Evening folks.

Well  - yesterday I took the plunge and upgraded to VEP 7.  I have been using VEP 6 for some time on a DAW / 3 slave system and, in the main, all has worked really well. I needed to upgrade to VEP 7 as I needed a template for a new Spitfire Audio BBC SO library and this was produced for VEP 7.

As far as the function of VEP 7 goes, I am really pleased. The upgrade went OK and it works. 48Gig of BBC SO loaded onto one slave, and all working well with Pro Tools.

I have Win 10 systems, each with 64 Gig RAM and I9 exstreme CPU. All software is up to date.

So my problem is..... and this does not happen "all the time" (but most of the time), is that when I instigate a plugin in Pro Tools it cannot find any servers 'out there.....'. I have done the normal stuff like making sure that the Windows Fire wall will let through VEP 7 and windows bonjour service etc. I have done this on all four systems. However, for much of the time I can see no servers.

I can use a direct IP address and name of instance, but that is really a pain.

So... have I missed anything obvious here?  VEP 7 seems to be very solid, I am using 32 buffer settings with no artifacts or clicks with everything running at once. The DAW breaks no sweat either.  Its just trying to get this network broadcast side of things to work I am finding a pain.

any ideas?

cheers

Mark

Hmmm (edited to add)... OK, so my instances were not 'activated' (or the channels at least in them), when activated then the server seems to show up...  

So... just started a musical session today after a month off. 

Been encouraged to upgrade to 7....  been reading this thread... 

Hmmm...  what is the overall consensus  - an upgrade now, or leave as it? 

rgs

Mark

p.s. have they yet added mono tracks - been asking for several years :) 

Win 10 machine with latest Pro Tools. 

Hi All.

Posted  some time ago about a problem I was having with a high-end windows 10 system, running PT12 (latest version) with VE Pro 6. Have three slaves all running windows 10.

In summary - the problem was saving a song in PT and trying to exit. PT would hang. In addition, PT would hang if opening a song, where the slaves were already running instances - ready to go. My work around at the time was to ensure I opened PT first, then VE PRO on the slaves afterward, and connect manually. On finishing my song I would need to manually disconnect in PT. Then save PT files. Then turn slaves off.

VE Pro 6 suggested it might be a firewall issue - tested. It was not. 

So today - I played around again and selected NOT to preserve (I clicked to unlock the "lock"). Now PT will save and open and close with no problems. Just have the slave servers open (but not loaded with anything). Load a PT song and all is good :)   

However - I note now that the instances are really only "live / open" when the song is open. I get that is the point of preserving - so that the slave instances stay open for other songs. 

Anyway - all I have done is to save the instances also as a project - so they can then be used with other PT songs in the future.  I can now see why preserve is useful - however, as a work around - this should be ok?  

Mark

Hi All. 

Have the following system:

1 DAW and 3 slaves (all running latest version of Windows 10, all running latest version of VE Pro 6). 

I somewhat regret upgrading to the latest Windows 10 (October release with further updates), as before then all things seemed to run quite well. Indeed, I am not convinced that PT and latest Windows are not totally playing ball with each other, but I am pretty sure the issue below is PT / VE PRO 6 related. 

Basically. I can set up a PT project with connections to server projects on the slaves - lots of instances. It all runs very well, 64 buffer, no pops or crackles. In this regard the system is great. However, here are the problems.. 

1) If I I try to quit a PT project as I normally would, PT just hangs for ever and seems to be communicating the instances (closing X and closing Y). Eventually I have to force exit. 

2) If I try to load a PT project, where the slaves are already to go, and where upon last saving and exiting PT I had left all VE PRO plugins connected (as in 1 above). Then it does the following:

a) PT enters a strange mode where it is in constant "pause" - green pause illuminated bottom left, and the play / pause button indicating a pause state

b) VE PRO plugins seem to be connected. However, record enable any track (regardless of a VE PRO based track, or one with an instrument directly loaded into PT), nothing will play. There is no audio. 

