Hauptwerk Virtual Pipe Organ

Anybody doing it?

PC or Mac?

Results?

Looking to be able to have an instant (or almost instant) available organ.

Rgds,
Ed

I never turn the computer off though lately I've been letting it sleep at night. It's on a UPS system. Our power is quite reliable here and lightning is rare in the pacific northwest. In other regions I might shut the PC off when not in use.

I've recently relocated the organ console so that my computer workstation is behind the console as I am constantly programming encoders and changing configurations, most recently to have piano and bells on my fourth manual when playing three manual organs.

This is my one all-purpose PC at the moment as my Mac-mini is doing emergency service for the holidays at a church that had lost the full use of their existing electronic organ.

That's good info, thanks. Kinda what I'm thinking. Looking at a headless Win 7 Pro setup. H/W and organ load reasonably quick, but the computer takes too long to get 'up to speed"

Has 1 - 256 GB SSD, 1 - 500 GB HDD, so it's not a biggy, but the folks don't want to wait. .

Not sure how to put the 'puter to sleep and wake it being headless. No screen, keyboard or mouse around except for maintenance, etc.

Rgds,
Ed

Windows can be configured to suspend when you push the power button, same with turning back on.

I ran a new powerbutton + led over an ethernet cable, that gives me about 10 to 15 feet of cable and then I mount the power stuff onto my console. Computer is a tucked away and can't be heard when I'm playing.

Will give that a try, thanks.

I take it you don't care for the realistic sound (noise) of computer fans humming away?

Rgds,
Ed

Nope Large and slow fans are installed where needed, and video card is fanless (fans on video cards are particularly small and noisy because they spin so fast to make up for small size).

Regarding your point about running 24/7; I used to do the suspend and resume thing in windows, but that was before my MOTU started acting up. The windows drivers are kind of crummy, it wouldn't resume properly, or sometimes the volume was about 3 to 4 db's lower than it was the day before etc. Then the power supply went on it, and I was left running it over firewire which causes a different problem; when the machine goes into standby, the moto loses power and it sends a gigantic "thump" through my 8 speakers + sub; enough to wake the dead. Now I basically have to leave my organ running for 20 minutes until the powered speakers turn off, then I walk back to the organ and shut the computer down.

I think I'm done with motu if I can find another device with > 12 output channels; but before the motu starting acting up, I did the full suspend + resume on windows 7 pro, and was very happy with how that worked out, didn't even need to restart HW (or reload the audio/midi).

What got me thinking about this (again) was in talking to one of the IT guys at our local hospital/clinic. Asked him about all the local computers in each office, exam rooms, etc networked to their main servers. These local (PC) computers are run 24/7. The staff people log in and out and have instant access. No issues either. So why can't we do the same thing?

Rgds,
Ed

I've always run my Hauptwerk PC Win 7 Pro nonstop. Also my work Windows and Linux machines. I only shut down for storms and updates. Never caused a problem.

I heard from this IT guy (and others previously) that a good practice to follow is to re-boot a computer once in a while. The hospital re-boot their's every 30 days.

Would think leaving the computer running 24/7 would be help the 24 Ao (and 24 Ai) issues, maybe? Planning to do this shortly, but with the idea of powering down (when not playing) the basic console power - lights, solenoids, and other such stuff with the power switch. As well power just the computer via a UPS.

Rgds,
Ed

We are using a Quad-core Mac pro computer. Except for a memory upgrade and vacations, this has been on 24-7 for about 5 years. The midi boxes, Echo Audiofire 12 and 6 Crown power amps stay on all the time as well.
We are now putting together a new system using Mac Mini computers and 24 channels of audio. Our home system is on a UPS box, and the new system will be as well. I will probably set it up to start and shut down the amps and power to the midi input cards, but leave everything else on.

We have been using Echo Audiofire interfaces for about 5 years. Currently have a 12 channel unit in use and have two more 12's and an 8 for a new project. We find them on E-Bay for very reasonable prices. Not sure why, but Echo no longer makes them, but they will support maintenance and repair. The audio fire is a 400 system and requires an adaptor to run on an 800 system.
Thom

What about energy saving?

[Topic moved here.]