Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

64-bit processors and audio apps

springscansing

springscansing

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Oct 13, 2002
922
0
New York
I'm just curious... everyone is saying 64-bit doesn't help with day to day web browsing, word processing, and stuff like that.

But I am not doing stuff like that. My dual 867 is frequently maxed out processor wise due to heavy amount of realtime audio processing in Max and Reaktor and the like, and I am limited creatively because of it.

How will 64-bit bit processors, like the 970, help someone in my situation?
 
Re: 64-bit processors and audio apps

Originally posted by springscansing
How will 64-bit bit processors, like the 970, help someone in my situation?
Click to expand...
They should help by being to move around audio data faster and manipulate larger chunks of it at a time.

Are your audio applications using the capabailities of the Altivec instruction set? That could help as well.

Just remember that for a while, you're still going to get only 32bit applications with the 970, it'll take a while for 64 bit applications to show up. And that is only afte rthe OS has been modified to handle 64 bit applications. And the ones that will hopefully get done first will be the ones that can benefit the most. (Image, Video and Audio).

However, the 970 should give a nice performance improvement to your current application. The question is, when will it qctually get released in a Mac? Can you live with your dual 867 until the 970 comes out or would it make sense to get a DP1.42 and use that for a couple of years?
 
Re: Re: 64-bit processors and audio apps

Originally posted by Bear
They should help by being to move around audio data faster and manipulate larger chunks of it at a time.

Are your audio applications using the capabailities of the Altivec instruction set? That could help as well.

Just remember that for a while, you're still going to get only 32bit applications with the 970, it'll take a while for 64 bit applications to show up. And that is only afte rthe OS has been modified to handle 64 bit applications. And the ones that will hopefully get done first will be the ones that can benefit the most. (Image, Video and Audio).

However, the 970 should give a nice performance improvement to your current application. The question is, when will it qctually get released in a Mac? Can you live with your dual 867 until the 970 comes out or would it make sense to get a DP1.42 and use that for a couple of years?
Click to expand...

Well, considering I still need 9 until Reaktor 4 comes out, the DP 1.42 is out of the question until April. However, that's a lot of money to spend on something that is going to be obsolete in 6-8 months.

What I really want is a 970 laptop. I'm going to be going to college for Music Technology at NYU likely, and I'd like something that would have enough power to run my audio software, and would also be mobile enough to carry to class no problem. Do you think the 970 is going to make it to laptops? I would not be buying one until probably July 2004.

Also, my girlfriend really wants a mac for college (she has a PC now) as well. She's going in this september: Do you think the 970 will at least be announced then for macs? I'd hate to have her get her first new mac then have it be obsolete in 3 months.
 
Originally posted by springscansing
How will 64-bit bit processors, like the 970, help someone in my situation?
Click to expand...
64-bit addressing will help you get over the current 2-4 GB memory limit current in effect.

The addition of a second FP unit will mean the processor will no longer suffer as big a FP handicap.

And the addition of RIO and the new FSB will mean the processor can actually perform a heck of a lot faster. Since the Altivec unit on an old G4 500 could saturate a future bus, the faster MHz of the processor won't help as much increased bandwidth with regard to Altivec -- very much bandwidth limited.

The two big problems are 64-bit addressing and the bandwidth of the system bus in the current machines ...

The MHz and bit-width in the rest of the chip, are not as big a factor as the other two.
 
I wouldn't expect 970 machines until after the summer. It might be good for your girlfriend to get the Mac soon so she has time to get used to it before getting sucked into college.

As for 970s and laptops. I suspect that within a year (possibly less) after the first 970 PowerMac is released that the PowerBook will have a 970 processor. So it might be available for the fall of 2004.
 
Originally posted by Bear
I wouldn't expect 970 machines until after the summer. It might be good for your girlfriend to get the Mac soon so she has time to get used to it before getting sucked into college.

As for 970s and laptops. I suspect that within a year (possibly less) after the first 970 PowerMac is released that the PowerBook will have a 970 processor. So it might be available for the fall of 2004.
Click to expand...

Hmm.. you are less optimistic than I am. ;-)

I personally was hoping that powermacs would be ANNOUNCED in september to ship in october, and laptops would be announced in december to ship in January. I would say after the 970 is in powermacs, it shouldn't be more than 3 months to make it to laptops. Maybe I am wrong though.

Why do you think it would take up to a year for the jump to laptops? The 970 is more power efficient than the G4 as I understand it.
 
Originally posted by springscansing
Hmm.. you are less optimistic than I am. ;-)

I personally was hoping that powermacs would be ANNOUNCED in september to ship in october, and laptops would be announced in december to ship in January. I would say after the 970 is in powermacs, it shouldn't be more than 3 months to make it to laptops. Maybe I am wrong though.

Why do you think it would take up to a year for the jump to laptops? The 970 is more power efficient than the G4 as I understand it.
Click to expand...
Maybe it's being pessimistic. Also, I'm not sure the leadtime on the new machines would only be a month with the way things have been lately.

Anyway, September is very possible for the 970 PowerMac. As for the PowerBook, It could only take 3 months, but I wouldn't bet on it.

I just wouldn't wait for the 970 if I needed the machine now. However, since springscansing can wait apparently, this shouldn't be a problem for him.
 
Now is a good time to buy PowerMac

The current PowerMacs would be a good purchase if 970 Macs really do get released this year. By the time the G4 system is ready for retirement the 970 models will be into their 2nd generation and 64 bit software would be the standard.
 
Re: Now is a good time to buy PowerMac

Originally posted by Sol
The current PowerMacs would be a good purchase if 970 Macs really do get released this year. By the time the G4 system is ready for retirement the 970 models will be into their 2nd generation and 64 bit software would be the standard.
Click to expand...

That is a good point I suppose, but I am able to deal with my current machine until the 970s do come out. I think I should wait. :)
 
Originally posted by kidtronix
Yeah! Cycling '74! Wohoo!
Click to expand...

i love ( and miss:( ) my cycling 74 plug-ins....they crash my duallie every freakin time. and i've got too much running to switch to single...

i voice my displeasure to them at every trade show but they're not gonna budge. no dual support except in X...major drag.

i miss my fragulator:(
 
I would expect to see the 970 desktops appear around late summer or early fall. We could see 970 laptops released simultaneously (not likely, but it is the "Year of the Laptop"), but they will most likely appear in January at MacWorld. If not, they will almost certainly be available by late spring of 2004 for back-to-school buying.
 
Re: 64-bit processors and audio apps

Originally posted by springscansing
How will 64-bit bit processors, like the 970, help someone in my situation?
Click to expand...

Considering how long it took the music industry to adopt osX.. I'd say don't hold your breath. I'm still waiting on drivers for the new Presonus Firestation and you want 970 support? heheheh... man, 2008 is gonna kick a lot of ass!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back