My hardware system has never cut it.

[dattilotech]

Hello;

I got the software a while back & I'm still on version 10. I found that trying to do things on my laptop was not easy. I could only go so far without having trouble. At any rate; I have
I have a Dell precision m6500 , with 12.0 GB Ram, 64-bit O.S. Windows 7, & the CPU is Intel (R) Core(Tm)i7, Q 840 @ 1.87GHz, & have Pro Tools 10.3.
When I bought the system it was for doing Cad, which led me to believe it might have worked fine for the Pro Tools that I bought years later.
Bottom line why is this system not cutting it? Do I need an entire new system, or can I beef this up somehow? I prefer P.C.'s & thought about going with an H.P. laptop this time. I have version 10 but would like to be able to handle the current versions & somewhat beyond.

Thanks, in advance for any input.
Rob_D

[sw rec]

Using a separate dedicated hard drive for recording? Did you do all the required optimizations? PT is VERY picky about configuration. One of my engineer friends calls it a diva. Which, coincidentally, is AVID backwards.

[Darryl Ramm]

Post a Sandra report for your computer, start at the "help us help you" link up top of this page. And look on DUC at the many other Sandra reports to make sure you are posting what is expected.

As already touched on, disk is important. When you post that report include a note that describes which of the disk partitions contain your audio files/sessions and where any samples from sample based VIs are installed.

It is almost impossible for anybody to provide any help without any clue what the actual problem symptoms are. What exact DAE or other errors or problems you are you having?

How large are your sessions? How many audio tracks, at what session sample rate? How many instances of what plugins? Especially VIs? What interface and driver version are you using?

Is the computer system fully optimized? Every last thing done (and all done together and left done while you troubleshoot) regardless of how inconvenient or silly it seems. What standard troubleshooting steps have you done? (List them all clearly). Again all under the "help us help you" link up top...

[dattilotech]

Hello;
Using a separate dedicated hard drive for recording?
Thanks for the reply. I have the software loaded on my C: drive. I also have a external drive where I save the files. Both the C & the external have over 100 gb space free. Do you mean get a another drive & load the software on that and save the files to it, or what?

Thanks,
Rob_D

[Darryl Ramm]

Originally Posted by dattilotech

Hello;
Using a separate dedicated hard drive for recording?
Thanks for the reply. I have the software loaded on my C: drive. I also have a external drive where I save the files. Both the C & the external have over 100 gb space free. Do you mean get a another drive & load the software on that and save the files to it, or what?

Thanks,
Rob_D

Great that you have a dedicated audio drive, that is all he meant. But what brand/exact model drive is it and how is it attached to the computer (USB 2? eSATA? FireWire 400?). But please start by doing what is expected on DUC and posting a Sandra report. Run it with that external drive attached so we can see exactly what it is. Free space is mostly irrelevant.

[JuanPC]

for Cubase/Nuendo3/4/5 32-bit, there is a software called FXMax Teleport, that allows to use the CPU of other PC´s, "load VST plugins in other CPU´s"
for ProTools 11&12 there is a Software called Vienna Enseble Pro v5, that does basically the same and adds a mixer and other stuff...

PT10 is 32-bit...
FXMax Teleport is free, was paid software... just click purchase.
you need FXPansion VST to RTAS adapter v2.01 "i have 1 for sale."

Bluecats Patchwork is another alternative,
between Teleport + RTAS Adapter -&- VEPro 5.

other alternative to FXMax Teleport would be VSTHost + Legree.
http://ssd.userbenchmark.com

the minimum CPU for PT12 must have more than 100 points single core test, and >1000 points all cores test, in Cinebench R15.
to have a good balance between Fast Bounce "fast Import Audio with Tweakhead SRC" & able to load enough Plugins in Realtime, can also go down to 128 buffer size for recording, and work at 512 or 1024 buffer size for mixing.
More points in single core test will Bounce&Import Audio Faster,
More points in All cores test, will allow to load more plguins in realtime or go higher in Sample Rate,

i7 5930k is the cheapest CPU with balanced performance... without ECC ram.
http://www.anandtech.com/show/8426/t...5820k-tested/5

4960x is another similar, no ECC.

http://duc.avid.com/showthread.php?t...hlight=e5-1680

[Darryl Ramm]

Originally Posted by JuanPC

for Cubase/Nuendo3/4/5 32-bit, there is a software called FXMax Teleport, that allows to use the CPU of other PC´s, "load VST plugins in other CPU´s"
for ProTools 11&12 there is a Software called Vienna Enseble Pro v5, that does basically the same and adds a mixer and other stuff...

