Mudbox 2009 Mac OS X Performance

#1

Hi all,
Sorry for starting a new Mac thread, but I wasn’t sure where to put this question.

I DL’d and installed the MB2009 trial for OS X and it rocks. Very stable and easy to use so far so I really like it a lot. My only problem is I can’t seem to get above a half a million polys without an annoying momentary brush lag. Is anyone else experiencing this?

I’m working on a MacBook Pro and I checked the hardware requirements for Mac, and everything I have qualifies. I have the “Preprocession load…” set to “1” and I have the gradient background and smooth shading turned off. Those are really all of the speed-up tricks I know. Am I missing something? I realize it’s not an ideal MB09 machine, but here’s my setup:

OPERATING SYSTEM
Name: Mac OS X
Version: 10.5.6
Build: 9G55
Architecture: Intel 32 bits
Language: English
Total Physical Memory: 4082 MB
Total Virtual Memory: 4096 MB

PROCESSOR
Number of Processors: 1
Logical Processors: 2
Manufacturer: GenuineIntel
Name: Intel® Core™2 Duo CPU T9300 @ 2.50GHz
Version: Model 23 Stepping 6
Description: x64 Family 6 Model 23 Stepping 6
Address Width: 32
Number of Cores: 2
Max Core Speed: 2500 MHz

VIDEO
Vendor Name: NVIDIA Corporation
Memory: 512 MB
Driver Name: NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT OpenGL Engine
Driver Version: 2.0 NVIDIA-1.5.36
Video Mode: 1680 x 1050 x 32

#2

this is a problem with Apple and Nvidia’s OS X drivers - they suck big balls (hard). I have a Quadro FX 5600 and it also has the lag whereas my Radeon 4870 doesn’t and is a hell of a lot faster with MB. I highly recommend getting a Radeon 4870 if you plan to use Mudbox extensively on OS X. You can use certain PC cards now:

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=661681&page=39

if you want proof of my statements about the Nvidia Mudbox performance, read here:

http://arstechnica.com/apple/reviews/2009/04/266ghz-8-core-mac-pro-review.ars/5

Oh shit - just saw you have a 8600M, meaning laptop. Well, I have some hope that Nvidia is taking the Mac drivers a bit more seriously now that they have announced expanded plans for OS X Quadros and it can only get better.

#3

Yeah the brush lags at the higher subD levels in-between strokes. So, lets say I make a stroke (with any brush) and before I make another, the the brush tends to “stick” where I left it for a second. It also just occurred to me that I should mention I’m using a Cintiq 12WX. However, I tested it on and off of the Cintiq (tried it with the Wacom Intuos 3) and the same thing happens either way. I guess I can report a bug and see what they say.

#4

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