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64 bit vs 32 bit

Posted: Sat Sep 03, 2022 12:24 am
by Barry Streifert
Hi, I'm not finding a related answer in my searches, hope this is not a repeat.
I'm building a show for an upcoming production on my main computer, Win 7 64 bit. Once finished, am I able to load and run the show on a Win 7 32 bit bare bones laptop that I am willing to leave connected to the theater for the three week run?
I am less nervous about losing the bare bones unit if it were to disappear, even though there is a certain amount of security at this venue. I am just concerned that moving the piece to the lesser computer will cause unforeseen performance issues. Anyone have experience with this?
Thank you

Re: 64 bit vs 32 bit

Posted: Sat Sep 03, 2022 2:18 pm
by Mike Daniell
It depends more on processor speed than 64/32 bit. I presume the 32-bit computer is much older, so probably has less power. Are you running any video cues? They use the most processor power. You should have no problems with audio cues.

Re: 64 bit vs 32 bit

Posted: Sun Sep 11, 2022 6:02 am
by Barry Streifert
Woowee! Let's just say it was a bit of a slog, but in the end, success.
What we didn't know what that the end run computer had an intermittently bad power supply. The machine would wink off a couple of quick times and shortly after freeze and the SCS needed to be restarted. This happened a couple times during the first night it was in use. The second night was a full tech run. It froze five times. The op said it was unacceptable and I agreed, and brought my personal computer (the build unit) back into play. But that meant I would have to show up every night with my personal computer, and may as well run the show at that point. But I had other commitments in between. The third night, I discovered the power supply issue because there had been one purchased as a replacement, but the initial one was not marked bad or disposed. So we switched the power supplies, and just because of convenience, switch the AC source on the wall, a different circuit than the sound equipment, and the light board. Than we ran my computer for the tech run, and simultaneously ran the show computer (32 bit) silently not connected. It worked flawlessly. Whatever the power problem was seemed fixed.
The next night was a preview performance, so we took a chance and set up the show computer, but also ran my computer silently unconnected in the back, in case we needed to do a sudden hot-swap in the event of failure. But it was unnecessary.
Last night was opening and it worked again without fail. Knock wood. Only two weeks to go.

tl:dr So the long and short is that, yes, a 32 bit machine will run a show built on a 64 bit. Fortunately, this was a reasonably easy show with only audio cues, no video or midi. That would have to go under further tests. But hopefully not soon...