Should I make one of my Macs a slave?

[James Steele]

You know, I just do rock stuff and I probably don't NEED to use a VEP (Vienna Ensemble Pro) setup with a slave machine, but I do have a MacPro 1,1 just sitting around not being utilized much after I upgraded to my MacPro 4,1. (Hat tip to HCMarkus for hipping me to this and to Shooshie for also giving me some advice behind the scenes with my transition).

It just occurred to me after I stuffed 24GB of RAM into my new 4,1 that when you consider the reasoning behind having a slave machine, then does it stand to reason that my more powerful machine (the 4,1) should actually be the *slave* hosting VIs and the weaker machine (the 4,1) should continue to be the master? Isn't the VI slave doing the real heavy lifting? If I unburden the master from VI duties it's simply doing audio playback and MIDI sequencer duties.

Now that I put 24GB into the 4,1 I will rationalize keeping it as my master. Besides, I like to do track comping with the Comp Tool and that can be very CPU intensive, so for speed of editing tasks, etc. I can easily make an argument for have a powerful main machine. But food for thought. I should maybe consider pressing my 1,1 into work for MachFive3 perhaps etc. However, from what I read, DP/VEP have some communication issues which means I can't simply load a project on my main and have it seamlessly open the right thing on VEP can I? Also, bounce downs have to be in realtime? (The latter isn't that much of an issue for me personally considering I tend to only work on 3-4 min rock songs and that's who we all did it "back in the day"—absent having 2-3 pairs of hands doing the 'fader dance" on the mixing board as it was recording to a 1/2" 2 track machine. Sigh.)

[malditoyanki]

Hey James...I do TV/film stuff where slaves are still the order of the day. That said I abandoned slaves over 5 years ago and never looked back. Keeping ONE computer happy, functional and updated is hard enough. Two became a real burden. Granted the other was a PC

Anyhow, keeping 2 CPU's communicating can be a real pain in the ass...works great when it works, but when it doesn't...Nobody uses slaves cuz they love it. It's strictly need based/desperation time when track counts get over 250

Also (and I know this in non-scientific) but since I dumped VEpro entirely and just use VIrack in DP I can hear a difference....like a blanket came off the music.

Bottom line, try slamming that new CPU with your heaviest workload and see how it performs. That method has worked well for me in determining what I need.

[James Steele]

Bottom line, try slamming that new CPU with your heaviest workload and see how it performs. That method has worked well for me in determining what I need.

Yep... that's what I figured. Just you can't help staring at a MacPro being underutilized and not wonder if you can't do something with it. I plan on replacing the Windows and G5 machines in my office with my MacPro 1,1, since it can run both OSes with Boot Camp.

[malditoyanki]

"Striving to better, oft we mar what’s well."

-Bill Shakespeare

[FMiguelez]

I just installed 3 slaves, and it is amazing, and I will recommend the exact opposite from Malditoyanki.

Even if I could work with just one computer, I would not.
I prefer the slave approach a thousand times more, for many reasons that I've explained many times around here.

If you already have the computer sitting around there, James, I'd say at least give it a try and see for yourself if you like it or not. I think there's a trial period for VE Pro, so you won't spend money unless you liked the workflow.

It all seems more complicated and daunting than it really is. Once you get it, it stays with you easily.

A lot depends on what you do and how you do it, of course.
The only things that are probably better to have in the master computer are VIs that let you drag and drop stuff from VI to DP (e.g., Stylus, Superior Drummer), but the rest are perfect candidates for slaves.

My suggestion is to try it, James. You lose nothing. Talk to Doris about it, but don't mention VE Pro's price tag. She probably will tell you to use a type writer instead!

[rickorick]

How does one set up a slave? I also have Mac Pro 1,1 a 2009 iMac, and my G5. I'm still using
the G5 with DP but I'd like to know how to set up the other one or both as well. I also picked
up a 2011 13" Macbook Pro. I have 10.8.5 on the iMac and the MBP and 10.6.8 on the Mac Pro.
Thanks for the help.

