I maxed out my PC and still have buffer issues?

Donta Black

Donta Black

Active member
Whats up FP fam, I recently built a PC over this summer to optimize my production time when creating. Though it seems, even after investing into building a solid PC, I still run into such trivial issues, such as buffering when im creating music in my Pro Tools Daw VIA midi & REWIRE via Reason.

Any suggestions or ideals, I may be overlooking that could quickly resolve this menacing occurrence. I currently use an MBOX 2, I was thinking, maybe this is the source of the issue since it is about 10 yrs old now.

Any help would be appreciated!


PC.png
 
I'm not sure how protools handles latency compared to other daws & their interfaces but I have seen users with problems like those and decided they'd switch to other platforms.
 
I had this problem with my pro tools as well. Basically you have set up your cpu so that it has 1 core free.

So if you have 4 cores, set to use 3 cores at 99%. don't use all 4 cores at say 80% tho or you have problems.

I am on pro tools 8. I think the newer pro tools are more stable.
 
Whats good Bob Chops, I use to see you on RocBattles from time to time. We've battled a couple times too, in the good days when Rocbattle was poppin'.

Im running a Hexacore now and Im on Pro Tools 8 aswell.
So if I have 12 processors available in PT only use 6?

The first image is the error I normally get or similar to the one that I get. I induced this error by placing my samples at 64 samples? Is it even possible to fluently use midi at 64 Samples?

The second picture is my normal settings which is suppose to be 128 samples. just forgot to put it back.


Error.pngBuffering.png
 
Donta Black said:
Whats good Bob Chops, I use to see you on RocBattles from time to time. We've battled a couple times too, in the good days when Rocbattle was poppin'.

Im running a Hexacore now and Im on Pro Tools 8 aswell.
So if I have 12 processors available in PT only use 6?

The first image is the error I normally get or similar to the one that I get. I induced this error by placing my samples at 64 samples? Is it even possible to fluently use midi at 64 Samples?

The second picture is my normal settings which is suppose to be 128 samples. just forgot to put it back.


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To be honest with you...

Pro tools 8 is only 32 bit. So it can only use a max of 4 gig of ram. Even if you have 100 gigs installed, pro tools can only utilize 4 gigs.

If your windows is 32 bit as well, then the whole of your computer is using 4 gigs of ram. Its probably not your cpu causing the problem.


Yes Donta I remember you from way back!
 
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Cheers bro! Ill remember that, never knew Pro Tools was 32 bit, that needs to be fixed. And my PC is 64 bit, I remember trying to install 32 bit version of things and it not working. Alright! Ill remember this!
 
Donta Black said:
Cheers bro! Ill remember that, never knew Pro Tools was 32 bit, that needs to be fixed. And my PC is 64 bit, I remember trying to install 32 bit version of things and it not working. Alright! Ill remember this!
Click to expand...

He said Pro Tools 8 is 32-bit. PT went 64-bit from v11 on.
 
Yea the newer versions of Pro tools are 64 bit. But as Donta was using the mbox like me I presumed he was using 8 as I remembered from ages ago he said he did. Also most people don't have $400 + $20 a month to pay for the new pro tools.

Another clue was that he was using Windows 7, which means he is happy to let being up to date slide.

So with all the information I had + gut intuition I went ahead and just typed as if I knew he was for sure using pro tools 8. It seems like it was gamble that paid off.


That being said tho...

The ram thing now thinking about it, probably is not the biggest issue. You can only run out of ram if you load lots of samples or Vsts.

Put it this way, I can make a whole beat on pro tools 8 with a buffer of 256ms using 1 cpu core of a sh!tty athalon x2 processor that cost $30.


I actually prefer the limitations of this system. In the past i have had more powerful computers, but it makes everything feel cheap when I load up a Rtas and the cpu meter doesn't move.

I like to see the meter go up, so I know the juice is being used. Then I value more what I have.


For me what worked was installing pro tools 8 and the updates and then setting it to use 1 cpu at 99% instead of 2 at 70%. When I was using 2 I was getting full system crashes.

The hard part is remebering how you set up pro tools to get it stable when you have to reinstall it again in 1 or 2 years.




Pro tools 8 was amazing music software. There is really nothing that newer DAWS do that pro tools 8 can't do.

I would also say that tho newer versions of pro tools may be more stable because they had more time to weed out the bugs. pro tools 8 is very stable once its working.

I tried sonar and abelton and they are good but crash a lot. Pro tolls and reason are very stable on windows and stability is for me the most important feature of a DAW.
 
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@Krushing Well that clears things up! I misunderstood big time. lol

@BobChops You are correct in some sorts. I don't mind being dated as of now. I believe the never Window OS's are trash exceeding 7s OS.

As far as a Pro Tools upgrade, I was planning to hope to 9 or 10. I had no clue 11 has reoccurring fee situation. Either way. I do plan to upgrade in the near future, but at the same time I do like the stability of PT 8.

As far power I get you loud in clear on the 256 samples comment. Hell, I use to work at 512 samples and make some heat, the struggle has humbled ya boy.

I do like to see the meter jump from time to time to, but my only concern these says is workflow and limitations restricting my creativity.

You all have been a big help. I've decided to purchase RME Babyface Pro or UCX.

Thank you!
 
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I tried windows 7 64 bit and its total nightmare. There is a problem with the windows update. It doesn't work properly and keeps trying to update and eats up 50% on my CPU in the process!

You should check to see if windows on your machine is eating your CPU when idle. If you look at task managed and then performance and open processes, see if anything is using a lot of CPU.
 
Tried protools outta curiosity once, version 12.
Ran pretty smooth like the others & the layout was actually not that bad, similar to the other linear daws.
 
Ok I got a new processor.. A quad core x 480. Tried it with pro tools windows 7. But then I tried mbox in windows 10 and the drivers on the mbox just fall apart at 128 ms latency.

I had asio4all at 62 ms latency no problem in reason and sonar.


Thing is when pro tools 8 was made 10 years ago those drivers were good for the time. But they didn't update them anymore. Asio4all has been updated for 10 years since.
 
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