PT Performance - Davec I & Davec II Tests

[Shan]

Just so others know, was this a Davec I test or Davec II test done on your Quad? And if it was a Davec II test, then which level did you reach??

Shane

[guitardom]

It was a DaveC II test and went to level 14. went back and edited my post.

[dpdemo]

I downloaded the davec II tests this weekend and began running them, but I am at a loss as to why my system can't reliably run even Test 2. Here's my system:

PT RIG: 002R, Command|8, PT 7.1 (not cs6 - just downloaded it and will update later tonight)
MOBO: Asus P4P800E Deluxe (Intel 865PE chipset) w/ single 3.2G P4
Laptop: No
Front Side Bus: 800 MHz
Hyperthreading: On
RAM: 1 GB DDR400 (2x 512)
DISCS: 80 GB Seagate 7200 RPM SATA (OS)
200 GB Seagate 7200 RPM SATA (audio)
80 GB Glyph GTKey / Seagate 7200 RPM Firewire (sneakernet transport)
VIDEO: ATI Radeon 9250 / 128 MB / AGP 8X (only using 1 VGA monitor presently)
OS: Windows XP Home SP2

Testing at Buffer: 1024 / 2 processor / 85% / Level-2

Passed all three phases of Tests 1 & 2. Tried playback multiple times with no troubles.

Passed Test 3 on record and playback on 1st pass but I decided to try playback multiple times. Now, the system can't make it without -9128 error. Didn't try a bounce after the 1st successful playback pass.

Here's where I am baffled - I started deleting tracks and re-running the playback on Test 3. Kept receiving -9129 errors until I got down to 24 tracks (which is Test 2). So, I re-ran Test 2, which originally passed with no trouble. Now, the system will not even pass Test 2 playback without error! ARRGH

Based on what I have read in this thread and at davec's website, I'd expect to be able to get well into Test 4.

The system is not on a network, never been on internet, no anti-virus, etc running. I used the musicxp tweaks (except a couple of them that I believe to be minor). I have pretty much pared down stuff in msconfig startup, the system only uses about 128 MB RAM at startup. Watched the CPU and RAM use with Task Manager - at Test 2 CPU meters ran ~85% on playback test and only 418 MB RAM in use. Even with Task Manager off (not minimized, but off) I receive errors.

I sure could use some help from the experts here. What don't I have setup properly? Thanks in advance

================ edit ====================
no joy post-cs6 installation. same old problem. CPU redlines immediately on start of playback, 1st one or two playbacks are ok, then -9129 errors subsequently. I changed to 512 buffer and that solves the problem (but violates the test rules). Test 3 at 512 records, but won't playback at 512 or 1024.

Just for fun, I tried the test on my Glyph GTKey Firewire drive - screw that. Puked IMMEDIATELT on playback on Test 2. Glad I bought that puppy for data transfer between the station and home studios.

I would argue that if you can't successfully playback a test 10 times in immediate sequence, the test did not pass

[seagull]

I got my new rig up and running so I thought I'd post my results...

PT RIG: Protools LE 7.0cs6
OS: Windows XP Home SP2
CPU: Opteron 165 1.8 GHz dual core
LAPTOP: no
MOBO: ASUS A8V
FRONT SIDE BUS: 1000MHz Hyper Transport (2000 MT/s)
HYPERTHREADING: n/a
MEMORY: 2GB PC3200
DRIVES: WD 80GB 7200RPM 8MB Cache IDE x2
GRAPHICS CARD: Sapphire Radeon 9600 256MB
TRACKS: 32+53

[Fran d'Valle]

Hello, I have a doubt:

Will be better in a single CPU system, Athlon 64 4200+ dual core or Opteron 265 1.8 dual core?????

Thanks

[guitardom]

sorry i did not catch your post sooner. PT7 is optimized for a dual core system, you are running on a single core P4. that is the biggest part of the issue. i just retired my 3.2 and can say that does sound about right on your test, you would have better performance dropping back to 6.9 and doing a davec I test and somewheres around 32-12 or so should be right. try turning your hyperthreading off. i seemed to have problems with plugins at itermitent times with it on. sounds stupid, but the biggest reason i built the quad was that i was fed up with the performance loss in 7 on my machine, so either revert back to 6.X or up the computer.
also the amount of data you have on your harddrives can be some of it. it seems the fuller they get the less performance you get out of them. hope that helps a bit, let me know.

[guitardom]

Hello, I have a doubt:

Will be better in a single CPU system, Athlon 64 4200+ dual core or Opteron 265 1.8 dual core?????

i think i would go with the opteron, newer is better!!!??? there have seemed to be no issues with the opteron proccessors so far, seagull i think it is got his opteron up and going, which is great to hear. and the opterons are performing great so far. the X2's are more tested around here though, but i say go for the opteron.

[seagull]

I love my opteron 165 computer. I'm getting 32+53 on the dave c ii test with the slowest dual core processor AMD makes (its only a 1.8GHz). With PT7, I'd just go for the fastest dual core CPU that you can afford (and that works with your motherboard) and start making some music!!! Or make the jump and go for a quad!! I already had the motherboard, video card, and ram so I would have had to ditch all of that and start over if I had wanted to build a quad. Have fun with your build. I sure did. My specs are about four posts up if your curious what I used (basically a slightly modified under $600 Allenstein).

[davec]

Well it looks like in my absence, yet again :-/, there's been some interesting developements. Still going to hold off on an upgrade, as the prices fall.

Linux as an OS would be brilliant. For all the reasons mentioned above, 64 bit, sleek, reliable, and cheap. I have an old 486 running the latest Suse Linux 9.2 and the machine just keeps on going even if X-Windows loaded (albeit a little slow). It does all my routing and firewall for my connection to the internet here at home. There's no doubt this OS is superior in all facets then any non linux/unix OS out there. In fact for a few years I had boycotted MS all toegther and was running entirely on Linux (No PT of course) until carrer demands pulled me back into the MS realm.

Anyhow, glad to see everything is going well with everybody. BTW - I tried to become the Official PT Performance Certification authrority but no reply in over 6 months from Digi. I was ready to build all kinds of systems (a hobby of mine) and post best price/performance ratio ratings for the systems. Thats what I proposed to Digi anyhow and no go.

So I will remain until further notice, an unofficial site.

[Punce]

Sorry for asking 2 noob questions here, but 52 pages is a bit daunting to find my answers.

I have just upgraded my mobo and proc to an 'Asus A8V Deluxe' and an X2 4200+ with an AC Freezer 64 pro hs+f. and 1st of all I can't believe the temps that MBM5 is showing me (21C idle!) I'm well impressed.

I did the same routine as Huggybaby at the top of this page (Nlite slipstream, CCleaner, RegSeeker, Regcompact) Nice and thin now, thanks Huggy!

Doing a Davec II test, my last system (AMD XP2500+ overclocked to 2.2GHz) failed on Test3 during the bounce. And as you would expect the new system flew through it.
I've just ran Test7, and yes all three tests completed, but it wasn't smooth, the time counter was jumping etc. Although it didn't crash out with an error message.
So my first question is: Does this mean it's a pass?

And my 2nd question is: How do you determine your final score? I've read results in a numerical score, not for example - 'Test8 Bounced with 24ch enabled'

Thanks