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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 49
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OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 49 |
I have an Ultra pack running from its USB hard drive. I was thinking of installing the contents on a
Seagate, 7200rpm, firewire Free Agent Pro type hard drive, to keep the USB as a backup. Firewire
is supposed to be better for transfer of audio files but other than getting back my 2 USB ports and
having the original as my backup copy, is the any benefit to load speed or performance in the
move to a firewire external hard drive? Can someone who has tried this say how it worked
out for you? Thanks.
PowerSpec Tower, Intel Quad Core
4GB RAM, XP pro
3 500 GB Hard Drives
Tracktion 3, Sonic Cell, QY 100
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,574
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Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,574 |
I have tried it.
Although theoretically Firewire 400 is a bit faster than USB 2, in practice I did not notice any difference. And if you don't have a firewire card or controller with Texas Instrument chips, I don't recommend firewire anyway for audio.
If you are talking Firewire 800, or USB 3, then the answer is different.
As I understand it, this is the order from slowest to fastest: USB, USB 2, Firewire 400, Firewire 800, USB 3.
BIAB 2026 Win Audiophile. Software: Fender Studio One 8, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Fender Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502
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I haven't noticed much difference if at all either.
While it is true that FireWire still holds the slight upperhand when it comes to Streaming Audio, especially Multitracked streaming Audio, thye loading and playing of RealTracks is not quite the same issue at all.
So the answer is that you could stay with the USB drive if your only goal is higher performance in terms of load speeds. Just always make sure that the USB port you use is USB 2.0 and not USB1.1 - most computers have both types on them these days, typically more 1.1s than 2.0s.
--Mac
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 49
Enthusiast
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OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 49 |
Thanks Matt, I was wondering if there was any added performance boost. My USB
Ultra Pk was from Dec. 2008, the slim profile, Chinese made drive, that has
sometimes been a bit touchy starting up. I have been recording audio with my
tower so I have two dedicated f/w 400 cards, with the TI chipset. The Seagate
Free Agent Pro can be USB 2 or f/w400. If you have tried storing BIAB over
f/w400 to HD and it workes just as good as USB2, then because I use many MIDI
extras, I would like to get back those 2 USB ports it uses. To do the change over
to another HD, would I just copy and paste to the new HD location (and not run
the installer again - UltraPak setup.exe)? As I said my USB Ultra was 2008, but I
upgraded to 2009, then updated that to 2009.5, so the copy I make should be
correct and up to date for what I have ? Thanks for your assistance.
PowerSpec Tower, Intel Quad Core
4GB RAM, XP pro
3 500 GB Hard Drives
Tracktion 3, Sonic Cell, QY 100
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,574
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,574 |
It depends on how you installed the program.
If you installed it to your tower's boot drive, then I would recommend you do what I did: copy the Real Drums folder and Real Tracks folder to the firewire drive, but leave the program where it is. Just go to Opt, Preferences, Real Drums and Real Tracks and set the new custom path to the firewire drive. Also make sure you duplicate the correct folder hierarchy.
[Truth be told, I copied only the folders of Real Track instruments that I knew I might use. With the audiophile version, that saved a lot of space.]
But if you run the program from the external drive, you will need to use the Setup.exe to reinstall the entire application to another drive. If I recall correctly, the 2009.5 setup file gave you the same choices it does now with 2010.5.
ps there have been a lot of other improvements since version 2009.5.
BIAB 2026 Win Audiophile. Software: Fender Studio One 8, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Fender Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 49
Enthusiast
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OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 49 |
Thanks Matt and Mac for the input. I just got back to BIAB, since caring for
Family members and a move, with my system torn down. When I first got my
Ultra in 2008, I just got rolling when I had to stop for lifes issues. Now that I'm back
I'm already in high gear discovering many new sides of BIAB & RB. I can't believe
the quality of the songs I've made...I'm lovin'it!! So if there are improvements
in 2010.5, I've got some reading to do to catch up. (and I just printed out many
chapters of the large 2009.5 guide)...
