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Have used PG music products on desktops for a while now.. I am currently running BIAB 2009.5 w/ Realband on Windows XP Pro Desktop. I plan on upgrading BIAB most likely during the Winter Sale.. I'm also in the market for a laptop to use primarily with BIAB and Sonar Home Studio XL (version 7). Looks like I'm going to get into Windows 7 as XP will be difficult to find. Any suggestions on the following:
1. 32 or 64 bit ( I believe VSCdxi is only good on 32)
2. Windows 7 home or pro version
3. Suggestions on sound cards/interface (need MIDI capability)
Will my current 2009.5 BIAB (as well as the Sonar) work and load on windows 7 until I upgrade later in the year.
Never owned a laptop so your suggestion are appreciated and will be helpful when deciding what to purchase.
Thanks
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Well, with a laptop you are stuck with whatever they have onboard for sound. This is a huge reason why I am considering buying a desktop for the studio so I have control over the sound card.
As far as MIDI, all I can do is tell you that I use an M-Audio Fast Track Pro and I really like it.
The laptop is a Dell Inspiron, Intel 3.2 ghz dual core processor, 4 mb of RAM with a 24 inch flat panel attached using a dual screen monitor. (Supposedly that was part of the screen redraw problem that was addressed by the last patch, but I know of several people who posted and 3 here in my area who had the same issue with ONE monitor and never bothered to post about it. The patch fixed them all.)
Something else to consider when going the laptop route. The first thing I did was install a USB hub so I could use a detached keyboard and mouse I had laying around. Just a better feel for me to use a full sized keyboard and an optical mouse instead of that little touch pad thingy. And with my old eyes, I really need that 24 inch flat panel.
Now all this may be different depending on how you use BIAB. I just do basic demos that go out to players so they can learn the songs. If you are going to use it to be portable, get a library built to take the laptop out and play gigs, your application may be different. Given that scenario though, I would install BIAB on both systems, use the desktop for the studio creation work, copy the songs to the laptop with a flash drive or SD card, and gig with the laptop.
Don't sweat the OS. Windows 7 is the one Micro$oft finally got right. It will run just fine.
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bluzkeez1, you are correct about the VSC and 32-bit. I'm not sure I would let that dictate getting 32-bit over 64, though, since 64 will surely be more future-proof, and PG Music supplies a 64-bit substitute called Coyote Wavetable (it's not as good as the VSC, though). I have found Windows 7 Pro 64-bit to be the most stable OS ever, with 13 months of zero BSOD.
Having said that, my fairly new Toshiba laptop runs Windows 7 Home 32-bit and it has been fine, too. Both machines run BIAB very well.
PG Music commented a few months ago to someone who, I think, had BIAB 2008.5, and even that ran in Windows 7. If I recall correctly, your version should run fine in Windows 7, as Eddie also said.
With a laptop, you will want a good external sound card. One from the M-Audio Fast Track series works well for me, and others here also like it. It's always best to turn off the built-in soundcard on a laptop, unless all you are doing is playing back audio.
Once budget allows, you will really enjoy the many new features, and the improved performance of the RealTracks, in version 2011. Past practice is no guarantee, but there may be a new upgrade package this summer before the new full version, presumably in December.
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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You are not "stuck with" whatever sound device the laptop comes with at all.
There are USB sound devices that you can purchase and use with the laptop.
M-Audio makes the FastTrack Pro line, known to work and play well with pgmusic products.
For Playback Only, (no multitrack recording and no recording of acoustic tracks) - the internal sound device in the modern laptop proves to be very worthy indeed - no need to purchase additional sound device for the purpose of amplifying the laptop for use in live performance or practice sessions at all. This is due to the widespread interest in using the laptop to view DVDs or listen to music, the mfr's have responded with much better playback DACs and the like but have been slow to include the Recording side of things that are of audiophile quality. The Earphone Jack on the modern laptop can be used as a stereo Line Out for amplifying via PA, home stereo system, etc. Resulta have been always very clean indeed.
--Mac
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If you can wait until Christmas there are great buys out there. i bought my Lenovo for $398 including shipping. Saved about $250.
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Sorry to say, that for the "musician-on-the-go" of tomorrow, will probably be content with a mobile "wiz", like the forthcoming Pads, Pods, (Phones and cameras included, of course), perhaps for ABOUT a comparable price to a "music-set-up portable...that just "Might Not"...have near the creative potential of that small gizmo, that might be available by Xmas, with all "cloud stuff" possibilities, on the horizon! I've got a beauty of a Toshiba Qosmio Portable gathering dust...three desktops, that are "confined" to my humble abode... but I do have an old 3rd Gen. touch Ipod with 25 Gigs of memory that's "joined into--and a part of... my one Terrabyte Seagate...BY USB...quite a potent low-priced "tool" to "lug" up on stage!? Like Mr.Job of Apple has recently  said, and I'm paraphrasing, "Computers won't have to worry about internal software, per se, but how the mobile software they're holding will communicate artistically, musically, with instantly possible creative tools "in miniture hardware of the future".... With Lion and Cloud and streaming everything "coming from the heavens", all we'll need is a little warm "gizmo" WITH BALLS!!!
