without having a reference system seen working reliable i'd stay away from AMD - why? many audio applications are compiled with flags set for optimization for intel and there are definately heat problems with them.
i've a board here (oversized CPU cooler + 3 fans inside the cage + 2 additional ones on the back) which can run 7 minutes under full load until it's overheating, so system is useless for compression.
whereas batch converters and any kind of effect processors might be happy with much CPU power, this will not be an issue eg. for giga, also some apps may use memory above 2 GB (given you start with the /3GB switch), but currently it seems giga does not (which would be the most important for me when we talk about sampling).
especially with giga-VST i feel you would be more cost-effective using a reasonable machine for audio processing and several slim *slaves* for sampling
christian

I have an athlon 64 3200 which runs quite nicely due to it's cool n quiet feature......when it's not working hard it under clocks which makes the fan on the cpu very quiet. It's been very stable for me even under full load. I'm running a MSI K8tNeo motherboard.

@cm said:

without having a reference system seen working reliable i'd stay away from AMD - why? many audio applications are compiled with flags set for optimization for intel and there are definately heat problems with them.

When was the last time you put together an AMD machine though? [:D]

@cm said:

... some apps may use memory above 2 GB (given you start with the /3GB switch), but currently it seems giga does not (which would be the most important for me when we talk about sampling).
especially with giga-VST i feel you would be more cost-effective using a reasonable machine for audio processing and several slim *slaves* for sampling
christian

Thanks for the info. Actually, I was looking around on the giga website, and according to them, giga's ram limit is restricted by the cap limit in the windows kernel. In windows XP, this would be 2GB. In windows Server 2003, the kernel's limit is 32GB, so I don't see how running giga on windows server 2003 would have problems accessing the ram up to 4GB and more.

The reason why I considered AMD Opteron is because it's the most powerful x86 processor available, and would seem faster than intel according to independent benchmarks. Also, I had a look at the videos on this site where top producers use a dual opteron system.... http://www.amd.com/us-en/Processors/ComputingSolutions/0,,30_288_7146_10983^11117,00.html

Is it easy to set up a "slave machine" next to another machine, for sampling?

Can anyone think of any problems, considering Windows server 2003 supports a much higher RAM limit in giga?

.... Can anyone think of any problems, considering Windows server 2003 supports a much higher RAM limit in giga? ....

Another question might be, "Would GIGA recognis (is it optimised for) Win 2003, or vice versa?" ....

@GTBannah said:

Another question might be, "Would GIGA recognis (is it optimised for) Win 2003, or vice versa?" ....

GIGA's recognisable RAM limit is apparently determined by the windows Kernel - check out their site .. here's a link .. http://www.tascamgiga.com/support/faq.php#20

Windows Server 2003 64-bit but is also backwards compatible and will run 32-bit Win XP programs (once again a reason to get an AMD 64bit OPTERON system - intel 64-bit procs don't support 32-bit applications, whereas AMD 64-bit support 32-bit also). I've got an email going out to tascam giga team, asking if they've tested giga on windows server 2003, and if the cap on RAM is as limitless as their FAQ claims.

As Win server 2003 can run Win XP programs, and giga is optimized to use any amount of ram (dependent only on windows CAP LIMIT), I see no reason why giga isn't better optimized running unders server 2003 rather than win XP.

Any feedback welcome!!!

Matt

"most importantly, it will run PC software (Protools, Giga, Logic 5.5, Sound Forge, Batch converter, Steinberg Nuendo 2.0, Acid)"


Am I the only one who finds it a bit alarming to refer to Pro Tools and Logic as "PC software"?

@mike connelly said:

"most importantly, it will run PC software (Protools, Giga, Logic 5.5, Sound Forge, Batch converter, Steinberg Nuendo 2.0, Acid)"


Am I the only one who finds it a bit alarming to refer to Pro Tools and Logic as "PC software"?

Yes [:D]

@Jean said:

When was the last time you put together an AMD machine though? [:D]

6 months? let your machine run at 100% CPU load and watch the onboard temperature sensor ...
christian

mstedeford, interesting idea with the 2003 server (64 bit) - have to dig into the whitepapers if your idea keeps beeing promising before ordering a mobo. everything else will show the *real world* (TM) test [;)]
christian

@Jean said:

When was the last time you put together an AMD machine though? [:D]

6 months? let your machine run at 100% CPU load and watch the onboard temperature sensor ...
christianYou're not telling me yours gets over 80 degrees? [[;)]]

I've run some cpu stressing programs (Prime, etc.) way back when I set up these systems, stressed they remain around 60~65 degrees. That's with rather crappy cooling too, slow fan with emphasis on silence. [:)]

i didn't let it get 80, slightly above 75 i've canceled the operation (after 7 minutes) and since then the machine is only allowed to do simple mapping and other easy tasks. oh, i forgot to tell: the room where it is located is airconditioned to 20 C ...
christian

@cm said:

i didn't let it get 80, slightly above 75 i've canceled the operation (after 7 minutes) and since then the machine is only allowed to do simple mapping and other easy tasks. oh, i forgot to tell: the room where it is located is airconditioned to 20 C ...
christian

That does not sound healthy indeed. [:D]

What kind of athlon cpu is on that thing anyway? XP or older model?

