12.8.3 Cpu overload out of nowhere?

[EGS]

Originally Posted by albee1952

I get tons of spikes(and transport stops) with a -9073 error if my network cable is connected to the internet(my router/modem setup). All I need to do is pull the cat53 cable out of the router behind my tower(I still need and use networking with my iPad(running the CONTROL app) and my Artist Mix. The only other time this happens is if I try to instantiate Ozone 8 while transport is rolling. It started back with the first 12 release and was driving me nuts until I found out how to stop it(although, this might not help you as our systems are very different)

Well, that kinda sucks...

[mightyduck]

Hi,

I am using a new MacBook Pro, fully blown out, with High Sierra, and I have been experiencing lots of CPU overload "notices". I think its been happening when I am doing something with inserts / plugins. I am using an OMNI w/Thunderbolt interface and PT12.8.3.


MD
__________________

[Darryl Ramm]

Originally Posted by mightyduck

Hi,

I am using a new MacBook Pro, fully blown out, with High Sierra, and I have been experiencing lots of CPU overload "notices". I think its been happening when I am doing something with inserts / plugins. I am using an OMNI w/Thunderbolt interface and PT12.8.3.


MD
__________________

Not sure if doing “something” with some unnamed plugins is causing problems is not useful information. Doing what with what plugins? The more clearly you describe stuff the more likely it is that other users here can help you.

Start up the top of every DUC Web page at the “help us help you” link and go through the standard troubleshooting described there. Make sure your system is fully optimized, and *always* suspect plugins... so do all the standard troubleshooting for them. If you are still stuck then describe your system in much more detail, including what sample rate and buffer size you are running at, and what exact troubleshooting steps you have tried etc.

Nobody here can help you further until you have spent time carefully doing that standard troubleshooting...


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[mightyduck]

Hi,

I was not really looking for "help" with this here. Just started using the system and haven't really had a chance to get much into it.

I just thought I would mention that I have seen similar issues as some of the previous posters to confirm.

But thank you.

Its all newly installed AVID stuff. Like I say, I haven't paid a lot of attention to it, but I believe I have seen CPU issue notices at various times when doing any sort of operation while audio is playing.

Its probably hobos.

Hope that helps.


MD

Originally Posted by Darryl Ramm

Not sure if doing “something” with some unnamed plugins is causing problems is not useful information. Doing what with what plugins? The more clearly you describe stuff the more likely it is that other users here can help you.

Start up the top of every DUC Web page at the “help us help you” link and go through the standard troubleshooting described there. Make sure your system is fully optimized, and *always* suspect plugins... so do all the standard troubleshooting for them. If you are still stuck then describe your system in much more detail, including what sample rate and buffer size you are running at, and what exact troubleshooting steps you have tried etc.

Nobody here can help you further until you have spent time carefully doing that standard troubleshooting...


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[mightyduck]

Hi,

O.K., here's an update.

In my system this is the exact language that comes back with the hang:

"Audio processing could not complete due to conflicts with other CPU tasks or a potential clocking issue. If this occurs often, verify your sync cables or try changing the HW Buffer Size setting in the Playback Engine dialog. In most cases, a larger HW buffer size will prevent the problem. (AAE -9093)"

This does not happen with the demo session, but only when I open older sessions.

When I observe the system usage window, I see that the 8 cores are all active and the meters are "pulsing", with the total cpu load meter spiking frequently [and significantly]. The pulsing and spiking continue even with the audio playback has been stopped.

Oddly, when I close the session, the pulsing and spiking in the system usage window continue. If I then open the demo session, it all goes back to normal.

The older sessions I am opening are at 192kHz, rather sparse as far as track count, and generally without any plugins. They are mostly tracking sessions, some with guitar overdubs. These are sessions that played fine on previous systems.

Nothing really changes when I increase the buffer size, and there are no sync cables involved [just a digilink between the OMNI and Thunderbolt, and the Thunderbolt cable from that interface to the computer].

This is likely unusable, so I will need to solve the situation. Comments invited.


Thanks,


MD

[Darryl Ramm]

... all the steps with optimization, standard troubleshooting etc., you are just wasting time posting here until you do that...

“Pulsing and spiking” sounds like a plugin issue, including possibly denormalization. So again always suspect plugins. Many posts on DUC describing denormalization.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[mightyduck]

Originally Posted by Darryl Ramm

... all the steps with optimization, standard troubleshooting etc., you are just wasting time posting here until you do that...

