• Registered: 2018-10-04
  • Posts: 29

Topic: macOS Mojave: TotalMix MIDIServer high CPU load

Since I upgraded to Mojave, I get a high CPU load whenever TotalMix is running. Looking into the activity monitor I see that CoreMIDI's "MIDIServer" daemon is running with 56% CPU and hence causes the MacBook's fan to spin up loudly. Anybody else having this?

As soon as I quit TotalMix, CPU usage goes down to zero. And vice versa, starting TotalMix again, CPU immediately goes up to 56%.

Running latest 15" MacBook Pro (2018) with Madiface USB.

  • Registered: 2018-10-04
  • Posts: 29

Re: macOS Mojave: TotalMix MIDIServer high CPU load

Still got this high CPU load problem here after updating to macOS 10.14.1.

As far as I can see it, this problem triggers exactly when I switch the Octamic XTCs on before attaching the Madiface USB with the Mac. If I do it the other way around, that is attaching Madiface USB first to the Mac and then switching on the Octamic XTCs then I do not get this high CPU load problem with the Mac's MIDIServer.

However once that problem triggers, MIDIServer constantly drains 56% CPU and won't ever stop to do so on its own. At this point I really have to kill TotalMix to stop this misbehaviour.

It is a bit annoying, so I hope you guys check this issue or at least give some feedback regarding this issue.

3 Reply by MC

  • MC
  • MC
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  • Registered: 2007-04-06
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Re: macOS Mojave: TotalMix MIDIServer high CPU load

Are those (1 2 3 4 5...) XTCs remote controlled via MADI? If so via MIDI Remote or the Aux function in TM FX?

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

  • Registered: 2018-10-04
  • Posts: 29

Re: macOS Mojave: TotalMix MIDIServer high CPU load

Yep, they are remote controlled via MIDI over MADI by using solely TotalMix on the Mac, and TotalMix being setup with Aux. Devices. To my knowledge adding the XTCs as Aux. devices in Totalmix was the only way to control the XTCs remotely over MADI.

One XTC -> Madiface USB -> Mac is sufficient BTW to trigger this issue. You don't need a stack of XTCs to trigger this issue.

5 Reply by MC

  • MC
  • MC
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Re: macOS Mojave: TotalMix MIDIServer high CPU load

And this is with XTC firmware version, MF USB firmware version, Mac driver version and TM FX version?

Interesting. We will try that next week.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

  • Registered: 2018-10-04
  • Posts: 29

Re: macOS Mojave: TotalMix MIDIServer high CPU load

MADIFace USB: Firmware v22, Driver v3.08

Octamic XTC: Firmware 25/47

MacBookPro15,1 (15" 2018): macOS 10.14.1 (18B75) Mojave

7 Reply by MC

  • MC
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Re: macOS Mojave: TotalMix MIDIServer high CPU load

Can you please update to driver 3.10? And MF USB to version 24? And XTC to 26?

Makes me wonder why you didn't do that straight away!

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

  • Registered: 2018-10-04
  • Posts: 29

Re: macOS Mojave: TotalMix MIDIServer high CPU load

I just updated the entire set of firmware and drivers to the latest ones. Let's see in the next few days whether this issue still occurs. Right now it worked, but I also had that before that this issue did not trigger for a week or so and then it was back on a daily basis.

And Matthias regarding your last question: No intention to heat up any flames here, but you should seriously work on your communication skills. It is not just the ironic question in your last post here, but I also see how you respond to other customers here on the forum in general, which is unfortunately IMHO often quite disrespectful.

But if you want a serious answer to your last question: it is not very common anymore in the year 2018 that people have to check websites manually for updating their set of drivers, apps and firmware. With other products it is nowadays normal to have an integrated automatic update mechanism, or at least a notification for people to know that a new version exists. There are various convenient implementation options for that on Mac.

  • cyrano
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Re: macOS Mojave: TotalMix MIDIServer high CPU load

Nothing to do with skills...

Different culture. Hard to accept for some people. Remember, respect is something you earn. Not something that is given. That's politeness. And in the case of politeness, I'd like to paraphrase George Carlin:

“Politeness is fascism pretending to be manners.”

MB Pro - 2 X FireFace 400, FF800 & DigiFace USB
ADAT gear: Korg, Behri, Fostex, Alesis...

cyrano's Website

10 Reply by ramses (edited by ramses 2018-11-07 22:02:58)

  • ramses
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Re: macOS Mojave: TotalMix MIDIServer high CPU load

axldaxl wrote:

But if you want a serious answer to your last question: it is not very common anymore in the year 2018 that people have to check websites manually for updating their set of drivers, apps and firmware. With other products it is nowadays normal to have an integrated automatic update mechanism, or at least a notification for people to know that a new version exists. There are various convenient implementation options for that on Mac.

IMHO this is the kind of upgrade mechanism which you deactivate in the 1st place to proactively prevent audio loss.
While recording you do not want, that the PC is doing anything else than recording.

When I setup my PC, which is a multi-purpose device, I take special care on this point, that backup jobs (like i.e. upgrades)
are deactivated.

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub14
  • Registered: 2018-10-04
  • Posts: 29

Re: macOS Mojave: TotalMix MIDIServer high CPU load

An integrated update mechanism does not contradict real-time stability. Most software products nowadays check for new versions when they are started, not during your regular recording sessions when your machine might be loaded with playing and/or recording and processing dozens of audio tracks. And even if they would check for updates in between, those tasks typically run under a very low scheduling priority, whereas your primary audio task(s) run with very high (real-time) priority.

I also understand that some people don't want updates to happen automatically for several different reasons (CPU and RAM resources, Internet bandwidth e.g. on the road, privacy reasons). But that's still no reason to just neglect this feature at first place. Almost all products which got that feature allow you to configure how it shall behave exactly. So it is typical that you may choose between a) full automatic updates or b) just check for new versions and inform the user or c) only check for new versions if the user requests this e.g. from the menu.