Can I use 2 G5 Machines as a cluster with DP7?

[James Steele]

I have G5 sitting around doing nothing. I might use the darn thing just to run a couple instances of Aether which is a killer reverb but hits the processor rather hard!

Hey, JS--- keeping the G5 in service is highly recommended. We're finally at a point where "older" computers need not be doorstops.

Yeah. well to be honest, selling the G5 ASAP was part of my financing plan to get a 2010 Mac Pro which SUPPOSEDLY are coming out within the month. I'm going to unload that the the current Mac Pro I got, as well as a trailer that was intended for hauling gear, but I can live without. Since doing original music now for a while, I don't have to provide my own PA system... which I sold off a while back.

[BKK-OZ]

Some more information here.

[mikod]

Thanks James for fixing that link, i didn't realize it was incomplete.

As to the "pro" scenario, i look at it like any other part of my rig, what if my left neared blows out, what if my foot pedal gets broken, what if my main monitor dies?

I will be using this in an overflow situation, where I need those extra interments and my current project is chock full of CPU goodness, and I want another layer of strings, or I have to have that omnisphere patch, but if I put it in my project, my macpro would get up and leave the room, hire a lawyer and sue me for an unsafe workplace practices.

On another note this set up can be used as James indicated just for effects only. I can see my self using this for track efx, like that bigger reverb I would like to use on the backing vocals, but had to either use the small dp one to save CPU for mixing, or even getting crazy with the chaining or side channel inserts to achieve that truly unique sound, or for layering that extra section of stings, cause it makes me happy on the inside. You are only limited by your imagination ( and the second or third boxes CPU).

Btw. All session information is saved in rax so you could have a template if you so choose. The only no brainier part is always setting up the MIDI over LAN portion but that that a couple of minutes. If you wanted to get really automated with it I am sure an apple script could be written to open up the session and set up the MIDI from clippings.

Going to see how many efx I can throw on that laptop before it plots my demise. Hmmm maybe I will pick up a Mac mini or get one of the new ones, just for efx/overflow, cheaper than getting a whole new macpro.

[mikod]

I feel stupid, there is a whole thread on this subject, albeit using ve pro. I will have to check it out, sorry guys for the redundancy, I don't know the cost of ve pro yet, but glancing at that thread looks like it does all the audio and MIDI crunchy goodness over Ethernet. Well I will check it out today, I have a week of downtime!

Thanks James for this site and all your help.

[kwiz]

Audio and MIDI over ethernet a success story of virtually zero latency!!

This subject got me thinking, because I too crave more processing power than I currently have to run Omnisphere, Trilogy, LASS, Mojo Horns, ect (I love big sounds) So I took it upon myself to run a proof of concept test. I have my main machine MacPro Xeon, and a 15" 1.83 Ghz Dual Core macbook pro that I do not use any more. I was interested in offloading some of the heavier programs such as Omnisphere and Trilogy. I didn't want to spend a butt-load of money. So this evening I did some quick research on the web and I have found 2 programs and a walk through of how to get MIDI and AUDIO over ethernet!

Tools:
Audio Unit Container (free for 15 days) - Rax Version 2.1.2 Ver 3 doesnt like AU's it still needs work.
http://www.audiofile-engineering.com/support/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Audio over Lan Utility: Wormhole - FREE
http://plasq.com/wormhole" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

MIDI over Lan: OS X 10.5-10.6
Instructions from SOS (supplied by another poster in this thread)
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/mar07/a ... 0307.htm#5" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
(Thanks Siryne, without this, the whole thing would have fallen apart)

Quick overview:
Audio Unit container needed because I didnt want to run another instance of DP on another machine, too much overhead for just a container unit. As many MIDI channels as you want.

Audio over Ethernet, I didnt want to use the headphone jack for sound, and I didnt want to invest in another 828 or the like just for sound. As many audio channels your 2nd machine can handle (I will only use for big ones)

MIDI over LAN, so I can control the laptop like another AU in DP.

And as a bonus I used teleport to remotely control the laptop from my KB and mouse on my rig.

Now to latency, there is virtually ZERO, ZIP, NUNCA, NADA, NYET, in either audio or MIDI. DONT USE WIRELESS if you can help it, a GB wired network would allow for more audio, but 100MB will let me do about 6 streams before that mac starts crying.

And there is NO CPU hit on the main rig. This is as close to clustering as possible as far as I can tell.

If you have any questions comments or need help setting this up or want me to post detailed instructions, or just call me names, let me know. It will work in a Mac/PC world also, but why would you want the windows headachs!!

miko

Good to know!

Thanks Mike.

[Festerplink]

I was using two macs for DP all the way back in 1999. I just treated the second mac as a MIDI instrument and syncronized via MIDI clock. Of course you need to install DP on both machines and copy the master file (no audio) to the slave mac. Worked perfectly for me- did an entire album that way.