laptop tips? need to go mobile

  • Thread starter Thread starter rockironwebb
  • Start date Start date
Now my problem may be finding a mini pcie firewire card with TI chipset. Anyone?
 
Well, they exist: HERE.

(I know it's an Aussie supplier--that's what my search is tuned for--and I have no idea if it's good, but a search on "34mm pcie slot 1394b" might help--strangely, using firewire came up with lots of junk but using the "official" designation got me a bunch of hits.)

Edited to add: Or THIS ONE which at least is in the States and from a company I've heard of.
 
That looks more like something designed for a desktop. For a laptop, you'll much more likely need something that can plug into an exterior slot and, (since "mini" was specified by Lenovo) probably the 34mm version.

It's worth asking Lenovo to make sure though.
 
Yeah, I'm still unclear on that being a laptop new. Sales Rep said it has mini Pci slots. Probably gonna order the laptop today.
Ideapad y570
I7 2670
Nvidia gt 555m 2GB
8Gb RAM
500GB HD (7200 RPM) + 32GB SSD
 
Well, put it this way. Your new laptop (assuming you order it) makes me jealous.

When I checked it out last night (after your first post about what Lenovo said) I worked out that, if I had the money for an upgrade, that's likely what I'd buy.

Alas, I don't have the money just now.
 
When I talked to a rep on Saturday, they sent me a link with a price tag of $899,so hopefully that offer still stands today
 
Hell yeah, $899 is indeed the price, and I'm waiting on my rep to approve me using a 10% off code I found.
OK, this laptop has a mini pcie slot,,,,, but from all of the photos and manuals I have looked at, it appears that it is internal(?). Anyone seen this and how would I be able to utilize this with firewire? It would suck to have to crack the laptop open everytime I wanted to record.
 
rockironwebb said:
Hell yeah, $899 is indeed the price, and I'm waiting on my rep to approve me using a 10% off code I found.
OK, this laptop has a mini pcie slot,,,,, but from all of the photos and manuals I have looked at, it appears that it is internal(?). Anyone seen this and how would I be able to utilize this with firewire? It would suck to have to crack the laptop open everytime I wanted to record.
Click to expand...

Of course it is internal. It connects directly to the motherboard. But that is just the module itself. The actual ports to plug in your firewire device should be on the outside still.
 
Just to clear up here,
Mini PCIe and express card are two different things.

Mini PCIe on a laptop is usually accessible from underneath, and would be under a screw-on panel.
You'd put a wireless card or a flash card in there.

That link you put up makes me think you can have that port on desktops too (cos it has a bracket and a molex power connector), but that's not for you.

Express card is the one you want, if you've definitely got that port.
It's a hole in the side of your laptop, about credit card sized, maybe 10 thick or so?
The link Bobbsy put up is the right thing.

You just slot it in like you would an SD card or a cable.
 
unfortunately, the laptop I've ordered does not have an express slot on the side, it fact, it was slim picken's of new laptops that did, and when I would come across one with the express slot, either the specs were not to my liking or they were $1000 out of range. I may be screwed as far as firewire on my new laptop, but since I will soon be traveling more for work, I am very happy to be able to bring my mixing software on the road. Now I'll need to sort out live audio recording options for the near future. I am a drummer so I alone want 8 tracks/channels/xlrs/preamps. One option that has popped into my head would be a very barebones kit with Just what I need to run my software effectively and a firewire card. I could just save everything to my 500GB HD which will always be portable. I've began looking into the hardware that is available to multitrack, MOTU 828mk3 Hybrid 28x30 USB/FireWire Audio Interface, PreSonus AudioBox 1818VSL, m-audio Fast Track Ultra 8R, as long as I would be able to add on say an 8 channel preamp and connect digitally. Not sure what I'll do. Used to be I had plenty of time and no resources, Now I have plenty of resources and no time. Suggest away. and if anyone has ever used the mini pcie slot within their laptop to hook up a ti firewire rig, let me know.
 
I personally would go USB but only cause I'm old fashion and stick to less channels. As for a laptop... I have one recommendation: DO NOT USE THE PREINSTALLED OS if you pick something like lenovo (or any other decent PC maker that likes to mess with the internal workings of the OS and the kernel) (Feel free to stick to windows 7 if it comes with it but) it tends to have issues with certain external drivers for some reason and u will have to sacrifice latency and SQ unless you reinstall the OS.
 
dark7171 said:
I personally would go USB but only cause I'm old fashion and stick to less channels. As for a laptop... I have one recommendation: DO NOT USE THE PREINSTALLED OS if you pick something like lenovo (or any other decent PC maker that likes to mess with the internal workings of the OS and the kernel) (Feel free to stick to windows 7 if it comes with it but) it tends to have issues with certain external drivers for some reason and u will have to sacrifice latency and SQ unless you reinstall the OS.
Click to expand...

It's not the OS, it's the crap that the computer companies put on there. But yes, it's always good to have a fresh install, without having all of that stuff on it too. Windows 7 has barely any problems with drivers for new equipment. If you're using old gear, it may well only have drivers for XP or [hell forbid], something older. If anything is going wrong with drivers, it is most likely to do with whoever wrote it/or your own fault for doing something wrong in the installation.
 
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