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  #21  
Old 08-07-2020, 12:13 AM
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Ben Jenssen Ben Jenssen is offline
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Default Re: Unstable iMac Pro

Ah, that's good to hear!
I'm so glad it worked out for you.
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  #22  
Old 08-07-2020, 02:24 AM
Marsdy Marsdy is offline
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Default Re: Unstable iMac Pro

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Originally Posted by splicestudios View Post
I have an end-2019 iMac Pro that is the same config as a end-2018 iMac but hasn’t been stable since first installation

Both machines have ProTools, Avid Plugin Bundle, Waves Dorrough Meter & Loudness Meter, Universal Audio Arrow Thunderbolt 3 interface, Mojave 10.14.6 and PT 2020.3.0 I have USB Overdrive plugin to map PT shortcuts to a Razer mouse, same mouse on both machines

2018 iMac is super stable
2019 iMac Pro is prone to crashing as often as every 20 minutes, and has been unstable since day 1 running PT2019

First sign of trouble is smart tool cursor stops changing, although the functionality still works. ProTools will eventually crash. Since iMac Pros restart super fast, I am currently hitting save a lot and restarting the machine when the smart tool goes goofy to be sure of not losing work during a crash.

When rendering, the iMac hits 30x with simple podcasts, iMac Pro struggles to get to 20x. During rendering, iMac Pro Durrogh meter is not smooth while iMac Durrogh is smooth. WLM smooth on both machines during render.

It’s been 7 months of this premium-priced machine underperforming. I've trashed prefs, reinstalled UA software, etc. Could this be a hardware issue?

I have a MacPro PT8 that is due to be retired and this iMac Pro was supposed to take over, but it’s too unstable right now.

Hoping someone can help me figure out what the issue is, it’s driving me bonkers!
This a long shot but hey ho.

You mention using USB overdrive and then go on to to say the first issue you notice is the cursor going funny in Pro Tools. Could there be a compatibility issue between USB overdrive and the GPU in the iMac Pro but not the one in the iMac? In other words, what happens if you uninstall USB overdrive?

Oops - should have read the thread! Started writing this post yesterday in another Safari tab!
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  #23  
Old 08-07-2020, 02:26 AM
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Default Re: Unstable iMac Pro

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Originally Posted by Marsdy View Post
Oops - should have read the thread! Started writing this post yesterday in another Safari tab!
Don't worry, we all do that every now and then. Embarassing
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  #24  
Old 08-07-2020, 07:45 AM
splicestudios splicestudios is offline
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Default Re: Unstable iMac Pro

Quote:
Originally Posted by Marsdy View Post
This a long shot but hey ho.

You mention using USB overdrive and then go on to to say the first issue you notice is the cursor going funny in Pro Tools. Could there be a compatibility issue between USB overdrive and the GPU in the iMac Pro but not the one in the iMac? In other words, what happens if you uninstall USB overdrive?

Oops - should have read the thread! Started writing this post yesterday in another Safari tab!
Thank you for posing the question, USB Overdrive was one item I didn't install when I ran the first check, USB overdrive seems benign as an extension and is compatible w Catalina, and maps shortcuts to mouse buttons, the razer has 6 that I can map to speed up editing
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  #25  
Old 08-07-2020, 08:16 PM
splicestudios splicestudios is offline
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Default Re: Unstable iMac Pro

In looking for a replacement VU meter, I tried the WAVES VU Meter (I know, I know, back to WAVES after their Dorrough Stereo caused so much grief, but VU Meter is U$24 and elegant) and the iMac on render will crap out after 10 seconds into the render; the VU meter doesn't initially respond but then pins the needle to max and PT gives SWOD.

Then I closed the plugin window - it's still in the Master Fader chain. And on render, the iMac Pro screams through at over 30x. Not much use for a metering plugin if the window can't be open while mixing, but surprised that this is a factor. I reinstalled Dorrough Stereo and it's the same. If I close the Dorrough window, it renders fast without problem. if I open, after a few seconds I get SWOD.

