Playback Overload!?!?!?!

[stayingetdown]

Hi,
Lately I have been experiencing playback overload and thus CPU overload when I try to record and I was wondering if anyone here could tell me why. I have a Powerbook G4 with 1gHz Processor and 1 gig of RAM (both of which are running fine in the system profiler). I am using a MOTU 828 to record into DP. I'm using hardware for monitoring. I have my DP buffer size set to 1024, with the work priority set to Medium (which I'm told is better for single processor machines). I am using only 1 stereo bus, the work quanta is set to 500 ms, and the max work load is at 90%. In the project I am working on, I have 13 mono tracks only seven of which are enabled. Of those seven I am trying to record on two of them at once. The funny thing is that I recorded 8 tracks of drums and one scratch track all at once for this project without any problems at all. After that I did two tracks of bass and also had no problems. Now I am trying to do two tracks of guitars and the thing keeps overloading on the playback bar in the audio performance window which in turn spikes the CPU. What's even more crazy is that it seems like it REALLY likes to overload when the guitarist turns on his delay pedal. I'm about to throw my computer at the wall. Please help!!! Thanks!

[MIDI Life Crisis]

Turn off the pref (General Audio) to notify you of overloads.

Anybody else sick of hearing this?

No offense, but I must field 4 of these a month.

[stayingetdown]

It IS off. And you know, I actually do take offense and someone being terse with me about something which troubles them a WHOLE 4 times a month. Maybe I don't know as much as you, but don't be nasty.

I know it overloads the processor because I have the audio performance window open and can see it happening. Plus, playback stops.

[chrispick]

Taxing the hard drive can cause overload warnings as well as other real-time glitches.

At what sample rate are you recording?

Are you using your system hard drive or a separate drive dedicated to audio capture/playback?

[kelldammit]

nevermind, the colonel's faster on the draw. my blood-chicken content must be getting too low.


kell

[stayingetdown]

I also don't see how turning off an alert will keep the processor from overloading.

[stayingetdown]

Hi,
Thanks for some productive responses. I am recording at 16 bit/ 44.1 to my internal hard drive. This has me really confused as I have done numerous other projects with the exact same settings and haven't had a problem. Thanks!

[MIDI Life Crisis]

I also don't see how turning off an alert will keep the processor from overloading.

It won't. But it can prevent the transport from stopping to tell you about it.

Sorry you took offense, none was intended. But if it makes you feel any better, go on, take offense all you want! I am not offended by your response. Been there too many times to care about that ••••.

BTW, YOU'RE WELCOME!

[kelldammit]

how much free space is available on your hard drive? the more full it gets, the more it has to seek to find empty space to place files...osx in general also gets much slower as you pass 1/2 capacity on your hd.
if an external drive is out of the question, i'd suggest 2 things:
1: possibly you're dealing with some sort of file corruption. try importing the audio you've already recorded into a new project, and try working from there. stranger things have happened.
2: if #1 gives you no joy, try bouncing what you've already recorded to a 2-track "guide" for your guitarist to record to. disable the original audio tracks, and when the guitarist has nailed his take, blow away the guide, and re-enable the original tracks.

you could also try trashing dp's pref file, and going that route...

kell

[stayingetdown]

Kelldammit,
Thanks for the reply. My hard drive is somewhat full. I cleared some space today and tried again, but to no avail. I'll try to get as much off of the drive as I can. I do have an external as well, so I could go that route and see how that works. Will that make things slower? The thought crossed my mind to do a stereo bounce like you suggested, but I just wanted to see if it was something I'd overlooked before I went into that. Thanks for the help.

[stayingetdown]

I also don't see how turning off an alert will keep the processor from overloading.

It won't. But it can prevent the transport from stopping to tell you about it.

Sorry you took offense, none was intended. But if it makes you feel any better, go on, take offense all you want! I am not offended by your response. Been there too many times to care about that ••••.

BTW, YOU'RE WELCOME!

I guess I just don't see the point in not having the transport stop if playback stops and I'm trying to record along to an established track. I also don't see the point in asking if anyone else is sick of a certain type of post. You don't have to reply to every post on this or any board and if you're not actually offended by my reply you don't need to use size 24 font. Have some manners.

[MIDI Life Crisis]

Thank you, daddy. I sorry... NOT!

[stayingetdown]

Anyway, if anyone has any other productive suggestions, I'd appreciate it. I'll also let you know how it goes with an even less full hard drive and the external tomorrow. Thanks again.

[HCMarkus]

I had always heard/read that when using MOTU interfaces, Work Priority HIGH was the way to go...

I guess I'm wondering what has changed in your system, since your problems have, as Karen Carpenter once sang so beautifully, "Only Just Begun." System upgrades? New plugins? New peripherals? Definitely try recording/playing back to/from your external drive, as it will almost certainly be faster than your internal HD. Hopefully, the troubles will soon "Only Just Begone."

[stayingetdown]

"He who would pun would pick a pocket."
Thank you. I will try out the external drive tomorrow and I'll let you know. As far as upgrades go, I've only just updated to OSX 10.4.11. I haven't got any new plugs or anything else since my last recording project that would be messing with the whole system. We'll see I guess. Thanks again.