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440 Forums _ Getting Started _ Help With Powerbook Cpu

Posted by: mishmashmole Fri 15 Apr 2005, 07:52

Please help. I bought my band new 1.5 GHz/ Superdrive/512 ram) os x 10.3.8 powerbook in Jan 2005. There were so many reasons I bought it. For so long I wanted a portable computer that worked, rather than my old windows brick.
I think something must be wrong or the answer is more memory. I want to use Ableton Live but as soon as I start using VST then the computer really starts to struggle. The CPU meter gets up to 100%. I have found the cpu getting this high and staying like it in other apps too, non-music ones. Even now writing this, I only have Live (not actually playing anything), Stcikies and Mail open. The cpu is staying between 65% & 70% and the RAM used is 352MB. This can't be right. What am I doing wrong? I can only think it's beacuse I have installed so much software, (and taken it out), that I need to do a fresh install and see if it's still the same. Thanks all for your help in advance. PS I just switched to MAC 4 months ago!

Posted by: arvidtp Fri 15 Apr 2005, 15:44

well, if you use TONS (like 20 VSTs) it should bog down.but just a couple should be fine. Dunno. My powerbook 1.25 GHz runs all this stuff and is great with up to like 15 realtime plugins (not in Live as i dont use it, but in logic or MaxMSP or other softs)

that is weird. Make sure there are no hungry background processes running using the activity monitor and what audio interface are u using, and at what buffer size? i get good performance at 128 samples, but lower gets tough for the machine. 32 is just not usable. Only some apps like MaxMSP allow you to try it though. 64 works for light stuff usually.

weird.

Posted by: mididiot Fri 15 Apr 2005, 15:46

Run disk utility to repair your permissions. Zap your Pram, by restarting your machine and holding down the command key (apple key), option key and P and R keys simultaneously. Let it restart at least 3 times (you'll hear the bong sound 3 times). I hope this helps. Also go to system preferences. Check your account and see what programs you have running at startup. I've got a Powerbook 1.25 running Logic Pro 7 and Live. I had some hiccups with 512 of ram. Nothing big. But I added a 1Gig chip and all is well. Good Luck

Posted by: gdoubleyou Fri 15 Apr 2005, 18:06

The problem is the app itself, Live doesn't support the Altivec/ velocity engine instructions, or dual CPUs in OSX.

Most plugins support Altivec, I don't know what happens when they are used with a host that doesnt have support.

If you want to use virtual effects, and instruments Logic7 or DP4 are more effecient.

Live is fine for audio only, on my 1GHz Powerbook.

Posted by: hugo01 Sat 16 Apr 2005, 00:03

maybe could be this: system preferences->energy saver->options->processor perfomance->highest (not automatic)

peace

Posted by: mishmashmole Tue 19 Apr 2005, 13:31

Thanks for your advice. I checked the startup processes and something to do with the antivirus prog I got from .mac was taking up a lot of power. There seemed to be a few other things there so went for a complete re-install. After doing this (so much less painful than windows) it felt like I had a new computer. But when I checked how Ableton performed, pretty much the same thing! I'm not impressed. Is it still woth zapping my PRAM? I'm quite annoyed I have reached this obstacle so early on. Will installing more RAM reduce the CPU power because it doesn't have to 'page'? Any advice appreciated.

Posted by: mishmashmole Tue 19 Apr 2005, 13:32

Interesting what you say about Altivec though. I didn't know about this at all. I will try Logic to see how it performs.

Posted by: lepetitmartien Wed 20 Apr 2005, 03:52

I thought the last big update of Live at last brought the Altivec support. Am I mistaken?

If not, IT'S A SHAME FOR ABLETON. Not using altivec on G5/G4 is screwing up 75% of the available power. And it's slowing Live for years now.

Posted by: gdoubleyou Thu 21 Apr 2005, 19:16

Rumor is that it may happen after Tiger arrives.