Video memory? Important?

[foley]

I'm looking at the new i-macs, after having pretty much scratched out the e-macs for now, and I noticed that the only difference between the entry level and the mid-level is:
15 vs. 17 inch screen
1 gig processor vs. 1.25 gig processor
32 mb of video memory vs. 64 mb of video memory
combo drive vs. super drive

I think I can live with a 15 inch screen (I'm typing on one right now and it aint bothered me yet), and (really) what is the difference between 1 and 1.25 gig processor? and burning cds is enough for me for now. but that video memory ... will that make a difference?

I suppose I'll be running either protools le or possibly the new deck. Any help would be appreciated!

mf

[Everybody's X]

actually, it's better to have a basic video card for audio, check this out http://www.tascam.com/support/faq/pc_op ... mize.php#1 it will get you set up/

[odsus]

Eveybody's X that was an awsome link, I've been looking for some of that info for a while, thanks. I was going to post that vidio memory has absolutly no bearing on recording, but that summed it up pretty damn good.

[Everybody's X]

I followed it to the letter and my machine has been rock-solid since. Thanks Tascam!

[silversound]

In a mac you have a 64bit pci buss. This is twice that of the 32 bit pci bus in a pc. That is what determines most of your performance. In most computers the pci bus which flows data from the souncard (be it firewire or cardslot pci) also flows video. So say on a pc when the data rate goes over 32bits, one of the two devices will have to enter a wait state while the pci buss flushes. This is why noobies get so many pops and clicks on a pc while even the most moronic user does so well on a mac. These are huge design differences. However a properly set up pc can out perform ANY mac. But in the hands of the average user, macs are a cut above, or at least percieved that way.

So to answer your question: While more video ram is better, I doubt it will afffect your audio apps. However if you do graphix or gamez you will suffer.

Cheers!

[mtw]

In a mac you have a 64bit pci buss. This is twice that of the 32 bit pci bus in a pc. That is what determines most of your performance. In most computers the pci bus which flows data from the souncard (be it firewire or cardslot pci) also flows video. So say on a pc when the data rate goes over 32bits, one of the two devices will have to enter a wait state while the pci buss flushes. This is why noobies get so many pops and clicks on a pc while even the most moronic user does so well on a mac.

Hi Silver-

Gonna have to disagree with your information here.

The main difference between a 32bit and 64bit PCI buss is this: 32 bit busses pass on 32 bits of information to the CPU every clock cycle; 64-bit are double that. When you see motherbards with a 33/66/100 etc MHz PCI buss it means that 32 bits of information are processed 100 million times per second (in the case of a 100MHz buss) There is no such thing as a "wait state" for the PCI buss. ("wait state" is a term used when speaking about RAM, but that's an entirely different story) So, given this information, one will never encounter a situation where the PCI buss enters a wait state... it's always "working." 99% of the clicks and pops one encounters when recording on a PC has to do with IRQ conflicts or having 2 busy PCI cards sharing the same IRQ. (for example, the sound card and a firewire card.)

Also, on almost all modern PCs video cards live on the AGP buss, totally bypassing the PCI buss. This allows the CPU to pass information to and from the video card in a dedicated "channel."

So to answer your question: While more video ram is better, I doubt it will afffect your audio apps. However if you do graphix or gamez you will suffer.

This is 100% correct.

[silversound]

So I went to the source and found this: http://www.intel.com/technology/agp/tut ... hapt_1.htm

It explains it very well. It also clearly states that the pci bus IS seperate from the agp bus. Touche'

However when you take into consideration busmastering, and overall throughput, I still believe that the pci bus lays in wait while the agp hogs all of the memory bandwith. Hence the above mentioned "basic video card" myth. Or does the southbridge (ide chain) talk right to the soundcard. I don't think so. I think all of the pci data must pass through the northbridge which is commonly bussmastered by the AGP. Which in a way seems to put it in the pci chain, or at least heavily affects its' performance. If the pci bus in a pc where 64 bit it could take larger chunks of data at once and therefore your soundcard would have more to work with and you would have less need for buffering on the soundcard. Most clicks and pops are irq related yes, but often the agp card will share the irq of the first pci slot. Not to mention that almost ALL pops and clicks occur during a screen redraw (i.e. when the waves scroll arcross the screen)

Anyway, now we are way off topic and dilluting this guys thread! lol But I must say it will be nice to have another overly technical poster around the computer forum. Please post away MTW! Welcome back Carter! :D

Half of my knowlege is at times, like me, half baked. Like the time I stated that there where mother boards using built in firewire running through the southbridge instead of the northbridge. I was correct for some motherboards.........a year or two from now. Sorry for spreading missinformation.
Cheers!

[foley]

Thanks for the info! I have pretty much no idea what the last three posts were talking about but you guys obviously do so ... I guess that's why I use a mac.

Thanks again!

mf