pro 12 core but the 2012 version and was using an HD Native card. Never had success recording at low buffer...even at 256 with NO plugins and only one track. I tried every trick in the book for over 2 years...including disabling hyperthreading with no luck. Getting CPU errors while recording an hour long program is not acceptable so ended up buying an HDX card. I've seen where people with 6 core machines have better luck than the 12 core. Not sure what to think about that. All I know is I never got PT to work at low buffer without an HDX card.

And what do you get with built In Output?

For things that run a ling time then hiccup out of the blue I would expect things like spotlight indexing (turn off even if Avid say to leave it on, especially if you are recording to HDD), disable network connections, e.g. do the full optimization and turn all that off. The other thing to expect with very occasional failures is disk problems. Try recording a test session to your boot drive (internal drive on a trashcan is way fast enough to do this), unplug all external disk drives, interfaces etc, try a standard wired keyboard and mouse. Look in the Console.app logs for any errors/warning, run first aid/file system check on the audio and boot drive partitions.

After trying the usual few things I would normally give up and reach for the sledgehammer. Grab say the full Sierra installer (anything but El Capitain) and do an full clean install in a spare partition or on say a nice reasonably fast external drive (like a nice Samsung T3 or T5). Just install ILM and the latest Pro Tools 12.8.2 R2. Carefully do all the systems optimizations for that version of PT. Do not install any extra plugins, do not do any systems migration, or any other software install. Now test Pro Tools, with Built In-Output/Input and with

if it works OK make a clone backup, keep installing stuff, plugins using their proper installers, and checking as you go. Only use Migration Assistant to move user files over, not programs, plugins or drivers.

[ZEUSS]

Heres what I think. We shouldn't have to be going into Xcode or any of this crap to have working dependable software especially the "flagship" brand! Especially for "HD" users. What we pay and what we have paid for years should work!!!

We should be installing on a qualified tested machine and get to work!!!
Thats what most of the user base is doing.

[jameshkumar65]

Originally Posted by audiobob

Download Xcode from the App Store. Control click on the app and show package contents. Go to Applications and drag Instruments to the dock. Open Instruments and go to Preferences. Click on the CPUs tab and uncheck Hardware Multi-Threading. You'll have to do this every time you restart...but not after logging out. You'll have to launch PT again to see the changes in the System Usage window.

I found this helped maybe 5 to 10%. Still had CPU errors at low buffers with HD Native that were unacceptable.

Worked fine for me. Thanks a lot Bob for the solution. Really appreciated :)

[audiobob]

Originally Posted by ZEUSS

Heres what I think. We shouldn't have to be going into Xcode or any of this crap to have working dependable software especially the "flagship" brand! Especially for "HD" users. What we pay and what we have paid for years should work!!!

We should be installing on a qualified tested machine and get to work!!!
Thats what most of the user base is doing.

TOTALLY agree with this. Though was I was trying to get a $1000 card to perform like a $3000 one? Actually just editing and mixing at a high buffer...I couldn't tell the difference between the two cards. It was at low latency recording where the problems began. Maybe the Xeon processors can't handle real time audio processing in 12 core machines and that's why turning off hyper threading helps a bit? Beats me.

BUT that being said, with a 12 core machine, plenty of ram and a clean system with only the OS and PT installed with NO 3rd party software, seems to me I could record 1 freaking track of audio without CPU errors at a buffer of 64. Never got it to work consistently in a working environment. Sold the native card and put it to an HDX. I at least don't stress while recording VO with 1 track anymore.

[audiobob]

Originally Posted by Darryl Ramm

And what do you get with built In Output?

For things that run a ling time then hiccup out of the blue I would expect things like spotlight indexing (turn off even if Avid say to leave it on, especially if you are recording to HDD), disable network connections, e.g. do the full optimization and turn all that off. The other thing to expect with very occasional failures is disk problems. Try recording a test session to your boot drive (internal drive on a trashcan is way fast enough to do this), unplug all external disk drives, interfaces etc, try a standard wired keyboard and mouse. Look in the Console.app logs for any errors/warning, run first aid/file system check on the audio and boot drive partitions.

After trying the usual few things I would normally give up and reach for the sledgehammer. Grab say the full Sierra installer (anything but El Capitain) and do an full clean install in a spare partition or on say a nice reasonably fast external drive (like a nice Samsung T3 or T5). Just install ILM and the latest Pro Tools 12.8.2 R2. Carefully do all the systems optimizations for that version of PT. Do not install any extra plugins, do not do any systems migration, or any other software install. Now test Pro Tools, with Built In-Output/Input and with

if it works OK make a clone backup, keep installing stuff, plugins using their proper installers, and checking as you go. Only use Migration Assistant to move user files over, not programs, plugins or drivers.

Man I did ALL of that stuff over a period of 2 years. Nothing worked. I had enough of it with embarrassing CPU spikes in front of clients. While recording, at even as low at 256, the system usage would be around 6 to 10%...then unexpectedly..BAM...CPU spikes and recording stops. Even with a freshly installed OS and only PT installed with no network settings on, printers or hard drives connected and a session with 1 track...literally the most simplest system I could install to make it work. Did the CPU cache fill up and cause a spike?? Have no idea. Like I said before, seems like people with 6 core machines had it better than with a 12 core. My unofficial and uneducated guess is that these 12 core configurations cannot handle real time audio processing very well. It struggles when it comes to sending audio in, quickly processing it and spitting it out fast for low latency. After 2 years of trying everything, that is my conclusion.

Funny thing is that sometimes the buffer will change to 256 or lower and I'll still get CPU spikes and the system will stop....even with HDX. Maybe I'm opening older sessions where that low buffer was saved and that's why it changes. But it still happens. Fortunately I change it to the highest buffer, still with no noticeable latency with HDX, and all is fine.

[john1192]

Originally Posted by audiobob

Man I did ALL of that stuff over a period of 2 years. Nothing worked. I had enough of it with embarrassing CPU spikes in front of clients. While recording, at even as low at 256, the system usage would be around 6 to 10%...then unexpectedly..BAM...CPU spikes and recording stops. Even with a freshly installed OS and only PT installed with no network settings on, printers or hard drives connected and a session with 1 track...literally the most simplest system I could install to make it work. Did the CPU cache fill up and cause a spike?? Have no idea. Like I said before, seems like people with 6 core machines had it better than with a 12 core. My unofficial and uneducated guess is that these 12 core configurations cannot handle real time audio processing very well. It struggles when it comes to sending audio in, quickly processing it and spitting it out fast for low latency. After 2 years of trying everything, that is my conclusion.

Funny thing is that sometimes the buffer will change to 256 or lower and I'll still get CPU spikes and the system will stop....even with HDX. Maybe I'm opening older sessions where that low buffer was saved and that's why it changes. But it still happens. Fortunately I change it to the highest buffer, still with no noticeable latency with HDX, and all is fine.

so the Dual Buffer thing has not been your friend !!! it should be keeping the PLayback Tracks at 1024 and then Only the Input Tracks would be in the Buffer that you Set in PLayback Engine !!!