processor upgrade question

[sonikbliss]

I've got a G4 466MHz (Digital Audio) that I upgraded with a Gigadesign Dual 1.8GHz cpu.

1.25G RAM

OSX10.3.9

OS 9.2

Digi 001 w/PT 6.4

Firmtek SATA controller w/2 x 300G SATA HDD's (internal)

I've had this up and running for about 6 months and it's worked perfectly ever since, except for one time that I had to reset the PMU. It was a little bit of a hassle getting everything up and running initially, but once I did the speed/performance boost was highly noticeable and well worth it.

[knapus]

Hey thanks everybody for the input. Just thought I'd let y'all know what I did...

A local(ish) place here in Portland had a decent price on a Sonnet Encore 1.2Ghz upgrade for my 400mhz G4 (AGP) so I bought it. Installed it myself, which means it was easy because I definitely do not build computers. I restarted in 9.2 and each time it would load a few more extensions (on the opening page) before freezing, but after three or four restarts it loaded up fine. I then re-booted in OSX 3.something and have since run PT LE with 8-10 tracks and messed around with three or four compressor plug-ins and some reverbs and eq's all at the same time just to see what happens and it seems to do just great. Still have to try recording 12 or more tracks at once but it seems good so far. Thanks again.

[JdJ]

Quite some time ago I upgraded my AGP G4 400 to a single 1.2 Powerlogix everything went smeuuuth... No problems at all. Keep in mind for some upgrades you need an OS 9 bootable drive/partition to do a firmware upgrade.

Now I'm wondering about one of the new Sonnett 1.8 Dual upgrades.

Here's the deal-

I'm running OSX 10.3.9 w/ PT 6.4, but I'm planning on getting Altiverb. I'm already getting squeezed using Colortone/ Hydratone convolution based stuff.

Anyone have any idea if I'll see a significant performance increase over the single 1.2? I'm hesitating buying a G5 w/ all of the new Intel stuff coming out. Not to mention I'd have to go to a 002! All said and done I'd be at $3500 w/ no plug upgrades!

Thanks,

Josh

[knapus]

Yeah, JdJ, you're right about the partitioned drive. Luckily mine was set up that way. Installing the new firmware (before doing anything else) was actually the most complicated part, and even that wasn't really that bad. Sonnet gives you the link at apple to go to and then you have to install a firmware patch that they include on a CD.

[JdJ]

Knapus-

Did you get the 1.2 single? I'm just wondering about the improvement going from a single to a dual in PT 6.4. I don' t think they have really integrated the dual thing until the 7.0 release, and that doesn't work with my hardware.

There's never an easy answer....

Sonik- do you use Altiverb or any other convolution based plugins? You have pretty much the setup I was going to upgrade to.

--J

[knapus]

JdJ,
Yeah, I got the 1.2 single processor. I'm using PT LE 6.9.2 with the 002r. Sounds like maybe you're using the 001?

[JdJ]

Yeah- I'm still using the 001, but with external converters/pres. I guess the converters in the 002 are better, but I rarely track more than the 8 externals allow. I did notice a huge jump from my 400 stock chip to the 1.2.

--J