CPU Setter app

[Ray Lyon]

Hello PT community, is anyone using the CPU Setter app to turn off hyper threading while running Pro Tools?

Have heard it increases CPU throughput on intel based Macs, especially the 2012 5,1 workhorse that's been around a while.

Am on HDX 2021.6/OSX 10.13.6
5,1 cheesegrater and looking for some extra life.

[audiolex1]

You talking about this?

https://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/48580/cpusetter

Its free, why not just try it. Change it back if you don't like the performance change?

[Ray Lyon]

Originally Posted by audiolex1

You talking about this?

https://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/48580/cpusetter

Its free, why not just try it. Change it back if you don't like the performance change?

Yes, am going to try it but was wondering if any other Pro Tools users on this forum have used it and what kind of performance improvements it brings.

[massivekerry]

I used it when I had a 5,1. I don’t have measurements or metrics, but PT did seem to behave better when I used it. I also think I used it to change the “nice” value of PT (Google that). MemoryDiag was also useful for purging RAM between big- VI sessions.

[Ray Lyon]

Thank you for your responses!

Although news to me with my older rig, is CPU Setter even a thing anymore for the silicon based Macs?

Have installed, and it does indeed provide a bit of headroom in CPU usage, depending on the individual session plug-in usage. Have not tried recording with it yet.

Changing "nice" values is a bit beyond my skill set.

[audiogamble]

I tried this before on a silicon Mac. Pro Tools was markedly more buggy while using this app in my experience. That was a couple years ago before PT went to native silicon code. Haven't tried since nor have I felt the need.

[massivekerry]

Originally Posted by Ray Lyon

Thank you for your responses!

Although news to me with my older rig, is CPU Setter even a thing anymore for the silicon based Macs?

Have installed, and it does indeed provide a bit of headroom in CPU usage, depending on the individual session plug-in usage. Have not tried recording with it yet.

Changing "nice" values is a bit beyond my skill set.

I would only use CPU setter on Intel. I used it specifically on my MP 5,1 to shut off Hyper-Threading ("Prefer Physical Cores" checkbox in CPU Setter) which did have a noticeable impact.

To renice Pro Tools, you click the Processes button and it will open the window shown on the left in the attached photo. Select the app (PT) and click down the Renice controls (circled) to -20. That will give it priority when it's running. I have done it in the screenshot to Vienna Ensemble Pro, because I am using my old machine as a VEP server now.

For my M1 Mac Studio, it doesn't seem necessary or helpful. I have been experimenting with AppTamer. Since Pro Tools doesn't seem to use the Efficiency Cores, I use AppTamer to force Dropbox, photoanalysisd, and sometimes the Spotlight Indexing onto the Efficiency Cores, to (theoretically) free up the Performance Cores for PT.

[Ray Lyon]

Kerry, thanks for the tip on how to change how nice Pro Tools is! And the .jpg pic as well

Did you mean to say uncheck "Hyper-Threading" AND "Prefer Physical Cores", or just to uncheck "Hyper-Threading"?

[massivekerry]

Originally Posted by Ray Lyon

Kerry, thanks for the tip on how to change how nice Pro Tools is! And the .jpg pic as well

Did you mean to say uncheck "Hyper-Threading" AND "Prefer Physical Cores", or just to uncheck "Hyper-Threading"?

I’m not in front of it at the moment, but I believe if you check “Prefer Physical Cores”, it will automatically un-check “Hyper-Threading”