@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..