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laptop setup
 

offline _awt_ from Malmö (Sweden) on 2005-06-01 16:07 [#01619338]
Points: 2202 Status: Regular



heya, im graduating in 2 weeks and therefore my kind mother
has decided to buy me an p4 laptop, 3,2ghz, 1024ram with a
100gb harddrive.
Im planning to use this laptop 90% for music making, sounds
like a good idea ?
I know there are more powerfull computers out there these
days and allot of people have recommended me mac's, the
problem is that this laptop is bought with one of those
"special offers" from my mom's work, so I had to choose from
a few different packages.
That sucks offcourse but I choosed the most powerfull
package and now im hoping to turn that into an proper (or
good) music making computer.
I know that I will need to optimize xp for music making, i
have several guides for that so it shouldn't be a problem,
im also aware that i will need to get an good external
soundcard but besides from that, does anyone have any tips
for tweaking this computer into an problem free clean music
making comp ?

I will listen to every advice, i have never owned a laptop
before so if there's anything special i need to think about
when it comes to the format of this thing then tell me.
Also, what do you think of the spec's ? is that enough !? if
not i guess im screwed but to my eyes it looked suprisingly
good for a latop.

Another tricky part is soundcards, I dont have a shitload of
cash so i wont be buying any of these super elite studio
standard cards or anything, im thinking in the line of
edirol, m-audio or so, been looking at firewire410 but heard
that it's micpreams was pretty crap, and even if i dont want
to pay a shitload i still would like decent stuff.
Have anyone used edirol's fa-66 ?, the fa-66 seems to fill
my needs but at the same time i like the idea of the fw410
to have two headphone out's with seperate controllers, would
be fun to make some stuff with a friend at times and so.
Any other card recommended in that style ?

im suprised if anyone can take reading all this, but im
quite exited about this so it actualy felt good just
writing.
Anyway, i will listen to all recommendations


 

offline isnieZot from pooptown (Belgium) on 2005-06-01 16:16 [#01619353]
Points: 4949 Status: Lurker



if you want to buy an external soundcard buy one with USB
2.0 or firewire. usb 1.0 MAY cause some troubles if you want
to record allot of tracks at one time. also, the harddrive
is kinda important for making music. I dunno how many rpm
your hard drive is but most are 4500 or something? that MAY
also give you some troubles. you can connect an external
(faster) hdd if it would give you troubles.

and for keeping your laptop stable I recommend:
-don't surft with it on the net (or as safe, little as
possible)
-don't use cracks (or as few as possible :) )
-when playing live. put your laptop on something that
absorbs vibrations. a piece of rubber or something.



 

offline isnieZot from pooptown (Belgium) on 2005-06-01 16:17 [#01619354]
Points: 4949 Status: Lurker



also a p4 laptop, 3,2ghz, 1024ram with a 100gb harddrive.
is more then enough for music production.


 

offline _awt_ from Malmö (Sweden) on 2005-06-01 16:30 [#01619377]
Points: 2202 Status: Regular | Followup to isnieZot: #01619353



ah thanks a bunch, ive been looking at various hard drives
ately as this one was only a 100gb, i felt that i needed
some more if not least for backing projects up.
The rpm of the hard drive on the laptop im getting is
4200rpm =/ at the edge of too little then i guess.
Either way I was looking at various proper external drives
so im sure that wont be a problem, those little fuckers are
sinking in prize damn fast too it seems.

Also, for the audiocard I was planning to get either a fw
card or usb2.0, Ive heard by tech geeks that usb2.0 is a bit
sharper then firewire but on the other hand ive not found
that many usb2.0 supported cards and i will only have 4usb
ports on the laptop so perhaps going with a firewire card
would be the best.
Luckely I wont afford a new card untill another month so i
got some time to think and look up various cards, haha,
waiting sucks.

The past years ive been on an 1.6ghz, 512ram old basic
computer with ME! and it have been working fine (can you
belive that, no) besides from the power, it cant drive the
amount of stuff i want etc wich is quite frustrating, so if
im being realistic, configure this laptop into a proper
music making comp shouldn't be half as hard as configuring
the old fucker ive worked with for so long.

Either way, im nervous about it so wish me good luck =D! ow
and thanks for the tips, especially the hard drive part as i
did not really know about that, was only planning to get an
external one for more space.. so now i need to check up
drives more properly too, loads of endless fun!


 

offline mc_303_beatz from Glasgow, Scotland on 2005-06-01 16:35 [#01619386]
Points: 3386 Status: Regular



I've got 40Gb, fine by me!


