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I saw this thing at Best Buy today. This is the best machine I've seen for a band in a Box solo guy with a computer on stage. Windows 8, Touch Screen, but has a keyboard and mouse. Skinny. Needs a nice carrying case. This is the real deal, and if I was younger and looking to gig outside, I'd have one in a heart beat. As it is, I just hope for the heartbeat part tomorrow. However, I see potential written all over it. Especially as a band in a box computer. When I've said before it would come, I thought last year. But its now for sure. It has a battery, 20 inch screen, and you 'tap' it. No hum! No a/c. No idea on battery life. Not a laptop, those are bad on a 'music stand'. This should just fit fine. I'd even cut a traditional Manhasset to fit I think. But, I've 3 standing invites to play, 2 hotels and 1 high end Seniors residence. The former pay a little, and I don't use anything but me and a few books like the Frank Mantooth books, and usually a really big bible (ie. Jazz book with lots of tunes) in case of an odd request. Like last week, Love for Sale. Dang I've heard it, but you think I could visualize that one? Grab the book, no problemo. Oh well, my 2Cents worth on a dreary wet Sunday with grey grey skies. Don't know why, there's no sun up in the sky, it's Winter. In Ontario it's a bummer. Oh Oh, there goes Engine and Truck 9. Used to be, even 1 km away I could hear the actual alarm inside the station when it's wet out. Now the hearing is gone, but I hear those wind up sirens! I don't miss driving in that traffic though. They almost make my heart rate rise. Almost. Just saw too many fatalities out of that station. (Station = Hall in Canada, Fire Hall.) So much for today's lesson from the attic of the USA. Take Care, and have a look... http://allthingsd.com/20121213/sony-vaio-tap-20-fun-filled-family-computer/
John Conley
Musica est vita
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Way koo, Johan!
Please let us know if you like Win 8. Reviews are still quite mixed. What about performance with BIAB, eh?
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I'm a Mac guy now. Mostly. A win 7 lappy is on my main piano. My win 7 HP media is downstairs in the studio with my lighting and Korg keyboard, horns etc. My upstairs office, where I 'live', is an iMac 27", photography, lenses, camera gear and books. BUT as I said, that little PC, touchscreen, would in my old world, run Band in a Box. And I'd gig. Geez, I spend MOST of my time in various bathrooms trying to get a dribble. Then I wake up 4 hours later. Not to worry about like the old days when one's legs went to sleep so to speak. Mine are always that way. What feet? So it goes. I stagger from one attempt to the next trying to find 'fun'. You get it right? I wanted a nice nurse. Pretty, slender, young, with the white dress. My nurses were nice, gay, over six foot, and they floated around. Lisping. Nice enough guys, but NO DON"T mess with that buddy. I might be disabled but...:) And skinny! How does 150 pounds sit on a six foot 4 frame? No more nurses except at the clinics. Those ones are nice. When I wanted a great 'bath' in a chair I never dreamt... ah you get it. Oh Oh, here comes the water flush. It will gush from my fingertips. Better go get a towel and not fall down on the way. sigh.... We went to see Reacher last night. I even understood 30 percent, a new record. But I read the book first.  Back to my chicken stew I'm making for my Mom. She does 4 steps up to my place once a week to stay in shape. 84 and in a wheelchair. She gets a nurse 3 times a week so my Dad can go shopping and Mom gets a bath in a chair. Seen this show before right? BTW, what's MIDI? LOL. (Pot stirred, stew pot next)
John Conley
Musica est vita
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EnJOY, John, sounds great!
--Mac
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Good find - thanks!
Not being a "touch screen" kind of user, and for other reasons I'm not a big Win 8 fan, and Apple will never get a nickel of my money, knowingly anyway, but this does look very promising nonetheless.
Larry
Win10Pro,i9,64GB,2TBSSD+20TBHDDs,1080TI,BIAB'24,Scarlett18i8,Montage7,Fusion 8HD,QS8,Integra7,XV5080,QSR,SC-8850,SPLAT,FL21&others,Komp.14,IK suite&others, just a guitar player-AXE FX III &FM9T, FishmanTP, MIDIGuitar2, GK2/3'sw/GI20
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"Make new friends, but keep the old, one is silver and the other is gold."
Here's my prediction, based on past experience.
There will come a day when Microsoft will release an operating system that is new and likely different from the way Win8 operates.
And on that same day, people will sing praises for the now familiar Win8.
They will also say negative things about whatever the new kid on the block is named.
Microsoft has delivered some gems, also have delivered some really bad stuff. Windoze Millenia anyone? Din't think so.
It will take more time before anything said about Win8 good or bad will mean anything important to me.
But I typically like to wait until I see at least the first Service Pack before taking the plunge in a serious fashion. That doesn't mean I would pass up a good deal over the installed OS, though.
--Mac
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I said no Mac for John. Then my wife got an iPad. I had an android tablet. Her ipad was and is amazing. So I got the Mac. Again it is unix and works.