Weird!
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  #26  
Old 08-08-2020, 12:23 AM
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Ben Jenssen Ben Jenssen is offline
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Default Re: Unstable iMac Pro

Quote:
Originally Posted by splicestudios View Post
In looking for a replacement VU meter, I tried the WAVES VU Meter (I know, I know, back to WAVES after their Dorrough Stereo caused so much grief, but VU Meter is U$24 and elegant) and the iMac on render will crap out after 10 seconds into the render; the VU meter doesn't initially respond but then pins the needle to max and PT gives SWOD.
Then I closed the plugin window - it's still in the Master Fader chain. And on render, the iMac Pro screams through at over 30x. Not much use for a metering plugin if the window can't be open while mixing, but surprised that this is a factor. I reinstalled Dorrough Stereo and it's the same. If I close the Dorrough window, it renders fast without problem. if I open, after a few seconds I get SWOD.
Weird!
That is wierd.
Maybe you should take this up with Waves. They might even be aware of it. A compatibility problem with your imac pro's graphics perhaps? You'd think a metering plugin has some special demands on graphics processing.

There is always Avid's Mastermeter. I have no experience w/it, but it looks capable enough. Have you tried it?

And there are lots of others:

https://klanghelm.com/contents/products/VUMT.html

https://www.tb-software.com/TBProAudio/mvmeter2.html

https://www.plugin-alliance.com/en/p.../bx_meter.html
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  #27  
Old 08-08-2020, 04:49 AM
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Default Re: Unstable iMac Pro

This led me to think whether one of the reasons my current system is so stable has something to do with the fact that I have no WavesHell here
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  #28  
Old 08-11-2020, 10:09 AM
splicestudios splicestudios is offline
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Default Re: Unstable iMac Pro

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ben Jenssen View Post
That is wierd.
Maybe you should take this up with Waves. They might even be aware of it. A compatibility problem with your imac pro's graphics perhaps? You'd think a metering plugin has some special demands on graphics processing.

There is always Avid's Mastermeter. I have no experience w/it, but it looks capable enough. Have you tried it?

And there are lots of others:

https://klanghelm.com/contents/products/VUMT.html

https://www.tb-software.com/TBProAudio/mvmeter2.html

https://www.plugin-alliance.com/en/p.../bx_meter.html
I'll check out the other 3; MasterMeter is included with the AVID bundle, but I find the MasterMeter to be just too ugly to have to keep looking at for levels!
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  #29  
Old 08-12-2020, 10:06 AM
splicestudios splicestudios is offline
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Default Re: Unstable iMac Pro

So after the install on the weekend, today I had my first session. The iMac Pro is used for podcast clients who deliver files recorded individually, so editing is done by making 3-4 channels as an edit group. Today was a new podcast series first, the iMac flew and was excellent. H/T to Ben Jenssen, the mvmeter2 is nice.

Next job was for a regular client; I've been using a stripped down PT session with the common elements (mainly music) and made a copy and imported the new audio tracks. I started the edit, and then after 10 minutes, then I had the same problems.

One thing that is common is that I'll be editing, and then suddenly the mouse / selector will glitch, highlight a chunk of audio, and become unresponsive. If it does come back, the smart tool cursor doesn't change, but still functions. drop down menus stop to work, I can't move the cursor around properly. The 2 podcasts that are edited on his machine all start from an copy of a stripped down session with the music, and are typically 30 minutes, and the job involves hundreds of edits to clean up the ums and ahs, which is the main requirement from the client, and then add music and mix. Most of the other projects that are on the iMac Pro are very short (promos, ads, etc.)

So - 2 possibilities -

(a) the projects I keep duplicating might have some error in it
(b) the razer mouse is an issue. Because I couldn't get the exact same mouse as the iMac, I got the newest one. The iMac mouse is 16,000 dpi, the iMac Pro Mouse is 20,000. Probably has slightly different internals. At this point, I'm suspicious of everything...

BTW, identifying Dorrough was a problem was achieved by doing a render of a finished edit. The iMac would hit 20X, the iMac Pro was only 10X and would give me SWOD and pause during the render. Once I dumped Dorrough, I hit 30X, no SWOD or pausing during the render, it was smooth. Out of curiosity, I disabled WLM and now the iMac hits over 60X. Meters are processor hogs during render.
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  #30  
Old 08-12-2020, 10:22 AM
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Default Re: Unstable iMac Pro

Dorrough hiwever has been one of the cool meters, also worked in TDM with very low resources


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