Quote:
Originally posted by e-cue
Considering the dates on this thread, it kinda puts things in perspective how long is has taken Digi to get the A.D.C. thing going on (still not there yet). I do feel P.T. will have it in the next couple of months on HD. All the signs are pointing in that direction, especially the way plug in manufactures are developing with larger delays. |
Yeah, no kidding. It was amusing to read my own comments from nearly 2 years ago. Keep in mind that the "official" DIgi post is pushing 2 years old. And at that point, they were just about wrapped up on OSX and then would have more time to address other things. 2 years is a pretty good chunck of time.
I've said this before, but here's my take. I think that although full automatic, sample accurate PDC may technically be "doable" in the current PT architecture, it's likely a nightmare. And not for the obvious reasons.
PCD (plugin delay compensation) isn't really technical rocket science, conceptually. To have it, you must:
1. First of all, you must be able to effect additional delay, with single sample accuracy, in each seperately configurable block in the audio path. If your architecture doesn't support this, your already sunk. This is where many hardware mixers land.
2. Be able to accurately know the exact delay introduced by all internal bussing schemes and proprietary plugins in your app, including "nested" or sequentially chained bussing.
3. Be able to accurately know the exact delay introduced by all 3rd party plugins. Obviously, that's up to the 3rd party, or as an option, I suppose Digi could just test and maintain their own internal database. If I were running the op, 3rd party plugins that didn't report, or reported wrong would simply be disabled when using PDC. That might be motivating to the authors, I would think.
4.
Often overlooked, IMO , you must be able to do all the above in a manner which doesn't interrupt the workflow of the user. My bet is that this is the stumbling block for PT in the current architecture. And I think when PT users who want PDC are ponying up the cash for a new core card in the not too distant future, this is what Digi will use as "why". It's a fairly legit issue, I'm guessing. And with this new "console" PDC is the obvious and large missing ingredient.
Having finally implemented plugin instantiation on-the-fly, I doubt Digi is keen to lose it again. But I think that their main challenge does not boil down to merely keeping track of all signal paths and compensating all others for the worst case path. The challenge with the current hardware pretty much has to be implementing the necessary delay adjustments on-the-fly without taking 10 seconds or having a sonic train wreck in the process.
I'm betting any Digi techs reading this are wondering where I've hidden the bug microphones in their shop.