[FMiguelez]

How does one set up a slave? I also have Mac Pro 1,1 a 2009 iMac, and my G5. I'm still using
the G5 with DP but I'd like to know how to set up the other one or both as well. I also picked
up a 2011 13" Macbook Pro. I have 10.8.5 on the iMac and the MBP and 10.6.8 on the Mac Pro.
Thanks for the help.

The problem is that the newest version of VE Pro doesn't work with a G5

[rickorick]

OK then what about the iMac and Mac Pro 1,1 running 10.8.5 & 10.6.8? How is it done?
With Ether net cables? I don't have an idea how to set it up even if I had all the right stuff.

[billf]

OK then what about the iMac and Mac Pro 1,1 running 10.8.5 & 10.6.8? How is it done?
With Ether net cables? I don't have an idea how to set it up even if I had all the right stuff.

I'm currently looking into this as well, and these are the requirements for running a VE Pro network:

Cross-platform MIDI and audio LAN solution for Macs and PCs.

No audio interfaces, no MIDI interfaces on your additional slave computers – All you need is Ethernet with a Gigabit connection.

System Requirements

PC Windows 7 (latest Service Pack, 32/64-bit), Intel Core 2 Duo or AMD Athlon 64 X2
Mac OS X 10.6 (latest update), Intel Core 2 Duo

2 GB RAM (4 GB recommended)

Working Gigabit connection between master and slave computer(s). Also works on a one-computer setup.

ViennaKey (Vienna Symphonic Library USB protection device) or other USB eLicenser (e.g., from Steinberg or Arturia)

eLicenser Control Center software (get the latest version from www.eLicenser.net)
Other configurations may work but are not actively supported.

[FMiguelez]

The lowest you can use with the current VE Pro is OS 10. 6 or later.

All you need is an ethernet hub, a Vienna key and VE Pro.
Go to VSL's website and watch their setup video tutorials. You'll understand it better that way than reading a couple of paragraphs here.
If after that you have more specific questions, we'll be happy to help.

[rickorick]

I saw that too. I went to their site to see what/how to do it. Now my question is where does the
audio come from? I'm using a 24i/o and a 2408 now and running them into a mixer. I have
a 424 card for the Mac Pro 1,1 but if I'm running 2 computers do I need more interfaces?
What about my MIDI express xt's? etc.

[bayswater]

There is always a temptation to make use of old stuff that cost a load of money, and somehow integrate it into the working system. But the reality is I don't do huge orchestral templates, and my newer simpler set does everything I'm likely to need. It's hard to let all this stuff go, but it's real value is minimal.

[rickorick]

OK if I'm reading this right, I could set up my Mac Pro like I have my G5 now with the 24i/o
and the 2408 with the 424 card, 2 MIDI xt's and then run an ethernet cable to my iMac
put extra VI's on the iMac and have them come back out of the 24i/o into my mixer all as if
I were running 1 computer, right?

[rickorick]

I'm slowly moving over to the Mac Pro, but I got the G5 for $80 and when I start using the Mac
Pro I'm going to take the G5 to rehearsal to record with,I picked up another 24i/o so I'll be good to go for recording rehearsals. The first G5 died almost 5 years ago and I've been using this 1
since. So it won't be to hard to let it go because I really have gotten my money out of it.

[bayswater]

OK if I'm reading this right, I could set up my Mac Pro like I have my G5 now with the 24i/o
and the 2408 with the 424 card, 2 MIDI xt's and then run an ethernet cable to my iMac
put extra VI's on the iMac and have them come back out of the 24i/o into my mixer all as if
I were running 1 computer, right?

Make sure the 424 card you use in the G5 is compatible with the MacPro. You might still need an audio interface with digital outs on the iMac to get audio to your 2408, unless it has built in digital outs and you can make do with 2 channels. You'll also need some way, like utility plugins to manually manage latency between systems unless you get something like Vienna Pro.