PT HD question Accel vs. Non-Accel?

[Ted Spencer]

Sorry, this is still a little unclear to me too. I was under the impression that the PCIe core card was basically an Accel card, power-wise, whereas the PCIx core was equivalent to a process card. That would make the PCIe core about twice as powerful as the PCI core (since an Accel card is about twice as powerful as a process card). If true, then in my own case, crossgrading from PCI Accel 2 to PCIe Accel 2 would result in a 1/3 increase in total TDM power:

PCI Core = 1 'unit' of TDM power
+
PCI Accel = 2 units

Total: 3 TDM 'power units'

VS

PCIe Core = 2 units
+
PCIe Accel = 2 units

Total: 4 units

Thus, the new system would increase total TDM power by 1/3. Is this not correct?

[c-tone]

Originally Posted by Ted Spencer

Thus, the new system would increase total TDM power by 1/3. Is this not correct?

Read the PDF linked on the earlier post. There are so many different types of chips, which all react differently with different plugs, that it is impossible to make an accurate estimate of the power differences. That being said, Digi estimates that for an HD2 system, the difference would be 23%.

[Barry Johns]

Originally Posted by ctyelvis

Thank you for your posts gentleman!


But now I have that sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach....
After buying the HD PCIe setup (Mac included) and now realizing, I am really not getting much (if any) difference in what I already had.

It appears other than future compatibilty with PT 8HD for my 2.7 PPC, I'm trading down, by selling off my HD3, non-accel PCIx system and dual 2.7 G5?


This pisses me off even further, about Avid's choice to no longer support PPC's!
I couldn't help but notice the last paragraph in the Digidesign PDF you posted above:
---------------
The Future is Safe
"Digidesign will continue to make both the PCI and PCIe versions of HD cards and we expect to do so as long as demand for both types exists. Our intent is to support the widest possible range of computers."
---------------

I think their current "intent" is to not honor what they said they were going to do. If you can't trust Avid's "Word", what can you trust about the company?

No, give up the TDM plugs and use RTAS, its what I did, no issue. Your Mac Pro can run way more RTAS Plugs than your HD3 ever thought of doing. Use HD for tons of I/O, use of Outboard, Delay Comp, Almost zero latency, let the computer run the plugins and VI's, it will do the job fine and RTAS are so much cheaper.

As much as I love Mac's, seems to me today, that a PCI HD1 on a powerful Windows machine is way cheaper than staying Mac.

I recently sold my HD2 PCIe, i think the used prices are going to plunge next year, I'm one of they guys who does think something new is coming (I know, I know already). So I'm looking into a PC and and HD1 PCI, way cheaper.....

[Noizetrip]

Well, I just got sick of the whole cat and mouse game and just built myself the equivalent of the top mac pro (actually it's faster) for $1150, including a five draw raid bay.......Only two 320 gig drives installed though. I spent an extra $300 to get three additional 1.5 TB drives, which in itself is an insane deal!

I am now running Snow Leopard 10.6.2, Protools 8.0.3 HD 5 PCI-X with 7 slot Magama 64 bit expansion chassis, Control 24, and virtually every plugin I ran before (except for Liquid mix HD, which is not Snow Leopard compatible). There's a weird bug where you can only use Mono or Stereo but not both in the same session.

This system runs flawlessly, and actually better than any Mac I've ever owned.

I'd estimate it's RTAS performance at somewhere around the equivalent HD10 system (160 audio tracks plus 325 Dverbs without blinking!), so my last 5 HD cards are redundant, since they don't increase voice count, and I don't need them to run any of my plugins.

Check out my post over here; http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/ind...&#entry1368679

I'm sure this post won't last long, considering what it's talking about.

[Drew Mazurek]

Why use a chassis at all? Can't you just buy a tower with 6 pci slots?

[Jamshied]

Elvis,

The RTAS gain will be huge. That alone is worth the hassle. I just went from an HD3 on a G4(!) to an Intel-based HD3 Accel. The cards are better, but the RTAS is crazy.

[gives]

Originally Posted by Ugo26

An Intel Mac Pro isn't a Power Mac, Power Mac include PPC.
About performances, no difference between Non accel and Accel, I called Digi support for the same question and that's what they sayed. The only advantage (?) is : you're now using a better computer so better performances but no change for HD ! Same price, same thing, only connectictions are'nt the same !

Actually the newer chips that are on the Accel cards seem to run much cooler! I know because I ran them both side to side for a month and the newer ones seem to have different type of chipset. Not that much newer probably, but definitely cooler from the design for what it's worth. This is NOT an improvement for performance.
Happy with my choice and yes, there is an improvement in performance because of the newer Mac Pro and higher track and plugin counts. You get more DSP usage per DSP chip as well over the old non Accel system..G

[Asab]

I can tell you guy's Digidesign booth at Namm is gonna be small no new HD stuff will be anounced. I heard this from the guy's at Sonic Circus. The shipping fiasco along with other things I read and hear shows Avid / Digidesign is in COMPLEAT dismay.

I will not be surprised to see them chapter 13 soon.....

Time will tell but lets see who is right who is wrong........ Asab.......