Cyan: huh, whaddya know. What happens when you run out of physical memory? I've never tried it but it seems like it would be very limiting even with a lot of RAM. Back in the old days (like 5 or 6 years ago), I know machines would screech to a halt with no virtual memory. I could be behind the times, though.
Newbie in Pro Tools hell
- Thread starter Shailat
- Start date
robert jaybird
New member
btw,
Pro tools is not compatable with virtual memory. But since your now using n-tracks that wont matter much. If you want some cool softs to make your tunes come alive heres a few.
orion- www.sonic-syndicate.com
fruity loops- www.fruityloops.com
Its worth downloading the demo of orion to play with, Its only $49 to register. I dont work for them or anything, and since I use a mac I cant use it. But Id love to be able to use it, because I may end up paying $300+ dollars for the app. reason wich does the same type of thing(with a few variations). Even though I use a mac, I'm a cheapscate when it comes to software.You dont need the expensive crap, its better to spend that dough on hardware if theres cheap software available thats good( and there is)
This is because "what you get is what you pay for" only really applies to hardware. Software is intellectual, its code . Its not circuitry.
[begin rant]When you pay $500 for software your paying for a companies advertising, to have the prestige of using it to impress clients, and to help that company get filthy rich. Your better off not paying for $500 software weather you use it or not. Of course people who use $50 software without paying should be shot.[/end rant]
And,
Before you get a new cpu, see what you can do with what you do have. Sometimes money is more rewarding spent on other equipment. It does suck not having the horse power to do what you want.
Pro tools is not compatable with virtual memory. But since your now using n-tracks that wont matter much. If you want some cool softs to make your tunes come alive heres a few.
orion- www.sonic-syndicate.com
fruity loops- www.fruityloops.com
Its worth downloading the demo of orion to play with, Its only $49 to register. I dont work for them or anything, and since I use a mac I cant use it. But Id love to be able to use it, because I may end up paying $300+ dollars for the app. reason wich does the same type of thing(with a few variations). Even though I use a mac, I'm a cheapscate when it comes to software.You dont need the expensive crap, its better to spend that dough on hardware if theres cheap software available thats good( and there is)
This is because "what you get is what you pay for" only really applies to hardware. Software is intellectual, its code . Its not circuitry.
[begin rant]When you pay $500 for software your paying for a companies advertising, to have the prestige of using it to impress clients, and to help that company get filthy rich. Your better off not paying for $500 software weather you use it or not. Of course people who use $50 software without paying should be shot.[/end rant]
And,
Before you get a new cpu, see what you can do with what you do have. Sometimes money is more rewarding spent on other equipment. It does suck not having the horse power to do what you want.
sjoko2
New member
I havn't used Pro Tools free, but I use PT mix plus, so it might be that some things are very similar.
1) Your soundcard won't cut it
2) You HAVE to disable virtual memory, regardless of the spec of your 'puter
3) Your hard drive is to slow. The most secure way to use it is to get a second drive at 10.000, and record onto this drive only - keep your programs on your first drive.
4) If it is the same as "normal" pro tools - which I think it is, in "digi applications" make sure your memory allocation for PT is correct.
5) After you have installed the program and corrected your settings, make sure you thrash the "Pro Tools Preferences" folder and the "digi set-up" folder.
Having said all that - if you go to www.digidesign.com and into the customer support forum - all your answers will be there
1) Your soundcard won't cut it
2) You HAVE to disable virtual memory, regardless of the spec of your 'puter
3) Your hard drive is to slow. The most secure way to use it is to get a second drive at 10.000, and record onto this drive only - keep your programs on your first drive.
4) If it is the same as "normal" pro tools - which I think it is, in "digi applications" make sure your memory allocation for PT is correct.
5) After you have installed the program and corrected your settings, make sure you thrash the "Pro Tools Preferences" folder and the "digi set-up" folder.
Having said all that - if you go to www.digidesign.com and into the customer support forum - all your answers will be there
robert jaybird
New member
Btw,
When your recording with 64 tracks the 10,000rpm drive is important. But with my 001 I use a 7200 rpm drive and I dont have any problems. An internal 7200 is not expensive.
When your recording with 64 tracks the 10,000rpm drive is important. But with my 001 I use a 7200 rpm drive and I dont have any problems. An internal 7200 is not expensive.
Amanderthad
New member
Thanks all for the advice....
It seems like the best solution, and the one within my budjet, is to upgrade to a faster hardrive. A friend of mine found a 7200rpm drive on the net for not too much so I am going to have him install it for me. I guess when I have some more cash I will get the upgrade on the soundcard. I don't feel to comfortable playing with the virtual memory so I will leave that alone for the moment. I am really happy with N-tracks so far though, and since I have figured out how to do aux send for effects, my cpu usage is down within a managable range for the number of tracks I need. Boy, I feel like this has been quite an education, within about a week I have learned more about computers and recording than I would have thought possible, or indeed expected. Thanks again to every one on this board for advice, as the accumulated knowledge and experience has really helped.
