|
Log in to post
|
Print Thread |
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 618
Journeyman
|
OP
Journeyman
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 618 |
Hello all,
I've been gone for quite awhile after last Fall's flood disaster. We're recovering and have replaced our Desktop, which gets used mostly for everything. This includes all of our entertainment. This ties it up a most of the time.
My Wife got a Dell Laptop with a 15" Widescreen. It looks and works great.
I need my own Laptop computer now and many are affordable still. I'm thinking the 17" screen Laptops are going to be a bit heavy and bulky to cart around the house and even on my lap. I really like the 15" Wide Screen on hers, but I was wondering if any of the 14" are good. They make many I assume for more portability. A big factor in this is that my eyesight is not what it used to be.
I know many people here use Laptops and I was wondering what Display size do you prefer? Adding a Monitor is very simple now with the new PCs. We connect our 40" HDTV with an HDMI and another monitor as well.
Just wondering what the most popular screen size is for those who use BIAB and Realtracks and PTPA?
Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
Wayne,
P.S. I bought a Mustang I Amp for Christmas and I'm playing Guitar again. So it won't be very long till I have some new stuff. Thank you all for your support in the past.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 7,913
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 7,913 |
More important to me than the screen size is the keyboard layout. With most of the 17" widescreen models these days, they have a dedicated number pad over on the right side of the keyboard. As I'm a nerd, I love to have that at the ready for entering in measure numbers, parameters on plugins, etc.
I would also look for an HDMI output on the lappy, as this can get you all the screen you ever care to look at, for a much less expensive outlay than a similarly sized monitor.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 8,987
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 8,987 |
My wife got a Dell 15.4" 11 months and three hard drives ago. Their idea of in-warranty customer service was to send used drives (stripped out mounting holes) to a disabled lady senior citizen and say "have at it!" My wife is in no way a "power user." She just got her new Acer 17" and she's very happy with it. In fact, the Dell was a lot more money.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 618
Journeyman
|
|
OP
Journeyman
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 618 |
Sorry to hear about the problems with the Dell. Most people I know have Dell Laptops and haven't had any problems. Some are over ten years old
The others are all HP and they all have problems and never can get HP to fix them.
I think which brand is always going to be a personal decision. My wife's Dell is 6 months old, has an i5, 6gb ram AND A 750GIG hd. It was $499 at BJ's Wholesale here. Now I wish I had bought 2. I didn't have the money then and I also didn't think I'd ever want a laptop.
They all come with HDMI ports for the past year from what I've seen. What I'm looking at now is basically the same machines only now they all have USB3 ports.
I guess I'll get the 15". I love the feel of the keyboard on the Dell. That was my wife's main demand and I like it better than my Desktop Keyboard.
If I find a 17" that I really like I might get it. So far they still seem too big for me and my Lap and Sofa.
So are most of you using 15" laptops? Just wondering if anyone uses the 14" ones.
Wayne,
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 618
Journeyman
|
|
OP
Journeyman
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 618 |
Having a full keyboard is important. Though I really never used the number pad on the right, The 15" Dell my wife has, has a full number keypad on the right. The only thing that takes a bit of getting used to is the arrow keys and the Home, End Page Up and Down. They are different on many keyboards though.
She did go crazy trying to use the touchpad. She's been using computers since the 80s and this touchpad drove her nuts. We just bought a Logitech Wireless. Works great and the usb plug is less than a half inch. We tried the mouse on our desktop and it works at 24 feet, so we got one so we could bring it to the table when we eat to use the PC when we watch things on our Flatscreen. No more getting up if the phone rings. We don't have cable so we use only the Internet for all our Movies and TV shows. Works well, better than most DVDs.
So I guess not many people go for the 14" Laptops. I know that looking at them in person, they do seem a bit small. I still like the size of her Dell 15". It's wide and I can read the screen with ease. Our Desktop is always set to HD, for Entertainmaent and all the type is too small for me to read.
Wayne,
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 618
Journeyman
|
|
OP
Journeyman
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 618 |
Went to a Local Play rehearsal last night and 2 people brought their laptops. One 14" Acer and an ASUS 15" The ASUS won out on all levels.
I think I'll be sticking with 15" and chossing ASUS or Dell again. The keyboard on the ASUS felt great. They were both new. The Acer's keyboard didn't feel good to me. There are just too many models to choose from.
Wayne,
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 7,913
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 7,913 |
One more thing to look out for--- The samsung I bought in the last 6 months has a touchpad that is WAY too sensitive. It sits right under the meat of my thumbs and while typing will take over cursor position. Fortunately there is a function key enable/disable toggle available. You might want to look for a similar feature.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 21,643
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 21,643 |
I have a couple Acers 15.6" in the house (56XX series I believe); one has ran well for a year, the other for two years of heavy use. Both still working fine.
I use a wirelless keyboard/mouse combo that takes one port and works great. So laptop keyboard is often not an issue. I have never found a laptop keyboard I liked better than regular. Or touchpad .. I'd rather just grab a regular mouse.
That said, there are times when I use the laptop keyboard when mobile, and it is OK for me, but some don't like it because the numberpad sits to the right of the letters pretty tight.
Make your sound your own!
.. I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 6,705
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 6,705 |
FWIW . . . I use only Lenovos 14" Thinkpads for live gigs. They have been solid work horses for years and the low profile 14. something screen is not imposive on my music stand.
Later,
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,610
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,610 |
Love my Toshiba Satellite ... 17" monitor (widescreen). Keys are full size, num pad to the side - plenty of space.
Cheers.
Cheers, Mike My Music * Asus ROG Strix G15CF 32 GB DDR4 4TB HDD + 1 TB SSD NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 8GB Win 11 AKAI EIE PRO Sound Interface. BIAB/RB 2024 UltraPak Build - Latest
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 618
Journeyman
|
|
OP
Journeyman
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 618 |
I just got to use a friend's Toshiba 17" and it was great. I loved the 17" display. Keyboard was fine.