@Another User said:

Thanks for the info. Actually, I was looking around on the giga website, and according to them, giga's ram limit is restricted by the cap limit in the windows kernel. In windows XP, this would be 2GB. In windows Server 2003, the kernel's limit is 32GB, so I don't see how running giga on windows server 2003 would have problems accessing the ram up to 4GB and more.

Putting a finer point on what cm says about real world tests, I'll start by repeating point blank that "this would be 2GB" means precisely nothing; you will load 1.05GB maximum on a 2GB or greater XP machine if you follow Mattias' tweaks (if you don't, it'll be about 20% less). Period.

The internet is chock-full of BS computer specs, and they sound impressive because the words are big. They usually have little to do with reality. If you think you can load 4GB in a dual Opteron machine, best of luck to you. My hunch is that you risk loading nothing, because Giga isn't designed to run on those machines.

I hope I'm wrong, but I sure wouldn't want to be the one to run such an expensive experiment. For my money, I'd buy three cheap machines that you know will work well and a KVM switch. If portability is an issue, put them in 2U rackmount cases and then buy a roll-around rack case (SKB, Gator).

@Jean said:

What kind of athlon cpu is on that thing anyway? XP or older model?

i don't have it in front of me now, but IIRC an XP1800
christian

@Jean said:

What kind of athlon cpu is on that thing anyway? XP or older model?

i don't have it in front of me now, but IIRC an XP1800
christianWeird, one of the systems here has an XP1800. Just did some checking and with full load it hovers around 58 degrees. This is in a reasonable hot room too.

Perhaps the temp measurement on the mobo you are using is screwed up?

CM, with all respect, i have to say, that i never got higher then 70 degrees on my dual 2800MP, with 80% load in Nuendo. I never had more stable machine (may be becouse Windows become better).

eclect, i'm glad to hear this - i've strongly considered to get a dual opteron for fun and testing (not only audio) but have been kept away by some not so positive reports and my own experience with AMD. i would be happy to run a 64bit SQL server on such a beast instead thus really expensive HP machines.
maybe i'd have to add the predecessor of the machine i mentioned burned because the brackets of the processor fan melted and - well, milliseconds later the board was scrap. i've only got the XP1800 to avoid a new install of the system.
christian

@Another User said:

Thanks for the info. Actually, I was looking around on the giga website, and according to them, giga's ram limit is restricted by the cap limit in the windows kernel. In windows XP, this would be 2GB. In windows Server 2003, the kernel's limit is 32GB, so I don't see how running giga on windows server 2003 would have problems accessing the ram up to 4GB and more.

Putting a finer point on what cm says about real world tests, I'll start by repeating point blank that "this would be 2GB" means precisely nothing; you will load 1.05GB maximum on a 2GB or greater XP machine if you follow Mattias' tweaks (if you don't, it'll be about 20% less). Period.

The internet is chock-full of BS computer specs, and they sound impressive because the words are big. They usually have little to do with reality. If you think you can load 4GB in a dual Opteron machine, best of luck to you. My hunch is that you risk loading nothing, because Giga isn't designed to run on those machines.

I hope I'm wrong, but I sure wouldn't want to be the one to run such an expensive experiment. For my money, I'd buy three cheap machines that you know will work well and a KVM switch. If portability is an issue, put them in 2U rackmount cases and then buy a roll-around rack case (SKB, Gator).

Yes, 2GB on it's own would not mean 2GB loading into giga, I'm aware of that. However think for a second. It's the DIFFERENCE in cap limits that interests me, and should everyone.

May I also remind you that "those machines" are designed to run XP software, and hence are designed to run giga. So there is a possibility that either it will, or won't work. I'm already aware of all these facts you've brought up. You still haven't been able to answer my question- will it work?! This is ultimately the only thing I'm interested in.

You might do a search on Northernsounds.com (the forum). I faintly remember reading a post from someone at Tascam about Opterons there.

Again, though, it's very likely that you won't get more than 1.05GB (or whatever GS3 gets) by putting more memory in an Opteron.

The reason I put it strongly is that it sounded like you didn't understand, and as you can see, a lot of people have been butting their heads against this for a long time! We all want a single-machine solution.