My workaround at the moment is that I have to:

i) Save PT project - and then before quitting I have to manually disconnect all VE Pro plugin connections to the slaves. 

ii) Exit PT  - all goes well.

iii) Upon loading the PT project again, if I have followed i and ii above, it will load fine. I then manually connect up the slaves in each VE PRO plug and all is well. 

Does anyone else have this behaviour?  

The workaround above keeps me going - but it is rather a pain, and if I forget (!!!!!), its a lot of pain. During early 2018 (I have had a break from music for a few months), I would just turn the slaves on, and load them up, start PT, load a project (go have a coffee) and all is waiting to start? 

No to sure if this is a latest PT issues, Windows 10 or VE Pro?!

Thanks

Mark

Hi All

[New info....   I should add all PC's are running latest windows version. The DAW Pro Tools is latest version.  Now I am getting the following....  

a) Open up any Pro tools session where VE Pro Plugs were connected when last saving - pro tools either crashes before fully opening, or just freezes).

b) Try to exit a pro tools session with everything still connected - freezes for ever...

c) The only way I can get this to work (and it is a workable solution but not really what I want) is to...

   i) Disconnect each instant with pro tools first
  ii) Save and close pro tools
  iii)  Save the Ve Pro server project and close.

d) Then if I want open the DAW session again..,

   i) First open up the DAW session - as expected - nothing connected
  ii) Open up the slave VE Pro server project and wait to fully load all plugins
  iii)  Then manually connect each plug in back to the specific instance  (I put notes in the notes section of Pro Tools so I can easily remember which plugin goes with which instances)

So the above is workable  - but ni ideal?

I should really know this I think (having played with VE pro5 and 6 for some time. However, I think I have been OK rather by luck than judgement. So I have a DAW PC and four PC slaves. Generally if using all five systems - when I close a music project for the day I will close my Pro tools 12 session first, then go around and close each server on the slaves. 

When I want to work on a music project (say project "A") I will first get each slave up and running, opening the instances for Project A. Finally open up the Pro Tools session and (normally) all is well (all slaves already connected). 

Anyway, today for some reason I opened up the Pro Tools session for Project A first (it contains 4 plugins to connect to each of slave). Well it did not like it at all. I expected the slaves to just not be connected (of course) - and allow me to then start them up then manually press connect on each plugin in Pro Tools. Instead - Pro Tools hung. Again , and again. Even after starting the slaves and restarting pro tools it hung. 

Somehow I think I had broken an instance  - so in the end I ditched and started again (so far so good)...

End new info ]

 ***********

1) What is the correct order / protocol for starting up and stopping a large session with a number of servers? 

2) Suppose (for whatever reason) I want to start my DAW Project A but witout any of the slaves, what is the protocol I need to use so that the pro tools session is not trying to connect to something that is not there... 

I think preserve and  / or decouple probably has something to do with it? 

thanks

MArk

Happy New Year Paul and team!

"Make it happen"... cool :D

Can I be cheeky and ask if there is any chance for mono channels in 2019?

Overall - VE PRO 6 is now working like a dream on my large projects. Most stable at has ever been. 64 buffer and no clicks are other artifacts. Just works... 

MArk

Hi All

Overall I am finding VE Pro 6 now to be very stable and working with almost all I have. I have PC slave systems (i7 and i9) and all is working at 64 buffer with no clicks pops etc.. So far so good. 

I have set up a few soft synth instances so I can run these away from the DAW PC (many are quite CPU hungry). All is going well  - except one - Serum by Xfer Records. Rather odd, but it "was" working on my slave for a while, but not anymore. Now I cannot get it to work on an VE pro 6 system (32 or 64 bit).  It works OK in the DAW and in Cantible, so I know the actual synth is OK. 

I "will" work in VE Pro 6  - but cannot change presets - unless you wait for about 30 seconds...... 

