Ableton Forum

Hey anyone having any problems with the cpu meter jumping between 0% and about 8500% (flashing between the two figures), audio cuts out at that point but Ableton doesn't crash.

Also I've been having a second problem that is probably not Ableton related as the program isn't running and it still happens, but my mac will completely lock up and freeze and the fan will go into high speed and stay there, force shut down is the only option at that point. Disk utilities all return a green light, I've initialized and reinstalled everything (twice now), also I've tested my hardware and ram and it all seems fine. I hate it when it says everythings fine (when it isn't)! Anyhow, any help or speculations would be really great, I'm not sure how to fix this one. It usually happens periodically only after the computer's been running a while.

Thanks ~ Ed

I have the same problem only with Powercore Virus-Live combination. Could you explain your setup with more detail? Perhaps someone can help us. I couldn't find any solution either. I'm not using Virus with Live since I faced this problem. I contacted with Ableton, TC Electronic, Acces Virus but no help...I have zero problem with other hosts like Cubase SX 3, Audiomulch and Bidule. Whenever I open Virus Powercore in Live, I get CPU spikes and CPU meter in Live shows AROUND 7200 % CPU usage. After these spikes, Live gives an error and shuts itself down.


My setup:

Carillon AC-1 computer 3 ghz HT disabled
2 GB 400MHz DDR RAM
Intel 865PERL motherboard
80GB 7200rpm HD,
160GB SATA 7200rpm HD,
Adaptec fw400 firewire card
Powercore PCI
ATI 7000 64MB videocard
Lacie external HD -firewire
M-audio Radium 61 - USB
Live 5.0.3
Studio Manager 2
Windows XP sp2
Yamaha 01X mLAN 1.5.4.....

by the way I am using Powercore version 2 drivers...Ableton blamed my audio interface 01x as a CPU hug which is not correct. I think this is very serious bug Ableton needs to fix. The most basic reason can be the different handling of Powercore plugins by Live compared to other hosts. Live is also having crackle-CPU spike problems with Access Virus TI which proves it's bug. And I really wasted too many times with Ableton support...resulted without proper solution. This message should also be accepted as a wake-up call for Ableton about this problem!

Hey Earthlinger - thanks for writing, I've suspected it might be the Access Virus or Powercore too, I'm running on a mac with the unlimited instance version of the Powercore Access Virus. Powercore 2.0 is not yet released for the mac so I am running 1.9.6. I've also been hearing the crackle problem as well. As far as my complete set up:

Mac G5 2.3ghz dual core
2.5gb ram
250gb internal drive, I'm not sure of its rotational speed

of the 3 firewire ports:
fw800: lacie drive
fw400-1: mackie onyx 1220
fw400-2: powercore firewire

OSX.4.5
Live 5.0.3
Reason 3.0.4

along with intonator, v-station and voice modeler, access virus is what I'm primarily using in a lot of compositions now. I really hope someone can fix or shed light on this problem, at least the crackle part of it, that's really rendering my recordings, well, almost useless in the end.

Thanks to anyone else who can offer some advice, please write! I'll keep looking in on this topic for sure. Ed

Hello,

For the use of Powercore, have you tried to set the plugin buffer size in the Preferences, buffer pane ?
I'll see on monday in the office with our plugin guru about the situation with Powercore.

about the virus, have you checked that thread:

http://www.ableton.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=25171

There were known issues that got fixed in 5.2 and latest Virus version.

Kind regards,

Amaury

Hi Amaury, thanks - I've tried a few different settings but I'm not noticing a difference, have you a recommended buffer size for the Powercore?

I'm pretty sure I'm running the latest version of the access virus (as I only just got it about 3 weeks ago), I can't tell though as I can't seem to locate upgrade/version information on the access or tceletronic sites. The virus I have is ver. 1.1.0.136

subfiddle wrote:Hi Amaury, thanks - I've tried a few different settings but I'm not noticing a difference, have you a recommended buffer size for the Powercore?

I'm pretty sure I'm running the latest version of the access virus (as I only just got it about 3 weeks ago), I can't tell though as I can't seem to locate upgrade/version information on the access or tceletronic sites. The virus I have is ver. 1.1.0.136

Hello again,

I'll have to check on monday at the office for the Powercore, as most of the team is at Music Messe right now.
About the Access Virus, di you give a try to the lates beta ? You can download it here:

http://www.ableton.com/beta

Best,

Amaury

Hi Amaury,

As it is mentioned in the link you pointed out, I think Live 5.2 beta is just including fix for latency issues with Access Virus TI. (crackle and spike problems isn't fixed yet) Nothing for Virus Powercore. Do you think fixed issues for Virus TI will also effect Powercore? I also don't have any problems with latency. As you know the main problem is crackles and CPU spikes. Live's CPU meter is going crazy with Access Virus Powercore. Plugin buffer size settings are not a solution. I can't use Virus with Live.

Virus Powercore's latest version 1.1 is released in August 2005. This release is not including any bug fix for Live. I hope Ableton is working closely with Access Music and TC Electronic for these problems for 5.2 update.

best,

Hi all - I'm on a mac g5, does anyone have any good stable experience using the powercore access virus (unlimited instances) using another program other than Live - it's incredibly unstable with this combo, almost every 1/2 hour or so it crashes, spikes, freezes. Ugh. Or does anyone have any advice on making this combo more stable? tia, Ed

hi all,
i started a thread a little while back:
http://www.ableton.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=31394

i'm still noticing the odd cpu spike / glitch / and audio drop out here and there
in the current betas.

i do notice that they often happen when i'm running a rewire slave such as Reason.
for example:
i will have Live and Reason running. i will turn up a reverb send on an instrument in Reason and the cpu spike will happen. it will happen in just the reverse as well, i will turn up (from 0) the reverb in Live and the spike will happen.
sometime the spike happens when i record enable a midi channel (assigned to a Reason instrumnet) in Live, and begin to play.

Amo, any thoughts here?

Are there any possibility for Ableton to include the bug fix for cpu spikes and crackles with Virus Powercore-Live combination? or still ignorant...

Hey, Apple just released a os software update to 10.4.6 - so far so good - Ed

FOLLOW UP: Spoke too soon, it's still problematic, same old story. Bad kernel trap crashes too usually after leaving Live, Reason and the Powercore running and the computer goes to sleep. The machine crashes somehow and the fan goes into high gear, the red light inside the mac turns on bright.

happy for you subfiddle. Unfortunately I'm using Powercore with my PC DAW. Any response Ableton for fix?

Hello again,

There are many different issues going here and I'll try to keep track:

- For Powercore users, concerning CPU spikes, I got the confirmation that setting the plugin latency parameter as "same as audio buffer" should correct the problem. There can be other reasons for people to get CPU spikes though.

- About cracks and glitches, depending on the platform you're using, you should monitor the computer's CPU meter and check about the free RAM that the computer reports: I know for exemple that Firewire eats quite a lot of CPU on Mac. I've been told that the latest 10.4.6 update makes it a bit better.

Someone in the office reported me about a strange issue too: when he uses his Lacie firewire hwrdrive along with his firewire soundcard, he gets weird results (that's on a Mac). He then unplugged his Lacie drive and all was back to normal.

As for spikes and glitches with Rewire (thinking of Dpel here), I guess that too small audio buffers could cause them, and again CPU and RAM should be monitored to see what's happening really.

Frank is working on the Powercore issues here and I will keep you updated.

Kind regards,

Amaury

Hi Amaury, thanks so much for taking the time with this issue, I'll post any info that might be useful for you - take care, Ed