The Official Computer Tech Support Thread

[Freebase Dali]

@ Vegangelica:

When you zoom into the offending clips, are you sure that they're snapping properly to the same grid marker? If you zoom all the way in to the beginning of both clips and see that they're not both snapping to the same line perfectly, and their waveforms don't match up, then it's a snap-to-grid issue. This can be caused by your snap settings either being too short (like 64ths or 128ths) or disabled entirely in the new program, or migrating the song with snap settings from the previous program might have caused issues by way of a bug.
If that's the issue, then you'll literally have to go through and line up all your clips to the proper positions.
If it's not, let me know.

As far as performance issues, make sure you're meeting the suggested system requirements for the software. If you're only meeting the minimum system requirements, you're going to have issues all the time.

By the way, the recording thread is getting re-done. I'm just going to provide links to resources and answer questions instead of going overboard with info.

[VEGANGELICA]

Originally Posted by Freebase Dali

@ Vegangelica:

When you zoom into the offending clips, are you sure that they're snapping properly to the same grid marker? If you zoom all the way in to the beginning of both clips and see that they're not both snapping to the same line perfectly, and their waveforms don't match up, then it's a snap-to-grid issue. This can be caused by your snap settings either being too short (like 64ths or 128ths) or disabled entirely in the new program, or migrating the song with snap settings from the previous program might have caused issues by way of a bug.
If that's the issue, then you'll literally have to go through and line up all your clips to the proper positions.
If it's not, let me know.

I used the "copy" function on a track and then pasted it, which creates a duplicate track, so they should be exactly the same, starting right at the start of the tracks. Then in the second track (the duplicate), I cut out some parts, but moved no clips around.

I'll look at snap settings, though, because there are other tracks where I pasted in small clips. However, when I pasted those clips I visually expanded the track as far as it can expand so that the clip appears to match up with one it is duplicating in an adjoining track. I'll doublecheck some more of the clips to see if they match visually when I expand the tracks as much as I can.

Ugh! This will be hell if I have to go through each tiny clip to make sure they line up! Ah, well, such is life. Maybe I'll try opening up the same song in my newer Acid Pro 7.0 program and listen to it again...maybe the tracks will line up there! (Perhaps I'll start praying to the Audio Gods, too, and end my heathen atheist ways.)

As far as performance issues, make sure you're meeting the suggested system requirements for the software. If you're only meeting the minimum system requirements, you're going to have issues all the time.

I made sure to surpass the minimum system requirements (I thought), adding 2 matching Kingston 1 GB 400 MHz modules so right now the computer has 2.5 GB of RAM. That *should* be enough. Maybe I should get some more RAM, just to be sure, and just max the computer out.

By the way, the recording thread is getting re-done. I'm just going to provide links to resources and answer questions instead of going overboard with info.

Thanks for your help today and also for your recording thread. I'm sure however you structure it, it will be helpful to people. *I* of course don't mind if you go overboard with info! Feel free to write a Veganelicaesque book!

[Freebase Dali]

If you can, can you get a large screenshot of your project and post me a link? Try to get one with two of the same clips aligned with each other so I can compare the waveforms.

As far as RAM, if you're using Vista or 7, 2 gigs of RAM is pretty much minimal for just your OS, so by making it 4 gigs, you'll actually have some memory headroom to work with in your software.

[VEGANGELICA]

Originally Posted by Freebase Dali

If you can, can you get a large screenshot of your project and post me a link? Try to get one with two of the same clips aligned with each other so I can compare the waveforms.

Will this screenshot work? It shows two pairs of matching tracks without any obvious differences in the positions of the waveforms, I'd say:

http://i658.photobucket.com/albums/u...ckscropped.jpg

Originally Posted by Freebase Dali

As far as RAM, if you're using Vista or 7, 2 gigs of RAM is pretty much minimal for just your OS, so by making it 4 gigs, you'll actually have some memory headroom to work with in your software.

I'll look up the maximum RAM for my computer again (I think it is 4 gigs), and try to get as close to that as possible. My computer has Windows XP...I don't know if that eats up as much RAM as Vista or 7. Thanks for the suggestion! I was disappointed that Sony Acid Pro 7 wasn't able to run well and appeared to be running out of memory, so certainly more RAM should help!

[Freebase Dali]

Yea, those waveforms look right, but are those copies of a mono clip or just the left/right channels of a stereo clip?

Yea, if you're using XP 32bit you can only address 4gb of RAM, and even the OS doesn't recognize that much by default. I use XP 32bit as well and have 4gb of RAM and XP only sees 3.25 of it. If you have room, you can add one gig stick of single-channel 400mhz RAM to your existing 2gigs of what I'm assuming are dual channel. (ddr2) Don't buy anything over 400mhz, as your current RAM is 400mhz and anything higher on the third stick will have to throttle down to your slowest speed RAM (400mhz).

Also, you'll want to make sure that your current RAM, if dual channel, is plugged into the right slots. The dual channel slots on the mobo will be 2 greens I think, or a different color than black or white. That's where you plug your DDR2 RAM. If you don't, they won't operate in dual channel mode. Also, you can only have a pair of dual channel, so your third stick should be single channel (ddr1). If your mobo supports triple channeling (DDR3), you can get three 1-gig sticks DDR3 and plug them into their respective slots and really raise your performance, but that's only if your mobo supports it. You can find out just by looking at the RAM slots. If there are three colored slots and one black or white slot, it supports DDR3.

[VEGANGELICA]

Originally Posted by Freebase Dali

Yea, those waveforms look right, but are those copies of a mono clip or just the left/right channels of a stereo clip?

Those are mono clips (not left/right channels of a stereo clip). I have never recorded anything in stereo. Should I be?