Anyone see this? 

SOLVED... was going to delete this before posting, but just in case anyone finds the same. It will only work if the DAW is connected to the VE PRO 6 instance.....  if not it will not work, but with the connection made all is well :D.     Why does this matter ??

Phew! 

MArk

PT 12.6

Short answer no. But just upgraded my array to Win 10  / VE PRO 6 so I need to run some tests first. Will let you know.. 

M

Hi.. (Paul)

The advantage for some (like me) is as follows.......

I have a large hardware synth collection. It is wired into a Focusrite Thunderbolt (24 inputs) array - that attached to DAW. However, unless I leave some synths unplugged, or route them through a mixer, I do not have enough inputs on the hardware. Depending on how you work that might not be an option - since you can record the audio of a part, then swap synths over. However, I have always liked the option to have everything playing in real time....

So... I have a spare audio interface. It would be useful to connect that to my Slave 2 and then plug some sythns into that. The audio  / midi of those synths would then be controlled from the DAW in the normal way. In other words, the slave would be hosting VI instruments in the normal way, but could also deal with audio / midi coming through the audio interface into the slave....

I appreciate this is a long way from the intention of VE PRO......  but there you go :D

MArk

Yes!

Ok, I do a reasonable amount of orch related music, but my main reason for VE PRO 5 (and now 6) was to distribute both RAM and CPU load. So my typical set up at the moment looks like this.

DAW PC

Slave 1 orch

Slave 2 choir and FX

Slave 3 VI instruments

For slave 3 I use it for really CPU intensive stuff  - like VI moddeling synths, Iris 2, Omni and others.  For slave 2 I run the huge convolution reverb Altiverb 7. I route a load of audio through this.

The overall advantage are two fold for me. 1) My Pro tools rig runs like a dream with no stress at all. 2) I have virtual racks of FX and synths just reading to be 'on tap' for any project I am working on. The funny thing is I now run a powerful 64 MB windows 10 system for my DAW and probably many of my projects could be created from within this alone (I do use lots of hardware synths too). But since getting into VE PRO I like the distributed way of working.

Mark

p.s. my number one wish for VE PRO is that they finally sort out mono channels. I really was hoping this would be sorted for VE PRO 6. For example, I run BFD 3 (drums) from a slave. It runs really well and takes a whole load off the DAW - but I wish I could simply route the kick mic through a mono channel in VE PRO 6

Thx !

Hi

Quick simple question. I intend to upgrade the DAW and slaves to VE Pro 6 soon. In the meantime, will VE PRO 5 and 6 work accross the network? E.g. DAW will be version 6, the slaves are currently on the the latest version 5. 

Thanks

mark

Evening all. I have been a long time (well 3 years) user of VE PRO 5. I have an array of one DAW and 5 servers (so two sets of licenses). I am building a new DAW PC at the moment (based on a Thunderbolt audio interface). I have been dipping in and out of this forum to see how everyone is getting on with VE PRO 6. So I guess this post / question is for long time users who have upgraded to VE PRO 6. Is it now the time to do this? I was nervous given the early reports of problems (which I KNOW will be present with a new version of a piece of sophisticated software). I am starting some new projects so teething problems is less of an issue. Aside: I still hope one day that the mono channel request will be implemented. 

+1000 - I want mono outputs more than any other new feature :)

Afternoon...

This is supposed to be a positive post, I am not dissing anything :)  I have VE PRO 5. I have two sets (One DAW and 5 slaves) so I am a serious user and love the product :)

Looking through the threads here there seems a lot of questions and potential issues. I accept that this will be the case with a new product (to some extent). However, I find there is nothing really lacking in my VE PRO 5 setup, other than mono outputs. I know VE PRO 6 also does not address the mono issues. Hell, if it did I would upgrade now and out up with the teething trouble.

So... are other users looking at this forum, but sitting on the fence at the moment before considering upgrading?

