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PowerMac with audio streaming issues.

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organtechnology

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PowerMac with audio streaming issues.

PostThu Feb 22, 2018 12:05 am

I got a call from a customer who has been using a PowerMac in his system for years without issue until he added a new large sample set from Sonus Paradisi. With this sample set and only this sample set there is a pop or a sharp noise about 5 minutes into playing. This repeats every 5-10 min or so as long as the system has this sample set loaded.

In a PC environment we would be looking at DPC latencies but I am told that OSX does not use DPCs and that there is no software tool for measuring PClatency on a PowerMac. I think we have a classic streaming audio situation which loses sync every 5 min or so and causes the pop. But how do I narrow down the cause in a PowerMac?

Obviously I have not presented any facts or data to allow a precise answer, but where should I start to investigate to narrow down the causes that are unique to the PowerMac?

Thanks for the help :),

Thomas
Complete Hauptwerk™ systems using real wood consoles, PC Sound Engines, Dante Audio for Home or Church. info (at) organtechnology.com http://www.organtechnology.com
Authorized Hauptwerk; Milan Digital Audio and Lavender Audio reseller.
USA and Canada shipments only.
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mdyde

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Re: PowerMac with audio streaming issues.

PostThu Feb 22, 2018 4:29 am

Hello Thomas,

[Topic moved here.]

It can't be a PowerMac if he's using Hauptwerk v4, since Apple discontinued them in 2006 and they only work with very old versions of OS X (10.5 and earlier, whereas 10.13 is the current version), and Hauptwerk v4 isn't compatible with them (or with OS X 10.5).

Perhaps it's actually a Mac Pro (which was the PowerMac's successor)? Sometimes people confuse the two. Assuming so:

The first thing to do is to make sure that he has all OS X updates installed, as well as the latest versions of the drivers for all hardware (especially his audio and MIDI interfaces), checking on their manufacturers' websites, and that he's using Hauptwerk v4.2.1.

Once that's done, and if it doesn't solve it, and if you'd like us to have a quick look at a diagnostic file to see whether it gives any clues (although I think it's rather unlikely), please feel free to send us a (fully-current) diagnostic file from him after the issue has occurred, ideally with the St. Anne's sample set loaded (since we all have ready access to that).
Best regards, Martin.
Hauptwerk software designer/developer, Milan Digital Audio.
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organtechnology

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Re: PowerMac with audio streaming issues.

PostThu Feb 22, 2018 2:43 pm

mdyde wrote:Hello Thomas,

[Topic moved here.]

It can't be a PowerMac if he's using Hauptwerk v4, since Apple discontinued them in 2006 and they only work with very old versions of OS X (10.5 and earlier, whereas 10.13 is the current version), and Hauptwerk v4 isn't compatible with them (or with OS X 10.5).

Perhaps it's actually a Mac Pro (which was the PowerMac's successor)? Sometimes people confuse the two. Assuming so:

The first thing to do is to make sure that he has all OS X updates installed, as well as the latest versions of the drivers for all hardware (especially his audio and MIDI interfaces), checking on their manufacturers' websites, and that he's using Hauptwerk v4.2.1.

Once that's done, and if it doesn't solve it, and if you'd like us to have a quick look at a diagnostic file to see whether it gives any clues (although I think it's rather unlikely), please feel free to send us a (fully-current) diagnostic file from him after the issue has occurred, ideally with the St. Anne's sample set loaded (since we all have ready access to that).


Hi Martin,

Thanks for the information.
1. Yes I think you are correct and it is a Mac Pro.

2. What is the latest OSX that he should have? Is that dependent on which Mac Pro he has?

3. I will upgrade him to Hauptwerk V 4.2.1 if not yet done.

4.The audio module is an Echo Audiofire 12 which is not made or supported by Echo any longer so updating the drivers is going to be difficult.?

5. It only pops on the Sonus Paradisi set. Works on St. Anne's no problem as I understand.

I will be back with more information if this doesn't fix the problem.

Thanks again,

Thomas
Complete Hauptwerk™ systems using real wood consoles, PC Sound Engines, Dante Audio for Home or Church. info (at) organtechnology.com http://www.organtechnology.com
Authorized Hauptwerk; Milan Digital Audio and Lavender Audio reseller.
USA and Canada shipments only.
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mdyde

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Re: PowerMac with audio streaming issues.

PostThu Feb 22, 2018 3:41 pm

Thanks, Thomas.

organtechnology wrote:4.The audio module is an Echo Audiofire 12 which is not made or supported by Echo any longer so updating the drivers is going to be difficult.?

organtechnology wrote:2. What is the latest OSX that he should have? Is that dependent on which Mac Pro he has?


In that case, I'd suggest making sure he has the final version of the driver that Echo made for it, and probably the latest OS X version that Echo declared as supported with the driver. Apple list the supported models of Macs on the website for each OS X version.

organtechnology wrote:5. It only pops on the Sonus Paradisi set. Works on St. Anne's no problem as I understand.


If it's definitely the case that it only occurs with one large sample set, then perhaps he is just over-filling his RAM and OS X is paging something. It's safest to keep about 30-33 percent of the RAM unused by Hauptwerk.

Also see whether the problem occurs if he loads the organ but leaves it loaded without actually playing it.
Best regards, Martin.
Hauptwerk software designer/developer, Milan Digital Audio.

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