Anyone using VE Pro on 2 machines, via GB Ethernet?

[Killahurts]

I am very interress about VEPro.

But I need to have X.5.8 on the two Computers.

My config:
G5 master with DP7
Mac pro Slave with VIs

I am not shure if my G5 like X.5.8???

On the next update of VEPro....... Please.....compatible with Tiger and Leopard.

Actually it is compatible with Leopard. I'll be running it on 10.5.8 on the master machine, and Snow Leopard on the slave.

I doubt they will ever make it compatible with Tiger, though.

[mhschmieder]

Oh, right, so are the people who are using a mix of Intel and PPC Macs, using VE PRO or a mix of VE3 and VE PRO (which I thought was not supported)?

See, one of the things I am looking into is whether I can use my G4 iMac (which can't be upgraded beyond Tiger) "in the mix" as part of a VE PRO and/or VE3 setup -- either with a new Mac Mini now, or with a higher-end new Mac that I will purchase fairly soon (probably after Winter NAMM, when I also expect there to be some clarity over the direction of the 17" MBP).

[burp182]

While VE PRO isn't actively supported on non-Intel machines, it does run, contrary to earlier info from VSL. A G4 may be problematic, but from a power standpoint as opposed to a PPC issue.

[mhschmieder]

Thanks -- I thought it was a compilation issue.

I may download and try it then. I paid for it, after all.

[Frodo]

Oh, right, so are the people who are using a mix of Intel and PPC Macs, using VE PRO or a mix of VE3 and VE PRO (which I thought was not supported)?

See, one of the things I am looking into is whether I can use my G4 iMac (which can't be upgraded beyond Tiger) "in the mix" as part of a VE PRO and/or VE3 setup -- either with a new Mac Mini now, or with a higher-end new Mac that I will purchase fairly soon (probably after Winter NAMM, when I also expect there to be some clarity over the direction of the 17" MBP).

VE3 works in Tiger, but 10.5.x is required for VE Pro. VE Pro also suggests an Intel Core 2 Duo or better, and that PPC works but not actively supported (as burp cited).

Another thing is that VE3 won't talk to VE Pro, so you need the same VE version on all your machines.

For PPC, I'd recommend VE 3. The audio/MIDI over lan works well, although you won't be able to run non-VSL plugins with it as you can with Pro (minus the 2-3 products that are known to be incompatible).

[mhschmieder]

I don't mind an incremental approach.

My two options are to get a Mac Mini now, just for VE PRO (and whatever it hosts), starting with VE3 until the main computer is replaced -- or, wait for a new computer, and repurpose my iMac for VE3 (this choice would be locked into VE3 so is not really an appealing option, obviously).

That's a slam dunk choice, as just discussed.

I'm just trying to figure out the overall impact of a Mac Mini based VE PRO slave machine if the main machine ends up being an iMac i7 after all, or even if it ends up being an i5 or i7 MPB 17" model (if that's what it goes to next), vs. a MacPro (which might still be a few months wait).

I need some sort of boost ASAP, the i7 iMacs are still on back-order, and MBP's and MP's are looking end-of-life and not a great buy right now.

So the only short-term thing I can do, is get a Mac Mini and start taking advantage of VE3 and then later on VE PRO. I can easily afford a Mac Mini straight away (as in immediately). I'm just not fully convinced that VE PRO contributes towards reducing latency (my main issue with getting an iMac or MBP as my next computer), and it still seems a bit overkill if getting a MacPro, unless one intends to run a lot of parallel tracks in real-time instead of render-as-you-go.

In other words, I am still failing to see what goal most people are trying/succeeding in achieving, by using a separate computer for VE PRO as a slave vs. using it on the main computer, and whether there are any negatives (latency etc.) that offset the positives.

I hope this puts it in a perspective that is helpful to everybody and not just myself.

[Killahurts]

In other words, I am still failing to see what goal most people are trying/succeeding in achieving, by using a separate computer for VE PRO as a slave vs. using it on the main computer, and whether there are any negatives (latency etc.) that offset the positives.

Well for my setup, I'm using LASS which is not only a very large library (like 5 libraries in 1), but the scripts it runs under Kontakt are processor intensive. LASS give you 2 installs, and actually recommends you spread the library over 2 computers. I could just as well run it from my main computer, a few instruments at a time, rendering off MIDI as I go- but to have all the divisi's LASS offers pulled up at once and ready to use, plus other VI's like Omnisphere etc., would not be possible on my (still formidable) quad core. My "slave" machine is a 3.2GHz. 8 core. with 16GB RAM, and since VE Pro supports 64 bit systems, I can address all that RAM.

As far as latency goes, I read that they have compensated for that somehow with VE Pro, though I'm not sure specifically how.

[Frodo]

In other words, I am still failing to see what goal most people are trying/succeeding in achieving, by using a separate computer for VE PRO as a slave vs. using it on the main computer, and whether there are any negatives (latency etc.) that offset the positives.

I hope this puts it in a perspective that is helpful to everybody and not just myself.

I'm not seeing any disadvantages on this end, but then I'm working on two towers (references to Lord of the Rings is unintended!)--- and have 8 GB of RAM on each. That's the clincher. Part of the idea of VE (and VSL in general) is to access RAM outside of the 3.5-4GB which DP itself uses. If a Mac Mini is the picture you will be limited to a total of 4GB. That doesn't mean that VE won't come in handy. Having the extra machine at all means that you can access more sounds than you could on just one machine.

