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Help! Tech S.O.S (Off topic)
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Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 260
Apprentice
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OP
Apprentice
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 260 |
Hi folks. Thoughts, please.
1st, I am not a techie kinda person, so speak to me as you would a child.
My dog is getting super lonely while I sit in my office/studio at my PC so much of the day/night with work and BIAB. I'm not kidding, he is one sad guy.
I need to get an inexpensive (as possible) PC laptop that would be dedicated to BIAB and a DAW to use in my den. Used is fine. I won't run any unrequired programs on it. No Office Suite (Word), etc.
What do you think would be the minimal parameters it would need? Or, any suggestions for make/models? Cheap. Used. I'll need small-ish monitors there also, so if you have suggestions, I'll take them.
Thanks.
Andy
BIAB 2017 Ultra
Windows 8 and 10
Scarlet 18i8
Reaper and Mixpad
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Help! Tech S.O.S (Off topic)
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Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,486
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We know that BIAB 2016 requires a PC that scores around 1500 minimum on the single-core Geekbench test (a free utility you can download). You could pretty easily test a candidate laptop.
KRK and M-Audio make pretty good small monitors for the money.
Can't help with the dog.
BIAB 2025 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 7 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Slate VSX, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
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Help! Tech S.O.S (Off topic)
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 11,004
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Goodwill stores in my area sell used desk and laptop computers. They refurbish them and update the operating system. Used laptops start at about $100.
Of course bigger is better but truthfully any present day laptop you get should handle Band-in-a-Box. The big difference you will notice is it will take longer for the program to open up because laptop hard drives normally are slower than desktop hard drives (5,400 rpm for most laptop hard drives versus 7,200 or 10,000 rpm for desktop). Once the program loads up it operates from the computer memory.
The laptop I'm using is four years old and works fine.
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Help! Tech S.O.S (Off topic)
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Joined: May 2000
Posts: 22,522
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My personal suggestion;
Surface Pro
It may not seem worth it at first, but down the road you'll likely appreciate the choice.
Just my opinion.
I've seen these be very reliable workhorses in various situations. Value over time and all that ..
YMMV
Last edited by rharv; 10/25/16 04:07 PM.
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
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Help! Tech S.O.S (Off topic)
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Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 260
Apprentice
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OP
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Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 260 |
You guys are the best. Thank you.
Andy
BIAB 2017 Ultra
Windows 8 and 10
Scarlet 18i8
Reaper and Mixpad
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Help! Tech S.O.S (Off topic)
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Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 260
Apprentice
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OP
Apprentice
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 260 |
HA! He's gonna be so happy.
I have a 10 year old laptop, runs Vista and it will not run BIAB consistently. Freezes or takes 10 mins to load (then freezes). I can't upgrade the operating system. It's fine for surfing, but not much more.
Thanks for your help, Matt!
Andy
BIAB 2017 Ultra
Windows 8 and 10
Scarlet 18i8
Reaper and Mixpad
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Help! Tech S.O.S (Off topic)
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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 24,427
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Newegg has a number of refurbished laptops. You may want to take a look. Also regardless of what laptop you purchase be sure to delete all of the bloat ware that comes with them. Also be sure to make a couple of backup discs. Good luck.
Love is grand.
Divorce is twenty grand!
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
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Help! Tech S.O.S (Off topic)
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Joined: Dec 2000
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Whenever I re-install from restore discs, or purchase a new computer, I always run PC-Decrapifier to get rid of the bloatware that comes pre-installed.
John Laptop-HP Omen I7 Win11Pro 32GB 12TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 12TB SATA BB2026/UMC204HD&404HD/Casios/Cakewalk/Reaper/Studio One/Notion/Dorico/Noteworthy/NI/Halion/IK http://www.sus4chord.com (under rehosting/construction)
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Help! Tech S.O.S (Off topic)
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Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 260
Apprentice
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OP
Apprentice
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 260 |
Thanks for the bloatware tips! And Decrapifier! What a great name.