The need is for a musician to use one finger on the screen to run band in a box. Not a desktop computer. This vaio is the first of many you will see. I have kept my old systems that work, two run Linux like the acer we took to the uk.
Everything is networked 2 printers, 7 computers and a 2 tb my drive.
A hobby of sorts.
Like my 2000 gmc full size pickup 6 mo old lab and bird feeders.
Me and my toys.
Tottering on for now...keep your head up. Unless they shoot.
John Conley
Musica est vita
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Now, if they make the screen "non-reflective" (I don't know the proper English word, so I made one up.) this could be something for a stage. Anything shown on a "screen with a built in mirror" might be hard to identify in certain lighting situations.
Desktop; i7-2600k, 8 GB mem., Win 10 Pro, BIAB 2017; RB 2017 - latest build
Laptop: i5-2410M, 4 GB mem, Win 10 Pro, BIAB 2017; RB 2017 - latest build
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http://www.radtech.us/Products/ClearCal-Displays.aspxJust buy this film. I didn't check if they have one that is good for 'finger prints'. That's my beef with the iPad, it gets dirty quick and I'm always cleaning the thing. There has been lots of work on running band in a box remote with an app. My argument has always been that very soon technology will make that redundant. Now once the price for this hits 499$ it will fly off the shelf. In the mean time tablets are getting both smaller and bigger. I think they realize that many of the older generation can turn a page, but you can't see the little print. My cell is a monster size. That's so I don't have to pull out spectacles just to see who beeped me. Find the phone, find the glasses, drop my teeth, my cane hits the floor, and all heck breaks loose. SO, as stated, give us a nice 20 plus inch screen, a hard drive big enough for all the RT's pg can make, and make nice with the output from the device. Next let's have a secondary box for an eq, song list. Hey this is the app I wanted PG to write. A player, plain and simple, with a list on the right. My gig stuff, and a library of all the songs we can find. For requests. Keep it simple. I don't need to enter chords on a stage right? Well I might not be found on a stage much anymore...sigh.
John Conley
Musica est vita
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Quote:
Now, if they make the screen "non-reflective" (I don't know the proper English word, so I made one up.) this could be something for a stage. Anything shown on a "screen with a built in mirror" might be hard to identify in certain lighting situations.
Why Oh Why have most laptops and even monitors reflective screen, deeper colours they say, but I really hate them.
If I want a mirror I will buy a mirror, but a matt screen for me anyday.
musiclover
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Quote:
Now, if they make the screen "non-reflective" (I don't know the proper English word, so I made one up.) this could be something for a stage. Anything shown on a "screen with a built in mirror" might be hard to identify in certain lighting situations.
Have you ever tried it?
Screens that emit their own light don't often "mirror". Regardless of "stage lighting" or not.
The only problem with standard illumination computer screens is daylight. It is a bit much to expect the internal backlighting of the screen to compete with the kind of light Old Sol emits. Still, today's backlighting is more Daylight Viewable than standard screens of a few years ago, often working quite well in Daylight environments. There was a time when those who had a need to use computer screens in daylight environments had to spend more money on a "Daylight" screen, which typically was the same screen in front but with a more heavy duty backlighting situation in which not only the intensity but the frequency of the light tubes was different than standard. That may just soon be a thing of the past entirely as many of the laptop and touchscreen pads of today are indeed Daylight Viewable.
Mirroring, never encountered it except with the old glass front CRT monitors.
--Mac
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I have not tried this specific monitor. I have had a laptop with a glare display. While I could set it up most often so it did seem not to reflect ambient light -- there were still some reflections I had to filter out with my brain or turn up the brightness of the screen.
Working with it in daylight often resulted in a light headache. So when it quit working I bought another one with a matte surface. It is, imo, much more convenient to work with - ymmv.
Desktop; i7-2600k, 8 GB mem., Win 10 Pro, BIAB 2017; RB 2017 - latest build
Laptop: i5-2410M, 4 GB mem, Win 10 Pro, BIAB 2017; RB 2017 - latest build
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How long ago was that?
As I said above, such issues have improved considerably in the last few years.
If concerned, not too hard to check one out at a brick 'n mortar store in advance.
The iPads are working fine in all kinds of lighting environments, to include daylight.
So do most of the laptops and flatscreens offered today.
This problem is wellknown to me because of day job stuff in which computers are placed on the bridges of ships, on the dockside, inside airplanes and helicopters, land vehicles, etc. There was once a time when we had to open up screens and modify them to be "Daylight Compatible" at extra cost to the customer. Not so much today as the screens coming out now are very capable in these respects.
The laptop I'm typing this on is a rather long in the tooth HP nx6125. It has a matte finish screen that is daylight viewable. Purchased in 2003.
But just because a screen may have a shiny finish does not mean that it isn't daylight viewable or may have a problem with light reflection onstage. Don't be concerned about light reflection when the screen is in the off state. Turn it on and then check it out in the lighting situation that you will be required to use it in.
