HP m9150f as a DAW?

Hey guys :)

Have the option of getting this ("recertified") off NewEgg with a BenQ T241W 24" LCD monitor for $920. Now, being a bit out of date on tech, and trying to catch up, I was shooting for a Q6600, 3GB RAM, 1x80 GB 2x360GB, dual video DAW to build. But. Here is one wicked close? Around the same price? With a free shiny new monitor that isn't 4' deep? Ooo.

Only downfalls I see are:

1) PC2-5300, but with a 1066 FSB, it'd actually be a little overkill at 667Mhz for optimal operation at 1:1? Not planning to overclock. From what I understand, PC2-6400+ would give me no bonus?

2) http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c01324212&lc=en&cc=us&dlc=en&product=3686671 - unknown Socket 775 ASUS mobo?

3) Form Factor - 2x5.25" drive bays and 2 3.5" bays are used. No idea if I can sneak in another HD in one of the "personal" or "pocket" media bays for program/boot drive. Optimally want boot/audio/sample drives.

4) Vista home, but have XP Pro that I can gut it with.

5) Memory card reader? Any use? Looks like they may have had a couple too many of these lying around and nothing to do with them. Smells like conflict to me.

6) No MIDI interface :) Looking for lowest latency obviously, USB okay or PCI?

7) "Recertified"...you guys will have a field day with this, but. Geez. $920 w/monitor!! I know! But, but...! Argh...

Now, I use a Line6 POD X3 Live for my audio interface (USB 2.0) - only record one track at a time. Also has S/PDIF out, which I've never used before. Has mic pres for vocals, do guitar, bass, then use softsynths for drums and keys with my Korg X5D as a controller.

Eventually, may get a multichannel interface to get live drums in, but doubt it. Would like the option for the system to handle it.

So, not gonna have 100+ tracks of audio with 30 softsynths that I can see. BUT, buying a Q6600 that's crippled seems silly to me, and you guys are always saying to build DAW from ground up so you can get all the right components without conflicts.

Seems this would save time and headaches and have a warranty. Yes? No? Any other pitfalls you see? I'm willing to pull anything I don't need out of this system, if it's worth it.

Flame on!

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883107696

---->>> in more detail below

Included in Box:
HP m9150f Computer
Power Cable
Wireless Keyboard
Wireless Mouse
Remote Control
User Manuals, Software, and Warranty Info

Base processor
• Core 2 Quad Q6600 (K) 2.4 GHz (95W)
• 1066 MHz front side bus
• Socket 775

Chipset
GeForce 6150SE nForce 430

Motherboard
Manufacturer: Asus
Motherboard Name: IPIBL-LB
HP/Compaq motherboard name: Benicia-GL8E

Memory
Memory Installed: 3 GB
Maximum allowed:
8 GB (4 x 2 GB) (64-bit OS)
4 GB* (4 x 1 GB) (32-bit OS)
*Actual available memory may be less

Speed supported: PC2-5300 MB/sec
Type: 240 pin, DDR2 SDRAM

Hard drive
• 720 GB (2 x 360) SATA 3G (3.0 Gb/sec)
• 7200 rpm

16X DVD(+/-)R/RW 12X RAM (+/-)R DL LightScribe SATA drive
• Must use Double-Layer media discs in order to take advantage of the DL technology
• Must use LightScribe-enabled media discs and supporting software in order to take advantage of the LightScribe technology

2.4x HD DVD-ROM drive
• HD DVD-ROM (High Density Digital Versatile Disc Read Only Memory) is a data storage medium. In the same way that DVD-ROM is a read-only format of DVD, HD DVD-ROM is a non-writable version of the HD DVD standard.

Modem
56K bps data/fax modem

Wireless
Wireless LAN 802.11 b/g

Video Graphics
GeForce 8500GT
• 256 MB GDDR2 memory
• I/O Ports: HDMI, dual-link DVI , S-video

Television
TV tuner card with FM tuner

Sound/Audio
High Definition 6-channel audio
• Realtek ALC 888S chipset
• Supports up to 8 audio channels

Network (LAN)
Integrated 10/100/1000 Base-T networking interface

Memory card reader

• IR Receiver

• Supports the following cards:
• Compact Flash I
• Compact Flash II
• IBM Microdrive
• Secure Digital (SD)
• mini-SD
• MultiMediaCard (MMC)
• Reduced size MultiMediaCard (RS-MMC)
• MultiMediaCard Plus (MMC plus)
• MultiMediaCard Mobile (MMC mobile)
• Memory Stick
• Memory Stick Pro
• Memory Stick Duo
• Memory Stick Pro Duo
• SmartMedia
• xD Picture Card (xD = extreme digital)

External I/O ports

I/O ports on the front panel

15-in-1 (4 slot) + IR Receiver One
1394 One
USB Two
Headphone One
Microphone One
Audio L-R One
S-video in One
Composite video in One

I/O ports on the back panel

PS2 (keyboard, mouse) Two (one each)
VGA One (disabled due to the installation of a graphics card)
USB Four
1394a One
LAN One
SPDIF out (coaxial) One
SPDIF in One
Audio (side speaker out, rear speaker out, center speaker out, line-in, line-out, microphone) One Each

Expansion slots
PCI One (None available)
PCI Express x16 One (None available)
PCI Express x1 Two (One available)

Drive bays
5.25" Two (None available)
3.5" Two (None available)
Personal Media Drive One (One available)
Pocket Media Drive One (One available)

Technologies
• nVidia Pure Video HD

Remote Control
• USB infrared remote

Operating System
Windows Vista Home Premium with Windows Media Center (32-bit)

Click on this link for a builder of DAWs that WILL do what you want.

heh if i didn't need/want the monitor i definitely wouldn't buy it. of course i wouldn't go near an HP anyway. be strong. you won't thank yourself later, but you will have that superior sense of self that comes with passing up a "good deal".

both studiocat and ADK (www.adkproaudio.com) use TI chipsets. a non-TI doesn't make the FW port useless, just another gamble. and you know their stuff will be solid for audio - not just hardware but drivers, XP setup, etc. plus if you need support on software and hardware you get to talk to people who know pro audio, and not some guy from a country with much cheaper labor rates named "tim".

ORIGINAL: taphappy
Curses. You got me with the "superior sense of self" bit. Mmmmmrmmm. I can now imagine myself working along, looking down to my left, seeing that ominous HP logo, and feeling that little black raincloud crackle over my head.

Well played, Sir :)

why thank you

ADK's $1400 for my build. And it took me 45 minutes to waddle through their database slowness in order to simply get a quote. Took 30+ seconds to pull up their homepage. Doesn't inspire confidence in their savvy business practices, being an online company, dontchaknow...

i didn't have problems getting my laptop through them. you will pay more than you would from more generic vendors but again, you know you'll have a machine that is tested and proven to work with audio. that includes selection of video cards that aren't going to hog resources, TI FW chipsets, stable hardware drivers and so forth. but that's a smaller gamble than a recertified HP =) so it's up to you. again though, i'll gladly pay extra for no hassle - it's just my personality.

IBUYPOWER (gamer boxes) are way customizable (18 cases alone), and my build comes in, tricked out with Q6600, 4GB CAS 4 RAM, better cooling, P5N-E, 600w PSU, 8500GTw512Mb RAM, 2x500GB drives, uber thermal paste, and an automatic voltage regulator UPS under $1100 shipped without a program drive.

And a balls-out red tower case :D

mmm. Me do math. And research on P5N-E. More options available...whee!

Thanks for the help so far :)

no problem, hope it goes well.