The Newly Revised Official Giga Survey - submit now, or be absorbed!

[Jerry Kahn]

OK, I lied again. This is not all that official.

To those who remember, I and a few other members of this bulletin board ran an earlier version of this 4 months ago.See: http://www.northernsounds.com/ubb/NonCGI/Forum1/HTML/000423.html (\"http://www.northernsounds.com/ubb/NonCGI/Forum1/HTML/000423.html\")
There was a very positive response to this last survey, I think many benifitted greatly from it, and most importantly, so did I. Now we (er, I) am ready for another go around. Why, you ask? Simple: I have nothing better to do with my time. Also, I enjoy seeing what components are working the best right now-- things change in a few months and I am just plain curious, darn it!

Now, just get on with it, already...
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Directions:

Cut and paste the following list into a reply post and edit in your answers. If you aren\'t sure of a particular answer, or don\'t feel like digging it out, just leave it out. I guarantee that you will be highly rewarded in the afterlife for this great service to your fellow gigapersons...
--------------------------------

-processor
-chipset
-motherboard
-ram
-hard drive(s)
-use SCSI?
-sound card(s)
-standalone use?
-video processor/card/settings
-BIOS settings
-Midi Input Card
-other processors
-recording system - hardware/software
-sequencing system - hardware/software
-polyphony (# voices achieved in Giga)
-click/pops in Giga? sometimes?
-sound quality (1-10)
-midi performance (built in/stand alone/win 2k ect.)
-other problems
-comments/suggestions

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See-- That wasn\'t so hard!

Thanks, and Bless you all,
every one of you!

rgds,
jk

[Jerry Kahn]

As a sample, I have reprinted clueless\' brilliant response from Feb. 3rd. Incidentally, clueless was one of the co-authors of this exceptional survey...

clueless\' response:
-----------------------------
-processor PIII 800MHz, no overclocking
-chipset VIA Apollo Pro133A
-motherboard ASUS P3V4X
–ram 512Mb, PC-100
-hard drive(s) (1) Maxtor 6.4Gb; (2) Western Digital 18Gb, 7200, ATA/66
-sound card(s) Echo GINA 20 bit
-standalone use? YES
-video processor/card/settings Jaton 107AGP (2x, 8Mb)
-BIOS settings USB switched off, latency std., accel. Full, set for server operation, Windows handling virtual mem., DMA turned on, had to update BIOS for VIA chip set
-Midi Input Card WINMAN 2X2 (it is an ISA card)
-other processors None
-recording system – (1) SONY DAT; (2) PIII 800 w/ GINA20, Sound Forge 4.5 (this is the same computer I use for the Gigastudio. Note that it is virtually impossible to record while playing the Gigastudio unless only a few instruments are loaded.)
-sequencing system – MAC (Power Computing 100) running Performer 5.5, MOTU MIDI Express
-polyphony 160
-click/pops in Giga? sometimes? YES, when enough instruments are loaded (>40% mem usage). Otherwise there are no extraneous sounds.
-sound quality 10, except for pops
-midi performance great, no problems from Gigastudio computer but the MAC, which is my sequencing computer, can be overloaded with too many after touch, pitch bend, and other MIDI signals.
-other problems Gigastudio computer will often boot up with a msgsrv32, msg32 or other low-level error so that several reboots are necessary. It will get page faults often when running Gigastudo (often related to wstream) and will also require rebooting.
-comments/suggestions Serious stand-alone diagnostic program needs to be written (see forum location http://www.northernsounds.com/ubb/NonCGI/Forum5/HTML/000132.html) (\"http://www.northernsounds.com/ubb/NonCGI/Forum5/HTML/000132.html)\")
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Cheers,
jk

[Kenn159]

Cool thread

I haven\'t been asorbed yet but just to stay on the safe side I thought I should submit my config .

-processor Pentium 3 450[ I need to upgrade]
-chipset Intel 440 BX
-motherboard Abit Be6
-ram 128 meg
-hard drive(s) u-33 4 gig for op system,IBM 14 gig u-66 for cakewalk ,Western dig U-66 27 gig for giga samples
-use SCSI? No
-sound card(s)Darla 24 and sb live
-standalone use? no
-video processor/card/settings Diamond speadstar A-90
-BIOS settings Default
-Midi Input Card sb live
-other processors software plug ins
-recording system - hardware/software Cakewalk
-sequencing system - hardware/software Cakewalk
-polyphony (# voices achieved in Giga)64
-click/pops in Giga? sometimes?Yes with sustain pedal on large samples
-sound quality (1-10) 8
-midi performance (built in/stand alone/win 2k ect.)from midi input on SB live card , It works fine.
-other problems
Complete system works fine other than periodic freezing in cakewalk from use of direct x plug ins and pops and clicks in giga .
-comments/suggestions

[donnie]