They don't use the touchpad either and had a wireless mouse. It was really nice. The 17" is not that much bigger to use but the benefits of the larger screen was amazing. It made the 15" look small.
The 15" is very short from top to bottom and very wide. The Toshiba 17" just looked like a better aspect ratio. I don't know if it is different but I liked it a lot.
So I'm not going to rule out the 17" Laptops. Lots of deals on them. Maybe people don't want big laptops?
Wayne, Thanks all for your advice and experience.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 4,250
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 4,250 |
If high screen resolution is important to you then you should be sure to check the 17" laptop specs because a large number of them have a much lower resolution than the 15".
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 618
Journeyman
|
|
OP
Journeyman
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 618 |
Thanks Bob,
That's really good to know. Never thought of that. This will be my first Laptop since the old 386 days.
Wayne,
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 3,921
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 3,921 |
Quote:
Maybe people don't want big laptops?
Nope, just the market at work. Prices are coming down all the time.
"My primary musical instrument is the personal computer."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 7,302
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 7,302 |
Both of my Dells have 17" displays and I wouldn't be able to embrace a 15" since having bigger. But everyone is different. The eyesight isn't what it used to be either, so the bigger display is necessary.
I am using the new 1040XTRAEZ form this year. It has just 2 lines.
1. How much did you make in 2023?
2. Send it to us.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ask sales and support questions about Band-in-a-Box using natural language.
ChatPG's knowledge base includes the full Band-in-a-Box User Manual and sales information from the website.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Video: Next-Level AI Music Editing with ACE Studio and Band-in-a-Box®
Band-in-a-Box® 2024 German for Windows is Here!
Band-in-a-Box® 2024 für Windows Deutsch ist verfügbar!
Wir waren fleißig und haben über 50 neue Funktionen und eine erstaunliche Sammlung neuer Inhalte hinzugefügt, darunter 222 RealTracks, neue RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, "Songs with Vocals" Artist Performance Sets, abspielbare RealTracks Set 3, abspielbare RealDrums Set 2, zwei neue Sets von "RealDrums Stems", XPro Styles PAK 6, Xtra Styles PAK 17 und mehr!
Paket | Was ist Neu
Update Your PowerTracks Pro Audio 2024 Today!
The Newest RealBand 2024 Update is Here!
The newest RealBand 2024 Build 5 update is now available!
Download and install this to your RealBand 2024 for updated print options, streamlined loading and saving of .SGU & MGU (BB) files, and to add a number of program adjustments that address user-reported bugs and concerns.
This free update is available to all RealBand 2024 users. To learn more about this update and download it, head to www.pgmusic.com/support.realband.htm#20245
The Band-in-a-Box® Flash Drive Backup Option
Today (April 5) is National Flash Drive Day!
Did you know... not only can you download your Band-in-a-Box® Pro, MegaPAK, or PlusPAK purchase - you can also choose to add a flash drive backup copy with the installation files for only $15? It even comes with a Band-in-a-Box® keychain!
For the larger Band-in-a-Box® packages (UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, Audiophile Edition), the hard drive backup copy is available for only $25. This will include a preinstalled and ready to use program, along with your installation files.
Backup copies are offered during the checkout process on our website.
Already purchased your e-delivery version, and now you wish you had a backup copy? It's not too late! If your purchase was for the current version of Band-in-a-Box®, you can still reach out to our team directly to place your backup copy order!
Note: the Band-in-a-Box® keychain is only included with flash drive backup copies, and cannot be purchased separately.
Handy flash drive tip: Always try plugging in a USB device the wrong way first? If your flash drive (or other USB plug) doesn't have a symbol to indicate which way is up, look for the side with a seam on the metal connector (it only has a line across one side) - that's the side that either faces down or to the left, depending on your port placement.
Update your Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows® Today!
Update your Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows for free with build 1111!
With this update, there's more control when saving images from the Print Preview window, we've added defaults to the MultiPicker for sorting and font size, updated printing options, updated RealTracks and other content, and addressed user-reported issues with the StylePicker, MIDI Soloists, key signature changes, and more!
Learn more about this free update for Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows at www.pgmusic.com/support_windowsupdates.htm#1111
Band-in-a-Box® 2024 Review: 4.75 out of 5 Stars!
If you're looking for a in-depth review of the newest Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows version, you'll definitely find it with Sound-Guy's latest review, Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows Review: Incredible new capabilities to experiment, compose, arrange and mix songs.
A few excerpts:
"The Tracks view is possibly the single most powerful addition in 2024 and opens up a new way to edit and generate accompaniments. Combined with the new MultiPicker Library Window, it makes BIAB nearly perfect as an 'intelligent' composer/arranger program."
"MIDI SuperTracks partial generation showing six variations – each time the section is generated it can be instantly auditioned, re-generated or backed out to a previous generation – and you can do this with any track type. This is MAJOR! This takes musical experimentation and honing an arrangement to a new level, and faster than ever."
"Band in a Box continues to be an expansive musical tool-set for both novice and experienced musicians to experiment, compose, arrange and mix songs, as well as an extensive educational resource. It is huge, with hundreds of functions, more than any one person is likely to ever use. Yet, so is any DAW that I have used. BIAB can do some things that no DAW does, and this year BIAB has more DAW-like functions than ever."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forums66
Topics81,681
Posts735,867
Members38,538
| |
Most Online2,537
Jan 19th, 2020
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dansk
Deutsch - Windows
Español
Français - Windows
Italiano - Windows
Nederlands
Polski
Português
Svenskt
русский
Japanese
Simplified Chinese
Traditional Chinese
Korean