I don't understand ... (Cubase 4 + XTC =no go?? or its me)

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tsol
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Joined: Fri Jan 05, 2007 8:17 pm

I don't understand ... (Cubase 4 + XTC =no go?? or its me)

Post by tsol »

I own a PowerSampler and i run Scope 4.5 & Cubase v4.0

The what i don't understand is how comes that i cannot use the XTC mode? :-?

Before posting this thread, I have been through the forum search and have found numerous topics, including the one dated of 2001 about the XTC and that particular custom file hack to fix the latency etc and i even read the manual. Unfortunately there was no detailed explanations on how to get it started and having it running. :x (or maybe im just dumb?) :cry:

uhh .. well ok, i have the following: the XTC mode is enabeled and checked in the SFP, prior to this i have pointed the installer to the cubase4 VSTplugins default directory during SFP installation as it has been asked for the XTC mode, to make it sure i have even checked that folder and seen there all the installed XTC .dll plugin files sorted in different folders under the XTC directory ..

so now im at this point: i exit the SFP application and start Cubase, then the XTC information message appears "XTC plugins are not available when .. blabla" and then nothing.. the only insert plugin i see in the XTC submenu is the useless VZrecording and nothing else.. :evil:

I have noticed something confusing in the manual, it is saying "launch the sequencer from the live bar" but it doesnt say anything about the "HOW TO"... i dont see anything looking like a launch a sequencer option in the live bar...

thanks in advance for help.

ps: according to that custom ulli / xtc latency fix instructions posted in 2001;, i was just thinking.. its 2007 now, and CW has not done anything for it? so i believe when and IF im gonna have the XTC working ill have to do that trick too? :o
voidar
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Post by voidar »

That error message you get is what I get when I don't close sfp.exe prior to launching an ASIO-host (and loading the Scope ASIO-driver).

That "launching the sequencer from the live-bar"-thing is strange and I think you should ignore it.

Yes, it's 2007 and really nothing has been updated in the XTC department, but many users use it today successfully (like myself, although I am leaning forward to just bussing out to SFP these days) so it's possible.

XTC is an awesome composition/song-writing tool where you are restricted to basically one screen set. No multiple windows restricting work-flow.

SFP is and awesome mixing/production tool which mimicks the hardware world.

Also, when you get by with no errors I think you have to manually enable each plugin?

Old-time hardware AE will certainly find joy in the way SFP works, while the "youngsters" might find XTC more natural.

A hybrid way of operating would be in SFP-mode using an "ASIO-loopback"-method; sending/receving an audio stream into SFP and back into the ASIO-host again for native mixing - think Logic or Cubase' I/O-function.
Actually this is how XTC-mode works, only in a hidden fashion, where it dynamically opens a new ASIO-pipeline (source/destination) per .DLL-plugin wrapper loaded.
This is also why in XTC-mode it is more DSP-efficient to load MultiFX plugins for chaining effects as only one mono/stereo pipeline is created for the whole chain of effects. At the same time it reduces latency to one "ASIO-cycle".

Of course, for both scenarios to work effectively the ASIO-host would need to compensate for the lantencies introduced.
tsol
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Joined: Fri Jan 05, 2007 8:17 pm

Post by tsol »

thanks for clearing things out

what do u mean by activate each plugin manually? the only plugin information menu in C4 shows the loaded vst plugins, and the only Creamware loaded is the one i have citated above.. and no reverbs; no compressors etc
voidar
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Post by voidar »

Activate like in "plug-in manager", or have they removed this totally for SX4?

Another thing, those XTC plugs are VST version 2.1 or so, but I doubt it has anything to do with it (SX4 being VST3.0 compliant they say).

But you still get the error when you close sfp.exe and start cubase.exe, XTC mode enabled?
tsol
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Joined: Fri Jan 05, 2007 8:17 pm

Post by tsol »

voidar wrote:Activate like in "plug-in manager", or have they removed this totally for SX4?
i have never been really using SX 3 before, because i did a straight jump to Cubase4 from years of Logic Audio 5.5 ... so the only thing i see there is the 'Plug-ins information" menu under the "Devices" menu, its obviously shows the loaded vst plugins and you can check or uncheck those there, as for the XTC it shows there only the VZRecorder and no others
voidar wrote:Another thing, those XTC plugs are VST version 2.1 or so, but I doubt it has anything to do with it (SX4 being VST3.0 compliant they say).
that shouldnt be a problem either; because i have a bunch of other old VST plugins working "fine" in C4
voidar wrote:But you still get the error when you close sfp.exe and start cubase.exe, XTC mode enabled?
well; here is something that i dont really get, what project i should exit the sfp.exe with? i have a default project that i use for all my stuff wich contians ASIO, WAVE and Mixer modules.; and have the XTC enabeled. When i close the sfp.exe i no longer get that XTC message, but still i dont see any of the plugins in the Cubase except the VZrecorder

thanks
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garyb
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Post by garyb »

you need to enable the plugins in the plugin manager.
every time you open cubase with scope in scope mode, xtc plugins don't work and cubase disables them. once enabled, they will continue working until you open cubase while in scope mode.
voidar
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Post by voidar »

Yup, whenever you get that error message, those plug-ins are red-lighted by Cubase as it can't get them to load - they return an error. Cubase thus think they are broken.

As you have done, whenever you want to use XTC-mode you will have to exit sfp.exe. Upon loading Cubase you should see an XTC splash-screen.
Now, re-enable/scan for plug-ins
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kylie
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Post by kylie »

voidar wrote:Yup, whenever you get that error message, those plug-ins are red-lighted by Cubase as it can't get them to load - they return an error. Cubase thus think they are broken.

As you have done, whenever you want to use XTC-mode you will have to exit sfp.exe. Upon loading Cubase you should see an XTC splash-screen.
Now, re-enable/scan for plug-ins
damn, what a great hint. I was trying to get them running (again), but I never tried just clicking the button that obviously seems to be made for that.
I had to restart cubase then, and bang, everything was back. :)

and I always wondered what might have caused that behaviour...

-greetings, markus-
--
I'm sorry, but my karma just ran over your dogma.
Riggar
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Joined: Sun May 06, 2001 4:00 pm

Post by Riggar »

I'm getting a similar problem with Live 6.
I can only see (in Live's plugin directory) a single XTC - VZ Recording ...

But I've got a further problem - even though Scope has XTC enabled - firing up Live only produces messages that complain about ASIO/SCOPE not active?
How do I know whether XTC is running or not?

any help cheers

TSOL - have you managed to get to to go?
tsol
Posts: 9
Joined: Fri Jan 05, 2007 8:17 pm

Post by tsol »

ok; i got finally those running!

..and i had that XTC splash screen too..( which i have never seen before)

anyways; i havent really changed that much of things, just have been following to the instruction citated in replies above.

now all the XTC plugins have loaded up and i could try a few of them. I must say i may be kind of limited with just 3dsp's (PowerSampler) but i haven't really ran anything serious in XTC mode yet, i will do that a bit later

now i can say this problem is solved. I wish the way it is made would have been less technically confusing to run! anyways thanks for the posts and help.
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