Mark

Brilliant news.... when I upgrade.

Hi All

Probably a silly question, but still I think worth asking...

I use VE PRO 5 on a four PC array (one PC being for the DAW). In the main this is to share RAM (each has 32 Gigs). However, more and more I am using one PC to host CPU intensive VI instruments. RAM is then not an issue in the main, I am saving CPU on my DAW PC...

So the question is this : if I host the VI synth (for example) on a slave, will the CPU saving on the DAW still be significant when compared to the CPU used by the DAW to host the VE PRO plug in and deal with the midi audio in / out?  In addition, if the CPU usage on the slave as high (as some of the VI synths are very CPU hungry), that should have no impact on the DAW CPU usage (other than the hosting of the plugin / midi / audio as mentioned above).....

Reason for asking. Was considering upgrading my DAW PC (its quite high spec now anyway). However, if CPU / RAM load is really distributed over all four PC's, then there should be many many months (years) of life left...

cheers

Mark

Let me jump in here as well and this could be an interesting thread (so sorry Paul et al that I have posted this elsewhere)....

mono channels  - please..... !!!

Mark

Thanks for quick reply Paul

OK  - understand. In which case I will use the old saying 'if its not broke' - my upgrade in time but my rig is working fine with VE PRO 5. The mono issue has been knocking around for years and assumed it would be added at the code writing stage.

cheers

Mark

Afternoon All

Anyone used Altiverb 7 Reverb in VE PRO 5?  Its working well  - but noticed something odd.

Two WIN 7 systems, DAW (pro tools 12) and slave (running latest VE PRO 5 server).

DAW buffer set to 256.

Placed Altiverb 7 Reverb as an audio plugin in the slave

Placed an VE PRO 5 plugin in a DAW track (to connect to slave)

Placed VE PRO 5 audio plugin onto an aux track. Set buffer to zero. Would expect 256 samples to be shown. In actual fact it shows 1280 samples ?! So that sets the delay of the whole DAW system.

On the actual Altiverb 7 Reverb plugin it reports the "host" buffer as being 1024 samples.

If I remove or bypass the Reverb plugin, then the number of samples reported by the VE PRO 5 audio plugin is... 256 as expected.

I presume the reverb plugin is producing a buffer of its own? It is compensated correctly, but it means the whole DAW than uses this higher number of samples (1280).

Any thoughts / ideas?

rgs

Mark

Morning folks :)

Yes I know this has been asked about a number of times, so I will keep it short :D

Firstly - question to Paul Steinbauer - will mono channels in VE PRO 5 ever be implemented, or rather, is it on the "to do" list?

Secondly, I am not near my PC's right now, so can someone tell me how VE PRO 5 actually treats / deals with a mono signal (say from BDF3) that goes into a stereo channel. Does it send it left (or right, and can you choose which ?) or does it send two identical signals (one left and one right)? 

Whatever it does - I want to achieve the following (say for a kick):

Mono - channel (e.g. from BDF3) _____> Stereo channel in VE PRO 5 ______ > Mono Channel in Pro Tools.

I want to make sure I am getting the panning etc right and not getting phase / doubling issues etc. If this were an analogue mixing disk that only had stereo channel pairs I would just be inserting my mono signal into the left or the right and leaving the redundant fader well alone. I just want to achieve the same effect in VE PRO 5 until the mono channels are added (if ever!). 

So, if it sends two signals left and right, can I just pan the VE PRO 5 stereo channel left or right and send that signal to a mono channel in Pro Tools?

thanks

Mark

OK... kinda partial solution just discovered. It appears that VE PRO 5 maps the stereo outs of BFD3 correctly, and then maps the mono out after that (but in stereo pairs). 

Not being an audio engineer - is this a solution. I mean, if I have a mono signal out of BFD3 going into a stereo channel  - is there anything I need to do panning wise (etc) so that from an audio perspecive the stereo channel is behaving as mono? Mark