|
Log in to post
|
Print Thread |
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 123
Apprentice
|
OP
Apprentice
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 123 |
Hi There my beloved Advisers, Thanks for all the awesome advice and help y’all give us on here. I need some tech advice/ recommendations (you name it). I am essentially a gigging Keyboard player with the intention of setting up a mini home studio set up to do some good demos, sequencing and ultimately to do some good work. The clients have been calling me lately asking me to do some production and so, if I have a home set up, I can work from home smoothly and do my thing. So anyways, first of all my gear is as follows: • Software: Band in a box Mega pak 2008, power tracks pro audio 12, Sonar 4, Cubase Sx3, Sound Forge 7.0, Finale 2007. I am getting Ableton Live 8 soon to help with playing “live” in the worship band at my church. Obviously, I will need a good enough Laptop for this and a midi set up hooked up a Roland Clavinova that I play at my church. • Hardware: Yamaha Motif ES-7, a LEXICON OMEGA interface, a Korg D888 HARD disk recorder/ Mixer. I am also looking into purchasing one of those M-AUDIO fast Track Pro interfaces just in case. Always good to have more than 1 interface, at least one in the box waiting. Now here is what I need, folks. I need a good enough Laptop to integrate with my above gear. My budget is gonna be approximately maybe about close to $700.00. I have 2 end of October gigs ($285.00 + $375.00 and Maybe I can chip in a $100.00. A Customer Manager Friend of Mine who works at Wal-Mart here in Columbus, Georgia informed me of some good Laptop Sale deals coming up for the Thanksgiving holiday……….I mean like in a few weeks time. I need some advice and or recommendations here. I know that purchasing a laptop for music is a highly subjective matter but however, based on my gear above, and what I want to do, take a look at these super Laptop deals that Walmart will have for Thanksgiving sale and tell me which one I can be recommended or suggested to purchase. There is the Compaq Pressario Laptop for $298, pretty good specs and there’s also the $548 Acer 8-hour battery laptop among others. Any ideas on the specs of these in terms of Music production for a home studio situation? Which one do y’all think can be best for me at this point in time? Take a look at this link below. I do await your feedback and or comments. Thanks soo much, y’all. I know that a Mac is usually the better bet for music production but I am looking at the prices of these Walmart windows Laptops and I am like whoaaa !! Check the link below: http://blogs.zdnet.com/gadgetreviews/?p=6181
Jacobins
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502 |
HP published specs for the model are here: Bargain Basement Wally World HP Laptop Specs Might be a good deal for you, but you must do your homework, search the web to see if any Omega users have reported problems with this laptop or not. Each brand and model laptop you discover on sale is a repeat of the above for you right now. Only YOU can evaluate this situation, really, for even if someone else has the same exact brand and model of laptop and sound device, their report of "good and working well" or "bad and does not work" is also dependant upon many more things, such as the setup, OS settings, etc. and also the user and what they do. But you can and should look for TRENDS in these reports and then govern your decision accordingly. --Mac
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 3,926
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 3,926 |
Micro Center has many full-size laptops on sale right now from $299 and up. I personally recommend this Toshiba Satellite L505-S5997 - Midnight Breeze on sale for $599 (after $50 mail-in rebate). Intel 2.2 GHz dual processor, Win 7 64-bit, 4 Gb RAM, 320 Gb 5400 RPM HD, etc., etc., etc. Memory is expandable to 8 Gb, which it can take advantage of because of the 64-bit OS. Only downside, which shouldn't bother you, is that you can't run the Virtual Sound Canvas that comes with BIAB. I have an L305-series similarly equipped but maxed at 4 Gb of RAM. It is the stoutest machine I have ever owned, with great support from both Toshiba and Microsoft. Absent any specific contraindications regarding Toshiba, I don't think you could do much better. Micro Center often has refurbs available at significantly reduced prices*, but you have to pick them up in person. They WILL NOT sell a refurbished laptop without seeing you and your money/credit card. There are two stores in the Atlanta area. You can check availability by store online. HTH R. *I paid less than $450 for my refurbished L305-S5937 when it was selling new for almost $900.
Last edited by Ryszard; 10/23/09 07:44 AM.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502 |
If I was in the market right now, I'd carefully weigh the price differential of the older machines that run Vista as the distributors attempt to empty their warehouses over machines that come with Win7 on them.
Not that a Vista machine would be a kill, mind you, for if you can get a Win7 upgrade for a good price, it still could represent a saving to go that route instead.
--Mac
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,060
Expert
|
|
Expert
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,060 |
Any one know if Win 7 can have another OS like xp so you could slpit the hd and install xp 32 which would run every thing today til win 7 gets it right??
Wyndham
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 4,900
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 4,900 |
I would go for HP every time. My Mother must be one of the unluckiest laptop users I have ever known and she has had several Acers and Toshibas, all of which had to be returned to the shop almost immediately but she has never had any problems eith HP and I have 4 of them. I wouldn't touch anything else
I would also stay with XP, at least for now
Follow That Dream Sam Karaoke King -------------------- Turning that corner again - I have to keep following that dream, no matter what
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Update to Build 10 of RealBand® 2026 for Windows®!
If you're already using RealBand 2026 for Windows, download build 10 to get all the latest additions and enhancements.
Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® users: Build 904 now available!
If you're already using Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®, make sure to grab the latest update! Build 904 is now available for download and includes the newest additions and enhancements from our team.
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® users: Build 1237 is now available!
Already a Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Windows user? Stay up to date and download the build 1237 to get all the latest additions and enhancements.
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!
Order now!
Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Windows Special Offers End Tomorrow (January 15th, 2026) at 11:59 PM PST!
Time really is running out! Save up to 50% on Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® upgrades and receive a FREE Bonus PAK—only when you order by 11:59 PM PST on Thursday, January 15, 2026!
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!
Upgrade your Band-in-a-Box for Windows to save up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 upgrade packages!
Plus, when you order your Band-in-a-Box® 2026 upgrade during our special, you'll receive a Free Bonus PAK of exciting new add-ons.
If you need any help deciding which package is the best option for you, just let us know. We are here to help!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® Special Offers Extended Until January 15, 2026!
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!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forums57
Topics86,078
Posts799,800
Members40,028
| |
Most Online44,367
Mar 4th, 2026
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dansk
Deutsch - Windows
Español
Français - Windows
Italiano - Windows
Nederlands
Polski
Português
Svenskt
русский
Japanese
Simplified Chinese
Traditional Chinese
Korean