Want to run now defunct B4II on a second computer

[midilance]

What do I need to be able to run B4II on my old G4 Dual 1 Gig MDD computer as a "second computer" to work in conjunction with my current 8 Core Mac? At present, it is sitting in the corner not being used. I am experiencing weird problems with B4II and my current setup.

I have an MTP AV and an 828 Mk III.

[Armageddon]

Can't you just contact NI, give them your info and authorize B4 II via the NI Service Center on your quad-core machine? The last version of B4 II released will most likely still work on your other machine; I'm running it on a MacBook 2 GHz/2 GB RAM/Tiger 4.11 and DP 6.03, and I tend to think it will probably run just fine under Snow Leopard and DP 7.1 (I hope so, anyway, since I plan on upgrading to both and eventually putting my NI VIs on a quad-core Nehalem iMac). I honestly think it will simply be a matter of you installing B4 II/Service Center, typing in your serial and allowing Service Center to hook up with NI via the Internet.

[midilance]

It's running on my 8 core with DP 6.03 on Snow Leopard and weird things are happening. It's changing speaker types seemingly at random during playback. Also, random patch changes. I'm thinking a second computer running Tiger might be the move for B4II.

[waxman]

That sounds like MIDI sys commands. Check and see what MIDI is going to it.

[midilance]

I'm not seeing any sysex data in the event list and it is selected in the view filter. I'm also using a B4D controller.

[Armageddon]

That sounds like B4 II is receiving MIDI information it shouldn't be, and I don't think it's your OS or DP version. I was having similar problems with patching old hardware MIDI tracks to VIs like PLAY -- hardware commands like patch changes, volume and other controllers that existed on the MIDI track were actually affecting weird random changes in PLAY, like knob parameters, panning and keyswitches. It's also possible that you will have to reassign the B4D (MIDI) controls to your B4 II VI in your Snow Leopard/DP 7 rig. Since it's a new rig, B4 II probably isn't set up to receive those MIDI commands like it was in your Tiger rig, and you'll have to reprogram them before getting accurate information to the VI inside DP. Try that first.

[rumorcontrol]

I have an older G5 that I use to run alot of old VI's....things like B4,TRILOGY, older versions of REAKTOR etc. So many of the older VI's change so much when they get updated (REAKTOR for example), and I like alot of those old VI's but they don't run on my current system. I picked up a cheap MOTU Fastlane and an old 2408 for next to zero dollars, and i just MIDI sync my old G5 to my new MAC PRO so I can use all of the old VI's. Works great once you sync them together. Much better than using the G5 as a paperweight. RC

[midilance]

Do you need to run a separate display, keyboard and mouse when you do this? How does it all hook up and run together.

[David Polich]

Hey Lance - long time no talk...
Yes your sceond machine will need its display and a keyboard and
mouse.

Hook up your second machine with MIDI, just like it was a separate
hardware workstation like a Motif. You need an audio and MIDI interface
for the second machine. Audio outputs from the interface go to inputs
on your main Mac's audio interface. Set it up in Audio/MIDI setup as
a new device, receiving on 16 MIDI channels, and sending on only 1 MIDI channel. connect it via MIDI cable to whatever your MIDI interface for your Main Mac is. You only need a MIDI OUT cable from your Main Mac to the second machine's MIDI in - no need
for two-way MIDI communication.

That's it -

[midilance]

Thanks David. All this so I can keep using B4II.

[David Polich]

Thanks David. All this so I can keep using B4II.

Yeah, it will seem like overkill - but I've been running a second computer for VI's for years (I originally started with a Sony Vaio PC to run Gigastudio). You can run other VI's there as well - and if you have your
buffers set low on the second machine, you can trigger the VI's pretty much without latency - no more changing buffers in DP to accomodate different VI's.
You'll wonder how you got along without the setup after awhile.

As an added plus, it takes the load off your main music Mac, and will extend its life. My main Mac is still a G5 - if I had to run VI's on that exclusively along with audio, it would have keeled over ages ago.

Any VI that doesn't need to lock to tempo, I put on my PC and trigger it from DP on my G5. That includes Kontakt orchestral libraries and instruments, B4II, Elektrik Piano, guitar VI's, Arturia synths and other virtual analog synths, Trilian, etc.

[midilance]

I may give you a call when the time comes.

[David Polich]

I may give you a call when the time comes.

Of course!