H-man.
Zynewave@LiquidProj3ct wrote:
About CPU usage. Podium, at least with one track, only use one core in my PC. Take a look to this screenshot, where I use Nithonat, Toraverb and Redoptor with maximun quality settings:
(click on picture until you see it at real size)
edit: I’m on Xp home, 32bits
It’s impossible for the host to split up the processing of a single plugin, or even a chain of serially connected plugins. The host asks a plugin to process a buffer of samples. It’s not possible for the host to split this up into smaller buffers, and then ask the plugin to process these simultaneously, because almost all plugins requires that samples are processed serially. Even a simple EQ plugin requires the processed result of the previous sample in its computation of the next sample.
If a single plugin should utilize multiple CPUs, it needs to be implemented in the plugin, which knows what parts of its internal processing can be performed in parallel. One example is the latest version of the NI Kontakt sampler. I remember reading that it now supports multiprocessing internally. It makes sense for a multitimbral instrument/sampler, because each voice could be processed separately.
Zynewave@thcilnnahoj wrote:
@thcilnnahoj wrote:
Podium lets you have pretty much an unlimited number of effect tracks! If you want 8 effects, just add them…
To be fair, this is not entirely true, maybe simply due to a bug: If I keep adding effects, at a certain amount the new effect tracks will not be added into the chain correctly. It’s best to try and see for yourself what happens. 😛
Also, if you were to have a mad chain of 30+ effects, at some point the group panel will start to extend beyond the screen. The scenario is unlikely, I’d say, but maybe a little “show/hide effects” button or a scrollbar would be in order in the GP.
The 30+ limitation will be removed at some point. It was necessary back when we had the expanded track layout mode.
And I’ll add a scrollbar to the group panel (rack) later on, when I implement embedded plugin editors. The scrollbar will of course only show if the rack does not fit in the inspector.
ronin
LiquidProj3ct@Zynewave wrote:
It’s impossible for the host to split up the processing of a single plugin, or even a chain of serially connected plugins
Ok! the other sentences after that, except the part of Kontakt, are too complex to understand for my poor brain a sunday after *the last saturday drink*. I’m sure that it’s always the last drink that makes me feel ill!! 😛
Zynewave@thcilnnahoj wrote:
Edit: Ooh, there’s drag-and drop rearranging of effects on the track header! If possible, pop-up help should close as soon as you start to click-drag an effect track, otherwise you can’t see where you’re dropping it.
That’s fixed in beta7, which is now uploaded. Also the dragging up/down is modified slightly.
And something a little off-topic. I recently wiped the dust off an old laptop computer; it has a native screen resolution of 1400×1050… on a measly 14″ screen. 🙄
Text in Podium is awfully small that way, and changing DPI settings in Windows doesn’t help. This is no request – I’m just curious – have you ever thought about changing Podium’s font for a heavier one, or using the system’s font?
I am keeping in mind that, at some point I need to provide an overall size scale setting for the UI elements. Personally I’m excited about the new multi-touch capability of Windows 7. My next PC purchase will support some kind of multi-touch, either as a laptop/tablet, or using a standalone multi-touch monitor. In the wake of the Windows 7 release, there are a lot of new devices coming out that supports multi-touch.
So to be able to comfortably work with finger touching, I’m going to implement an overall “finger size” setting in Podium, which will adjust the size of all buttons. That way the user can easily adjust to whatever screen DPI is used with the touch interface. That is one of the reasons why I’m substituting the old flat group panel with the new resizable button style.
Pigini@Zynewave wrote:
…
So to be able to comfortably work with finger touching, I’m going to implement an overall “finger size” setting in Podium, which will adjust the size of all buttons. That way the user can easily adjust to whatever screen DPI is used with the touch interface. That is one of the reasons why I’m substituting the old flat group panel with the new resizable button style.
Brilliant!! I’m using podium on an older tablet (single touch, but pressure sensitive), sometimes the usual gui just shows that it is designed toward desktop use. I would very much welcome some more touch screen friendly changes and a wider range of workable resolutions (in my case lower resolution). When designing for touch screen usability, it would also be great to have simple touch buttons for functions, that otherwise would need keyboard shortcuts. (Apps with lots of keyboard shortcuts and no clickable substitutes are really awkward to work with in pure tablet mode).
thcilnnahojI think all button click behaviours are just perfect by now. 🙂
I especially like that you can simply click on a send track to show or hide send level controls – that’s a great idea.
Two problems:
– In the floating inspector, if I select a track and don’t move the mouse, most of the time Podium will appear to become stuck and CPU use goes up.
– It seems that the active selection font color is ignored on faders at the moment.
@Zynewave wrote:
In beta6 the effect record buttons are finally gone. The track lane record button will also record enable all plugin effect tracks.
So if I got this right the correct way to record only automation now is to either just bypass the input (from my experience, auto-assigned audio inputs don’t overwrite anything anyway), or create the parameter track in advance and set it to record by itself?
I can’t find the post anymore, but you said something like you were planning not to display effect chains on the track headers, and instead add a button that would open an overlay for track management. Are you still considering this or do you think the new GP should be generally used for viewing and rearranging effects? I think if I want to see a track’s effect chain in the arrangement view, I’d prefer this overlay box to zooming in or resizing the track.
I have one final (a little more advanced) suggestion, maybe for another time: Multiple track selection by ctrl-clicking track select buttons, and by click-dragging over the buttons (this mouse action is used, for example, to set multiple adjacent tracks to solo/mute in Logic). When more than one track is selected, you should then be able to drag-rearrange them together and… then I woke up. 😉
Conquistador@thcilnnahoj wrote:
I can’t find the post anymore, but you said something like you were planning not to display effect chains on the track headers, and instead add a button that would open an overlay for track management.
