Can't record? or play? more than 8 channels at same time

BlombergM · Post by **BlombergM** » Sun May 23, 2004 5:34 pm

Hello!

I am using Cubase SX2 and Scope 4 (Pulsar II). I have problems with recording (but in some way it works) more than 8 channels at the same time. It seems to work but when playing, I get harddrive overload and you just hear fragments from it. Then when converting the tracks to the same format as recorded (I think 24bit/48Khz) it works to play all 16 channels at the same time. So the recording does work, but it seems to be a problem when Cubase saves the file to the harddrive.

Config: Dell Optiplex PIII/1000MHz 512MB, C: older drive, D: for audio 7200rpm harddrive.
Running in Standard PC mode.

Any ideas?
Best regards /Magnus

valis · Post by **valis** » Sun May 23, 2004 11:44 pm

What is your ULLI?

What drive is your pagefile on?

Are both harddrives on the SAME ide connector?

BlombergM · Post by **BlombergM** » Mon May 24, 2004 3:21 am

Hello!

I think my pagefile is on C:
No, they are at different IDE´s, but I do have CD´s on both as well.

Regards Magnus

ChrisWerner · Post by **ChrisWerner** » Mon May 24, 2004 3:45 am

I have not installed SX yet because I have some things to finish with Cubase5 first.
But, I know this problem and maybe there is a similar solution in SX too.

In the audio settings -> system menu of Cubase 5 you can toggle the memory size for each channel and the block size. With greater settings your HD has less work to do.
I work with 1024kb for each channel and blocks of 128kb.
I have 32 audio channels working perfectly.
Good luck.

siberiansun · Post by **siberiansun** » Mon May 24, 2004 4:51 am

No, they are at different IDE´s, but I do have CD´s on both as well.

don't put a cd-rom on the same IDE as a hard drive.
when two units share an IDE the slowest unit "wins" so to speak, dragging down the speed for the faster unit.

so make sure your hard drives share an IDE and your cd-roms another IDE.

astroman · Post by **astroman** » Mon May 24, 2004 6:02 am

for a performance test I would just remove both CD roms and check if something improves.
Imho HD performance is better when each drive is on it's own channel.

Given the CD drives are modern types with a fast interface and the 'auto-notification' isn't on (else it could even be the source of your trouble, as the drive gets polled at regular intervals), I see no reason why an inactive CD should influence the HD.
I may be wrong though, as I'd expect Windows to be capable of any nonsense imaginable

my 2 cents, Tom

valis · Post by **valis** » Mon May 24, 2004 6:52 am

It really depends on the drive. Basically if the device isn't capable of DMA it will put the whole IDE chain in PIO mode (usually mode4) which eats cpu like mad.

Also, and 'older' IDE drive (such as your C:) will definately slow down the 'newer' drive if its on the same 'chain' since an IDE 'channel' can only access one device at a time and will wait for its response (the data) before addressing the next device inline.

I'm not sure how XP handles mixed DMA devices as I'm u320 scsi here (with 1 ATA-100 drive for 'data'). Meaning I don't know if mixing an ATA-66 drive with an ATA-100 will slow the whole chain to ATA-66.

BlombergM · Post by **BlombergM** » Thu May 27, 2004 7:52 am

Hello!

Thanks all for your answers. Right now I have installed another computer and everything is working properly. I will try to solve this later, in a few weeks.

Best regards Magnus