CPU latency problem

B

basshead83

New member
My problem is that when I am running all my recording software at the same time, My computer will drag or "stutter". I have a HP Pavilion with a 1.6 processer. I did upgrade my RAM to 1Gig and it only helped a little. I was thinking of upgrading my processer to a Pentium 4 3.0 Will this solve my problem? I would just buy a new computer that is built for recording music but I am trying to save money by upgrading the PC that I have. Can anyone help?
 
i would just get a new computer, you can build one for about $500 to $700 depending on what you need. i dont know how much a decent prebuilt one would cost.
 
What sequencer and what interface do you have? You can raise the latency to a higher number when mixing to reduce the stutter. What type of work are you doing on your PC? If you are recording, you might need a slave drive to help speed things up a bit.

Otherwise, it sounds like a cpu problem. You can monitor your system resources to see what's bottoming out (CPU, RAM, HDD, etc.) A 1.6 Ghz windows PC is kinda weak though. Don't expect much.
 
Why would you buy a whole new pc if you just can upgrade too for under 400 dollars.

Just buy a new mainboard and cpu, look if your ram is compatible with it and your done.

you have enough ram, you just lack some CPU power. thats coverd if you buy a new CPU and a matching mainboard.
 
basshead83 said:
My problem is that when I am running all my recording software at the same time, My computer will drag or "stutter".
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What do you mean "all of your recording software?". Also depends what you are running too. Some recording apps are CPU hogs and your 1.6 might not be sufficient!

I have a HP Pavilion with a 1.6 processer. I did upgrade my RAM to 1Gig and it only helped a little. I was thinking of upgrading my processer to a Pentium 4 3.0 Will this solve my problem?
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It should help! Dont tell me you have a celeron now?

I would just buy a new computer that is built for recording music but I am trying to save money by upgrading the PC that I have. Can anyone help?
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Upgrading is a cheap fix and wont give you the most benefits, save up and buy a new computer. And try not to run a bunch of apps at the same time for now.
 
CubaseRox said:

Upgrading is a cheap fix and wont give you the most benefits, save up and buy a new computer. And try not to run a bunch of apps at the same time for now.
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well im upgrading now... and it will give me all the benefits.

Im buying new cpu, ram, graphix card and a mainbord, where are the benefits im missing.

its a big upgrade tho... but what I mean is, you dont need to buy all the extra jingles what you get when your buying a new pc. basicly after my upgrade I have a new pc, only with the old case and all the other little things.
 
Ilgit said:


well im upgrading now... and it will give me all the benefits.

Im buying new cpu, ram, graphix card and a mainbord, where are the benefits im missing.
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When you get those parts and install them... New products come out! Making your upgrade useless in most cases.

And your upgrade is practically a new computer. When I say "upgrading is a cheap fix" I meant it with only replacing 1 or 2 parts at most, not gutting the thing out. A main board and CPU???? Like I said that is practically a new computer. You may as well get new HD's and removable media drives too.

But to answer your question your not losing benefits because you practically have a new computer.

:D
 
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I know my PC is running much better since my upgrade. I upgraded the mobo and the ram and got a second hard drive and a graphics card. I previously had 512 SDRAM(replaced with 1Gig DDRAM) and a cheap PC Chips board(replaced with Asus A7N8x-E Deluxe) with onboard graphics. My projects that were using 85% cpu now only use 30%. I can't believe the difference. I thought it was the processor as I had a 1.33Ghz processor but the main problem was elsewhere. I am also now able to direct monitor my input and I operate with a 9 ms buffer. I still plan to get a faster processor but it's not a major issue now. My PC is running really nice.
 
^^ Depending on what you're recording maybe 1.3 Ghz is all you need, but your processor is going to crap out after addding a few plugins. In a serious mixdown where you will use 20 or more plugins (such as waves) on 30 or more tracks that 1.3 Ghz won't cut it.

Of course you won't have this problem on a mac since they are built to accomodate what is inside.

