Slow SFP interface responce

ds-sound · Post by **ds-sound** » Fri Dec 27, 2002 10:49 am

Hello all.

I own a PulsarII (6DSP), that runs on a 1.5ghz P4, with a P4B motherboard, at a resolution of 2480x1024.

The problem is that sometimes, quite often, the SFP seem to hang for several seconds, or respond very slowly. The windows stop to redraw themselves, so if I'll drag Winamp (i.e.) over the mixers, I'll see a gfx 'trail'.

This phenomenon is unique to SFP, I suffer no such problem with other programs.

Is this another case of SFP known limitaions, or can I tweak/install/burn something to accellerate things up?

Thanks in advance,
ds-sound

King of Snake · Post by **King of Snake** » Fri Dec 27, 2002 2:24 pm

This seems to happen when the DSP's are nearing their full capacity, and you're running other software as well. At least, that's when it happens to me. I haven't found a solution to it yet. It's annoying, but as long as the sound remains clear it's not a really big problem for me.

ds-sound · Post by **ds-sound** » Fri Dec 27, 2002 2:35 pm

I doubt if it's related to heavy loads, since it accures even when I have nothing on except Masterverb and STM2448...
An yes - the output by far has more importance!

LHong · Post by **LHong** » Fri Dec 27, 2002 3:35 pm

What are platform and video card do you have?
If it's Wins2k or XP, try to reproduce the problem, while checking the task-manager @ process display and click(sort) on CPU to see which <program>.exe is used large amount of CPU. Then debug it from there...
Hope this helps,
Long

ds-sound · Post by **ds-sound** » Fri Dec 27, 2002 3:44 pm

Well, I am using windows XP, but there's no heavy CPU load of anykind. actually, while SFP 'go to sleep', I can still browse other windows, play MP3s, even watch visualization. the overall CPU load is sometimes less than 2%, and I'm sure you'll agree that it's not too significant.

Perhaps the problem is my G-Force-Something videocard, but then it'd be hard to explain how the card is doing such a wonderful job with 3d games, Photoshop and other GFX-intensive software, that should be much harder to deal with, over simple fader bitmaps shifting...

Am I the only one facing this problem?
(Why does it always rain on me?)

I truely thank you for your efforts to assist me on this issue!

yours,
ds-sound

_________________
["...and yet I always fail to notice, that I'm still heading for the ground..."]

[ This Message was edited by: ds-sound on 2002-12-28 03:29 ]

kensuguro · Post by **kensuguro** » Fri Dec 27, 2002 4:04 pm

I have a similar prob.. well, maybe not quite the same. When I leave SFP untouched for a while, all the files are unloaded from memory. (I think this is how SFP was coded to work because it happens every time) And then, when I start working again, all data is reloaded from HD. There is a few seconds delay, HD rattles, and everything is back to normal again. Sometimes, even after the initial "loading", moving the faders on the mixer would cause additional loading.

So, this "lag" of yours could be the loading time. If it is.. well, you probably just have to wait.

By the way, is there a workaround for not unloading when untouched? (OT question but anyway...)

LHong · Post by **LHong** » Fri Dec 27, 2002 8:02 pm

ds-sound,
Well, unstable would be serious problem! Don't matter which programs you run! Are you sure your system is not getting virus?

I think the problem could be arround the Video card. There could be some of other common possibility, it won't be hurt by going through as follows:

