Best way to setup these 2 computers

[timmeh]

I am trying to find the optimal configuration for the hardware that I have to get the most out of the software that I have (primarily Platinum Pro East West Symphonic Orchestra - Play edition). Here is what I was thinking and i was hoping to get some feedback.

I have a Macbook Pro 2.4 ghz core 2 duo with 4gb of ram, Mac Pro Quad 2.66 ghz with 11 gb of ram with a ProjectMix i/o as the sound card.

I was thinking of using the Macbook Pro as my DAW computer and the Mac Pro tower as my sample machine. This way I can utilize all of the ram more effectively for my samples as the Symphonic orchestra requires a lot of ram, hence using the Mac Pro tower as a dedicated sample player. The extra soundcard I would buy would be the RME hammerfall 9652 that I would use with the Mac Pro and i would plug in the ProjectMix i/o into the Macbook Pro.

Will the Macbook Pro be powerful enough to run the DAW when i am trying to pump out full orchestral projects, ie 75 to 100 audio tracks with effects? Would this be the best way to run all of the software with the hardware that i will have?

Thanks for the help!

[Frodo]

Hey Timmeh:

That sounds quite reasonable. If you're going to slave the tower to the MacBook, you're only running in audio signal into the MacBook (until time to bounce to stereo or surround) and MIDI signal out of it (to the MacPro). With 4G in the MacBookPro, you'd be hard pressed to eat all of that RAM with no soundbites or VIs loaded (in 16-bit mode). Since EWQLSO-Plat Plus has its own effects (if you choose to use them), it could save memory by not having to run several instances of Altiverb which, in quantity, can slow things down.

In a nutshell, you're in good shape. A 2.4Ghz MBP? Powerful enough? Are you kidding? LOL!! There are MacPro towers still floating around with slower CPUs than that!!

The only two caveats *might* be:

1. Keep tabs of the amount of automation data and at what point in these large projects where that can slow things down.

2. Switching over to 24-bit Plat-Plus is something I've yet to do, but word on the street has it that it requires half again as much memory and RAM as your project uses. That means not exceeding the 60-65% mark in 16-bit mode so that things don't overload while trying to switch over to hi-res.

But these are things to simply monitor and not things to be afraid of.

FYI-- I got all the Master KS patches loaded in DP 6.01 in 16-bit mode with only 8GB RAM, so you're going to have a blast with 11GB!

But please report back from time to time with how things are going. There are not a lot of people using Plat-Plus here and so little has been said about it lately. I'm quite interested in how other DP users are faring with it.

Cheers.

[timmeh]

Thanks for the advise frodo! I will keep you posted, I was able to get all of those loaded master is patches loaded as well, where I ran out of ram was when I started to load the percussion. The second you stop streaming from disk you run out of ram fast! I would prefer to run everything from one machine but I ran into the problem of routing audio between dp and play in stand alone mode. Soundflower and jack have to many bugs for me to rely on them, I tried routing the audio out of my soundcard and right back in via Adat but that didn't work because according to m-audio my project mix isn't capable of routing audio in that way.

[Frodo]

Thanks for the advise frodo! I will keep you posted, I was able to get all of those loaded master is patches loaded as well, where I ran out of ram was when I started to load the percussion. The second you stop streaming from disk you run out of ram fast!

Yeah-- keep stream from disk active and make sure you take a look at your PLAY buffer settings. Raise those to 512 (if you haven't already). You should be able to keep DPs buffers on the laptop at a comfortable level.

I would prefer to run everything from one machine but I ran into the problem of routing audio between dp and play in stand alone mode. Soundflower and jack have to many bugs for me to rely on them, I tried routing the audio out of my soundcard and right back in via Adat but that didn't work because according to m-audio my project mix isn't capable of routing audio in that way.

I wouldn't bother with standalone, considering that PLAY in plugin mode can access memory outside of the host anyway. For that reason, shine Soundflower and Jack just to keep unnecessary or unreliable processes out of the equation. DP as host will be less intrusive and more useful in terms of routing and overall compatibility.

One instance each for winds, brass, perc, and strings should work quite well in streaming mode.

If you are not streaming, keep each of the four instances around 2-2.5GB. That will put you at the 8-10GB mark which is about as big a load you'd want to have going just to keep some leg room for OSX and DP with 11GB of physical RAM. If you're running a lot of other fx plugins, you may want to lower the amount of samples you're running per instance.

[gramjess]

May I put in my 2 cents worth as I am about to set up the whole East West Play system on a macpro Quad core 3 ghz this coming weeks with the exact same thing with the whole Library plat orchestral library other eastwest Libraries etc, I believe the installation time alone is 60hrs of work with 45 minutes per dual layer DVD.
As both a DP and Logic user I was wondering if via MIDI say motu's express 8 port say out to second macpro with second MIDI express 8 port input 128 MIDI channels = 128 orchestral instruments does play system see this MIDI wise and with with the 2408 mk3 using the host DP and say a second say 828mk3 for the playback of play or using DP's virtual 1-8 interapplication MIDI ports would work to play as standalone to the Play system with playback back in one macpro or going the 2 computer route as stated here. I know and have tried 2 firewire cards dedicated say for 2 daws say both Logic and DP to work together in 1 macpro with each using one audio device but the syncing up of MIDI and audio data at the same time would one rather need a MOTU MIDI TIMEPIECE AV for smpte if syncing to Picture as well. I believe DP6 is 32 BIT PLAYBACK while sonar on PC and NUENDO is already 64bit? I dont know if DP can multichannel record 128 MIDI channels with 128 audio tracks via MIDI though so probably recording the MIDI data and automation and then the audio would be best but all going at the sametime. I suppose one wants to try emulate a LIVE orchestra. What about 3 macpros then one host and 2 sample play SYSTEMS the questions is what resources are needed to drive a real LIVE SOUNDING ORCHESTRA I surpose. Hard drives would it be best to put the Libraries on internal sata drives or external esata drives 7200 rpm or is 10000 rpm better. On EWQL it seems upto 128gb ram is peferred on 64 bit while macpro only goes 32gb ram Anyone running this sort of thing already would be nice to know before I do it
Gramjess

[tommymandel]

the questions is what resources are needed to drive a real LIVE SOUNDING ORCHESTRA I surpose.

What about 3 macpros then one host and 2 sample play SYSTEMS
internal sata drives or external esata drives 7200 rpm or is 10000 rpm better.

upto 128gb ram is peferred on 64 bit

multichannel record 128 MIDI channels with 128 audio tracks via MIDI though so probably recording the MIDI data and automation and then the audio would be best but all going at the sametime. Gramjess

Sounds like a few diamond mines wouldn't hurt, as far as resources go, for a System that extensive.