If you had a cheap mobo, your frontside bus speed might be what was slowing you down. Not to mention the built in graphics sucking power from the CPU and RAM. There are tons of factors to play into it which is why "El Cheapo" isn't always the way to go (at least not in this business).
 
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Breakbeats573 said:
^^ Depending on what you're recording maybe 1.3 Ghz is all you need, but your processor is going to crap out after addding a few plugins.
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I have an intel 1.3Ghz and I dont crap out after a few plugins, in fact I have safely gotten up to 25 tracks with a moderate amount of plugins. It also depends what type of plugins you use too. e.g. In Cubase SX the "multi-band compressor" plugin seems to hog CPU power whereas a reverb wont use much power at all.


In a serious mixdown where you will use 20 or more plugins (such as waves) on 30 or more tracks that 1.3 Ghz won't cut it.
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I dont know what 1.3 you are using but mine seems to run fine pushing those type of limits. I do have a dedicated ultra SCSI audio drive and I have Rambus memory, so that might allow me to push past the normal envelope.

Of course you won't have this problem on a mac since they are built to accomodate what is inside.
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Oh boy! Another Mac user so that explains the incorrect statements about the PC.
 
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Breakbeats573 said:
^^ Depending on what you're recording maybe 1.3 Ghz is all you need, but your processor is going to crap out after addding a few plugins. In a serious mixdown where you will use 20 or more plugins (such as waves) on 30 or more tracks that 1.3 Ghz won't cut it.

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Well, my last project had 23 tracks and I used 25 plugins(delay, reverb, eq, gate). There were no dropouts and my cpu meter hovered about the 50% mark. I don't think I have ever gone past 25 tracks and I doubt I will.

Unless basshead was using a celeron, his 1.6 Ghz should be good enough provided that the other components in the PC are up to scratch.
 
listen. im kind of in the same boat. i went online and did a pc config for dell for what i wanted and it came up to $1250.

it includes a 3.0 ghz P4, 2 GB RAM and the best soundcard they have available.

im going to get a midi controller too. therein lies my question. what do i need to have to achieve good latency for my midi so that its on time? a good soundcard?

im open to all suggestions.
 
Mr.Curlz said:
I know my PC is running much better since my upgrade. I upgraded the mobo and the ram and got a second hard drive and a graphics card. I previously had 512 SDRAM(replaced with 1Gig DDRAM) and a cheap PC Chips board(replaced with Asus A7N8x-E Deluxe) with onboard graphics. My projects that were using 85% cpu now only use 30%. I can't believe the difference. I thought it was the processor as I had a 1.33Ghz processor but the main problem was elsewhere. I am also now able to direct monitor my input and I operate with a 9 ms buffer. I still plan to get a faster processor but it's not a major issue now. My PC is running really nice.
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I wonder how much of that 55% (55 freakin percent!?!?) was caused by reinstalling windows. A fresh install can fix sooo many problems. Maybe you had a spyware issue going on?
 
doctah said:


I wonder how much of that 55% (55 freakin percent!?!?) was caused by reinstalling windows. A fresh install can fix sooo many problems. Maybe you had a spyware issue going on?
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No spyware here. Firewalls and anti-virus installed and up to date. I'm also a regular user of Ad-Aware, Spybot and Hi Jack This. The funny thing is, before my upgrade, I had 18 process running at startup. After the upgrade, I have 27 process running at startup and I still have better performance.
 
I guess that I didn't mention that I use waves plugins. Yes, they are very cpu intensive. I have tried many others but the waves plugins take the cake. In mixing, it is common to use 30 or more plugins not to mention any of the special effects plugins that the artists might want. I don't get by with that many of them on a 3.0 let alone a 1.3.

Sure, you can get by with low grade plugins. Plus you can use more of them. Don't get me wrong, steinberg makes some good stuff. They haven't met the quality of waves plugins though. To me the difference is pretty noticeable.
 
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