If you have room, you can add one gig stick of single-channel 400mhz RAM to your existing 2gigs of what I'm assuming are dual channel. (ddr2) Don't buy anything over 400mhz, as your current RAM is 400mhz and anything higher on the third stick will have to throttle down to your slowest speed RAM (400mhz).

I've got two of these Kingston 1 GB sticks in the computer right now: http://www.cdw.com/shop/products/def...ontractID=0#TS

The technical info says they are DDR SDRAM, and I looked to see what that means...I think it is the same as DDR1, unfortunately. So, if my 2 gigs *aren't* dual channel, what are the implications?

Also, you'll want to make sure that your current RAM, if dual channel, is plugged into the right slots. The dual channel slots on the mobo will be 2 greens I think, or a different color than black or white. That's where you plug your DDR2 RAM. If you don't, they won't operate in dual channel mode. Also, you can only have a pair of dual channel, so your third stick should be single channel (ddr1). If your mobo supports triple channeling (DDR3), you can get three 1-gig sticks DDR3 and plug them into their respective slots and really raise your performance, but that's only if your mobo supports it. You can find out just by looking at the RAM slots. If there are three colored slots and one black or white slot, it supports DDR3.

I didn't know all that about the slots. Thank you! Since my two sticks appear to be just DDR1 (DDR SDRAM), I'm guessing I should just buy one more 1 GB stick like them and put it in a slot...from what you said, the color won't matter if I'm using a DDR1 module.

My, this all gets rather complicated, doesn't it? You should charge us for your advice.

[Freebase Dali]

Yea you picked single channel. You'll need your additional RAM to be single channel as well.
The implications, well... assuming your motherboard supports DDR2, which it should if it came out any time in the last 5 or 6 years, if you had two sticks of DDR2 in the proper configuration, your RAM's data rate is significantly increased and both sticks work in tandem to handle the workload. You get better performance with DDR2, plain and simple.
But yea, just buy another of the same stick and plug it in. 3 gigs is better than 2. You'll notice a performance increase for sure.

I don't want to get into processors or anything, but if you ever consider a processor upgrade or even a mobo upgrade, I can help.



As far as your mono clips...
Recording a mono source into a stereo channel effectively does what you're doing manually, except you won't have to worry about duplicating and positioning between the two. I find that there are scenarios where I'll do that, like if I want two completely different effects on the same source so that each clip is effectively different...
But if you're going for an actual stereo sound without effects, you're far better off recording two mono versions separately and wide panning them. The differences in each clip is what makes the space and wide positioning apparent. Not the fact that there are two of the same thing in each ear.

Again, I don't know what you're going for but I thought I'd throw that out there.

[VEGANGELICA]

Originally Posted by Freebase Dali

Yea you picked single channel. You'll need your additional RAM to be single channel as well.
You get better performance with DDR2, plain and simple.
But yea, just buy another of the same stick and plug it in. 3 gigs is better than 2. You'll notice a performance increase for sure.

I don't want to get into processors or anything, but if you ever consider a processor upgrade or even a mobo upgrade, I can help.


As far as your mono clips...

Thanks for all the advice, FD. If I ever upgrade my processor, I'll know whom to ask.

Here's a new symptom of my out-of-sync tracks that may help you diagnose the problem. I realized today that if I start playing back the song in the MIDDLE, then THE TRACKS ARE IN SYNC for a little while. However, if I start playback of the song at the BEGINNING, then by the time it gets to the middle the tracks are noticeably out-of-sync...assuming the program hasn't crashed on me, which it has a tendency to do.

So, this does sound like a memory problem, doesn't it? Hopefully one additional GB of RAM will allow the computer to have fewer problems storing the data or whatever it isn't doing well now. I'll buy the third stick and hope that helps.

I guess this is yet another reason I should limit my songs to 3 minutes! These 5-minuters are too much for my system to handle...and probably almost anyone's system, esp. when I'm singing about my favorite topic!

[Mojo]

Ok so my computer is running pretty slowly lately. For most things, its not a problem. I can browse the net and other every day things and notice an issue at all. I notice the issue when im using Skype. Calls cut off and drop, the application itself will crash and i have to open task manager to close it. Skype tells me the reason is my computer performance rather than my internet connection.

I thought it was the connection speed at first because it has dropped lately. At times im running at 500kbps or lower. However ive just had the same issue while my connection speed was around 1mbps, which is what were paying for and has proven to be a good enough speed to use Skype perfectly in the past. So as far as im concerned, this rules this possibility out.

Also i dont believe it is the program itself. When Skype crashes, i go to Ooovoo and this crashes when the call connects too. If i use Skype on my phone over the 3g network, this works fine with no problems. As seen as i have the same issue on both pieces of software, i think this rules out the reliablity of Skype.

I have my laptop on High Performance and running off AV power rather than battery.

Now i have a 1.6ghz processor and 2gb of RAM, so as far as im aware this should be more than enough to run Skype. Ive been uninstalling programs i dont use or need as i know that too many processes running in the background at the same time could easily account for this. Ill continue to do this but to be fair, im running out of expendable programs so im thinking that this isnt the cause of the issue either. Also when the problem presents itself, ill open task manager and start to end certain applications and processes that dont need to be running, start Skype again and have the same problem.

I guess my question is, could it be down to free hard drive space? I dont have much. I could get rid of about 50gb of data easily once i get my hands on my external hard drive which is currently at a friends house but could this really be whats causing it when 90% of my hard drive space that is used is mp3s and avi files and so effectively just data sitting on the hard drive rather than processes running in the background while Skype is in use?

[Freebase Dali]

Mojo,
Hard drive space isn't your issue. That would only affect how much more stuff you could physically store on your hard drive.

Are you on XP, Vista or 7?