MACHFIVE Limitations and Beta Testing

[johnmassari]

I am running Mach Five on Mac OSX 10.3.7, Processor: Dual 2.5GHz G5 Ram: 8 GB DDR SDRAM. Host DAW: Digital Performer 4.52.

The MachFive sounds folder resides on an external firewire 800 drive connected to a firewire 800 PCI card, Top Slot.

After months of running MachFive on a variety of projects I have come to the conclusion that I can run no more than 3 instances at a time w/ all 16 slots full. With slots that have over 50mb samples I initiate the steaming feature.
If the Performance memory on all three instances exceed 350 to 400 mb., I can only run three instances.

Introducing a fourth instance crashes DP. and at times attempting to re-open the file causes DP to crash. In this case I am using VSL and Project Sam samples.

Running three instances in this manner taxes my CPU audio performance at about a 30% drain.

What limitations have your developers come across with Mach Five that I can apply to my situation. Can you make any recommendations to expand MachFive's potential?

I heard of the Stand alone and I'm ready to introduce a second computer. What are the potentials and limitations.

I can run 10 to 14 instance w/ ease using my old Roland and Akai samples. Each instance barely crosses over 150mb and is only a 35% drain on my CPU

I'd like to be able to run 4 to 6 instances with high end samples to facilitate film scoring.

Thank you for you response
John Massari

[advid]

I have similar computer system as you do and the same problems you are facing to. No solutions now.

[jklimeck]

Used to do QA at Apple

Seems like a definite issue, no doubt we hope Mach Five 2.0 fixes this.

Have you tried this with the Mach Five Sounds being played from a second Serial ATA internal drive.

Just to eliminate the FW bus as an issue.

jk

[johnmassari]

My old G4 had a third internal drive. MachFive would fly as long as my CPU could handle it. The G5 however has no kit for a third internal drive hence the external firewire 800 drive. I'm glad to here I am not the only user experiencing this problem. I look forward to v2.0
JM

[Spiderfinger]

I also have G5/2.5 w/8gig of ram and Mach FIve. I can tell you for certain that Firewire, 800 or 400, is completely inadequate for streaming samples. I use external SATA drives - WD Raptors that spin at 10k for streaming and it works very well. You can get PCI cards for external SATA use from Firmtek or Sonnet and many companies, like MacGurus sell external cases to install the drives.

Firewire is optimized for video streaming which involves very large data streams. Audio, especially sample streaming, is the opposite. With audio you are accessing many very small files so rotational speed and access time count for everything.

In my Mach Five prefs I have the memory buffer set at 16k and the streaming buffer set at 262k. If you sick with Firewire, you should definately set your streaming buffer to 262k to lessen the stress on your drive, especially since you have the ram to do it.

Firewire works until you start to push it a little and then it collapses rapidly.

Go external SATA with Raptors - it's the best performance you can buy unless you move to 15k rpm SCSI or Fibre channel which are considerably more expensive.

[johnmassari]

Thanks JFB!!!

I tried for weeks to get someone in development to give me something!

However! Should I wait for 2.0 and run MachFive (stand alone) off a second dedicated G5 with the MachFive Soundsfolder on an internal ATA drive?

<small>[ February 07, 2005, 09:00 PM: Message edited by: intimita ]</small>

[Circuitt]

"Should I wait for 2.0 and run MachFive (stand alone) off a second dedicated G5 with the MachFive Soundsfolder on an internal ATA drive?"
wow, wish i had that option, must be nice..
that's a lot of loot

[Flare]

I think JFB's right on the money.

Also, 3 instance of M5 is alot, up front, if you really think about it.

Hell, I run 2 Giggasystems on Raid arrayed drives (3.0/3.2 P4 processors-2G RAM), and while I may be able to load up several ports (3 or 4), there's a certain threshold that the system just won't go beyond (about 70% memory load in Giggastudio 3.0.2). The point to be clear about is that these systems are running Gigga only; no host app; very little going on outside of the audio chores of Gigga. It takes 2 systems to house a decent, skeletal orchestral palette.

If you have 8 Gigs of RAM installed, you should be able to load a crapload of M5 palettes up w/o streaming, which you can. But once you get to a certain point with high end samples, you need to initiate the streaming. However, beyond a certain point, your drive is going to take a sh*t, and there's nothing you can really do. It's a simple limitation. Getting Raid 10K drives is a SMART idea; it will increase headroom for streaming, and be quite a bit more effective.

Outside of that, I'd say you were fricking nuts to go with a 2nd G5 over, say, a Sonica system running gigga... Assuming you can get the libraries in Gigga that you own, that is.

Good luck.

[Circuitt]

what about good ol'scsi, or does sata destory scsi now in speed.
cause i think it might be cheaper getting scsi than sata?
just quessing, i know nothing..

we need to add more smilies