Laptop as 2nd PC

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Kev999
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2009/11/21 12:12:47 (permalink)

Laptop as 2nd PC

I intend to purchase a laptop sometime in the near future for the purpose of allowing me to work on my music projects when I am away from my main PC.  It's primary use will be for music editing (although it will be for general use too to a lesser extent), but never for recording, nor will I be connecting any midi controllers to it.  I will be monitoring using headphones rather than speakers.  Main software to be installed will include: Sonar7PE, Reason4, Battery3, DimPro, Rapture, SampleTank, etc.

Obviously a standard off-the-shelf laptop will not suffice, as I will need:
  • extra hard disk storage space for multisamples
  • 24-bit audio
  • Windows XP
Are there any other factors that I should consider before I start looking?

SonarPlatinum(22.11.0.111)|Mixbus32C(4.3.19)|DigitalPerformer(9.5.1)|Reaper(5.77)
FractalDesign:DefineR5|i7-6850k@4.1GHz|16GB@2666MHz-DDR4|MSI:GamingProCarbonX99a|Matrox:M9148(x2)|UAD2solo(6.5.2)|W7Ult-x64-SP1
Audient:iD22+ASP800|KRK:VXT6|+various-outboard-gear|+guitars&basses, etc.
Having fun at work lately
#1

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    Phoenix
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    Re:Laptop as 2nd PC 2009/11/21 12:59:39 (permalink)
    Are you going to use the onboard audio? If so, good luck getting Sonar to see it as 24-bit. Perhaps one of the DAW-builders makes a laptop with better onboard audio than the standare Realtek/"HD Audio". Windows sees the Realtek as 24-bit, but Sonar won't--if there's a way to get Sonar to see it I'd like to know it myself.
    #2
    Kev999
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    Re:Laptop as 2nd PC 2009/11/22 05:00:04 (permalink)
    Phoenix

    Are you going to use the onboard audio?
    Unlikely.  I will probably need a suitable card, but I know almost nothing about soundcards for laptops.



    SonarPlatinum(22.11.0.111)|Mixbus32C(4.3.19)|DigitalPerformer(9.5.1)|Reaper(5.77)
    FractalDesign:DefineR5|i7-6850k@4.1GHz|16GB@2666MHz-DDR4|MSI:GamingProCarbonX99a|Matrox:M9148(x2)|UAD2solo(6.5.2)|W7Ult-x64-SP1
    Audient:iD22+ASP800|KRK:VXT6|+various-outboard-gear|+guitars&basses, etc.
    Having fun at work lately
    #3
    Fog
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    Re:Laptop as 2nd PC 2009/11/23 21:22:43 (permalink)
    well get a usb if it's just for making stuff on the fly.. reason isn't fussy what soundcard and mode it uses, BUT it does use latency compensation to fix lag.

    the more memory you have the better.. as for external hard drive.. well I have a 2.5 hard drive in an external casing as well. you can dump all ya reason stuff in there if you want.. e.g. loops..  not big libs though.

    the onboard graphics card also and the chipset it uses for the pc itself.. ermm the one in my laptop is intel 945 or 915, i forget, it's not state of the art.hehe .. other chipsets are available


    errm

    http://www.dv247.com/comp.../usb-audio-interfaces/

    forget pcima laptop cards  unless ya have deep pockets. the cakewalk one is also the small one..


    #4
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