Here's the drill,
I bought a couple of Palm handheld computer / organizers for me and the engineer at the studio. Idea being, fast updatable (syncronises with base computer(s) ) studio diary at all times, (even remote internet updating is possible)
Studio = Mac with Apple Talk active (ProControl needs it) NON USB
My Home / office = Mac NON USB
Engineers home = Mac NON USB
I have realised that as a phone call comes in, taking a message or penciling in time in the palm hand held is too fiddley, the entry needs to be made on a computer...
Thoughts...
it seems dumb to stop the music session just to take a message, besides I fear a reboot might be
required to disengage f&%%ing Apple Talk - major PITA and hardly making for a smooth running operation
So a laptop would
Allow for portable diary entrys (can be taken into room away from the sessions)
Allow for courtesy client email access
Allow me to finally have a rig to interface with a digital camera (my other rigs are too old)
So far all the above could be achived on a Mac laptop
BUT ! And here is my question to you all..
WOULD A PC DO THE SAME JOB? And more?
Perhaps I could run 'Acid' or other 'fun' PC audio toys on it that I cant get on Mac...
So..
Cost? (must be USB & or firewire)
Additional benefits?
Mac or PC laptop?
Watcha think guys?
Jules
Producer Julian Standen
London, UK
Take the tour! http://www.librarystudio.com
Comments
Of course a PC can do the job just as well or even better in tha
Of course a PC can do the job just as well or even better in that application..yes you can run Acid or Reason or whatever else floats your boat!
Laptops can range in prices and pretty much all of the laptops come with USB..look at Pricewatch.com for laptop deals...or Ebay or any other auction sites like Ubid.com
I'm not sure what additional benefits you will get from choosing between a Mac and a PC laptop..they are two completely different platforms and most laptops you get for Mac's have OSX on them and that is incompatible with all software for audio..
But the fact remains that there are programs out for the PC that wont run on the MAc that are better and more fun to use...being cross platform also helps when clients use mostly PC stuff and bring it to you for fixing or whatever.
Firewire isnt much of a thing on some PC's but I do know it is available.
Hops that answer some of your questions!!(man I have a blister on my pinky from playing slap bass.....aarrrggghhh!!! what PITA!!!)
Opus
Well, I'm a PC type guy, I used an Apple wayyyyy back in 1983, a
Well, I'm a PC type guy, I used an Apple wayyyyy back in 1983, and haven't used one since.. so I'm biased. Do they still only have one mouse button?
Acid is worth the pain of using a MICROS~1 operating system. :eek: (But I bought it at a reduced price of $99 (US)). In fact, so are alot of audio apps. If you DO get a PC laptop, do your homework first, stay away from AMD and VIA chips, if you plan on recording alot with it- think about getting an external harddrive, as laptop harddrives are purposely slow as to save battery power. Do optimizations necessary. I prefer win2k over win9x. Stay away from winXP for now, until both software and hardware catches up.
Plus, with a PC running MICROS~1 OS, you have tons of great audio apps, plugins, you name it, it's there! Including skins so you won't be able to tell your running Windows- there's some themes resembling Macs. You couldn't tell I was running windows on my windows boxes! Even some of the free software is great.
ljp
You probably seen [[url=http://[/URL]="http://store.palm.com/Cat
You probably seen [[url=http://[/URL]="http://store.palm.c…"]this[/]="http://store.palm.c…"]this[/] alredy, but it's worth considering. A laptop is just as unwieldy as anything else.
If that doesn't help, I'll put some suggestions together.