H/W Buffer Size Error (-6093)

[variation]

I have been getting the above error quite frequently now to nearly every time I try to edit or record a new session. The exact message is "The operating system held off interrupts for too long. If this occurs frequently, try increasing the "H/W Buffer Size" in the Playback Engine panel. (-6093).

I have adjusted the Playback engine to its maximum 1024 Samples CPU 99% and DAE Playback Buffer Level 8. I have tried moving the DAE to Level 2, 4 & 6 but still does not help.

My Setup
Pro Tools 7.1 DIGI 002r
OS X Vesrion 10.4.11
Machine Name: iMac G5
Machine Model: PowerMac12,1
CPU Type: PowerPC G5 (3.0)
Number Of CPUs: 1
CPU Speed: 1.9 GHz
L2 Cache (per CPU): 512 KB
Memory: 1 GB
Bus Speed: 633 MHz

I have a GLYPH GT050 250GB (160 GB free) external FW hard drive connected directly to my machine. I have read this chipset is compatible with PT and is extremely stable and recommended.

Nothing is recorded on my internal drive 130 GB free.

This error comes when I try to play a small session 6 audio track 2 aux 1 master with about 4 plug ins spanning the 2 aux tracks. I know 10.4.11 is not fully supported from reading
http://www.digidesign.com/index.cfm?...4&itemid=22904
but these errors were happening before I had upgraded.

I have gone through each step in http://duc.digidesign.com/showthread.php?t=196982

I read there is a Mac OS X Prebinding Script I can try but it doesnt pertain to this issue.

This machine I use only for Pro Tools, nothing else.

I hope I have provided enough information to find out why this happeing and to get it resoloved. If I left something out please let me know.

[Phil Ogden]

Have you tried switching FW ports for the 002 and HD or daisy chaining them?

A DAE playback buffer default setting of 2 and CPU limit of no more than 90% are usually best for stability.

http://www.myspace.com/philogg

[marcioguitar]

how many processors RTAS processor are you using?

in PT, go to setup >playback engine>playback engine window, make sure you reduce by -1 from the higher selection that you have there, example: if the highest option is 4, select 3, if highest is 3, select 2, make sure you reduce -1 from the highest option.

this should resolve you problem!

take care

[variation]

Phil - I will try to swap the fire wire ports, I was thinking daisy chaining would cause conflicts, unless I am confused on what it is. I'm assuming you mean connect my HD to the 002 then 002 to my iMac or vice versa. I will also try to decrease the CPU usage to 905.

marcioguitar - I only have 1 processor

[estatestudio]

Originally Posted by marcioguitar

how many processors RTAS processor are you using?

in PT, go to setup >playback engine>playback engine window, make sure you reduce by -1 from the higher selection that you have there, example: if the highest option is 4, select 3, if highest is 3, select 2, make sure you reduce -1 from the highest option.

this should resolve you problem!

take care

Thank you! After installing EastWest's Symphonic Orchestra plugin (EWSO) and trying to use it, I was constantly getting the -6093 error. I changed my RTAS processors from the max available of 8 to 7 and sure enough, I stopped getting the errors!

Thank you!

Kevin

[ocdrummerguy]

I actually just ran into this problem myself

Mac Pro 2x2.66 dual-core Xeon
2GB ram
PT LE 7.3.1
002 Factory

Moved firewire cable (002 factory) from monitor port to front panel port, thinking "hey its better to go straight in instead of through the monitor right??"

Wrong, this error wouldn't go away

So I moved it back to the monitor port and it works perfectly....as it did before i moved it......genius

Must be something with the front firewire port on this Mac Pro

[jarednebulus]

I'm looking at this thread thinking that no one has had this issue in a while, but here it goes:

I started running into this (-6093) error just days ago and can't seem to find a fix for my system. I've been using the same system settings for the last 6 weeks on a new computer and it's been working great until now. I've tried adjusting the playback engine settings and switching the ports including via thru-port on an external drive without a stitch of luck. I have a pretty good system and rarely find it running above 10% (even running a lot of EastWest instruments).
Any help would be appreciated. I'll list my specs below.

27" iMac 3.4GHz Intel Core i7 (OS 10.8.2)
32 GB of DDR3
003 Rack +
Pro Tools 8.0.5

[Tony_Nailz]

Also, you may want to consider dumping any and all apps that you are not using. Next, google "optimizing os x for better performance" you'll find tips on how to reduce unecessary apps from running in the background. then download/run Onyx (mac) to run maintenance on your machine to clean up system cache. By the time you are done, you will gain little more bandwith for your firewire devices. It works for me. PTLE 8 runs like a dream on PowerMac G4 MDD 1.25GHz dual processor, 2GB ram @ 1024 Samples, CPU 85% (on 2 processors); with DAE Playback Buffer set at Level 2, on large session. cpu spikes ranging from 30-41% (on 12-15 track sessions with 18-20 factory plugins running)

*then again, it could be a resource hungry plugin causing such an error. And adding another 1GB stick of ram would help improve performance as well. For those of you who have pci,pcie,pcix slots; a firewire card would also save bandwidth as you will be recording directly into the motherboard vs using usb/firewire ports
-good luck guys
Best Regards

P.S. here's the link to the tutorial that I used http://lowendmac.com/eubanks/07/0312.html

[jarednebulus]

Thank you for your time in responding. I'll try a couple of the things that you suggested, but the computer I use is solely used for Pro Tools and has very few apps that run otherwise. I don't think my RAM is the problem seeing as I have 32gigs. The firewire is being "down-powered" into a thunderbolt port which has been working great until now and SHOULD have more than enough to run anything I throw at it. None of the plug-ins I am using are too intensive for the system I have. I'll just have to keep troubleshooting and hope that something works SOON. I have a hard time believing anything changed over the past couple of days to cause the problem (That's the difficult thing to understand).

[Tony_Nailz]

Originally Posted by jarednebulus

Thank you for your time in responding. I'll try a couple of the things that you suggested, but the computer I use is solely used for Pro Tools and has very few apps that run otherwise. I don't think my RAM is the problem seeing as I have 32gigs. The firewire is being "down-powered" into a thunderbolt port which has been working great until now and SHOULD have more than enough to run anything I throw at it. None of the plug-ins I am using are too intensive for the system I have. I'll just have to keep troubleshooting and hope that something works SOON. I have a hard time believing anything changed over the past couple of days to cause the problem (That's the difficult thing to understand).

Hi Jerednebulus, you are welcome. I don't mind sharing valueable info to help out a fellow Pro Tooler. As for the ram suggestion, I was referring to "variation." perhaps I should have been more direct in my initial post, since he is using only 1GB on PT 7. But the optimization suggestion was for all who wish to try it out. It worked well for me since I have a older cpu. BTW, by the description of your rig, sounds like you have a pretty solid setup
-cheers

*Also Jarednebulus, how are your storage space looking on both your startup & recording drive. Perhaps its time to back up your recording drive to data dvd to make more space, which would lighten the load and as for your startup drive, maybe its time to clear up your system cache. that tutorial would address that matter if it is possibly a factor.