Anyone experiencing a timeline playback head getting stuck/stopping on layers with high-rez images in CS3? This happens when I have the preview window on the the second monitor. If I start playback before encountering a tiff image, the playhead proceeds as normal and plays in real time. However, if I stop or attempt to start the playback head (press spacebar) while over a layer with a high rez image, it will move a few frames and stop, while the audio continues on.

If I press the spacebar twice, then it finally resumes. This can be very annoying for making even simple cuts.

I have two workstations, a Dell 650 dual xeon (the 7505 3.06 GHz chipsets with 533MHz buss), and a BOXX 7400 (with quad opteron 270's and 4gigs ram). Both have identical setups and software. You would think that the BOXX would excel in this feat, however I do not have the above issues with the Dell. That rules out software, and has to do with hardware/configs on the BOXX.

I have the latest drivers and did perform a reinstall of the suite, cleaned my registry and defragged the drives. I have dedicated scsi arrays on both machines that I use for scratch disks, with the project sitting on a dedicated eSATA II disk, (which I use to move between the two machines).

The only thing left is a complete wipe and reinstall of the OS. I wonder if it's an AMD vs Intel issue? Should I dump the BOXX and get an intel solution?

I'm going for a fresh install on the BOXX, nothing more than updates and drivers. No additional hardware or software. Just CS3 having the playpen all to itself. A real acid test. If it works, then we're in business. Otherwise, I've just justified my VT5 upgrade, (never really had a problem with my VT3, just couldn't work on very large projects due to uncompressed media. Now I can buy single tetrabyte drives for less than what my 4 disk scsi array cost me -kinda puts uncompressed back on the radar, doesn't it?)