-processor---------------1.2ghz
-chipset ---------------AMD
-motherboard ---------------Asus
-ram----------------------------768
-hard drive(s) ----------------15 ATA100 (boot), 60 ATA100 (audio files/gigs), SCSI 160 18gig (recording/gigs)
-use SCSI?------------------------yes
-sound card(s)--------------------RME Digi9652 and ADI8/DS
-standalone use?--------------------------yes
-video processor/card/settings---------------------full
-BIOS settings -------------------------------usb disabled
-Midi Input Card-------------------------------parrallel PC Flyer
-other processors--------------------------NA
-recording system - hardware/software-----------------------------Wavelab 3.0, Sound Forge 4.5, Cubase 5.0
-sequencing system - hardware/software
-polyphony (# voices achieved in Giga)----------------------------always 160
-click/pops in Giga? sometimes?------------------no
-sound quality (1-10) -------------------------10
-midi performance (built in/stand alone/win 2k ect.)--------------------------------very good
-other problems---------------------------editor crashing frequently and \"eating\" my files!!!! http://www.northernsounds.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/frown.gif
-comments/suggestions----------------------
-If you don\'t dedicate a machine to Giga you are asking for trouble.
-Set the \"stealing voices\" to around 40-60 if you are having problems with giga crashing at high polyphony counts.
-Take off any non music garbage!!
-Get a Mac for your sequencing.....no one can convince me that PC is a good choice for this!


Donnie

[This message has been edited by donnie (edited 06-21-2001).]

[Gav]

-processor: 1 GB
-chipset: Intel
-motherboard : ASUS
-ram: 512 MB
-hard drive(s):10,000 RPM IBM SCSI
-sound card(s): SEK\'D Sienna
-standalone use?: yup
-video processor/card/settings: lowest settings
-BIOS settings:USB disabled
-Midi Input Card: SEK\'D Sienna
-recording/sequencing system - Cubase VST 5
-polyphony (# voices achieved in Giga):so far only needed 100. (I have 2 dedicated 1GB PCs)
-click/pops in Giga? sometimes?: yes
-sound quality (1-10): 4 (having a big problem with computer noise leaking through outputs. Think it\'s a video driver issue though, not GIGAStudio) Sound quality of samples and GS in general is definately a 10!
-midi performance: great
-comments/suggestions: donnie, you said it...Mac is the way to go. I only use PCs for GS. And don\'t even bother trying to run more than just GS on your PC. A dedicated PC (100% dedicated) is the only way to go. C\'mon guys, it\'s getting pretty dang cheap now, you have to admit!

[Blob]

-processor-Duron 650@850 (keeps me warm on cold winter nights http://www.northernsounds.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/smile.gif
-chipset-AMD
-motherboard-Gigabyte
-ram-256mb
-hard drive(s)-10 gig ATA 66(Boot) 15 gig ATA 66 (gigs&audio)
-use SCSI?-Why?
-sound card(s)-(1)SBLive running APs drivers(2) SBLive running Creative rubbish
-standalone use?-Next month http://www.northernsounds.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/smile.gif
-video processor/card/settings-Full
-BIOS settings-Every tweak known to man!..and all unused ports disabled.
-Midi Input Card- http://www.northernsounds.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/shocked.gif
-other processors-Kenwood chef
-recording system - hardware/software
-sequencing system - hardware/software-Logic Plat/Wavelab/Finale/Band-in-a-box http://www.northernsounds.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/wink.gif
-polyphony (# voices achieved in Giga)-160
-click/pops in Giga? sometimes? the only thing popping is my knees
-sound quality (1-10)..er..um..6 (was 10 until i heard a real soundcard)
-midi performance (built in/stand alone/win 2k ect.)
-other problems-you mean apart from giga turning me into a computer nerd?
-comments/suggestions..Getting my new dedicated Giga box next month..did i mention

[Damian Smith]

-processor: Pentium III 866 Mhz, no overclocking
-chipset: Intel
-motherboard: Asus CUSL2-C
-ram: 512 MB
-hard drive(s): 3 Cheetah 9 GB SCSI drives on an UltraWide SCSI board, one drive partitioned into two 4 GB partitions, one for system, the other for recording, the other two for gigs.
-use SCSI?: Hell yes. It\'s great for when you\'re using more than one memory-intensive gig file.
-sound card(s): Hoontech C-Port (DSP24 + ADC-DAC2000
-standalone use?: No.SS
-video processor/card/settings: SIS 6326.
-BIOS settings: Don\'t know.
-Midi Input Card: C-Port, one MIDI in and 2 MIDI outs.
-other processors: None.
-recording system - hardware/software: Logic Audio 4.7
-sequencing system - hardware/software: Same as above.
-polyphony (# voices achieved in Giga): 160.
-click/pops in Giga? sometimes?: Very rarely do I get clicks and pops.
-sound quality (1-10): 10.
-midi performance (built in/stand alone/win 2k ect.): MIDI performance is great, the latency is excellent.
-other problems: Not that I can think of.
-comments/suggestions:

[pdevault]

Okay! Here\'s mine:


-processor Intel 933 mhz
-chipset Intel 815e
-motherboard Intel
-ram 256M
-hard drive(s) 40G for system, 60G for audio, both are Western Digital 7200 rpm IDE drives running ATA100 off of the motherboard
-use SCSI? Not on the PC
-sound card(s) WamiRack
-standalone use? You bet
-video processor/card/settings No change from default Windows 98SE
-BIOS settings No change from W98SE default
-Midi Input Card It\'s the Wami rack
-other processors
-recording system Protools on Mac
-polyphony (# voices achieved in Giga): 96 (I\'m using GS 96)
-click/pops in Giga? sometimes? Never
-sound quality (1-10) 10
-midi performance (built in/stand alone/win 2k ect.) Latency at 10 ms
-other problems none.
-comments/suggestions: ditto above comments!

[Jerry Kahn]

doh!