I buy and lease real estate and I had an old, eccentric codger I dealt with... old wealthy family that owned a lot of real estate and radio stations and shopping centers, etc. His office was in an ancient, 2-pump Texaco gas station, dark and dusty/musty...creepy as hell, filled with filing cabinets and old newspapers.
He had a clause in all his contracts everyone had to include, entitled:
My Anti-Legal-Rip-off Clause.
We was my hero!
Andy
BIAB 2017 Ultra
Windows 8 and 10
Scarlet 18i8
Reaper and Mixpad
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Help! Tech S.O.S (Off topic)
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Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 408
PG Music Staff
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PG Music Staff
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 408 |
I buy and lease real estate and I had an old, eccentric codger I dealt with... old wealthy family that owned a lot of real estate and radio stations and shopping centers, etc. His office was in an ancient, 2-pump Texaco gas station, dark and dusty/musty...creepy as hell, filled with filing cabinets and old newspapers.
He had a clause in all his contracts everyone had to include, entitled:
My Anti-Legal-Rip-off Clause.
We was my hero!
What a character  I'd walk around with that contract all day every day, making everybody I talked to sign it... just to be safe!
Will - PG Music
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Help! Tech S.O.S (Off topic)
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Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 7,697
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Andy, not to be presumptive but it sounds like you could afford something nice.
I would get a newer lappy with at least 8 gigs ram and most importantly a minimum 256 gig SSD running Win 10 and a 1 or 2 TB standard HD for storage. You install the full Biab including all the RT's on the SSD.
Biab or RB opens in like 5 seconds and your songs generate in maybe 4 seconds. This allows you to do all kinds of experimentation to check out different styles or arrangements or adding different RT's without waiting for "eons" for the thing to regenerate each time.
You will be so much happier, trust me on this. Check out my sig I got my new system last July.
Bob
Biab/RB latest build, Win 11 Pro, Ryzen 5 5600 G, 512 Gig SSD, 16 Gigs Ram, Steinberg UR22 MkII, Roland Sonic Cell, Kurzweil PC3, Hammond SK1, Korg PA3XPro, Garritan JABB, Hypercanvas, Sampletank 3, more.
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Help! Tech S.O.S (Off topic)
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Yeah, but I'm a frugal guy.  I don't disagree, you are absolutely right about not under-buying. I've certainly done that before. I wish I'd have started out with a higher quality guitar when I was 15 and not have spent years incrementally "buying up." I'm thinking because of the den's layout, I can't have large-ish monitors there and will need to do anything really serious at the PC. Not that I know how to mix regardless of the PC speed/monitors/blind luck, but I can goof around on the LT with instruments and tempo and such. But I'm going to look at everything from all angles, so everyone's input is greatly, greatly appreciated. I definitely don't want to buy anything that I should have known beforehand would not even run BIAB. Thanks guys.
Andy
BIAB 2017 Ultra
Windows 8 and 10
Scarlet 18i8
Reaper and Mixpad
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Help! Tech S.O.S (Off topic)
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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 24,427
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IF you buy used or refurbished and If you plan on getting on the Internet then be sure to look for something that has Windows 10 installed. All other versions of Windows will be unsupported soon. Thus you will have to shell out another $100 USD to buy Windows 10.
Personally I wouldn't buy anything that doesn't have Win 10 installed but YMMV.
PS - If you never get on the Internet with this computer then it probably doesn't matter what OS you use. I say probably because I'm sure there will be or there already is software that require Win 10.
Love is grand.
Divorce is twenty grand!
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
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Help! Tech S.O.S (Off topic)
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Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 1,333
Expert
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[quote=Andy A - USA]Yeah, but I'm a frugal guy. I don't disagree, you are absolutely right about not under-buying. I've certainly done that before. I wish I'd have started out with a higher quality guitar when I was 15 and not have spent years incrementally "buying up." /quote] I didn't read every response. I would only submit that I tend to think too many 'under-buy'. In this context....being 'frugal' is one thing, being imprudent with a purchase of this nature is another. I would suggest buy something that you will not grow out of in a short amount of time. Happy spending....carry on.
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Help! Tech S.O.S (Off topic)
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BTW, Windows 7 (Service Pack 1) extended support ends on 14 January 2020.