“Pulsing and spiking” sounds like a plugin issue, including possibly denormalization. So again always suspect plugins. Many posts on DUC describing denormalization.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Hi Daryl and all,

I've been with this stuff since before it was Pro Tools, so there is no need to be condescending. I've seen and solved all kinds of weird behavior from Pro Tools. But thanks for your interest.

I'm looking at the situation first hand, and after 30-some years I guess I kind of have a feel for how much "standard troubleshooting" is going to be useful and how much it may be a waste of time. And I know how to post in such a way that I elicit information that I find useful.

It appears to be the 192kHz sample rate that the system doesn't like. I will of course look at what you have suggested. FWIW, its acting weird in 192kHz sessions with zero plugins. Messing with the inserts just seems to push it over the edge to stop the playback.

Is anyone else working on stuff at 192kHz with High Sierra on a MacBook Pro 3.1Ghz [or anything close to that setup] that can comment on how its going?

Thanks all,

MD

[TNM]

I only saw Daryl's post because you quoted it, but one thing I will say, especially on intel cpus, is that many plugins really do denormalize.. Basically after an effect does a bit of processing, and then the transport on that track plays over silence, or in the case of a VI's, playing a few notes, and then they go back to rest at silence, they will heavily spike the cpu.. This is denormalization.

All the korg gadget vsti/AU/aax do it terribly, and they are such light plugins otherwise, it's a real shame. I haven't checked yet if gadget 1.5 improved things.. But this is just an example..
I confirmed it in logic, cubase AND pro tools.. that these lightweight plugins could cause a playback overload during silence.

It might be worth seeing what plugins are active in your case when the pulsing occurs.. If it IS a plugin issue, you should be able to narrow it down by deactivating tracks one at a time.. are you using many VI's when it happens? Sincerely trying to help, cheers

[dankin]

If it is denormalization causing these issues, why are there so many plugins being made with this issue? Is it just bad coding by plugin manufacturers? Granted some of avids own plugins have had denormalization issues for as long as I've used PT. Sansamp for one. Is it really the issue causing the cpu errors in PT, or just another thing to pass the blame on to?

[mightyduck]

Originally Posted by TNM

I only saw Daryl's post because you quoted it, but one thing I will say, especially on intel cpus, is that many plugins really do denormalize.. Basically after an effect does a bit of processing, and then the transport on that track plays over silence, or in the case of a VI's, playing a few notes, and then they go back to rest at silence, they will heavily spike the cpu.. This is denormalization.

All the korg gadget vsti/AU/aax do it terribly, and they are such light plugins otherwise, it's a real shame. I haven't checked yet if gadget 1.5 improved things.. But this is just an example..
I confirmed it in logic, cubase AND pro tools.. that these lightweight plugins could cause a playback overload during silence.

It might be worth seeing what plugins are active in your case when the pulsing occurs.. If it IS a plugin issue, you should be able to narrow it down by deactivating tracks one at a time.. are you using many VI's when it happens? Sincerely trying to help, cheers

Hi,

Thanks for your post, and I appreciate the help. In this case there are basically no plugins or VIs in the sessions. These are tracking sessions from projects done in major studios, with guitar overdubs on a number of them. So its just audio. Not a lot of tracks. There is no MIDI either on the stuff I've been loading.

I just got the system running, so I have been poking around learning the slightly new layout / look of the software. I stopped chasing updates when I got 7.3 running really good, and this is 12.8.3, so there are a couple of new bells and whistles.

I have seen the errors when messing around with the inserts, checking out plugins, but most of the CPU load seems to be related simply to the fact that the sessions are 192kHz.

Even with no session open at all, if I set it to 192kHz there is a good bit of activity in the system usage window. The "total" cpu meter seems to have a peak indicator as well, and that gets up to even 50% or so at times [just idling, no audio]. When I change the sample rate to 48 or so, things settle down to almost nothing.

The other thing that made a difference is toggling the buffer settings. I think I have it quieted down. Weirdly, it was set at 256, then I changed it to 128 and it was better. 1024 caused a huge surge, then quieter. But overall, just toggling the buffer settings made it better.

I think I'm used to working with a DSP system rather than this "Native" stuff. So I have never seen the computer have to work hard just because the sample rate is high.

The info on denormalization is helpful, thanks, but its probably not the real issue here.

I think the optimization stuff and trashing prefs and all that is good practice, but, in my experience, rarely solves the issues unless they are really minor.


Thanks,


MD