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The Core i7 is a good laptop processor and for music in general ist best ot have as much RAM as you can get. But. If you run Xp you cannot go over 3 gig and even reahing that requiires some. Win 7 64 bit is the future and will run BIAB but make sure your other apps and drivers can work with it.
Win 11 64, Asus Rog Strix z390 mobo, 64 gig RAM, 8700k
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Quote:
You are not "stuck with" whatever sound device the laptop comes with at all.
There are USB sound devices that you can purchase and use with the laptop.
--Mac
I was speaking to the fact that on a laptop you don't have a PCI slot to put a better sound card in as you do on a desktop.
In fact I just ordered a new Dell for the studio JUST so I can put in a dual head video card and a sound card with RCAs. My application is more concerned with input to the laptop than output coming from it, by standard disclaimer, that is just me.
As my post stated, I use an M-Audio USB Fast Track Pro 2. I also don't like the speed of a USB port vs the bus speed across the slots on the motherboard, but you can't have everything. If I had the skills to do so, I would find a way to convert that USB MIDI interface/sound device to run at mobo bus speed. A CPU with a lot of front end bus speed, like 800 mhz, vs the 480 mhz of USB 2.0.....but I am not a good enough hardware hacker to risk ruining several hundred dollars worth of equipment while I try to Frankenstein together a super MIDI rig.
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Neither statement is totally true.
My new Lenovo has a PCI express slot so I can use my Audigy 2 ZS notebook card. You can also use any other card that is either PCI Express or PCMCIA
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John, does somebody make a PCI express card with RCAs on it? I will look too, but if someone had a card for a laptop with a breakout box that allows RCAs rather than that stereo mini plug I would get one for general use. I just have this dislike for the cords that use RCA to mini plugs like some people are afraid of spiders.... As it is I am shopping for my dual head video card. May as well look at some sound cards.
I love my Dell Inspiron 1545 laptop (and the 1525 it moved out of #1 laptop in my heart) but I just want a desktop running the studio. I don't know why, but I do. AND, this gave me an excuse to buy the new PC!! LOL!!!
Dell has some decent deals right now. $9 shipping. What I paid for this PC I would have paid WITHOUT a monitor and it comes with a 19" flat panel. 3 gigs should pay for it.
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The Audigi 2 ZS Notebook card uses a breakout cable that has 3 pigtails on it that are 1/8 female. Two are 4 pole jacks and one is a 3 pole jack. Using third party KX drivers I'm able to have 8 separate outs that are WDM. Very cool. As well as the breakout cable I bought Two camcorder cables and one regular 1/8 stereo phone to two RCA plugs.They plug into the above mentioned jacks. The camcorder cables are 1/8 four pole plugs to 3 RCA plugs. The regular 1/8 stereo plug to two RCA plugs goes into the 3 pole jack.Totals 8 RCA plugs. NewEgg has an adapter for $10.00 so you can use the older PCMCIA cards in the not as old express slot. Works perfect. No drivers no nothing. Wouldn't even know it was there. The adapter. Do take note though that I'm not particularly right in the head when it comes to my live setup. I use the above mentioned setup for the band. I use one acoustic track that's assigned to the out of the lappies internal soundcard that provides chord data to my vocal harmonizer. And then I use another sound card (IKMultimedia Stealth ASIO only )to play my bass through their bass modeling software.Gives me an Ampeg B15 without the weight. 
Last edited by silvertones; 06/03/11 11:39 AM.
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Researching it now. Sounds like what I want. TY!
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Thanks for all the suggestions. So many choices out there. Don't want to go overboard on the laptop. Have a couple of desktops in the studio. Just want some mobility for on the road or band practice. Probably go with a mid priced laptop and external audio/midi interface. Looks like M-audio is the preferred brand. Thanks again
Andy
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Just curious. Several folks have mentioned M-audio fast-track. Anyone using the usb Focusrite audio midi interface. Would like to be able to use new Ketron so midi is a must, especially if I end up with Windows 7 64 bit and lose the VSC dxi option. I realize that most sound card forums are frequented by those having problems. I myself have posted several times here for the same. M-audio forums seem to have numerous pop and click posts. In fact this seems to be the case with a lot of the usb cards forums out there. On my XP pro desktops I use PCI Echo products and have never had a problem. No clicks ,pops, cut outs etc
Maybe the world of laptops is a different animal. The Focusrite seem to get pretty favorable reviews on most websites. Trying to get as much info before purchase to prevent posting here with multiple BIAB, Windows7 64bit, USB soundcard problems. Have a small home studio and wanted the laptop for easier mobility and future gigging. Some of you have already suggested some brands that work well for you. Any other laptop users who care to share their laptop/soundcard set-up? Thanks for your replies
Andy
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