John Laptop-HP Omen I7 Win11Pro 32GB 12TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 12TB SATA BB2026/UMC204HD&404HD/Casios/Cakewalk/Reaper/Studio One/Notion/Dorico/Noteworthy/NI/Halion/IK http://www.sus4chord.com (under rehosting/construction)
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Help! Tech S.O.S (Off topic)
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Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 408
PG Music Staff
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PG Music Staff
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 408 |
[quote=Andy A - USA]Yeah, but I'm a frugal guy. I don't disagree, you are absolutely right about not under-buying. I've certainly done that before. I wish I'd have started out with a higher quality guitar when I was 15 and not have spent years incrementally "buying up." /quote] I didn't read every response. I would only submit that I tend to think too many 'under-buy'. In this context....being 'frugal' is one thing, being imprudent with a purchase of this nature is another. I would suggest buy something that you will not grow out of in a short amount of time. Happy spending....carry on. Exactly, if you buy a pair of boots that lasts for a year for $60 instead of a pair that lasts for 5 years for $200, you lose out in the long run! The buy-it-for-life philosophy
Will - PG Music
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Help! Tech S.O.S (Off topic)
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Everybody's needs are different. Something else to consider is do you have a HD TV in the den? Win 10 has a great feature called wireless display. It's a two piece USB gadget you buy from MS for $50 that lets you use a high def TV as your computer monitor wirelessly. You don't then need a large lappy with a 19" screen. Or, like was suggested earlier, look at a Surface Pro because they all have SSD's. The new 4's are expensive for the i5 256gig models but the Surface Pro 3's sell used for $5-600 on Amazon. There are a ton of vids on YT about using a Surface Pro for music.
For me I already have a set up where I run a 25' HDMI cable from my bedroom, through the wall into the living room to my new 60" 4K TV and I'm telling you running Biab on that big screen is just great. If your den is small you can buy a 32-42" HDTV for a few hundred bucks. Use that wirelessly from a Surface Pro and you have something you can have some fun with.
I know you're talking about your den but what about your living room? If you have a big screen set up there with a nice home theater sound system guess what I would do? Get a Surface Pro and run it wirelessly in there using your sound system with Biab and forget the den.
Bob
Biab/RB latest build, Win 11 Pro, Ryzen 5 5600 G, 512 Gig SSD, 16 Gigs Ram, Steinberg UR22 MkII, Roland Sonic Cell, Kurzweil PC3, Hammond SK1, Korg PA3XPro, Garritan JABB, Hypercanvas, Sampletank 3, more.
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Help! Tech S.O.S (Off topic)
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Everybody's needs are different. Bob Of course, I certainly agree, generally speaking. But...on this thread topic, us music/recording junkies need to think 3-4 years down the road...minimum. IE: over time, adding more intensive music programs/apps putting more demands on our system with FX/signal processing and a personal evolving that may incorporate recording with others of like mind. I'd always recommend purchasing a system (or any hardware unit) that exceeds the criteria that we might erroneously think we can live with....going minimalist can frequently be a costly, shortsighted decision. Personally....I'd never go refurbished and to my research homework. I'd bite the bullet, put on a credit card if necessary, go new, get the warranty and record on. But, that's just me and I have been wrong in the past. Just things to ponder before pulling the trigger. Not taking issue here...just qualifying my take on it. Back to it....
Last edited by chulaivet1966; 10/27/16 05:37 AM.
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Help! Tech S.O.S (Off topic)
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Well, thanks everyone. Those suggestions gave me the minimums to shoot for and there are a lot of refurbed units out there that meet all of them and they're in the $350 range. Newegg has a bunch. Cha-ching. Throw some little monitors in and I'm good to go.
Frugal and Imprudent. Thrifty, economical, AND prudent, vs. rash, ill-advised and ignorant. Hmmm...
BIAB is important to me, but so are a lot of things. The money tree I ordered never came.
And like a lot of folks here I'm sure (and they could buy me out 10 times with the money they carry in their shoe), I owe no one. Conservative house, car, c-cards, all zeros. And that's a nice feeling.
