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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 4
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Hi
I'm looking for some advice. I've been using Band in a Box and Realband for a couple of years. Using them on a desktop with Windows Vista Home Premium / 1GB Ram / 3.00 Ghz processor / a lexicon Lambda. Really like both products a lot but do get various problems which seem to be associated with Vista (e.g. neither program ever closes cleanly, no matter what).
I'm planning to buy a laptop to use with BiaB and RB and am wondering if anyone can advise me on the best laptop/best laptop spec/ best operating system (should I try to go back to XP or buy Vista Professional or something?).
All advice gratefully received...
Thanks
Dennis
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Hi Dennis - welcome to the forum!
I run everything on HP laptops under Win XP Pro. No problems.
What's your budget?
Follow That Dream Sam Karaoke King -------------------- Turning that corner again - I have to keep following that dream, no matter what
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 812
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Hi Dennis,
There are some great Netbooks out there now. The main thing is the OS issue, I can't recommend Windows 7 highly enough. It's working great for me, I would never go back to Vista! Almost any new Netbook you buy now will have Win 7 preinstalled.
Until you are ready to migrate to a Macbook Pro and Snow Leapord, this is the way to go.
Just my 2 cents,
Ed
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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You are also going to be hard pressed to find a laptop with a stereo line-in connector; you may have to consider an external USB alternative. Most of the major brands now offer only a monophonic microphone input; some do allow you to reconfigure this to be a stereo line-in (I have heard), but it seems that many laptops have completely abandoned stereo line-in.
If you require stereo line-in, then be sure to ask before you buy.
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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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 4,900
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Re stereo line-in: get a TASCAM US-122 USB or better
Follow That Dream Sam Karaoke King -------------------- Turning that corner again - I have to keep following that dream, no matter what
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: May 2001
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labrys/WienSam:
This is what Musician's Friend has noted for the Tascam product:
"We're sorry, this product has been discontinued."
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Nov 2008
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I've got a Toshiba Qosmio...very expensive but very cool. Only problem is that I took it to a computer tech (?) to have the DC adapter male-socket replaced, and $80 bucks later he said..."your computer unfortunately is trashed. The power-on light now blinks, and that's a bad sign. Also I found you had spilled something in it and that's probably the straw that broke..... BS, when I brought it in it only had a display prob, thanks to the Toshiba receptical for the adapter in need of being replaced. I am determined to work on it myself and bring it to life...or I'll create a real Frankenstein out of it and lead it back to this stupid tech's shop. I swear to God, he'll hear about it if I am able to clean it up and get it running, cause it's such a beautiful computer with XP-Pro inside. I heard today that Nokia, the phone company, is striking back, with ATT's help with a new razzle-dazzle netbook with Windoze 7. Because they're marketing Nokia's entry into the netbook market, the cost will be extremely low, altho it'll cost about $120 bucks annually for ATT isp service....it'll be as cheap as some of their new phones that are loaded with the new razzle-dazzle music/networking software and will easily sync everything--your internet/phone/music/broads.... Hey, maybe it'll be worth the 50% off suggested retail!? http://www.abc3340.com/news/stories/1009/668164.html 
Yamaha...Motif ES-8, Motif Rack, CS6X
Korg...Karma,Triton Classic, PA-80, M-1+
AkaiSampler-S5000, Roland.. X5080 Rack/G-1000 Arranger
Various Guitars/Basses Amps Pedals Rec.Equip.
Plus, BIAB 2015 and Sonar Platinum 2015 Upgrade from Cakewalk's Sonar X-3
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Quote:
labrys/WienSam:
This is what Musician's Friend has noted for the Tascam product:
"We're sorry, this product has been discontinued."
I know. It has been. It has been upgraded and updated - go to TASCAM's website to find the latest
Follow That Dream Sam Karaoke King -------------------- Turning that corner again - I have to keep following that dream, no matter what
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Quote:
I've got a Toshiba Qosmio...very expensive but very cool.
Only problem is that I took it to a computer tech (?) to have the
DC adapter male-socket replaced, and $80 bucks later he said..."your computer unfortunately is trashed. The power-on light now blinks, and that's a bad sign. Also I found you had spilled something in it and
that's probably the straw that broke.....
BS, when I brought it in it only had a display prob, thanks to the Toshiba receptical for the adapter in need of being replaced. I am
determined to work on it myself and bring it to life...or I'll create a real Frankenstein out of it and lead it back to this stupid tech's shop.
I swear to God, he'll hear about it if I am able to clean it up and get it running, cause it's such a beautiful computer with XP-Pro inside.
I heard today that Nokia, the phone company, is striking back, with ATT's help with a new razzle-dazzle netbook with Windoze 7.
Because they're marketing Nokia's entry into the netbook market, the cost will be extremely low, altho it'll cost about $120 bucks annually for ATT isp service....it'll be as cheap as some of their new phones that are loaded with the new razzle-dazzle music/networking software and will easily sync everything--your internet/phone/music/broads....
Hey, maybe it'll be worth the 50% off suggested retail!?
http://www.abc3340.com/news/stories/1009/668164.html
I hear you brother, I hear you.
You have to be your own techie these days or they will rip you off! Know what I mean?