Using VE on one machine has fewer advantages, but I enjoy setting up different instrument groups and being able to save all the patches to all the VSL instances in one fell swoop. I suppose one could just make a DP template to the same effect, but it's nice to be able to just load one instance of VE3 or Pro and then load one single custom setup and be done. Once again, if your machine has, say, 6GB or more RAM in it, then the advantages of using it on one machine increase exponentially.

Should you ever plan on getting into Vienna Suite, there are clear advantages there with mixing and important benchmark default patches with those effects. Being able to run these in VE, imho, is a plus-- sort of like V-Racks only a little easier, imho.

Latency is a none issue. I mean, the response is excellent.

I don't know about the latest version of Bidule, but VE allows for offline bouncing even from the slave computers. This was hitherto impossible and required real time audio bouncing from the slave machine to the main machine before the final mix could be done.

My setup in brief:

G5 Slave (8GB RAM)
10.4.11
VSL brass and percussion
VE3

MacPro (8GB RAM)
10.4.11, 10.5.8, 10.6.2
VSL winds and strings
Lots of other VIs
VE3 and VE Pro

Dunno, M. I'm delighted for the way VE is working. Not having to build a second audio and MIDI gizmo saved me lots of cash.

What might be an advantage to one person could be completely useless for another. It depends on how you want to work. If you want to offload a couple of your more demanding libraries onto the mini as a VI host, then your main machine will thank you.

[mhschmieder]

It does seem to open up more options overall -- I was mostly nervous about latency using an outboard computer vs. all on the host computer.

I use Vienna Suite but currently can't access the reverb as it is Intel-only, and also couldn't use the most recent update as it broke saved settings (factory presets and my own project settings).

In theory, I do like the idea of the main computer being focused on the number-crunching of multi-track audio, while the non-linear tasks (VI's and plug-in effects, which don't always have deterministic delay even in BTD mode) might be best left to another computer.

It also makes it easier to keep that computer parked at certain versions of software, and thus more stable than the main computer which inevitably will need updates now and then. Sort of like a Muse Receptor on steroids.

Well, I could go ahead and get Eiosis ELS Vocoder if I got a Mac Mini now, and host it via VE3, as that functionality was already there (VE PRO adds the ability to host third-party VI's).

The Mac Mini can take 8 GB of RAM, due to a firmware update IIRC. I thought that affected early 2009 models and that late 2009 models were specced for 8 GB, but Apple lists 4 GB limits for both models, which surprised me. It's easy to upgrade RAM in the Mini though.

Another advantage to having more plug-ins on another system is speedier DP startup time, as it won't need to do AU validation on those plugs since they will only reside on the slave system and be hosted by VE.

[Frodo]

The Mac Mini can take 8 GB of RAM, due to a firmware update IIRC. I thought that affected early 2009 models and that late 2009 models were specced for 8 GB, but Apple lists 4 GB limits for both models, which surprised me. It's easy to upgrade RAM in the Mini though.

Well, well, well. I didn't know that-- as you mentioned-- because Apple lists 4GB. Now, this levels the playing field quite a bit with 8GB to play with along side the limber CPU.

The only other thing to look into is whether or not the RAM sharing (main + graphics) will be an issue.

[mhschmieder]

Oh yeah, forgot about the RAM sharing -- something that currently ONLY affects the NVIDIA version of the new 21.5" iMac, which is often overlooked when people complain the ATI version is $300 more "just" for that plus a larger hard drive.

Yep, once MBP's are updated as well, it's really going to be hard to find a Mac that DOESN'T qualify as a viable VE PRO slave.

[p.pan]

My probleme is:

If I want to use VE pro I need Leopard on the two computers.
Macpro and G5.

Some body use DP7 with X.5.8 on a G5 dual????
Its stable???

And thanks again.

[Killahurts]

Well it's not what I thought. I finally got VE Pro up and working on my 2 machines. I spent 2 days downloading the Epic Orchestra (unbelievably slow download), installing Komplete and LASS on the slave. Everything works so far, except (I'm embarrassed to say) I didn't know that one can't see or control VE Pro on the slave computer from the main computer. My main computer is in the control room of the studio, and my slave computer is in another building (my home) on the far side, and upstairs.

I thought I would be able to control each instance of VE Pro on the slave as a plug-in in DP. Turns out the plug-in (apparently) just makes the connection. Grrrrrr.

It's still good software and will help my setup, but setting up templates are going to be a pain. My workaround is to use the screen sharing feature on the Mac, but I think it's using precious bandwidth on the Ethernet connection because after two channels of audio/MIDI it stops giving me channels that did work before...

I wish I had known this before I spent the $$. I would probably still get it, but after I got the budget for another studio machine.

[Frodo]

I thought I would be able to control each instance of VE Pro on the slave as a plug-in in DP. Turns out the plug-in (apparently) just makes the connection. Grrrrrr.

I somehow got it working-- started a pretty large orchestral score a few months ago. I still have a ways to go, but automation on my system is sent from my master to my slave. It takes a bit to setup the slave the first time, but after that I don't recall much hassle at issue.

But if your slave is networked from a different location, would Remote Desktop be of any use?

[Killahurts]

But if your slave is networked from a different location, would Remote Desktop be of any use?

I don't know, it might. I've never used it before but now that you mention it, I think I'll investigate.

Thing is, I look back on what made me go with VEP- the videos, threads on the forums, etc., and It still would lead me to believe that what I thought it would do, is what it does...

Well, once I get a few templates set up, it'll still be helpful in any event.