Odd laptop latency inconsistency in 7.0.3

arkoenig · Post by **arkoenig** » Tue Apr 08, 2008 5:08 pm

First, my configuration: A Thinkpad T60 laptop, equipped with a 2.33 GHz Core 2 Duo and 2GB of RAM. So it should be more than fast enough for my fairly straightforward Live set. MIDI only, no sample-based MIDI instruments; so the disk load should be low.

My sound card is an E-MU 1616m Cardbus card, which I am using via ASIO. So it should perform pretty much as well as a PCI sound card. I am also using an AKAI MPD24 as a control surface. No third-party plugins, no other devices aside from a Bluetooth wireless mouse (which talks to the Bluetooth transceiver built into the laptop).

When I played this set last weekend, even though the cpu meter never went past 50%, and even though Windows Device Manager told me that nothing else was using significant cpu, I found that I had to set the ASIO latency to 50 ms in order to avoid dropouts. This particular ASIO driver doesn't offer any choices between 20 ms and 50 ms; and with 20 ms I was getting unacceptable dropouts all the time.

When I tried to reproduce the problem after I got home -- same computer, same power settings ("maximum performance," tried both on battery and AC power), same sound card, same control surface, same Bluetooth mouse, I was able to play the same live set with 8 ms latency and no dropouts.

So something very weird is going on. Any thoughts? (I've sent a copy of the Live set to Ableton and am awaiting a reply)

hybridnz · Post by **hybridnz** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 2:55 am

We have the same problem at the moment.. We just finished an aussie tour on ableton 7.0.1 and what a nightmare... worked half the time and not the other. (drop outs) disabling some ofo out midi in/outs helped but it was hardly a solution :/

Have a large gig this thursday night, we are going to give 7.0.3 a go if it drops out in this we are going back to 6 and maybe even look for other solutions as we can't perform like this!

HP dual core 2.4ghz laptop, sata 7200 disk, 2gig mem / motu traveller / 8x8 midi m-audio interface.

ham

psherburne · Post by **psherburne** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 3:07 am

I'm running a MacBook Pro 2.16 HGz Intel Core Duo, 2 GB Ram, OSX (10.4.11) and I'm getting dropouts like crazy, plus weird CPU spikes, in both 7.0.3 and also 7.0.1 before it -- this is including in brand-new tracks I'm just starting to write, with very moderate use of samples & audio clips and a few software instruments, really not nearly enough to drive my CPU usage to 30%+ with intermittent spikes and dropouts. Don't know what's up but it's awfully frustrating.

jok · Post by **jok** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 2:46 pm

Hi,

if you are using a PC, please make sure your Midi port type is set to "MME" in Live´s Midi/Sync preferences. Click on the little triangle next to the Midi port names to show further options including Midi port type, make the settings there.

If you are currently experiencing dropouts on a Mac, please make sure that Airport is disabled first, the latest Airport update by Apply introduced problems with CPU spikes while Airport is in use which can lead to glitches and dropouts of your audio engine.

If the dropout problems persist, please contact [email protected], include the files and system infos as described here:

http://www.ableton.com/pages/support_contact

Jörg

arkoenig · Post by **arkoenig** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 2:53 pm

jok wrote: if you are using a PC, please make sure your Midi port type is set to "MME" in Live´s Midi/Sync preferences. Click on the little triangle next to the Midi port names to show further options including Midi port type, make the settings there.

I contacted support, and they recommended I install the following patch:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.as ... -us;896256

to forestall scheduling problems.

I will be happy to change my Midi port type, though I'm not sure why it should matter as I was using Midi only for control inputs when I encountered the problem.

Should I be using MME even for those ports that have native ASIO drivers?

jok · Post by **jok** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 2:56 pm

Hi,

please leave the audio preferences as they are (ASIO), just change the Midi port types in the Midi/Sync preferences to 'MME' as described above.

Jörg

arkoenig · Post by **arkoenig** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 3:00 pm

jok wrote:please leave the audio preferences as they are (ASIO), just change the Midi port types in the Midi/Sync preferences to 'MME' as described above.

Yes, that's what I did. But I'm curious about the purpose of the change. I vaguely remember that Live changed the default at some point, but don't recall why.

jok · Post by **jok** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 3:59 pm

Hi,

using MME as a port type is just a basic 1st step in troubleshooting, a general suggestion (as the different problems reported in this thread all occur with different setups and probably have different reasons, too).

Approx. 80 % of all Midi interfaces don´t come with a native "Direct music" driver. If you choose one then, Windows will emulate it, which will waist resources and may lead to problems (mostly with latency, though). So in most cases you can´t go wrong with MME.

Jörg

arkoenig · Post by **arkoenig** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 4:42 pm

jok wrote:Hi,
Approx. 80 % of all Midi interfaces don´t come with a native "Direct music" driver. If you choose one then, Windows will emulate it, which will waist resources and may lead to problems (mostly with latency, though). So in most cases you can´t go wrong with MME.
Jörg

In this particular case, the only MIDI interface I was using was to my MPD24, which uses the native Windows USB-MIDI driver. Dpes the Windows native driver support DirectMusic, or is MME right for it too?

Also, do you happen to know about E-Mu interfaces?

jok · Post by **jok** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 5:53 pm

Hi,

you can´t go wrong with MME. Please contact the manufacturers of your devices if you want to know whether their drivers support 'Direct Music' natively. Furthermore, please refer to the troubleshooting steps that were suggested by Dom in his support mail.

Jörg