Ibook And Cubase Sx, ibook and cubase sx Options

[drolpsn]

I recently purchased an ibook. (G3 900/256MB). I was curious if anyone has experience with running Cubase SX on this system. The minimum specs for Cubase SX seem to suggest a G4. The Emagic software seems to suggest less stringent minimum specs, however for both $$ and compatability with another musician I work with Cubase would be preferable. Any comments are appreciated.

If it matters I'm running OSX 10.2 and plan to use the Motu 828 firewire device in this scenario.

Thanks

[somaestudios]

Hi, I am running Cubase SX on an iBook G3/800 mhz/640 Ram/M audio Ozone/ Panther, and have no problems.
It works great.
Also have an iBook G4/800mhz/256Ram/Panther/Core audio/M audio Oxigen running SX and no problems so far.
The Motu is a great interface, a friend of mine has one and works flawlessly.
Good luck,

[kolo]

Hi,
I'm on an Ibook g3 700 and and still running Cubase 4.12r in OS 9. I runs well. But OS X is inevitable since my ibook is the last generation that boots OS 9. I was wonderering how many tracks, plug ins, virtual instruments you are able to run with SX on your similar system. I do want to get into OS X for my music since everything else I use is there...

[gdoubleyou]

SX1 maybe, you would be hard pressed to use SX2 it uses much more CPU. Minimum requirements call for G4/867.

After being a longtime Cubase5 user, I moved my SX license to PC where the performance and user experience is better for Steinberg products.

I suggest Logic6 or DP4.12 for your machine, that would save a lot of frustration. Both Logic and DP have about the same performance in OSX as they did in OS9

[chrisk4]

The following question and answer below is from the Steinberg knowledgbase and relates to Cubase SX and Cubase SL. I have a G3/700MHz iBook and want to run Cubase SX 2 on it and have been searching to find anyone with a similar setup and the user <someaestudios> here on Macmusic appears to be doing so successfully with a G3/800MHz iBook. Somaestudios does not say if it's SX 1 or SX2 they are using and I believe that SX 2 puts an even greater load on the cpu, especially if you get into using lots of plug-ins, fx etc. I guess I'll need to go ahead and try it. Anyway the Steinberg info:

---
Question: Is my Mac strong enough to run Cubase SX?

These are the official system requirements of Cubase SX Mac:

Processor: Power Mac G4
RAM: 256 MB (512 MB recommended)
Operating System: Mac OS X Version 10.2 or later

However, SX will also run properly on Power Macs with a G3 CPU (e.g. iMacs and iBooks).
Generally it can be said that a specific Power Mac is suitable for running SX when the global performance of OS X (10.2) is satisfying.

A very important factor for the performance of OS X (10.2) is the graphics card.
If OS X (10.2) behaves rather slow on your Mac check if the graphics card you're using supports Quartz Extreme, the "composite windowing system" of Mac OS X that has been introduced with Jaguar (10.2).
Quartz Extreme's functionality is supported by the following video GPUs: NVIDIA GeForce2 MX, GeForce3, GeForce4 MX, or GeForce4 Ti or any AGP-based ATI RADEON GPU. A minimum of 16MB VRAM is required.

The use of an according graphics card increases the global performance of OS X (10.2) considerably.

Further information: http://www.apple.com/macosx/jaguar/quartzextreme.html
----

The original link, this may not work and I apologise in advance if it doesn't, for the Steinberg piece is:

http://service.steinberg.net/knowledge_pro...5f?OpenDocument

[rickenbacker]

I have used SX on a 600MHz G3 iBook. I could get about 16 tracks of audio and a few Midi. Performance wasn't terrible, but I knew a bigger and better Mac would be preferable. So I bought one. And then switched to Logic.

[gdoubleyou]

From the steinberg site updated requirements for SX2:

Processor PowerMac G4 867 MHz (PowerMac G4 Dual 1,25 GHz or faster recommended)

RAM 384 MB (512 MB recommended)

Operating System Mac OS X 10.2.5 or higher

My desktop is an ancient G4/400 SX choked it.
On the same machine my basic sessions 24-32 tracks 8-16 soft-synths with Logic6.

Logic only requires a G3/400, DP4 only ask for any G3/G4.

SX is currently suffering from a buttload problems, buckle up your helmet and go feel the pain at Cubase.net for firsthand accounts.

http://forum.cubase.net/cgi-bin/cubase.net...et/Ultimate.cgi

This post has been edited by gdoubleyou: Sat 6 Mar 2004, 00:34