@Paul said:

... I understand it, you only benefit from 64bit technology, if every part of the system is optimized.....

..... It would be excellent to get a test on a 4 Gb RAM xp64 computer, to see if you can load more than 2 Gb of samples......

Best, Martin


With 64 bit systems and audio , it is the following:
"Optimization" is not the real word. Any application needs to be re-designed and re-compiled, othwise, it just runs in 32-bit mode. No changes, neither to memory management nor to audio and the respective problems.

At the beginning, you need to have the new Windows 64 bit (Longhorn) which is not yet publically available, only as specific OEM or MSN Developer, and this version is time limited.

If you want to have true advantage, first your audio card needs to have 64-bit ability and new 64-bit drivers. The only one I know are M-audio (Delta etc) , which have a track record of being up to date with any technology.

Then, your audio application needs to be able to handle these 64 bit drivers. This is true only for Nuendo in a 64-bit Beta-Version.

Everything in the chain needs to be 64 bit, i.e. any VSTi and, VI.
It is not too difficult to port to 64 bit, it is more of a little tedious work (i.e. make all pointers and memory handlers and numbers 64bit etc.

And then, and only then, you are able to have all the advantages of 64 bit (Memory size etc). Looks like we are a long timeline away before 64 bit becomes mainstream.

I tested 64bit with Nuendo and Delta, and it was cool as a glimpse into the 64 bit world. Really fast, that stuff. But I gave up, because everything else old was making backward compatibility problems). You could not use anything that had 32-bit drivers only. And then, Longhorn Beta expired anyway..

Just activating 'Notify me when a reply is posted'

Paul,

Are you going to have results for the Quad core?

Hey everyone, it's been awhile since I've posted anything but I figured it was about time to take a break from work and do something I enjoy for once. I'll try to answer some techie questions. I'm about 1 paycheck away from ordering my copy of VI, so I've been reading forums like mad to find out it's memory limitations, since that was my main gripe with GS.

@Another User said:

I think you are right, but as I read on the homepage of microsoft, you still get the benefit of the RAM-management. It would be excellent to get a test on a 4 Gb RAM xp64 computer, to see if you can load more than 2 Gb of samples.

Best, Martin

Well the issue there is that the OS could address the extra RAM, but the VI program couldn't. With 32 Bit addresses you can only store info for 4G worth of samples. (it's like you need to send mail to 4billion people in a country but there are only 2 billion envelopes, so you have no way of sending to the other 2 billion people)

On top of that, the OS is divided into the Kernel/User mem areas, so even if you put it in a machine with 64G of memory if they are using kernel area addresses it will never be able to slip out of that range. SO for 64 bit to work(mem-wise) 2 things have to happen:

1. User area mem addresses instead of kernel area must be used.
2. Integer storage in the program must be converted over to 64 bit so the program can read and write from the extra address space.

@DG said:

According to folks on the Nuendo Forum N3 (and I suppose) SX3 can address up to 2.7Gb RAM. Whether or not this translates to more streaming I don't know, but would like to find out before buying more RAM. Similarly for the FX-Teleport machines.

DG

this would be with the 3meg boot switch turned on, however if VI is using Kernel level memory addresses this will actually lower your available memory, not increase it. See my post and Matthias' in the gigastudio memory thread. http://www.vsl.co.at/en-us/69/128/33.vsl

However if it using user level addresses, then you should be theoretically able to load up to 3gig minus the OS mem load (about 300meg, so 2.7G is probably accurate)
I'll be "doing it" via FX-Teleport and once things are up and running I'll try adding some more RAM to see how many (if any) instruments I will be able to load.

DG

@DG said:

I'll be "doing it" via FX-Teleport and once things are up and running I'll try adding some more RAM to see how many (if any) instruments I will be able to load.

DG

Cool, that's basically the way mine will be set up so I'm very interested to see what you'll end up being able to load.

@DG said:

I'll be "doing it" via FX-Teleport and once things are up and running I'll try adding some more RAM to see how many (if any) instruments I will be able to load.

DG

Cool, that's basically the way mine will be set up so I'm very interested to see what you'll end up being able to load.
It has to work first [[;)]]

DG

@DG said:

Cool, that's basically the way mine will be set up so I'm very interested to see what you'll end up being able to load.

It has to work first [[;)]]

DG[/quote]

bah, functionality is overrated as long as it looks pretty. look at Apple [:D]

@cmpsr2000 said:

bah, functionality is overrated as long as it looks pretty. look at Apple [[:D]]

Well I'm not one to get excited about anything "Pooter" related, but RAM is due to arrive any day now [[:D]]

DG

I'm curious if the AMD, single or dual core, are better than Pentium.
When will you give us the results?
Sergino