ProTools with Dual Processor G4???

[Audiowks]

Will Digi be developing or have they already developed a version of ProTools that will take advantage of Mac's Dual Processor G4s?

Just wondering for future investment purposes.

Thanks,
Heather and Jason

[Zeus]

They probably wont and if they will, it's likely to be "TDM-only".

Digi's Golden Rule : Never give too much power to the "natives".

Z

[Nine Spine]

They will, be patient. They have to completely rewrite the code for DAE to be compatible with OS X (not exaclty an easy task, we're talking years of code here) and to take advantage of Dual processors, something Mac's themselves don't even do very effieciently because one processor still has to designate tasks for the other processor to do. They (Apple) are working on eliminating this drawback. Both processors will be assigned to specific tasks, not burden the one processor with deciding who gets what. Even when Digi gets it done we all know it won't work properly until a while after, pretty standard for the software world. Unfortunately.. [img]images/icons/mad.gif[/img]

[Frank S]

Here is my PURE speculation, based on nothing but logic and intuitition.

They won't be rewriting PTLE code to take advantage of dual processors per se, as they don't have to. They didn't do a rewrite for Altivec, and haven't for duals either both of which have been out for some time. Others have done these things, and my take on digidesigns opinion of say logic being optimized for Altivec and for dual processors is that its 'more marketing than true advantages". So why
wont PT/PTLE ever be dual processor optimized:

1. OS X is dual processor capable and as long as they get PT and PTLE to play well in OS X, that will likely be good enough for them.

2. The benefits of a dual processor optimized system are greatest on a native system. PTLE is already fine in digidesign's opinion, and as mentioned above, why give any more power to a native system that will only canibalize sales for more expensive hardware systems. The 001 with all its warts and limitations, has been IMHO an extraordinary success, so in their minds - why rock the boat?

[phamtec]

This sounds like a pretty good guess Frank.

I doubt we'll see anything before OS X support, and then we'll get a lot of the stuff that has been asked for.

[Vambo Productions]

Has the DIGI people ever responded to these questions?
They have been bouncing around for some time now.

[Nine Spine]

One of my best friends works at Digi! Please see my post above.

[davidp158]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:<HR>Originally posted by Nine Spine:
One of my best friends works at Digi! Please see my post above.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

That's encouraging, and I hope the wait won't be too long. OSX releases have been extremely slow in arriving.

If OSX makes is easier for developers to make their apps dual processor friendly, so be it. No sense in offering dual processor support now, only to have to rewrite it all over again for OX.

My day gig is graphic design, and I use Photoshop and a 3D application, which have been greatly enhanced with dual processor support. I have to think a similar gain will be realized for PTLE when dual processor support comes along. I'd be happy if it increased my plug in count by 50%, which shouldn't be hard.

still waiting,
Dave Patterson
Knobville

[Nine Spine]

How does having one processor for your plugins and one for PT and system sound? Could be kinda' promising (Imagine with a Dual 800 Machine [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] ) even if there is a computer upgrade in it for me.