If the USB HDs have gotten better, an upgrade to 2010.5 on HD may be in order.
PowerSpec Tower, Intel Quad Core
4GB RAM, XP pro
3 500 GB Hard Drives
Tracktion 3, Sonic Cell, QY 100
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502 |
Quote:
... Chinese made drive, that has
sometimes been a bit touchy starting up. ....
The USB enclosure is made in China. The drive itself likely comes from Singapore, where ALL the hard drives come from regardless of brand.
You may be able to cure the "touchy startup" by opening the enclosure and reseating the drive into its connector inside. If you have the black PGMusic supplied enclosure with the Band in a Box logo on it, there are two little tabs on the side of each end -- push those tabs inward slightly using a small jeweler's screwdriver or the like and the end caps will come out. The rest should be self-explanatory, simply disconnect the disk drive itself from that end connector and then connect it again. This action can physically clean the contacts as well as reseat them as sometimes the connector becomes loose inside the case. Then pop the end caps back on.
--Mac
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 49
Enthusiast
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OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 49 |
Hi Mac, thanks for the tip. I have the older style, silver colored housing, saying
"2.5 SATA - External Case". The USB end cap has two small jewelers screws, which
I guess must come out to release the cap. I will then follow instructions to reseat
the connector, then close it back up. But, since I'm going to look at a 2010.5 upgrade, it sounds like there may have been some improvements to the HD
units, from the 2008 style. Is it just a housing change or have the internals
improved also?
PowerSpec Tower, Intel Quad Core
4GB RAM, XP pro
3 500 GB Hard Drives
Tracktion 3, Sonic Cell, QY 100
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,869
Expert
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Expert
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,869 |
jb you have a treat waiting for you when you upgrade - make sure you get the 101 Rts they are cool. i have had the same life issues, a move , new studio, got it all running, got 2010.5 plus started jsmmiung its great!
wwbr up a cherry tree yesterday, staning on top of this ladder reaching up for those top sweet cherries... i know what you thinking, but no, i got down safely enough...
it was when i was standing on the lawn i fell backwards and brije my left arm
Anyways.. few weeks off work to praxtuce my right hand...
00:() Som etimes life can not quite be that bowl ofd cherries...lol
Win 11 64, Asus Rog Strix z390 mobo, 64 gig RAM, 8700k
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 49
Enthusiast
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OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 49 |
Hi ZZ, yes I love the RT I have now. Just having a track or two in a song really
bring up the fun level! I am looking forward to more bass & B3 that are in the
new ones. Hope your arm mends quickly, so you can get back to the cherry bowl!!
PowerSpec Tower, Intel Quad Core
4GB RAM, XP pro
3 500 GB Hard Drives
Tracktion 3, Sonic Cell, QY 100
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 312
Journeyman
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Journeyman
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 312 |
Quote:
I have an Ultra pack running from its USB hard drive. I was thinking of installing the contents on a
Seagate, 7200rpm, firewire Free Agent Pro type hard drive, to keep the USB as a backup.
Well the most obvious advantage is the fact that you will have backed up the USB drive. Luckily I installed the BIAB executable from my pgmusic USB drive to my main PC just before it's quirky behavior got worse. It crashed within a month or two.
There's an interesting comment in the post about the newer drives having better reliability but I try to make a firm policy of not throwing more money after bad when it's not a boat.
If you're going firewire, USB, or NAS don't worry about the spindle speed. Maybe if you're looking at a Gigabit NAS and it has high performance reviews.
If someone is using the realtracks then I would recommend having those files on an internal disk, if you use BIAB frequently. Attached drives are good for backups, shared materials (for NAS storage), and large files that are used infrequently. Attached drives, with the exception of eSATA, have a significant performance hit.
Finally, I have found a cool signature with sufficiently dry humor.
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