Its here9th post down. I was wondering about the comment in that link as well…
“I’m not entirely happy with the current design. I think it tries to cram too much functionality into the small space of the header. It can be confusing at times with all the controls, menus and different mouse actions. I’m thinking about a solution where the contents in the header is mainly information, and then add a single button on each header. Clicking this button will show a larger popup panel to the right of the track header (semitransparent overlay on the track lanes) with easy controls for managing the effect chain etc.”
I think if I want to see a track’s effect chain in the arrangement view, I’d prefer this overlay box to zooming in or resizing the track.
+100. I really would prefer a change to the current behaviour. I thought this feature would surely make it into one the 2.23 betas now that arrangement tracks are being worked on. Hopefully it still will be added to 2.23. The main point of the Podium Hierachy vote thread was to address the track header issue.
Bug…
Not sure if this has been mentioned before but if you add an FX to a track in the GP the FX goes to the top of the chain…do the same thing in the arranger and the FX goes to the bottom of the chain. Has to be a bug surely. Signal flows up, so the GP behaviour is correct IMO.
LiquidProj3ctSorry I don’t understand… quick question… why is there any need to have a popup panel if you have the same in inspector and mixer? It’s ok you don’t want have both visible the 100% of time, but one of them could be (or just open it as you would do with a popup windows). Just a question, I’m not critizing the idea 🙂
Conquistador@LiquidProj3ct wrote:
Sorry I don’t understand… quick question… why is there any need to have a popup panel if you have the same in inspector and mixer?
Your comment below is one of the reasons…
It’s ok you don’t want have both visible the 100% of time,
Frits put it better than I did…
“I’m not entirely happy with the current design. I think it tries to cram too much functionality into the small space of the header. It can be confusing at times with all the controls, menus and different mouse actions.”
LP really thats it. PDM can have too much info needlessly visible. Beta 1 was a very good example of this and gradually it has been toned down. The track headers duplicate plenty of the features in the GP but…FX slots e.t.c are still useful to have in track headers but do not always have to be visible. As Frits said…
“I think it tries to cram too much functionality into the small space of the header.”
😉
LiquidProj3ctThanks Conquistador!
However I found so easy and so quick current Inspector behaviour that I don’t miss that feature, although I respect your desire 🙂 Maybe you see it in another way that I cannot see that would rocket your workflow.
Best regards!
Conquistadorthcilnnahoj@LiquidProj3ct wrote:
Sorry I don’t understand… quick question… why is there any need to have a popup panel if you have the same in inspector and mixer?
Actually that’s why was asking if it’s still under consideration. It’d be fine for me if the new GP was used for effects display and handling in the arrangement view (on one track, otherwise it’s better to use the mixer, of course).
But then… the thought of a “panel to the right of the track header (semitransparent overlay on the track lanes)” makes my mouth water. 😆
Zynewave@thcilnnahoj wrote:
@Zynewave wrote:
In beta6 the effect record buttons are finally gone. The track lane record button will also record enable all plugin effect tracks.
So if I got this right the correct way to record only automation now is to either just bypass the input (from my experience, auto-assigned audio inputs don’t overwrite anything anyway), or create the parameter track in advance and set it to record by itself?
Yes.
I can’t find the post anymore, but you said something like you were planning not to display effect chains on the track headers, and instead add a button that would open an overlay for track management. Are you still considering this or do you think the new GP should be generally used for viewing and rearranging effects? I think if I want to see a track’s effect chain in the arrangement view, I’d prefer this overlay box to zooming in or resizing the track.
I mentioned that idea before I started working on the new chain panel design. I think I’ve managed to simplify the chain management significantly, so I no longer feel it’s necessary to add a popup panel with larger and more spaced out controls. The new track inspector group panel does that job well, I think.
I’m keeping the controls on the track headers for the same reason, and also because the elements now are shown/hidden depending on the zoomed track height. It is no longer partially cut, as would happen with the old design. The tracks region options I’m currently working on will enable you to hide some or all of the controls on the track header, if you prefer a clean design.
Another thought I have about the future mixer redesign:
I plan to take the same chain panel that is now used in the inspector and track headers, and use it in the mixer strips as well. The bottom part of the mixer strips will remain largely as it is, but the entire top half where you manage plugins and sends will be replaced by the new chain panel. The button design will be slightly different to accomodate for the narrow space of the strips.
I think it is more user friendly that you use the same type of effect/track management in the inspector, track headers and mixer strips. With all the recent changes to the inspector/track headers, the mixer is in a state of limbo at the moment.
thcilnnahojOK, I understand. I’ll look forward to the tracks region options then, and will use the GP for effects stuff. 🙂
But please do consider some kind of indicator that makes it clear not everything’s visible.
I would guess not many people size their tracks large enough to accommodate displays for source, 4 effects and one send, for example. If on top of that you have level controls at different points (like CQSD), it can become confusing again whenever the chain is not shown.
The only thing that I can think of right now that would be quicker than zooming or resizing is a “maximize” button, besides the minimize button, so you could switch between the original track height and a large enough size to display the whole chain… Too many buttons again? 🙁
Another thing:
The group panel seems to have a slight problem with key focus. You can use keyboard shortcuts (like delete) normally when a track’s selected. As soon as you set focus to one of to list panels, you can’t set it back to the GP any other way than clicking inside another editor space.
It becomes a problem after you drag-and-drop a device onto the GP or a track header, for example, or if you open the inspector with the F keys.
