Should I give it a try on an Acer Tablet?

What's your opinion, guys?
 
Is it worth trying to install X2a on this tablet that I just ordered (for a different prime purpose). I'm thinking about using the VS-100 that I still got lying around here plus the Behringer FCB1010 MIDI foot controller to use the tablet as a "matrix machine" for live performances i.e. to trigger audio loops (no virtual synths, just audio to have less load) via the FCB1010 and provide a click track for the drummer on the other OUTs.
 
Specs:
Acer Iconia W700-53334G12as 29,5 cm (11,6 inch) Tablet-PC (Intel Core i5 3337U 1,8 Ghz , 4GB RAM, 128GB SSD, Intel HD 4000, Win 8)
 
 
Wasted effort or worth a try??

Very much worth a try. I sure would like to hear back what your impressions are with too.

Do it.  See how it works and report back.

@

OK, persuaded. I give it a try, but it may be a few days until I come back with results and observations as I need to set it up for the tasks I bought it for first ... at the moment I'm stuggling with basic things like not being able to reply to this thread via IE on the tablet ...

Good luck!

Well, the most of the set-up is done i.e. the ACER tablet was first set-up to be the office work horse (email, web admin, whatever, ...) including virus software (AntiVir) and active WiFi connection in the background. I will try my first tests using this standard configuration i.e. no fiddling with any win8 settings, anti virus remains active on
purpose - we'll see how far this let's me push the tablet as a DAW workhorse.
 
BTW, if anybody knows an anti virus software which is safe but puts less strain on the system, please let me know ... or if you know one that you can turn on/off easily by pushing a single button (AntiVir doesn't let you do that)
 
Here's a brief update on the first observations when using the Cori Yarckin demo song, which you all know (36 track, 16 buses, lots of plugs) for a quick stress test:
a) minimum ASIO buffer size seems to be 96 samples (roundtrip of about 12ms with VS-100); anything lower thn that yields crackles, especially when screen needs to be redrawn or touch is used to adjust faders
 
b) at 96 samples buffer size the Sonar performance meters are all at about 50%, but I can start to work with the project, just getting the occasional little crack in the audio playback (e.g. when changing screen sets i.e. heavy instant load on graphic side)
 
c) at 128 samples buffer (18.5 ms roundtrip) performance load reduces to about 30% and you can do a lot without getting audio drop-outs (even work other apps that access WiFi); only jumping between screen sets causes one brief cracking noise in the audio playback ...
 
d) above observations look promising for my eventual goal: use the tablet as a matrix sample/loop machine plus providing click tracks; in fact for that application I could live with larger buffers and be safe, but at the moment I feel like pushing it; I want to see if the tablet can handle both tasks plus serve as guitar or bass FX machine (using Guitar Rig or Amplitube) - that would be awesome!!! I'd need to get stable performance at 96 sample buffers (for lowest latency), but that may be possible as matrix sample FX would be frozen, and matrix GUI should not put a lot of strain on the graphic engine
 
e) one not so great observation: in case of power out (unplugging power supply) play back continues with a few more crackles, BUT when power comes back on, playback halts showing the well-known audio drop-out message ... not something you'd want in a live Performance. Well, this I might be able to solve later on by adjusting the power scheme so that it doesn't throttle the system when on battery ... but if that persists, one might have to rely on the battery ???
 
 
So what's next? Install Amplitube Free, which got some decent bass and guitar models available, and create some matrix projects and get into serious testing. Fingers crossed.
 
 
Back in a while ...

Paul P


Thanks for sharing your experiences, FreeFlyBertl.

Besides the very important performance issues, I for one am interested in what it's like to use Sonar on a small tablet through its touch functionality.

Your VS100 is sort of cheating in that respect :-)

 
As regards touch functionality on such a small tablet I have to admit that I've already plugged in a mouse. It's virtually impossible to control the small knobs and buttons of the ProChannel on a 12 inch display; plus quite a few other features that are very hard / impossible to access with thick fingers (right click in FX bin, ...).
 
But this is not quite what I'm after anyway. I have this tiny but powerful tablet plus a small interface and wonder if that could make a stage looper/sampler out of the tools I use on a regular basis. I don't intend to mix in this thingy ...
 
 

Right, WDI

The PC controls are small enough w/ the mouse, I can't imagine working on a small screen w/ my grubby large fintertips.

@

Thank you for keeping us informed. 

That is where it is heading, paul, but I think SONAR doesn't wanna make the tablet/touchscreen when so many are out and coming out.

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I don't know - the cheap version is $8000.  How many could you sell?