The mother of all (notebook)DAW's!

The ASUS N71Jq

i7 720 QM (quad core, 8 threads)
2 x (Seagate)320 GB 7200rpm HDD's
ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5730 with dedicated 1GB DDR3
4GB  PC3-8500 1066MHz DDR3 SDRAM (expandable to 8GB)
BlueRay DVD
17.3" Widescreen
ExpressCard/34 Slot
1x USB 3.0!
3x USB 2.0
1x eSATA
Bluetooth 2.1+EDR
1x VGA
1x HDMI

Obviously there are faster processors out there. But I was not limiting my criteria on just processor speed. Clearly at $1350 this notebook sports quite the package. The dual (7200)hard drives are a rare treat that is ideal for auido production. And the expresscard allows for other audio-specific requirements such as a TI chipset firewire card. And USB 3.0... icing on the cake.

Jim Roseberry


FWIW, If you haven't experienced the 720QM, I'd recommend checking it out in person...
(Performance isn't as fast as the name might imply)

I've noticed that they idle @ 1.6GHz... and then the Turbo Boost kicks in when you need it. Sounds like a work in progress?

That was the case with an Acer laptop that I have.   In fact while testing a Focusrite Saffire Pro 40 with the Laptop and a SIIG express card that had a TI chipset it "blue screened" and Zapped the Saffire Pro 40, which is now junk.

yes and no

things have only become worse with laptops
it used to be just about the chipsets now it has more to do with the bios than anything
even with a ricoh chipset i could at least get it to work @ 512 buffer not exactly low latency but at least it worked
now you are lucky if your interface gets recognized and even if it does you will be having drop out issues etc
due to high DPC.
there is a whole host of issues
 
its either buy an Apple (still not without issues)
or buy a built for audio laptop

mike_mccue


Roland should commission a i7 lap top with working onboard firewire that we can all use...

well here is the issue with that idea
all laptops are made by an ODM. in other words Apple Dell, HP etc do not make thier own laptops (asus does and builds for the others)
there are about 9 ODM builders for all the brands of laptops.
 
to order a custom laptop (redesign a shell or add hardware like asking for a TI based onboard firewire)
minimum order 10,000 or more. some wont even talk to you unless its 100k
trust me i looked into it.
 
anyone want to go in with me on 10K laptops :-)
thats only about 6 mil. (just for the shell)
 
 
 
 

mike_mccue

...that is why I am suggesting that a party with a stake in the game that has a fully functional international finance and distribution system come to the rescue. 

10k may or may not fit into a company like Roland's scale of business... I don't know... but I can dream.

I agree. I've noticed a trend towards laptops used as primary DAW's in recent years. I believe there would be a huge market for a branded notebook DAW on the Windows side of the planet.
Even in other forums that used to be dominated my Mac users i see more and more Win lappies in the sigs.

sandman5000


or...forget all the hoop jumping forflaky and soon to be dead  firewire and use agood  USB interface instead.  

I would love too.........would you please direct me to a USB interface than can record 24 inputs at one time

Because that is what I do, record live shows, 24 to 26 mics at once, and mix FOH at the same time.  Really please point me to a USB interface that can do that !!

SORRY WRONG ANSWER..........only 16 inputs........I need 24 to 26.  BTW, I have one, great interface, just not enough inputs .

TRY AGAIN ?????

man,  I hate being made to work.  Just bring a desktop,  get a digital mixer like the behringer ddx3216 and use adat.  Done deal man.  Like I told you,  I was doing that years ago.  Or spend what you want for your very specific need.  Take care.  :)

Just bring a desktop?

That's what we're all complaining about... I was doing that on my p4 laptop up til last year... and now I have to bring my desktop because the new screaming fast laptops can't do it.

He also says his agenda is too save us all money.... and cheerfully suggests I abandon $3k worth of firewire audio gear.

Perhaps he doesn't know it, but I also run a $5k video deck that works with my $25k camera that both employ firewire.

USB is not a cheap solution for some folks.

Scott, can you tell us more about the Madi/laptop setup?

what??  you guys are a joke.   I already said,  for YOUR VERY SPECIALIZED  needs,  spend what you want.  The problem is you guys start the sales pitch and try to steer people into what they really don't need.  A guy says he wants to spends $600 tops,  and it';s like no spend $3000 with my good buddy over here.  What is that?  That's good advice?

Most people don't need to do that.  And if you do,  then i'd still rather put it in a rack mount case or even a lunchbox and use PCI and RME rather than flaky firewire and need to jump through all these hoops and expense,  just to use firewire.  That is ass backwards. 

Like I said,  I was doing that years ago with a digital mixer and a smallish desktop and monitor.  It was pretty portable and nice to have the faders and routing of a mixer.  Very pro actually.
And i didn't need to spend $3000 or more for it.  I actually spent about $550 and got a ton if use from it.  Still do,  it's one of my little recording stations I leave set up at home. 

You guys think you own the definition of what pro is and then try to mock or put down anything else that isn't how some salesman told you it needs to be.  LAME.

You guys are stretching,  but have fun. 

Hey Mike,
the Madi laptops are used for recording to a DigiCo or Yamaha console (or any console) with Madi.

while you certainly could get all the I/O gear (like 2 RME MD32's) to actually give you 64 ins
or a pair of SSL Alpha link SX
 at that point the laptop bcomes more a question of why,
 since you would have all that racked gear to begin with why not a racked system.

most "mobile" people are 24 or less

i was just pointing out that you can actually do 64 I/O live record
now heavy editing  of the same on said laptop.... kinda pushing it.

all laptops are made by an ODM

So where do people like jcschild find components to build customized laptops?