It really has gotten a LOT better than in the past.
But that's not to say that someone wouldn't run into a screen that has the problem, especially in the lower priced models. Check it out beforehand to be certain it can do the job you will require of it.
--Mac
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I wish I could see the sun for a day or two. In this neck of the woods we often have no sun for weeks, then just a glimpse. That lasts for months.
Take a good vitamin D. And like Mac said.
That anti reflective film might be the best idea if you have a problem. 30 bucks or so...
Not to worry. Find the answer!
John Conley
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Quote:
How long ago was that?
I have bought that laptop, a Fujitsu-Siemens Amilo Pa 2548, with the glare screen Easter 2008, the graphics unit quit early summer in 2011.
Guido
Desktop; i7-2600k, 8 GB mem., Win 10 Pro, BIAB 2017; RB 2017 - latest build
Laptop: i5-2410M, 4 GB mem, Win 10 Pro, BIAB 2017; RB 2017 - latest build
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Last Chance! The Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® Special Ends Today (May 31, 2026) at 11:59pm PDT!
Time really is running out! Save up to 50% on Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® upgrades and receive a FREE Bonus PAK—only when you order by 11:59 PM PDT today!
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Another exciting new addition is the amazing new AI-Notes feature, which can transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI. View the results in notation or play them back as MIDI, and choose whether to transcribe an entire track or transcribe specific parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®.
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With Band-in-a-Box® 2026, we've released 202 incredible new RealTracks (in sets 468-488) in a variety of genres—featuring your most requested styles!
Jazz, Funk & World (Sets 468-475):
Our new jazz, funk & blues RealTracks include a groovin’ collection of RealTracks and RealDrums! These include more requested “soul jazz” RealTracks featuring artists Neil Swainson (bass), Charles Treadway (organ), Brent Mason (guitar), and Wes Little (drums). There are new “smooth jazz” styles (4), which include a RealTracks first: muted trumpet, as well as slick new smooth jazz brushes options for drums. Blues lovers will be thrilled—there are more “classic acoustic blues” styles, including guitar (5), bass (4), and drums (10) with blues master Colin Linden, featuring understated and tasty background acoustic soloing, plus brushes drums and acoustic bass. There are also new electric blues RealTracks, including electric blues with PG favorite Johnny Hiland (3) and soulful electric slide guitar from Colin Linden (4). If you love funk & gospel, there are great new options this year, including gospel organ (3) from Charles Treadway, as well as new funk, tango, and rock ’n’ roll drums (3) and bass (1). And for big, bold arrangements, we have uptempo soul horns (4) featuring a three-part hip horn section with options for a full mix or stems of each individual horn — plus an accompanying rhythm section (4) of drums, bass, guitar, and electric piano!
Rock & Pop (Sets 476–482):
Our new rock & pop RealTracks bring a powerful mix of requested favorites, fresh genres, and modern chart-inspired styles! We have more of our popular “Producer Layered Acoustic Guitars (15)” featuring Band-in-a-Box favorite Brent Mason. We’ve continued our much-requested disco styles (10), and added new Celtic guitar (5) with a more basic, accessible approach than our previous Drop-D or DADGAD offerings. There are also highly requested yacht rock styles (17), inspired by the smooth, polished soft-rock sound of the late ’70s and early ’80s — laid-back grooves, silky electric pianos, warm textures, elegant harmonic movement, and pristine production aesthetics. Fans of heavier styles will love our new glam metal (13), capturing the flashy, high-energy sound of ’80s arena-ready guitar rock. We also have a set of rootsy modern-folk rock (18), with a warm, organic sound combining contemporary folk textures and driving acoustic strumming. And we’ve added lots of new modern pop styles (16) — the kinds of sounds you’re hearing on the radio today, featuring exciting new drums, synths, and cutting-edge RealTracks arrangements.
Country, & Americana (Sets 483–488):
Our new country & Americana RealTracks deliver a rich collection of acoustic, electric, and roots-inspired styles! We have new country pop (9) with legendary guitarist Brent Mason. There is also a potpourri (14) of bouzouki, guitars, banjo, and more, perfect for adding texture and character to contemporary acoustic arrangements. We’ve added funky country guitar (5) with PG favorite Brent Mason, along with classic pedal steel styles (5) featuring steel great Doug Jernigan. There are more country songwriter styles (8) that provide intimate, rootsy foundations for storytelling and modern Americana writing. Finally, we have “background soloing” acoustic guitar (12) with Brent Mason — simpler, but still very tasty acoustic lines designed to sit beautifully behind vocals or act as a subtle standalone solo part.
Check out all the 202 new RealTracks (in sets 468-488)!
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- MIDI Styles Set 92: Look Ma! More MIDI 15: Latin Jazz
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- Artist Performance Set 19: Songs with Vocals 9
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- Instrumental Studies 25 - Soul Jazz Guitar Soloing
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