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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: 26,848
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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; Roland Integra-7, Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
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Help! Tech S.O.S (Off topic)
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Joined: Aug 2011
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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.
Jim Fogle - 2025 BiaB (Build 1128) RB (Build 5) - Ultra+ PAK DAWs: Cakewalk by BandLab (CbB) - Standalone: Zoom MRS-8 Laptop: i3 Win 10, 8GB ram 500GB HDD Desktop: i7 Win 11, 12GB ram 256GB SSD, 4 TB HDD Music at: https://fogle622.wix.com/fogle622-audio-home
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Help! Tech S.O.S (Off topic)
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Joined: May 2000
Posts: 22,122
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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 05:07 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
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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: 22,719
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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.
When you are at the checkout line and they ask if you found everything say "Why, are you hiding stuff?"
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
Posts: 12,667
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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 2x2TB, 1x4TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 2x1.5TB, 2x2TB, 1x4TB SATA BB2025/UMC404HD/Casios/Cakewalk/Reaper/Studio One/MixBus/Notion/Finale/Dorico/Noteworthy/NI/Halion/IK http://www.sus4chord.com
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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 |
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: 7,693
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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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Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 260
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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: 22,719
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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.
When you are at the checkout line and they ask if you found everything say "Why, are you hiding stuff?"
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: 1,319
Expert
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Posts: 1,319 |
[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 2x2TB, 1x4TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 2x1.5TB, 2x2TB, 1x4TB SATA BB2025/UMC404HD/Casios/Cakewalk/Reaper/Studio One/MixBus/Notion/Finale/Dorico/Noteworthy/NI/Halion/IK http://www.sus4chord.com
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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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Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 1,319
Expert
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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 06:37 AM.
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Help! Tech S.O.S (Off topic)
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Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 260
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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 02:06 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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Band-in-a-Box 2025 French Version is Here!
Bonjour à tous,
Band-in-a-Box® 2025 pour Windows est disponible en Français.
Le téléchargement se fait à partir du site PG Music
Pour ceux qui auraient déjà acheté la version 2025 de Band-in-a-Box (et qui donc ont une version anglaise), il est possible de "franciser" cette version avec les patchs suivants:
BIAB 2025 - francisation
RealBand 2025 - francisation
Voilà, enjoy!
Band-in-a-Box 2025 German Version is Here!
Update Your Band-in-a-Box® 2025 to Build 1128 for Windows Today!
Already using Band-in-a-Box 2025 for Windows®? Download Build 1128 now from our Support Page to enjoy the latest enhancements and improvements from our team.
Stay up to date—get the latest update now!
Update to RealBand® 2025 Build 5 Windows Today!
Already using RealBand® 2025 for Windows®? Download Build 5 now from our Support Page to ensure you have the latest enhancements and improvements from our team.
Get the latest update today!
PowerTracks Pro Audio 2025 for Windows is Here!
PowerTracks Pro Audio 2025 is here! This new version introduces many features, including VST3 support, the ability to load or import a .FLAC file, a reset option for track height in the Tracks window, a taller Timeline on the Notation window toolbar, new freeze buttons in the Tracks window, three toolbar modes (two rows, single row, and none), the improved Select Patch dialog with text-based search and numeric patch display, a new button in the DirectX/VST window to copy an effects group, and more!
First-time packages start at only $49. Already a PowerTracks Pro Audio user? Upgrade for as little as $29!
www.pgmusic.com/powertracks.htm
Video: Summary of the New Band-in-a-Box® App for iOS®
Join Tobin as he takes you on a tour of the new Band-in-a-Box® app for iOS®! Designed for musicians, singer-songwriters, and educators, this powerful tool lets you create, play, and transfer songs effortlessly on your iPhone® or iPad®—anytime, anywhere.
Band-in-a-Box® for iOS® :Summary video.
Check out the forum post for more information.
Introducing the New Band-in-a-Box iOS App!
We’re excited to introduce the new Band-in-a-Box iOS app, designed to enhance your music creation. The Band-in-a-Box iOS app is the perfect companion to your desktop version, giving you the freedom to sketch out ideas wherever you are and develop them further when you're back at your workstation. Now, you can create, play, generate, and transfer songs seamlessly between your iOS device, and desktop.
Key Features:
- Easily Create and Play Songs – Build and play songs effortlessly on your device.
- MIDI and RealTracks/RealStyles Support – Generate MIDI tracks and RealTracks/RealStyles right on your iPhone or iPad (RealTracks/RealStyles require an internet connection).
- Notation Support – View chord sheets, professional notation, tab, and drum notation for all tracks.
...and more!
Watch the Band-in-a-Box iOS Overview Video.
Visit the Band-in-a-Box for iOS support page for more information and to listen to demos of our RealStyles catalogue.
Download the Band-in-a-Box iOS App from the Apple App Store today!
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