I use Auto-Align for dialogue editing, and it works very good. The only thing that is bothering me, is increasing CPU load when I have an Auto-Align window open (both AudioSuite and insert). Whenever I open a window, my MacBook Pro turns on fans and it feels like it’s going to take off. But when I close the window (and there could be active inserts left on the tracks), fans immediately slow down. I have noticed in Activity Monitor, that with an open plug-in window the WindowServer process is taking around 10% of the CPU load, and without a window - less than 1% (even with plug-ins, inserted on several tracks).
I am wondering, if there is a cure for this issue?
My system:
MacBook Pro (Late 2013), 2,3 GHz Intel Core i7
macOS Sierra 10.2.6
Pro Tools 12.5
Auto-Align 1.5.3
Hi Ilya,
That sounds like a good support question.
Basically Auto-Align isn’t doing anything intense. but… It does uses OpenGL (the GPU) directly.
You can try comparing Auto-Align 1.6 vs 1.5.3 (though they shouldn’t be that different).
The blowing fans are very common on 15-inch MacBook Pros with any app that cause the system to choose the discrete GPU over the integrated. (which consume more power and creates more heat).
With plug-in window closed Auto-Align should be very light with cpu usage.
The meters/spectrum visuals does take some CPU.
You can try avoid the graphic switching as suggested here (though usually it just uses the Discrete while we want the integrated…):
But I’m afraid this is the opposite.
It seems Apple disabled the ability to explicitly choose which GPU is in use. on older machines it is possible to force the use of the integrated GPU with tools like gfxCardStatus.
