Difference between host buffer size and host safety offset?

Moderator: James Steele

Forum rules
Discussion related to installation, configuration and use of MOTU hardware such as MIDI interfaces, audio interfaces, etc. with Windows
User avatar
HCMarkus
Posts: 10380
Joined: Tue Jan 10, 2006 9:01 am
Primary DAW OS: MacOS
Location: Rancho Bohemia, California
Contact:

Re: Difference between host buffer size and host safety offs

Post by HCMarkus »

I read it to mean it adds the Safety Buffer amount to the Host Buffer amount for total buffer amount. You have a PC... why not experiment and see what happens?

If my understanding is correct, you should be able to run the Safety Buffer at 0 if the Host Buffer is anything beyond the bare minimum your hardware will support. In other words, leaving the Safety Buffer where it is by default, run a test project with varying Host Buffer sizes and find the lowest Host Buffer that will run without issue. Then bump the Host Buffer up by one increment, reduce the Safety Buffer to 0 (don't reduce more than increase in Host Buffer you just made), and see if there are issues.

Let us know what you discover!
Godly
Posts: 17
Joined: Thu Nov 10, 2016 2:24 am
Primary DAW OS: Windows

Re: Difference between host buffer size and host safety offs

Post by Godly »

I've changed the host safety values but no change in latency as i hear it. It's set to Max now 128
Godly
Posts: 17
Joined: Thu Nov 10, 2016 2:24 am
Primary DAW OS: Windows

Re: Difference between host buffer size and host safety offs

Post by Godly »

But still wondering what it is. Apparently none can tell
User avatar
HCMarkus
Posts: 10380
Joined: Tue Jan 10, 2006 9:01 am
Primary DAW OS: MacOS
Location: Rancho Bohemia, California
Contact:

Re: Difference between host buffer size and host safety offs

Post by HCMarkus »

Certainly no one with a Mac, as there is no Safety Buffer under macOS. :surrender:
User avatar
bayswater
Posts: 12489
Joined: Fri Feb 16, 2007 9:06 pm
Primary DAW OS: MacOS
Location: Vancouver

Re: Difference between host buffer size and host safety offs

Post by bayswater »

Google implies that the safety buffer is specific to USB. That suggests the purpose of this buffer is to address problems with communications between devices ((like the audio interface and the computer) that may be interrupted when Windows waiters off to do something it considers more important than your project. That would distinguish it from the usual buffer that deals with audio already in the processing stage, and explain why you have to add the two to get the total latency.
2018 Mini i7 32G macOS 12.7.6, DP 11.33, Mixbus 10, Logic 10.7.9, Scarlett 18i8, MB Air M2, macOS 14.7.6, DP 11.33, Logic 11
Godly
Posts: 17
Joined: Thu Nov 10, 2016 2:24 am
Primary DAW OS: Windows

Re: Difference between host buffer size and host safety offs

Post by Godly »

Ok good to know.
Seems that the max setting doesn't change allot latency. So it's safest.
User avatar
CharlzS
Posts: 836
Joined: Sun Jan 27, 2019 9:07 am
Primary DAW OS: Windows

Re: Difference between host buffer size and host safety offs

Post by CharlzS »

bayswater wrote:Google implies that the safety buffer is specific to USB.
That would make sense in my Komplete Audio 6 control panel. Two buffers - Process Buffer which is what the DAW shows and a USB Buffer measured in milliseconds.
DP 11.34 PT 2024.10.2 Mixbus 11 VEP 7.x with various VIs
NI Komplete Audio 6 on HP Envy 8G i7 Quad Laptop Win11
MOTU 828es ADA8200 MTP-AV on HP Z2 G4 Xeon Workstation Win11
MOTU M4 on MacBook Air M2 2023 Sequoia.4.1
ClywdSlade
Posts: 1
Joined: Fri Sep 13, 2019 9:21 am
Primary DAW OS: MacOS

Re: Difference between host buffer size and host safety offs

Post by ClywdSlade »

Hi....It's good to see MOTU allowing for super low buffer settings.Some folks will be able to make effective use of them... others won't (depending on performance/load).Let circumstances (performance/load) dictate your limitations... rather than the driver imposing (dumbed down) hard limits.

seo consulting
Post Reply