Computer technology has reached the stage where an average PC is powerful enough to run a large-ish Sonar project.  This was not true a few years ago, but it is certainly true now.


I agree with this as I have installed Sonar on my wifes Lenovo think pad which has been set up for her to remote into her work server by the IT guys. I'm NOT ALLOWED to tweak it. The Dpclat meter ran at 50ms WITH the wireless card on!! Things have changed a lot in the last 5 years and hardware has finally surpassed what the software requires. 


Laptops are one thing. But, I certainly don't recommend anyone buy a desktop computer from a consumer outlet as you can easily build a much better machine yourself using the tools available at most on line sellers. It's a bit of a time consuming research project, but worth the bother. It all starts with a good case and power supply. This is where consumer machines cheap out but for keeping the noise down we need a little better quality. 

e need a little better quality. 

Cactus Music

It all starts with a good case and power supply. This is where consumer machines cheap out but for keeping the noise down we need a little better quality.  

That is very true. I just built a new system. Got a lesser quality power supply. Damn thing had a screw rattling around in it. I didn't know it at the time. Plugged everything in and started working towards getting it all built. Long story short, that screw loose screw in the power supply somehow caused a short that destroyed my brand new motherboard.  Thank gawd it didn't take out my new SSD as well.      

I'd definitely go after the company that made the power supply. Not many people do this, so those companies don't realize the damage they cause by not correctly QA'ing their products. 

brconflict


I'd definitely go after the company that made the power supply. Not many people do this, so those companies don't realize the damage they cause by not correctly QA'ing their products. 

I thought about it... But I thought, you know what, they will either deny it or expect some kind of proof, which I had no way of proving that their shotty power supply caused it. 


I was having initial issues because I didn't have a good boot disk, so I took my entire computer into a tech at work.  He's the one that showed me the short. He would move the power cables around and the box would just turn off. It wasn't until we took the power supply out that we could hear the screw rattling around.


Key takeaway?  Shake the sh1t out of your power supply before mounting it and listen for anything rattling around. 

I fried an Intel mother board simply because that board's documentation was bad. I never took it up with them, because it was out of warranty. Still, it was a painful loss because it also fried my CPU and RAM $600 loss. It sucks, but I can't totally fault Intel because that one is the same way. I can't prove anything. I know how you feel. But, you can at least let them know they let you down in a major way and cost you money. They will hopefully look into it, and maybe the rest of us will not get the same issue. I think it's always good to just see what they'll do for you if nothing more than to offer a refund or new power supply. You don't know what that screw was for, right? 

Chuck, i will definitely be watching your videos... thanks for those.

Having been a member of this forum for years, through many versions of SONAR, I am convinced that building a powerful machine from scratch with NOTHING on it except the operating system, SONAR and the proper drivers is the absolute best way to assure stability. Having been involved with computers since before Windows, I am also convinced that every added program or process that demands the system's attention is a step towards instability and crashes. ( a caveat here... I know that just because I'm "convinced" doesn't necessarily mean I'm "right"). Knowing this, I still bought a third party programs bloated Dell machine because I just couldn't build as powerful a machine at a price to match theirs... it was always $400 to $500 more (the amount, I'm sure, that those third party companies are paying Dell to put their programs on the machine...). I wish I had the smarts (and the guts) to wipe my Dell and reinstall just Windows 7 and SONAR, but I don't... now that's a service I'd probably pay for. For now, I'll just disable whatever I can clearly see won't make a difference to my system and leave the "iffy" things - like McAfees - that may make the system very jumpy if I remove.

To the OP, have a machine built if you can afford it.

Best,
Rob

redbarchetta

e need a little better quality. 

Cactus Music

It all starts with a good case and power supply. This is where consumer machines cheap out but for keeping the noise down we need a little better quality.  

That is very true. I just built a new system. Got a lesser quality power supply. Damn thing had a screw rattling around in it. I didn't know it at the time. Plugged everything in and started working towards getting it all built. Long story short, that screw loose screw in the power supply somehow caused a short that destroyed my brand new motherboard.  Thank gawd it didn't take out my new SSD as well.      

did I give you a copy of my book ???
 
did you read the part about loose screws shorting out motherboards?
 
thought I did give you a copy.

rcrees


Chuck, i will definitely be watching your videos... thanks for those.

Having been a member of this forum for years, through many versions of SONAR, I am convinced that building a powerful machine from scratch with NOTHING on it except the operating system, SONAR and the proper drivers is the absolute best way to assure stability. Having been involved with computers since before Windows, I am also convinced that every added program or process that demands the system's attention is a step towards instability and crashes. ( a caveat here... I know that just because I'm "convinced" doesn't necessarily mean I'm "right"). Knowing this, I still bought a third party programs bloated Dell machine because I just couldn't build as powerful a machine at a price to match theirs... it was always $400 to $500 more (the amount, I'm sure, that those third party companies are paying Dell to put their programs on the machine...). I wish I had the smarts (and the guts) to wipe my Dell and reinstall just Windows 7 and SONAR, but I don't... now that's a service I'd probably pay for. For now, I'll just disable whatever I can clearly see won't make a difference to my system and leave the "iffy" things - like McAfees - that may make the system very jumpy if I remove.

To the OP, have a machine built if you can afford it.

Best,
Rob

if you want a copy of my book ill gladly give you one for free, it will walk you through building your own.
its not that hard with instructions and videos, its almost fool proof.
 
if you want message me and I will give you detailed instructions on how to re install windows and sonar too.
again, not that hard, re install of windows a little more indepth because youll need  your motherboards (laptops) drivers,exc.
rob I also live in boston, so I could probably call you and walk you through it if you ever want to.

Cactus Music


Computer technology has reached the stage where an average PC is powerful enough to run a large-ish Sonar project.  This was not true a few years ago, but it is certainly true now.


I agree with this as I have installed Sonar on my wifes Lenovo think pad which has been set up for her to remote into her work server by the IT guys. I'm NOT ALLOWED to tweak it. The Dpclat meter ran at 50ms WITH the wireless card on!! Things have changed a lot in the last 5 years and hardware has finally surpassed what the software requires. 


Laptops are one thing. But, I certainly don't recommend anyone buy a desktop computer from a consumer outlet as you can easily build a much better machine yourself using the tools available at most on line sellers. It's a bit of a time consuming research project, but worth the bother. It all starts with a good case and power supply. This is where consumer machines cheap out but for keeping the noise down we need a little better quality. 

you running sonar on a Pentium 4 w/ 4 gigs of ram ?
how is that running and what kind of computer is your wifes.
 
I totally agree a lot of things have changed in the last five years,
I remember  a little more than five years ago paying almost 65 dollars for a a half of gig of ram (512mb)
 
things have gone down quite a bit in the computer world and it should, theres a lot of competition out there.

Bristol_Jonesey


You've got a 6 and a half foot fan running????????

Yup.  Everything's bigger in Texas.