Which MAC G4s OK w/SCOPE?

edmann · Post by **edmann** » Wed Dec 22, 2004 12:29 am

Greetings Experts -

I am suddenly in need to move up from my great G4 400 in which a Pulsar card + DP 2.72 work very well together.

The question: does SCOPE work well on a multiprocessor mac? - such as the 533mp Quicksilver? Or - the 800mp...?

Any weirdness with any specific Macs?

all OS9 - of course...

Thanks in advance

Ed

astroman · Post by **astroman** » Wed Dec 22, 2004 11:06 am

just check the PCI bandwidth of your current Mac by filling the project with masterverbs (or any other demanding reverb/delay effect).
If you can load a reasonable number of instances there's no need to change the Mac - a CPU accelerator (Sonnet > 1 Ghz etc) will do the job.

Multiple CPUs are not really well supported under OS 9 - at least Scope will not benefit from this. One fast CPU is way more effective than 2 slow ones.

cheers, Tom

[ This Message was edited by: astroman on 2004-12-22 11:06 ]

edmann · Post by **edmann** » Wed Dec 22, 2004 11:23 am

Thanks Tom -

I understand about SCOPe - I need to upgrade the Mac (only) to give DP more horsepower. DP 3/xx will recognize and use MPs in OS9 - but before purchasing a new mac I want to make sure that SCOPe will continue to function well - and so I am being ultra sure that moving to a multprocessor mac will not hinder SCOPE's function.

thanks very much

Ed

astroman · Post by **astroman** » Wed Dec 22, 2004 12:17 pm

I agree - and considering the overall Mac developement knowledge of CWA (with all respect), I wouldn't hold my breath on it either

on the other hand I don't remember any complaints in this context...

cheers, Tom

[ This Message was edited by: astroman on 2004-12-22 12:20 ]

edmann · Post by **edmann** » Wed Dec 22, 2004 1:55 pm

Does this mean that you would be unsure of how SCOPE would operate on various OS9 G4s, besides what we know? Like for example just because it runs fine on a G4 400 - the same may not be true for a G4 733 - or a 800MP?

thanks astro - I appreciate your input

Ed

astroman · Post by **astroman** » Wed Dec 22, 2004 2:50 pm

well, I'm not such an expert for Scope on Macs (myself running it on a Windows box), but I know Macs from since 1985 and do most of my stuff for a living in Mac context (publishing and databases).

The Sawtooth G4 is a very solid box, I have no hands on experience with Quicksilvers, but read only good stuff.
We have a 'last G4 booting OS9' Dual 1 Gig in the office (the loud version, probably Apple's most s*cking design) and it's a true true bitch. With the wrong DIMM version it is capable of producing absolutely wierd errors and it's the only machine refusing USB sticks, which older machines accept without complaints. Imho beware of those

My statement about CWA's programming experiences originates from a single, yet significant event:
when there still were demos available on CWA's site the smallprint read: but not for Mac.
Nevertheless someone managed to get that stuff running on Macs and published the method - a CWA representative's response: 'honestly we didn't know that ourselves...'

I wouldn't want to diss them for that, it's probably as strange for a Windows programmer to get confronted with Mac stuff as it is vice versa

And CWA has their roots in Windows programming - imho their Triple stuff was pretty groundbreaking those years.

cheers, Tom

Post by **hubird** » Wed Dec 22, 2004 7:24 pm

running Pulsar2 on G4/733 for 4 years now...no problems, but CPU is slowly getting behind, bouncing is needed if working with VST(-i's)

guess you know about the changed PCI voltage in the new Macs?
Even if we might get OS-X support (private community around W. Sippel is working on that), Scope cards can't be placed in them...we're waiting for some external box...who knows?

edmann · Post by **edmann** » Wed Dec 22, 2004 10:39 pm

This is all great stuff - thanks. I discovered some other threads in which there seems to be enough question about running SCOPE w/MP Macs or PCs, that I assume this experiment should be avoided $.

Unless - any positive, glowing, no problems reports of running SCOPe on a MP Mac? Otherwise I am moving up to a G4 733 DA....instead of the MP 533 (which DP3 would love...)

thanks again Everyone, great forum.

Ed

Post by **hubird** » Wed Dec 22, 2004 11:33 pm

'MP' Mac? midpriced?

a G4/733 or a similar, non dual, machine will be cheap, great and problemless

if you'll be working with VST-i soft samplers, grab enough RAM, I have 896 MB.
If CWA fails to support OS-X in the future, you'll be able to sell it without too much loss

cheers

[ This Message was edited by: hubird on 2004-12-22 23:37 ]