1> Hardware is unstable under the temperture changed (over-heat) or bad connection like one of hardware might be not plugged-in properly. Check CPU, Mem, DiskDrive, Pwr-Supp, PCI/AGP card and cooling fans or something like that.
2> The video card is being shared IRQ with others. Be sure to avoid it! usually SLOT1/USB is shared?
3> Your PC is on the network and someone tries to acess it!
4> your boot harddrive is low capacity. It will need about 1.6GB disk space to keep system very stable in case you have about 1GB installed memory (1024kx1.5 for virtual Mem. used).
5> Other in-compatible hardware/driver or application is running in background?
6> Allocate memory for AGP card in bios is incorrect setting (>32MB/64MB-256MB), for example. Check the BIOS and your video card.
7> Multiple user for windows-XP. Some of program is required same user who did install program and login - Only one user can be allowed to login at a time within same PC.
8> Trouble with multiple OS boot? Let me know if you are using it!
9> Some Hard-drives need to defrag.
10> Using Plug-N-Play monitor?
11> Wrong driver is installed like incorrect version?
12> Others: Try other video card? (Just driver, No game or other apps be installed).

Hope this helps,
Long

[ This Message was edited by: LHong on 2002-12-27 23:34 ]

sym90 · Post by **sym90** » Sun Dec 29, 2002 7:59 pm

wow LHong ! A Great post full of suggestions...

6> talking about the VGA AGP allocate memory ... what's the best setting ? 64 or 256 (if i suppose to have 512 mb ram) ? what if i have 1 gb RAM ?

8> ? what do moultiple boots have to do with one single OS ? I have multiple OS at boot since a few years and i never had a single problem...

10> what's the difference using a plug & play monitor or not ?

thanx
regards
sYm

LHong · Post by **LHong** » Mon Dec 30, 2002 2:39 am

Hi,
>>>6> talking about the VGA AGP allocate memory ... what's the best setting ? 64 or 256 (if i suppose to have 512 mb ram) ? what if i have 1 gb RAM ?

Well, it depends on what applications are being used and how much DRAM is being installed. You might need to do some experiment to determine what is best setting.

>>>8> ? what do moultiple boots have to do with one single OS ? I have multiple OS at boot since a few years and i never had a single problem...

In case you have multiple OS boot. The safe way is having Patition-magic (PowerQuest.com) setups multiple boot for you as highly recommended. The idea is to hide the inactive OS drive-patition in order to avoid over written OS files by accidently.

>>>10> what's the difference using a plug & play monitor or not ?
If you are using Plug-N-Play monitor, just be sure don't use the default driver by XP loading. The best way is to install driver, which is shipped along with monitor (most of Flat-pannel is Plug-N-Play). This also avoids the incorrect refesh rate setting by default driver. Other issue is that it could damages the monitor in the long run as well.

Hope this helps,
Long

[ This Message was edited by: LHong on 2002-12-30 02:42 ]

ds-sound · Post by **ds-sound** » Wed Jan 01, 2003 1:25 pm

Thank you all for the great suggestions and the overall serious approach, The vibes here are real good - That's what a community is all about!

A special thanks goes to Lhong for his L[h]ONG(!) message, there IS a certain improvement since I followed the ideas you've mentioned.

I've posted a link to this thread at a similar thread from the c/w forum.

Happy to be here,
ds-sound

_________________
["...and yet I always fail to notice, that I'm still heading for the ground..."]

[ This Message was edited by: ds-sound on 2003-01-01 13:28 ]

at0m · Post by **at0m** » Wed Jan 01, 2003 3:02 pm

ken wrote:
I have a similar prob.. well, maybe not quite the same. When I leave SFP untouched for a while, all the files are unloaded from memory.
(...)
By the way, is there a workaround for not unloading when untouched? (OT question but anyway...)

Apart from the SFP GUI's being probably the slowest on our computers, Windows XP frees up RAM when nothing's touched, like when you got a large project minimised, or mixers are hidden. I suppose it writes RAM to Virtual Memory. It's not an SFP issue really.

I added a line to system.ini that originates in WinME afaik, I hope it works w XP too (haven't monitored since I did the tweak):

[386enh]
ConservativeSwapfileUsage=1

Conservative Swapfile Usage means that VM will ONLY be used when there's no more free RAM, so as a last resort to avoid RAM overload. I use this now, instead of disabling VM. I hope this solves your problem, Ken.