Strange Mac TiBook Issues

steve-o · Post by **steve-o** » Mon Jun 30, 2003 6:59 pm

I searched the forum for a description of the problems I am having, but couldn't find any so bear with me - I'm new to the forum, but have been using live for some time now.

Occasionally with high clip and track count one of my songs will generate between 30-50% proceesor load. Unexplainably, the cpu load will skyrocket to over 1000%, plummet to -1% over the duration of a loop. The CPU load will return to normal for a couple loops and then repeat. WTF???

Incidentaly, I tried contacting Christian at Ableton Tech support a while ago about these issues, but he initially responded in German (which regeretably I do not speak) and then failed to respond to subsequent emails. Another gentlemen told me to email my problems to him, yet no response from either materialized. I am not intentionally trying to embarass anybody, but its poor tech support like this with an obviously buggy program that makes me understand why my friends think I'm moronic for paying for software. I love Live, rarely composing in my other sequencing program (now a strictly a mastering tool), to the extent that despite poor tech support and support for my platform in general, I continue to support ableton and remain patient for its offerings.

Ableton, please let all live users, espsecially the Mac users, know what your plans are for the future of your product. Make us feel confident and secure in our investment in your company. Live is a tremendous idea with a faulty realization. Fix it.

stew · Post by **stew** » Mon Jun 30, 2003 7:38 pm

Can you give more specific data, like what Powerbook model you have, what OS version you are using, what sound card and wether you keep your sampls on the internal on an external hard drive? Also, what do you use to watch CPU load - the meter in Live or a system tool like top or CPU Monitor?

What is happening during that 1000% spikes - do you get drop outs?

In a related note, I do not feel like the Mac was neglected by Ableton or that Live wasn't a safe investion. I am very happy with both performance and stability of Live on my iBook, which is something I wouldn't even say about many of Apple's iApps...

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Jun 30, 2003 8:09 pm

To clear any confusion, *I* don't think Live is a bad investment, and I thoroughly enjoy using the program. It has eliminated many other programs and even expensive sequencers from my set up and I think it sounds very good. My point at the end of my post was to describe how bad tech support and poor implementation (compard to the pc ofering) could seem like a bad investment to some people (mac users). In that sense it is more like a heads up to ableton, becasue i want to support their product and have others support the product. Point I love the product.

My platform is a Ti BOOK 500, 512meg, using internal hardrive, motu 828, 10.2.3. There is more like sputtering than a sustained audible drop out.

Thanks for any help.

stew · Post by **stew** » Mon Jun 30, 2003 8:29 pm

First, make sure you have the latest update for Live installed. When using OS X, don't use any other programs in the background, especially not "system addons" or other "enhancement" applications.

Then, when using Live on the Mac my vote goes for OS 9 and not OS X. Live runs a lot better in OS 9 on my iBook, much less CPU usage and it's just as stable.

dirtystudios · Post by **dirtystudios** » Tue Jul 01, 2003 3:34 am

i never got that on my tibook 400, but i do get the cpu spikes now and then on my ibook. though never to that level and i've never seen negative percents, it spikes well past one hundred percent often. i haven't figured out why, but my gut tells me that it's something to do with the system and not live. perhaps something to do with some sort of system drive access, i've no idea why i think this though.

k

c.kleine · Post by **c.kleine** » Tue Jul 01, 2003 7:03 am

Dear Steve-o,

Firstly, let me apologize if you made bad experience with the support (apparently me). I´m not sure yet why i responded in german language, it must have been a mistake.
Secondly, some suggestions to your problems:
- install the latest 10.2.6 OS X update
- check if those issues are caused by "faulty" 3rd party VST effects -
especially some freeware plug-ins can cause this under certain
circumstances
- delete the "preferences.cfg" file from this path:
~user/library/preferences/Ableton/Live 2.03 and restart Live.

I hope this helps.

Best,
Ch.Kleine

c.kleine · Post by **c.kleine** » Tue Jul 01, 2003 7:04 am

Dear Steve-o,

Firstly, let me apologize if you made bad experience with the support (apparently me). I´m not sure yet why i responded in german language, it must have been a mistake.
Secondly, some suggestions to your problems:
- install the latest 10.2.6 OS X update
- check if those issues are caused by "faulty" 3rd party VST effects -
especially some freeware plug-ins can cause this under certain
circumstances
- delete the "preferences.cfg" file from this path:
~user/library/preferences/Ableton/Live 2.03 and restart Live.

I hope this helps.

Best,
Ch.Kleine

c.kleine · Post by **c.kleine** » Tue Jul 01, 2003 7:04 am

Dear Steve-o,

Firstly, let me apologize if you made bad experience with the support (apparently me). I´m not sure yet why i responded in german language, it must have been a mistake.
Secondly, some suggestions to your problems:
- install the latest 10.2.6 OS X update
- check if those issues are caused by "faulty" 3rd party VST effects -
especially some freeware plug-ins can cause this under certain
circumstances
- delete the "preferences.cfg" file from this path:
~user/library/preferences/Ableton/Live 2.03 and restart Live.

I hope this helps.

Best,
Ch.Kleine

Credo · Post by **Credo** » Tue Jul 01, 2003 3:03 pm

Christian K must be a very humble guy since he ask for forgiveness 3 times!

cred goes to him

I just wanted to say I have had the same behaviour on my TiBook 500 1G RAM OS X (10.2.5 - have not got it yet with 10.2.6) Live 2.03

Spikes about 130% (What does that mean?? Dynamic overclocking??

)

C

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Jul 03, 2003 4:47 pm

Thanks for all of the suggestions. I will implement them and let everyone interested know. If that doesn't work, I guess I'll go back to OS 9.

ON a diferent note, i'm thinking of building a PC dedicated soley for music. I was curious whether anyone knows where I can find some info about music specific PC components, i.e. which compnents are best for music production on the PC.

Thanks,
Stephan

trietnam · Post by **trietnam** » Fri Jul 04, 2003 12:03 am

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for all of the suggestions. I will implement them and let everyone interested know. If that doesn't work, I guess I'll go back to OS 9.

ON a diferent note, i'm thinking of building a PC dedicated soley for music. I was curious whether anyone knows where I can find some info about music specific PC components, i.e. which compnents are best for music production on the PC.

Thanks,
Stephan

Check out the Cubase and Nuendo forums,, and the RME website.

www.cubase.net
http://www.rme-audio.de/english/techinf ... _index.htm

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Jul 04, 2003 1:13 am

Christian,

It seems so far that you suggestions worked. i have also noticed about a twenty percent drop in CPU usage.

Thank you for your time,

Stephan

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