Last edited by Andy A - USA; 10/27/16 01:06 PM.
Andy
BIAB 2017 Ultra
Windows 8 and 10
Scarlet 18i8
Reaper and Mixpad
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Help! Tech S.O.S (Off topic)
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Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 260
Apprentice
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Apprentice
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Posts: 260 |
That's great advice, Bob, and several of those comments came while I was writing mine, so I appreciate the restating, C1966.
I have a great room house (den/living room all one), but it's not huge (the house). I do have HDTV and the wireless application you mentioned is really interesting.
Thanks.
Andy
BIAB 2017 Ultra
Windows 8 and 10
Scarlet 18i8
Reaper and Mixpad
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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.
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PowerTracks Pro 2026 for Windows is Here!
PowerTracks 2026 is here—bringing powerful new enhancements designed to make your production workflow faster, smoother, and more intuitive than ever.
The enhanced Mixer now shows Track Type and Instrument icons for instant track recognition, while a new grid option simplifies editing views. Non-floating windows adopt a modern title bar style, replacing the legacy blue bar.
The Master Volume is now applied at the end of the audio chain for consistent levels and full-signal master effects.
Tablature now includes a “Save bends when saving XML” option for improved compatibility with PG Music tools. Plus, you can instantly match all track heights with a simple Ctrl-release after resizing, and Add2 chords from MGU/SGU files are now fully supported... and more!
Get started today—first-time packages start at just $49.
Already using PowerTracks Pro Audio? Upgrade for as little as $29 and enjoy the latest improvements!
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We've added many major new features and new content in a redesigned Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®!
Version 2026 introduces a modernized GUI redesign across the program, with updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, and a new Dark Mode option. There’s also a new side toolbar for quicker access to commonly used windows, and the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, making it easier to customize your workspace.
Another exciting new addition is the new AI-Notes feature, which can transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI. You can view the results in notation or play them back as MIDI, and choose whether to process an entire track or focus on specific parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®.
There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
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Good news! You still have time to upgrade to the latest version of Band-in-a-Box® for Windows® and save. Our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® special now runs through January 15, 2025!
We've packed Band-in-a-Box® 2026 with major new features, enhancements, and an incredible lineup of new content! The program now sports a sleek, modern GUI redesign across the entire interface, including updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, a new dark mode option, and more. The brand-new side toolbar provides quicker access to key windows, while the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, creating a flexible, clutter-free workspace. We have an amazing new “AI-Notes” feature. This transcribes polyphonic audio into MIDI so you can view it in notation or play it back as MIDI. You can process an entire track (all pitched instruments and drums) or focus on individual parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
There are over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®.
When you order purchase Band-in-a-Box® 2026 before 11:59 PM PST on January 15th, you'll also receive a Free Bonus PAK packed with exciting new add-ons.
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® today! Check out the Band-in-a-Box® packages page for all the purchase options available.
Happy New Year!
Thank you for being part of the Band-in-a-Box® community.
Wishing you and yours a very happy 2026—Happy New Year from all of us at PG Music!
Season's Greetings!
Wishing everyone a happy, healthy holiday season—thanks for being part of our community!
The office will be closed for Christmas Day, but we will be back on Boxing Day (Dec 26th) at 6:00am PST.
Team PG
Band-in-a-Box 2026 Video: The Newly Designed Piano Roll Window
In this video, we explore the updated Piano Roll, complete with a modernized look and exciting new features. You’ll see new filtering options that make it easy to focus on specific note groups, smoother and more intuitive note entry and editing, and enhanced options for zooming, looping, and more.
Watch the video.
You can see all the 2026 videos on our forum!
Band-in-a-Box 2026 Video: AI Stems & Notes - split polyphonic audio into instruments and transcribe
This video demonstrates how to use the new AI-Notes feature together with the AI-Stems splitter, allowing you to select an audio file and have it separated into individual stems while transcribing each one to its own MIDI track. AI-Notes converts polyphonic audio—either full mixes or individual instruments—into MIDI that you can view in notation or play back instantly.
Watch the video.
You can see all the 2026 videos on our forum!
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