Building a FTP rig

Started by mediabuyout, December 08, 2014, 01:52:32 PM

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Elantric

#50
Typically a gaming video card is a "no-no" on your Music DAW,due to high intense graphics hogging the available bandwidth particularly if you run 4KHD 3D Gaming Video while running high  192kHz 24-32 bit data to 192 channels from an RME HDSPe MADI FX PIC-x interface with MADI audio
http://www.rme-audio.de/en/products/hdspe_madi_fx.php



Of course the above sounds like a rig only Hans Zimmer would need to score the next immersive theme park ride.  Buts its important to know there is a negative impact on audio performance if your Graphics card is a high bandwidth data gulping monster".

More here:
Not every enhancement to your audio PC is worth the money — and top-spec graphics cards are a case in point...
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/jan11/articles/pc-notes-0111.htm

QuoteMuch of the latest news in the mainstream PC press seems to concern powerful desktop graphics cards, such as AMD's next generation Radeon HD9600 (Cayman) series, which will feature up to 2GB of video RAM and is likely to become the fastest series of single GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) cards on the market.

Speedy cards like this are meat and drink to game players, who need to shift loads of 3D data around at ever-higher speeds, but musicians simply don't need this amount of graphics processing power, and will be wasting their money if they indulge. Nor will most musicians miss the associated noisy fans needed to keep such cards cool; their thermal design power can be up to 300 watts!

The 2D graphics found in audio applications have remarkably modest requirements, so while many musicians manage to consume all their main processing power, a typical professional DAW is likely to feature a far more modest PCIe dual‑head graphics card with 512MB of on‑board RAM and passive heat‑sink cooling.

shawnb

To be honest,I disagree.  The GPU power may be not required from one oerspective, but most DAWs do have high GPU demands today.   

Without a powerful GPU, those tasks become the respinsibility of the CPU.   

So I would actually say that a good gaming machine is, in fact, a good DAW.

MOST important, I think, is mobo bus speed.   That is where audio applications bottleneck on resources. 

The highest priority for building a DAW, IMO,  is getting a mobo that is NOT generic.   Get a mobo by someone who specializes in mobos, ie., ASUS, not Dell. 
Address the process rather than the outcome.  Then, the outcome becomes more likely.   - Fripp

Elantric


shawnb

#53
Those threads explore both possibilities.  Biggest gripes sre bad drivers (problem for audio devices as well...) and the potential for fan noise.   

The GPU fan noise concern is from guys who are attempting pro work but have the computer in the recording space (????)....   If you must do this, then get a GPU without a fan....

Cakewalk/Sonar have long suggested graphics cards to offload graphics work.   With the UIs getting so sophisticated, I actually think it's a must these days.

Most plugins use OpenGL specifically so you can offload the intensive graphics work to the GPU:
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/oct09/articles/pcnotes_1009.htm

Address the process rather than the outcome.  Then, the outcome becomes more likely.   - Fripp

shawnb

Best of both worlds?    i7s have integrated GPUs on chip...   Later model i5s, do, too.    (Maybe even the latest i3?)   

And yes, they support OpenGL.   So, if you get a higher end CPU, you may not need a separate GPU.   
Address the process rather than the outcome.  Then, the outcome becomes more likely.   - Fripp

Rorster

Thanks for the reply based on your experience. I don't do any gaming so overkill with graphics is something I'd like to not have to pay for. The 17" screens though are nice.  Reading through these posts I see that the FTP software needs to be downloaded. However though as Elantric said the first gen firmware looks preferable to have so that the left/right buttons are usable for scrolling through patches when he's triggering hardware synths (iconnect midi) directly. I think he has 2 FTPs and the one he uses with his ipad has (needs) the latest firmware update when using an ipad. My ipad is a 3rd gen and may not be powerful enough to do what he does. I also may just attach the FTP to my Godin LGX-SA and trigger my GR-55 for cosm modeling via its 13 pin jack and use the FTP for synths... Thanks again I really appreciate and carefully consider all thoughts, comments.

Rorster

I hate to ask a stupid question but here goes: when opened out of the box upon arrival would the FTP correctly applied to guitar and dongle to an iconnect midi device trigger my Yamaha Motif Rack XS? Something tells me no. i.e. need to register the device...
Thanks

Elantric

#57
QuoteI hate to ask a stupid question but here goes: when opened out of the box upon arrival would the FTP correctly applied to guitar and dongle to an iconnect midi device trigger my Yamaha Motif Rack XS? Something tells me no. i.e. need to register the device...
Thanks

Read FTP FAQ
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=8427.0


With any FTP - You have to

1 ) Read / Study  all the FTP Docs
http://www.fishman.com/tripleplay/help

2 ) Check for Stuck Button and controls on your FTP Controller
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=8400.msg60844#msg60844

3 ) Install the FTP Control Panel on a PC/Mac


4 ) Make the initial FTP Wireless Controller  / FTP Receiver connection, by using the "Pair" procedure. 


5 ) Update the FTP  Controller  / FTP Receiver Firmware

FTP Hardware Reset and Force a reload of the FTP firmware Guide.
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=8491.0


Do ALL the above - before you try to connect FTP to iPad ( they did not make this too easy)

Spider

#58
Quote from: Rorster on August 05, 2015, 01:10:56 PM
I hate to ask a stupid question but here goes: when opened out of the box upon arrival would the FTP correctly applied to guitar and dongle to an iconnect midi device trigger my Yamaha Motif Rack XS? Something tells me no. i.e. need to register the device...
Thanks

It will work. Converter will be in Basci mode so no PB or +/-2 semi PB like on Motif but... not so good for guitar. You need download triplePlay control app/software for programing patches for Motif. Then use FTP in HW mode (read manual) + MIDI4+/Kenton USB Host + Motif.

musicamex

Just a quick report on the laptop i got for my ftp.

It is a hp elite book which is a business format computer.  A person i know in oregon gets these out of a lease program and then builds them as in my case to my requested specs.  A few features that made this unique laptop appealing to me as my dedicated studio computer: 3 usb 2.0 ports, 2 usb 3.0 ports, firewire port, media display port, vga port, sata port plus the std phone, ethernet, stereo audio and microphone jacks and memory card slot.  Mine has a quad core intel processor and i requested 16 gb ram,  256 ss drive AND 1tb 7200 rpm hd.  The cd drive was removed and is in a case so i can hook it up with a cable when i need a cd drive.  I opted to keep the video card  adequate but not memory hungry.   15.6 display  dual batteries. One a 16 cell one a std 8 cell both installed at the same time.  The case is tough and built for hard commercial use.  Considering how powerful it is it runs much cooler than my core i3 machine with 4 gb memory.

All in all, it eliminated the problems i had with the core 3 machine for my ftp AND gave me allot of additional power and connectivity.  The 1 tb drive is a great way to keep the SS drive lean and mean by keeping recordings and non music related programs off of the SSD but keeping them handy on an internal drive.

It was surprisingly affordable.

IF anyone needs further info PM me.

sloblue

#60
prs se standard, iPad pro, powered usb 3 hub, irig pro, blueboard, triple play, amplitude, sample tank, and iloud.  if this baby can't do it then...lol.  the prs
has duncan pups with added volume and single coil switch and coil select for phase with a passive midrange control instead of high rolloff.