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  4. Why not use a customized Mac from apple?

  • Why not use a customized Mac from apple?

    S
    S
    Consider this system.
    1. 2.5GHz Quad-Corre PowerPC G5
    2. 2 x 500GB Serial ATA- 7200
    3. 8 GB 533 DDR2 Non ECC SDRAM - 8X1 GB

    The serial ATA drives support 1.5 Gbps and each drive sits on an independent bus, giving the data flow a dedicated bandwidth into the system of 2.5 GHz per bus.

    This is based on Apple specs.

    Load the existing VIs sample on one Serial ATA and the PRO library samples on the other serial ATA (wood, horns, percussion).

    Use core audio with a HDSP MADI in combination with the ADI-648.

    Using svonkampen's technique open the VIs instances 3-4 gigs and 3-4 gigs of exs24(old library) in logic. According to svonkampen this gives the user access to the full 8 gigs of RAM.

    This all seems pretty straight forward and simple and should optimize of the number of instances usuable in one session.

    Some concerns:
    A. Given the noise and heat problems of the existing G5 quad it would probably be better to get the next generation intel chip machines.

    B. What is going to happen when the VIs library is complete? Would this system still be able to access 8 gigs of instrument samples and play them?

    C. What about MIR? How is it going to affect the throughput of samples and processing.

    This is a theoretical system that I am proposing to replace my aging G4 Pro tools system. It would be helpful to have users comment on this system in an attempt to find an optimum system. The discussions on this forum are invaluable as a source of information and others experience and are much appreciated.
    Regards,
    Stephen W. Beatty
  • N
    N
    You could load theoretically load 16GB in that machine, except that there are two other limitations. The first is that the number of open samples tops out at around 40,000 (or is it 45K?), so I doubt you'll get very close to 8GB. And second, you're going to run out of CPU power playing that many instruments.

    Heat shouldn't be an issue, and having been spoiled with a "machine room" (a.k.a. garage on the other side of the wall) for several years, I personally can't abide computers in the room no matter how quiet they are. Still, having more Vienna Instruments loaded shouldn't increase the noise appreciably.
  • M
    M
    Right. But consider this as well:
    about the CPU resources just connect another G5 (when able to buy one later) and share the CPU power over two systems - no problem at all!!!!
  • N
    N
    Ya-uh you can add machines! [:)]

    That's the point: we're still in the multiple-machine era. Everyone wants to be able to run the whole orchestra in one machine.
  • B
    B
    On my last project I used the Quad for everything. Nothing else. 1st time ever. It is a beast!

    Nick is right however for a full orchestra you'll need 2 quads or if you're rich 4 would be great!

    The quad is so quiet I don't even notice it except when it starts up. The birds singing outside are much louder.
  • S
    S
    Thank you for the comments.
    Can we do a thought experiment for a moment?
    Suppose we loaded the VI library when it is available on 2 quad G5s that I described and segregated the VI library across the 4 available serial ATA drives. This might resemble the strings, woods, horns and percussion sections of the orchestra. Presumably, using a moderate amount of divisi voices, it would seem reasonable that the dual processors on each section bus should be able to handle the processing and you would have 80 to 90 K samples available across the two G5s.
    Bruce mentioned this possibility. Could you outline how you would wire/connect/communicate between the two processors. For example , would you need another dongle for 2nd logic, what function in logic allows you to do this, and what would the arrange window look like ? I sure there are other people viewing this forum that would like to know this information to optimize on the use of the VI library.
    Regards,
    Stephen W. Beatty
  • N
    N
    The problem is that four of the basic Level 1 or 2 presets can be 40K samples (they're about 10K each). So you can load picc, fl, ob, cl, bsn, fr hn, tpt...and then you want another two machines for trb, tuba, strngs, and perc. And harp, and instruments from other libraries.

    Now, there's nothing to say you really need to load the big enchilada programs for every single instrument, and you can purge them if you're done. But if you want to just load whatever you want without limits, you need an army of Macs.

    Note that I haven't tried PCs to see how they do. That may be a different story.

    Also note that I haven't tried a G5 with 8GB of RAM, so you shouldn't take what I'm saying as anything more than educated speculation.
  • S
    S
    Thanks, Nick for your reply.
    Apple actually calls this process we are discussing "Distributed Audio Processing" DAP. In the logic reference manual pp 382 - 384 it is discussed. Here are some main ideas.

    1, Additional Macs do not require any further copies of Logic Pro.
    2. The logic node installer is found on the logic installation DVD.
    3. The network consists of a "host computer" a G4/G5 equiped with Gigabit ethernet and "node computers" which must have one or more G5 processors and a 1 Gigabit Ethernet port.
    4. Place the "logic node" sofware in the startup items of the node machine.
    5. Multiple nodes require a 1 gigabit Ethernet switch.
    6. Apple remote desktop on the "host" computer can control other Macs used as nodes. No additional monitors of keyboards needed.
    7. Enable Distributed Audio Processing p. 383

    SOME LIMITATIONS:
    A. EXS24 instruments are always calculated on the host and the sample library must be on the host computer. [:(]
    B. Multichannel instruments like Ultrabeat cannot be calculated on a node.
    C. It is not possible to calculate Input, Output, Bus,or Aux channels on a Node.

    Questions?
    In light of limitation A. how could DAP actually increase your acess to additional EXS24 instances?
    Does limitation A apply to VI instances? Apparently, they are stored in a different way than EXS24 instances.
    Is the node computer used only for DSP (multiple instances of Altiverb), software synthesizers and other plug ins?

    It is beginning to look as if the G5 quad is actually the best options.

    Regards,
    Stephen W. Beatty
  • N
    N
    The answer to your questions is that Logic Node isn't going to work for Vienna Instruments or anything else other than *Logic* plug-ins.
  • J
    J
    I have to say firstly that...from what I know, getting another Logic dongle costs the same as buying another copy of the program...BOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

    Thank you VSL for being good enough to allow multiple dongle purchases for the same library in the same room at a reasonable price.

    Here's a thought I had...instead of using Logic to load instruments, maybe try using Plogue Bidule or Digital Performer on your slave machine(s) and running from the master computer, Logic. I know this disables the use of EXS in the slaves, but perhaps saving the EXS instruments for the master...?...of course, you're talking about an ideal setup that wouldn't mind including the cost for multiple copies of Logic...

    Josh

    PS...Serial ATA=great idea