PT10 is 32-bit...
FXMax Teleport is free, was paid software... just click purchase.
you need FXPansion VST to RTAS adapter v2.01 "i have 1 for sale."

Bluecats Patchwork is another alternative,
between Teleport + RTAS Adapter -&- VEPro 5.

http://ssd.userbenchmark.com

More random drivel. None of this is of any help to the question the OP is asking.

[dattilotech]

Here's the Report:

SiSoftware Sandra

ID
Host Name : dattilotech-PC
Workgroup : WORKGROUP

Computer
Model : Dell Precision M6500
Serial Number : 2D6****
Chassis : Dell Portable
Mainboard : Dell
Serial Number : .2D6M******
BIOS : Dell A07 09/25/2011
Total Memory : 12GB DDR3 SO-DIMM

Processors
Processor : Intel(R) Core(TM) i7 CPU Q 840 @ 1.87GHz (4C 8T 2GHz/3.19GHz, 2GHz IMC, 4x 256kB L2, 8MB L3)
Socket/Slot : FC PGA988 (G2)

Chipset
Memory Controller : Dell Core (Clarksfield/Lynnfield) DMI 2x 2.4GHz (4.79GHz)
Memory Controller : Intel Core Mobile (Clarksfield) UnCore 2x 2.4GHz (4.79GHz), 2x 6GB DDR3 SO-DIMM 1.33GHz 128-bit

Memory Module(s)
Memory Module : Netlist NLQ516532507C-D10R 4GB DDR3 SO-DIMM PC3-10700SO DDR3-1334 (9-9-9-24 4-33-10-5)
Memory Module : Hynix (Hyundai) HMT325S6BFR8C-H9 2GB DDR3 SO-DIMM PC3-10700SO DDR3-1334 (9-9-9-25 4-34-10-5)
Memory Module : Netlist NLQ516532507C-D10R 4GB DDR3 SO-DIMM PC3-10700SO DDR3-1334 (9-9-9-24 4-33-10-5)
Memory Module : Hynix (Hyundai) HMT325S6BFR8C-H9 2GB DDR3 SO-DIMM PC3-10700SO DDR3-1334 (9-9-9-25 4-34-10-5)

Video System
Monitor/Panel : Samsung Generic PnP Monitor (1600x1200, F199R‚170BT
, 17.2")
Video Adapter : NVIDIA Quadro FX 2800M (12CU 96SP SM4.0 1.5GHz, 1GB DDR3 2GHz 256-bit, PCIe 2.00 x16)

Graphics Processor
OpenCL GP Processor : NVIDIA Quadro FX 2800M (96SP 12C 1.5GHz, 1GB DDR3 2GHz 256-bit)
Compute Shader Processor : NVIDIA Quadro FX 2800M (96SP 12C 1.5GHz, 1GB DDR3 2GHz 256-bit)

Storage Devices
SAMSUNG SSD PM810 2.5" 256GB (256GB, SATA300, 2.5", SSD) : 238GB (C:)
HGST Hitachi HDP725032GLA360 (320.1GB, USB2/SATA300, 3.5", 7200rpm, 15MB Cache) : 298GB (F:)
HL-DT-ST DVD+/-RW GU40N (225.2MB, SATA150, DVD+-RW, CD-RW, 1MB Cache) : 215MB (D:)

Logical Storage Devices
RECOVERY : 8GB (NTFS, 4kB) @ SAMSUNG SSD PM810 2.5" 256GB (256GB, SATA300, 2.5", SSD)
SimpleDrive (F:) : 298GB (NTFS, 4kB) @ HGST Hitachi HDP725032GLA360 (320.1GB, USB2/SATA300, 3.5", 7200rpm, 15MB Cache)
OS (C:) : 230GB (NTFS, 4kB) @ SAMSUNG SSD PM810 2.5" 256GB (256GB, SATA300, 2.5", SSD)
Hard Disk (Q:) : N/A
Audio CD (D:) : N/A (CDFS, 2kB, Read-Only) @ HL-DT-ST DVD+/-RW GU40N (225.2MB, SATA150, DVD+-RW, CD-RW, 1MB Cache)