One more question...
If I install the second hard drive, is it possible to have two operating systems, one on each drive. I would like the option of chosing between Windows Millenuem and windows 2k/NT at start up. It seems like the network based windows versions would make for a more stable platform for music recording, although installing drivers for sound might be a problem? Any thoughts?
It seems like the best solution, and the one within my budjet, is to upgrade to a faster hardrive. A friend of mine found a 7200rpm drive on the net for not too much so I am going to have him install it for me. I guess when I have some more cash I will get the upgrade on the soundcard. I don't feel to comfortable playing with the virtual memory so I will leave that alone for the moment. I am really happy with N-tracks so far though, and since I have figured out how to do aux send for effects, my cpu usage is down within a managable range for the number of tracks I need. Boy, I feel like this has been quite an education, within about a week I have learned more about computers and recording than I would have thought possible, or indeed expected. Thanks again to every one on this board for advice, as the accumulated knowledge and experience has really helped.
One more question...
If I install the second hard drive, is it possible to have two operating systems, one on each drive. I would like the option of chosing between Windows Millenuem and windows 2k/NT at start up. It seems like the network based windows versions would make for a more stable platform for music recording, although installing drivers for sound might be a problem? Any thoughts?
robert jaybird
New member
The second hard drive is just for the music you record. You can split your first harddrive into seperate partitions, each using a different os. Dont ask me how this is done, Ive never tried it. Perhaps someone could explain.
sjoko2
New member
Your operating system remains the same, that's in the computer, nothing to do with your hard drive.
when you record you allocate the data to go to the second drive (normally this is under operations or preferences on most DAW's).
Windows 200o is a much more stable platform without any question BUT .... not as yet supported by most DAW's (most of them are working on it).
Whatever you get check the compettibility sections of your software supplier.
when you record you allocate the data to go to the second drive (normally this is under operations or preferences on most DAW's).
Windows 200o is a much more stable platform without any question BUT .... not as yet supported by most DAW's (most of them are working on it).
Whatever you get check the compettibility sections of your software supplier.
CyanJaguar
New member
hi gidge,
systray is the line of icons at the buttom right of the screen that act as a shortcut to things like sound volume, internet settings, network settings, cdr drive,
.
Shutting it down does not close the system down, and I would not be surprised if those icons take up prime memory locations for fast access.
pglewis,
I have not run prfree with 128 mbs of ram, but I doubt that one can run out of physical memory with only 8tracks, especially if the rest of the system is optimally configured for audio
systray is the line of icons at the buttom right of the screen that act as a shortcut to things like sound volume, internet settings, network settings, cdr drive,
.
Shutting it down does not close the system down, and I would not be surprised if those icons take up prime memory locations for fast access.
pglewis,
I have not run prfree with 128 mbs of ram, but I doubt that one can run out of physical memory with only 8tracks, especially if the rest of the system is optimally configured for audio
CyanJaguar
New member
AMANDERTHAD !!!
I don't know why I did not think of this earlier.
A memory upgrade will improve performance more than a hard disk upgrade, AND it is cheaper.
Upgrade to 256 megabytes or more before you upgrade your hd. You will probably find that you don't need an Hd upgrade at all.
I use a generic ide hd that came with my cheap system, and it used to cough and choke till I added the memory. Now I can run an unbeliveable number of tracks without any glitches.
You can get the extra 128 megabytes(pc133 speed) you need for $35 shipped on pricewatch.com sites.
Make sure you know what kind of memory your system uses though.
I don't know why I did not think of this earlier.
A memory upgrade will improve performance more than a hard disk upgrade, AND it is cheaper.
Upgrade to 256 megabytes or more before you upgrade your hd. You will probably find that you don't need an Hd upgrade at all.
I use a generic ide hd that came with my cheap system, and it used to cough and choke till I added the memory. Now I can run an unbeliveable number of tracks without any glitches.
You can get the extra 128 megabytes(pc133 speed) you need for $35 shipped on pricewatch.com sites.
Make sure you know what kind of memory your system uses though.
CyanJaguar
New member
hi gidge,
How many tracks are you getting right now with 192 megabytes of ram?
How many tracks are you getting right now with 192 megabytes of ram?
Gidge
Lapdance Test Dummy
That was back when I recording at 16 bit, but just to see, I tried a few minutes ago and starting stuttering around 20 16 bit.....so it increased me a few more tracks, but then again I've done a few other optimization tricks....My biggest leap was going from one 5400RPM drive to an added 7200RPM drive...the difference was night and day....I think extra RAM would help more in a different software (N-Track just doesnt utilize it)...I think programs like Vegas utilize extra RAM.....I think Id get a few more tracks with a real motherboard (I'm running a HP Pavillion...quit laughing) but right now the few extra tracks wouldnt outweigh the cost....