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  • Hard Disk choice/config and Vienna Key - simple questions

    U
    U

    Hi there! 

    Just wanted to check some "details" with all you experienced Vienna Symphonic Librairians! ;)

    - To store the sample library of the Symphonic Cube, I am planning dual 500GB SATA hard drives in RAID mode (1TB total) for fast file transfer. Is this a correct approach? I'm going for cost-effective-and-pretty-silent Samsung SATA II 16MB 7200rpm 8.9ms UDMA drives. Or is 32MB buffer more recommended?

    - On the Vienna Key topic; as I own Nuendo V3.2, can the VSL licence join that dongle? (I'm pretty sure it does, but just wanna check.)

    PS

    I am running Windows XP Home, 32bit, 4GB RAM installed (3 usable as we know).

    Am running Nuendo V3.2 as main host DAW and sometimes Sibelius 4.

    My motherboard is an ASUS P5B-E with an intel 6600 core duo CPU (quad core soon).

    Thanks for your replies!

    Have a great weekend,

    -Emanuel
  • cmC
    VSL Team
    cmC

    the samsung disks are fine, if the samples are spread in a clever way not even needed to be raided IMO - consider the 750 seagate though (you should _always_ leave 20% per disk free to avoid the slower regions (so for the SC only 2 x 500 would be more than sufficient). do not stream from and record to the same disk (or raid). disk cache is useless for sample streaming - the application calls only tiny portions of widely spreaded data (no continuous read like with video)

     

    VI licenses can sit on steinberg keys - avoid keys with a number below ~ 500.000, they might have not enough space to store all licenses.

     

    the P5B is fine and can hold up to 8 GB (XP64 needed then) - if your physical total ram is listed in the taskmanager with 3 GB this means a series of devices takes 1024 MB for remapping .... not my experience with P5B boards but i might have not understood you correctly and your setup might vary.

     

    the quad core is lost money in my experience - the processor bus is too small to notice a significant increase. if you don't run applications which get their data from the processor cache but need to transport it from the memory this is the limit, not CPU power.

    large processor caches always help and the quad might also be an advantage for eg. convolution ... depends on the details for each seperate case.

     

    christian

    and remember: only a CRAY can run an endless loop in just three seconds.
  • U
    U

    Thanks Christian!

    Sounds great, really helpfull.

    - That Seagate disk was looking most interesting indeed, but is a bit too small when I consider buying more bundles from VSL. That's why I was thinking of a 1TB raid disk array; probably faster loading times and bigger area for the same (or better) price. Great to know that the buffer size doesn't really matter for VSL :) And good to have it confirmed that I should keep my music/audio project files on another disk!

    - My Nuendo serial number is somewhere around 497.000... this means trouble?

    (I really want to avoid having another dongle; there is already an iLok and no more free USB ports at the back)

    - My physical total ram is 4GB, augmented to 5GB listed is task manager, but listed 2,93GB in "System Properties". I was referring to the 3GB switch, which I might want to play with one of the days... I've already come across the big post here on the forum and I'll have a long read from that ;)

    - On the CPU duo or quad topic; yeah it doesn't seem to approve as much as it is supposed to. However Nuendo would perform better, even if "only" 50%... Hmmm I might wait with the upgrade of CPU untill I run into trouble ;)

    -Emanuel
  • cmC
    VSL Team
    cmC

    i mentioned the seagate 750 because this disk model is using perpendicular recording and so gives a little bit better performance than others though also running with *only* 7.200 rpm (the 1 TB seagate using this technology also and other models might too, check specification for the respective model)

     

    we don't know exactly which key number allows how many licenses - older keys sometimes stop already at 10, newer keys might hold hundreds. the worst thing that can happen is you run into a so-called *pending license* during an upgrade (eg. standard to full), just contact support in such a case. to be on the safe side you could get a spare ViennaKey. also steinberg licenses can be transferred to a viennaKey as vice versa.

     

    regarding memory .... the screenshot below shows the performance tab of the taskmanager and the system information (start - programs - accessoiries - system information) ... you notice an installed memory of 8 GB and total physical memory available to XP (32bit) of 3.9 GB ... this is a P5W board ... a usual value with 4 GB installed should be 3.75 GB available to XP

    memory available

     

    i wouldn't bet to receive 50% plus - more probable would be 25% ...

    christian

    and remember: only a CRAY can run an endless loop in just three seconds.
  • U
    U
    last edited
    last edited

    @Another User said:

    i wouldn't bet to receive 50% plus - more probable would be 25% ...

    wow...
  • U
    U

    I ordered 2 seagate 500GB disks;

    the ones with the perpendicular recording.

    Full type n# ST3500320AS 7200.11

    Will post my findings here soon!