I've been doing all the Platinum updates through Command Center and everything had been working fine until when I updated to Ipswich today few problems started happening:
 
1. Sonar itself started taking longer time to open. (at least 20 seconds or more)
2. Any project that was created on Hopkinton version started taking much longer time to open (close to 1 minute)
3. When the project opens, starting playback and stopping caused a 4-5 second delay making Sonar unresponsive.
4. If there was a video on the project, video would keep playing another 4-5 seconds even if I stopped the playback (during the unresponsive 5 seconds)
 
I talked to technical support and the agent today. He made me delete the AUD.INI file and start the program again. That didn't solve the issue. I tried bypassing all the FX and synth plugins but that didn't solve the issue either. Even when I created a new session in Ipswich, the problem continued. Finally tech support agent made me roll back to Hopkinton (because I'm under a deadline on my project) via the command center and everything works normal as before.
 
So looks like there might be a problem with Ipswich? I haven't tried unsintalling and installing Sonar completely yet, but since I'm in the middle of a project I wouldn't want to do that now.
 
I'm using Sonar Platinum on Windows 10 with RME Fireface UC soundcard on an Intel i7-3820 with 32 GB Ram. No problems with Hopkinton and previous versions at all. Just Ipswich.
 
On an additional note, for me Media Foundation Video engine is still problematic and glitchy compared to DirectShow. Flickers the video everytime I start and stop playback, doesn't stretch correctly to the aspect ratio, when I hit rewind (W) the video takes 2-3 times to completely rewind. (Using AVI video, other formats even have more problems). So I still have to use Directshow. I would think that would have been fixed by now.
 
Thanks.

When I open a project, not only does it take a LOOONG time... my Faderport fader goes nuts, moving up and down and flashing as if it's going between two tracks every half second.
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5ebde_a1Ns
 

PilotGav
When I open a project, not only does it take a LOOONG time... my Faderport fader goes nuts, moving up and down and flashing as if it's going between two tracks every half second.
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5ebde_a1Ns
 

Mine used to do that for no apparent reason for a few years now. Somehow, the routing for the controller would get screwed up.
To fix this, I would unplug the Faderport usb plug, open Sonar, remove Faderport from the controllers list, close Sonar, open Sonar, add the Faderport as a controller, close Sonar and write protect the two files that reference it, ctrlsurface.dat and one other.
If you're interested, I can look up what the other file is and update this post...

I'm using Windows 10 Pro. The only thing I see is a "blank" screen for a couple of seconds when starting Sonar.  Then the VST Scan window comes on and the Start Menu comes up.  If I select a project from the start menu it is immediate.  Same if I open another project from "File" and either Open or select from the list of previously used projects. 
 
When I start playback it is immediate, no hesitation. 
 
My projects are only "analog" tracks and mostly 8 or 9 tracks.  No MIDI.
 
My PC specs are in my signature. 

It's been discussed before.
IMHO Sonar is not using a separate process (like auto VST scan has) to update the news feed. Hence it holds it up.
Same thing maybe when it reads in the project files and picture previews. It may also not support lazy loading.
I'm not sure how the thumbnail pictures and other stuff gets cached either. It's likely the first time you run it... It will take longer than the second time..
Also note it takes extra time to save a thumbnail preview, not sure how efficient the code will be.
 
Bakers could confirm if I'm correct or not.
 
Until we get improvements here you could try putting in a firewall rule to block internet from the Sonar app.
Or just disable the start screen.
 
For a quick test disable your network interface card to see how quickly Sonar starts without internet.

Incorrect. All the start menu stuff is on a separate process and does not block the load of SONAR.

Ok. Read the ezine.Was there any performance fixes with Ipswich?
So what is the issue? Have I got anywhere near it?
Maybe OP can still can do the no internet test. Certainly people saw it speed up with the Hop update and no internet hence my conclusions (right or wrong).
Cheers.

I dunno, every time there's an update there are a handful of people who say the performance opening projects is not as good as whatever they were using before so they roll back.
 
I can't help but wonder if it's Windows-related. After a Windows update, upon turning on the computer it seems ANY program takes forever to open initially. I has taken Studio One five minutes to open a CD assembly project, which you'd think wouldn't involve a lot of heavy lifting, either 1) after opening within a minute of turning on the computer, or 2) after a Windows update. Otherwise the same project takes under a minute. It takes about as long to open Vegas, SONAR, or even Open Office (!) under similar conditions. Also note that SONAR often rebuilds the plug-in menu after an update.

^^ The "how long after boot" is a good point that rarely gets asked. Windows has a lot of "delayed start" processes that need to come online/stabilize before a user can have full use of an "idle" machine.

I do agree with the delay possibilities of the program start after updates etc. But somehow that still shouldn't be related (I think) to the actual playback/stop unresponsiveness and video keeping playing after hitting stop. Also projects taking longer to open. Has something substantially changed in Ipswich vs. previous versions in terms of processes during opening projects and playback?