Follow That Dream Sam Karaoke King -------------------- Turning that corner again - I have to keep following that dream, no matter what
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Aug 2008
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OP
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Hi. My budget limit is around £1500 (I'm guessing that's about $2,000?). Dennis
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Aug 2008
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OP
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Hi Ed. That's useful to know - cheers - Dennis
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Aug 2008
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Thanks for that. I think I'll try to steer clear of that Computer tech guy but maybe have a look at the Toshiba Qosmio (which I'd not heard of before). Dennis
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 32
Enthusiast
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Enthusiast
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Take a good look at the Dell E6400 (or the wider screen in this line - "Latitude"). I moved to this Dell from years with HP because this model has a BACKLIT KEYBOARD. As far as I know, it's the only full key laptop that does ... and it's such a change to be able to see those keys in low light. The E6400 and other Latitude models can be configured just about any way you want them.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,992
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labrys i gotta be frank mate. ive been testing a ton of lappies from /for friends, and i know some will disagree with me.. but frankly with most the problems are many. for example slow drives and poor firewire chipsets. if your serious bout a laptop i would suggest getting one built specifically for daw audio work. eg adkproaudio.com. these have proper drives and chipsets. TI for example. but they cost of course. all lappies i'm trying right now are failing the dpc test and need tweaking. RUN THIS TEST BEFORE BUYING !! http://www.thesycon.de/deu/latency_check.shtmlyoull get red spikes..i guarantee it. haveing said that some folks get away with useing a cheap lappie... often by luck rather than carefull planning. i personally am staying desktop for now cos i feel lappies need to go thru another round of re engineering. sorry for my strong feelings on this topic, but my opinion will not be swayed. ive seen too many folks get problems. particularly as trak counts rise .
Last edited by manning1; 11/05/09 04:17 AM.
retired puter engr....powertracks on amd......NICE !
"what is the black art of audio engineering ?"
my silly songs...motagator.com/bmanning
see my tips in the tips section.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Dennis - take a look at www.wstore.co.uk They are in the UK and I always buy direct from them now (they will even ship to Austria). I have also recommended them to friends and nobody has ever had a complaint whom I know of. Personally, I have bought 3 HPs from them over the last 9 years or so - all of which are still running with no problems. I should say the most important thing is the RAM, particularly if you want to use it specifically as a DAW with PG software. Personally, I always go for HP and have never had any problems with them. You can try out all sorts of combinations online of screen size, HD size, RAM, CPU, etc. The Compaq 610 Notebook is on special offer on the front page there at the moment and looks like a nice job and a third of the price you are willing to pay, with next day delivery. For what its worth, I have a top-of-the-range EliteBook which cost just under 3 grand in May but there is an EliteBook 2730 available at 1,503 exc VAT  As to the OS, stay with XP Pro. I have
Follow That Dream Sam Karaoke King -------------------- Turning that corner again - I have to keep following that dream, no matter what
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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One word.
ThinkPad
The ThinkPad I bought in 2002 is still running. I play one-nighters for a living, and it bounces in the van, bounces on the keyboard stand, goes from hot to cold, and generally takes abuse.
Well, the CMOS battery did fail after 7 years of faithful service (new one cost a couple of bucks at RadioShack) and the tech who installed it said that the ThinkPads are simply the best laptops on the market.
Insights and incites by Notes
Bob "Notes" Norton  Norton Music
https://www.nortonmusic.com
100% MIDI Super-Styles recorded by live, pro, studio musicians for a live groove
& Fake Disks for MIDI and/or RealTracks
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Notes, I'm sure you have put your ThinkPad through some real tests. That's a very good recommendation. However, you say that it's 7 years old? Machines have changed a lot since you bought yours. The ThinkPad of today might be vastly different from yours. Now, I don't actually know that's the case, but I know that it's true for the Toshibas. The problem for all of is, that the new computers haven't been through 7 year tests.....yet.
Stan
Cornet Curmudgeon
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Nov 2002
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I've had a Toshiba Satellite Laptop that I bought about 8 years ago when Win XP first came out. It's slow but it still runs great.
The harder I work the luckier I get.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Donsta. I have one too, but my wife's has a few more features. Mine's not as old as yours. I like it but I think that I probably need a better sound card. Since mine works okay, I'm just going to hold out as long as I can. I'm not upgrading to Win 7 either.
stan
Cornet Curmudgeon
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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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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!
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!
Bonus PAK and 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®
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These PAKs are loaded with additional add-ons to supercharge your Band-in-a-Box®!
This Free Bonus PAK includes:
- The 2026 RealCombos Booster PAK:
-For Pro customers, this includes 27 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
-For MegaPAK customers, this includes 25 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
-For UltraPAK customers, this includes 12 new RealStyles.
- MIDI Styles Set 92: Look Ma! More MIDI 15: Latin Jazz
- MIDI SuperTracks Set 46: Piano & Organ
- Instrumental Studies Set 24: Groovin' Blues Soloing
- Artist Performance Set 19: Songs with Vocals 9
- Playable RealTracks Set 5
- RealDrums Stems Set 9: Cool Brushes
- SynthMaster Sounds Set 1 (with audio demos)
- Android Band-in-a-Box® App (included)
Looking for more great add-ons, then upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49 and you'll get:
- 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums with 20 RealStyle.
- FLAC Files (lossless audio files) for the 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums
- MIDI Styles Set 93: Look Ma! More MIDI 16: SynthMaster
- MIDI SuperTracks Set 47: More SynthMaster
- Instrumental Studies 25 - Soul Jazz Guitar Soloing
- Artist Performance Set 20: Songs with Vocals 10
- RealDrums Stems Set 10: Groovin' Sticks
- SynthMaster Sounds & Styles Set 2 (sounds & styles with audio demos)
Learn more about the Bonus PAKs for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®!
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