 

offline Drunken Mastah from OPPERKLASSESVIN!!! (Norway) on 2005-06-01 16:40 [#01619396]
Points: 35867 Status: Lurker | Show recordbag



erh... you shouldn't get a p4 processor for a laptop.
pentium is a desktop-processor, which means it makes lots
and lots of heat when it operates at 3,2 ghz, which it never
does in a laptop due to the heat. Intel M is what you want.
They'll have lower hz specs, but they are buit differently,
so they perform as good as a desktop 3,2 ghz would in a
desktop in a laptop.


 

offline virginpusher from County Clare on 2005-06-01 16:42 [#01619399]
Points: 27325 Status: Lurker | Followup to _awt_: #01619377



Whats the story on those field recorders we were discussing.
I am going to need one


 

offline _awt_ from Malmö (Sweden) on 2005-06-01 16:47 [#01619404]
Points: 2202 Status: Regular | Followup to Drunken Mastah: #01619396



I didn't want to know that!

I cant change the order or anything now, so i hope this wont
be as bad as it sounds.

fuck! hmm, im not listening more to you now! =D

Ill just have to wait untill i get it and see how it
behaves, if it feels bad i guess ill have to return it or
something, i really dont hope so though..

why did you do this =)


 

offline Drunken Mastah from OPPERKLASSESVIN!!! (Norway) on 2005-06-01 16:50 [#01619406]
Points: 35867 Status: Lurker | Followup to _awt_: #01619404 | Show recordbag



it won't be very bad, it just won't be 3,2 ghz unless you
keep it in the freezer... I'm not sure how much lower the
speed will be, but it probably isn't all that much...


 

offline _awt_ from Malmö (Sweden) on 2005-06-01 16:54 [#01619412]
Points: 2202 Status: Regular | Followup to Drunken Mastah: #01619406



i see, ill go by the saying "if it feels good it is good"
and ill just hope it feels good.
I will have what you said in mind though, perhaps i will buy
one of those new super slim usb freezers!

now im in the mood for icecream!


 

offline virginpusher from County Clare on 2005-06-01 16:55 [#01619414]
Points: 27325 Status: Lurker | Followup to _awt_: #01619412



ANSWER ME~!!!!


 

offline Drunken Mastah from OPPERKLASSESVIN!!! (Norway) on 2005-06-01 16:56 [#01619417]
Points: 35867 Status: Lurker | Followup to _awt_: #01619412 | Show recordbag



just make sure you never put it on a flat surface without
any access to air, and it should be ok...


 

offline _awt_ from Malmö (Sweden) on 2005-06-01 17:01 [#01619420]
Points: 2202 Status: Regular | Followup to Drunken Mastah: #01619417



i see, thanks a bunch for the tips, i suddently feel that i
know allot more about laptops then i did 30 minutes ago!


 

offline Drunken Mastah from OPPERKLASSESVIN!!! (Norway) on 2005-06-01 17:02 [#01619422]
Points: 35867 Status: Lurker | Followup to _awt_: #01619420 | Show recordbag



you're welcome...

and.. answer virgin! hahaha!


 

offline _awt_ from Malmö (Sweden) on 2005-06-01 17:08 [#01619432]
Points: 2202 Status: Regular | Followup to virginpusher: #01619399



man, i was looking for a thread or something around here
from you to me, missed your message in this thread, and
thought you where retarded as you where writing to me on
soulseek haha.

Now it's my turn, stop talking in the phone, answer me!


 

offline stilaktive from a place on 2005-06-01 17:20 [#01619467]
Points: 3162 Status: Lurker



"-don't use cracks (or as few as possible :) )"

that doesnt compute for me.


 

offline cie jiks mawp from motion to descend (Australia) on 2005-06-01 18:34 [#01619658]
Points: 1171 Status: Lurker



i have the firewire 410. the sound quality is fantastic. i
recall the day i pulled out an audigy platnium card and
connected the m-audio and donning headphones and it sounded
very pure. I do get a bit of crackling every now and then
specially when i use it for video editing. Overall it seems
solid and its great aspect is its portability. The blue LED
light is way to fucking bright on the front tho.


 

offline stilaktive from a place on 2005-06-01 18:46 [#01619673]
Points: 3162 Status: Lurker



that might just be the video driver thingies. i have a 410.
i had that problem as well, yet when i ran cubase on Direct
X it worked fine. then i got the new quicktime and
everything seemed fine.


 


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