Peripherals
LPC Hub Controller 1 : Dell PM55 LPC Interface Controller
Audio Device : Dell P55/PM55/3400 High Definition Audio
Audio Codec : Integrated Device Tech 76D5
Disk Controller : Dell Mobile SATA RAID Controller
Disk Controller : Dell PCIxx12 Integrated FlashMedia Controller
Disk Controller : Dell PCIxx12 SDA Host Controller
USB Controller 1 : Dell P55/PM55/3400 USB2 Enhanced Host Controller
USB Controller 2 : Dell P55/PM55/3400 USB2 Enhanced Host Controller
FireWire/1394 Controller 1 : TI PCIxx12 OHCI IEEE 1394 Host Controller
CardBus/PCMCIA Controller 1 : 65532 PCIxx12 Cardbus Controller
SMBus/i2c Controller 1 : Intel ICH SMBus

Printers and Faxes
Printer : Microsoft XPS Document Writer (600x600, Colour)
Printer : HP Photosmart 7520 series (600x600, Colour)
Printer : Fax - HP Photosmart 7520 series (200x200, Colour)
Fax : Microsoft Shared Fax Driver (200x200)

Scanners and Cameras
Scanner : Hewlett-Packard HP Photosmart 7520 series (NET) (Scanner, USB)

Network Services
Network Adapter : Broadcom NetXtreme 57xx Gigabit Controller (Ethernet)
Wireless Adapter : Intel(R) WiFi Link 5300 AGN (802.11g (ERP), AES-CCMP, 54Mbps)

Power Management
Battery No 1 : SMP DELL P267P08 93.24Wh/7.40Ah

Operating System
Windows System : Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate 6.01.7601 (Service Pack 1)
Platform Compliance : x64

Thanks;
Rob_D

[Darryl Ramm]

Thanks for the Sandra report!

I still have no clear idea what problem you actually have so all I can do is hand wave at what looks a bit out of place in the Sandra report, a few things I'd definitely do different if buying/building a laptop. But al this may be totally irrelevant to whatever problems(s) you have seen.

And again, what is that exact problem(s) are you seeing? is this laptop fully optimized? Every last thing done? What standard troubleshooting steps have you tried?

Windows laptops with Pro Tools are unfortunately a crap shoot, the best thing is to either get a MacBook Pro and run OS X on it, or run Bootcamp/Windows on it, or buy an exact configuration laptop that other folks (on DUC or elsewhere) know works well. So even if you made all the changes I suggest here and more there is no guarantee that you end up with a great Pro Tools computer.

--

You have memory DIMMs from different manufacturers and slightly different specs. They should be identical, down the the manufacture part number. Not doing so can lead to all sorts of subtle and not so subtle issues. I would take this opportunity to upgrade to 16 or 32 GB or memory in this laptop. 16 GB is really the minimum I'd recommend for Pro Tools 11 or 12.

The computer has an old Samsung 830 SATA II SSD as a boot drive. Hopefully the laptop has a SATA III disk controller (but that's an open question). A more current SATA III SSD like a Samsung 850 Pro or Evo will have near twice the IOPs and sustained performance that drive has. SATA II is relatively slow and the SSD drive technology has advanced a lot in the last several years. If the internal SATA port is SATA III I would replace the C: drive with a Samsung 850 Evo or Pro drive. But check, Dell lagged badly for a while with SATA II junk. Dell really does not make great laptops, I would avoid them... so think if getting rid o this one is better than before investing more money in it.

I'm assuming you are using the external HDD as a dedicated audio/session drive, and if so then it meets the minimum spec of 7,200 rpm. But it's a slow USB 2 drive. Does this laptop have USB 3 or USB 2 only ports? If it has USB 3 ports I'd throw that HDD away and get a Samsung T3 USB 3 SSD drive. Sadly it looks like USB2 only. I think this laptop can take a second internal drive, if so I'd (I hope it is SATA III), and in which case I'd stick another Samsung 850 Pro or Evo internally. A good DAW computer starts with fast IO to get stuff onto disk... an area where this laptop may be weak (Just to put things in perspective, a modern MacBook Pro has an internal PCIe NVMe SSD able to read at 2 GB/sec, nearly an order of magnitude faster than the SATA II SSD in this laptop).

[dattilotech]

Hello again;

Well to start, it's been a little while since my last recording use. Also I did a post quite a while back, & listed the system info. that I started this post with, & someone had said they thought I didn't have the proper system etc. to do very well with the pro tools 10.3. That stuck in my mind so I thought it might raise some red flags again by posting it. On a more specific note this is one error that I would get. http://avid.force.com/pkb/articles/e...ssage/en363971. Basically the session would stop. I tried adjusting the buffer, up, or down, but it didn't resolve the issues. I usually hadn't gotten too far & this would happen. I'd just shoot for three or four partial tracks, because of it's performance. That's the primary issue I've had. I'm not a supremely professional user, but I was hoping to move things in the right direction in resolving things.

Thanks, again;
Rob_D