Computer sounds in the studio....arg...

[JerryD]

I'm turning my grarage into a studio.

I'm a songwriter demo kind of recordist.

I do have problems with the computer fans being on my recordings. I do have enough room to create a control room.
Should I do that or just build some sort of enclosure for the comptuter? If I build a enclosure am worried about heat on the comptuer.

Do I really need a control room?

 

[James HE]

If it's mostly just you, then a control room isn't needed at all. As far as an enclosure, I'm in the same boat as you. My computer is loud! I overclock a bit, so I just put in two more case fans (actually modded my case in a half drunken stupor- that was fun ) I'm planning on building sort of a small "closet". big enough to put the computer, my power amp (loud ass Yahmaha) and also to store mics and cables and CD's and what not. I haven't worked out my plans exactly, but I'm thinking build the "closet" and then have another enclosure inside of it for the computer, maybe an exaust fan in the interior enclosure. that should do it...

-jhe

 

[sjoko2]

cat 5 - extend the bloody things for about 50 feet without a problem - put them away somewhere!

 

[JerryD]

CAT5

I like both of these ideas. The one with the closet idea is good.

CAT5? That's network wiring. How will that extend keyboards, mice, mnitor 50 feet?

I would like to know what your talking about because it sounds like a good idea.

Thanks for the reponses.

 

[sjoko2]

There are a number of systems available.

Look at these websites, which will give you a good idea:
http://www.scene.demon.co.uk/sdlink.htm
http://www.vetra.com
http://national-tech.com/index.htm <--Don't know if they have it, but worth asking as they are good and cheap!
http://www.magenta-research.com/cat5_utp_extend/index.html <---recommended product

It works 100%, I really don't understand why more people don't use it. Put the noisy bastard in the garage!!

We have just pulled a cat5 to another building, I think it is just over 200 feet away.

 

[JerryD]

Thanks a bunch

Very cool.

I didn't know they had anything like this.

Awesome. This will work.

Thanks a bunch.

 

[frederic]

With my new "in progress" construction of my studio, there are several pieces of equipment that need to be "silenced", including hard disk recorders, rack mount computers, etc. These items will be installed in the control room along with everything else, however in a homemade isolated rack case.

The sides will be 3/4" wood like the rest of the racks. The rack rails, instead of bolting directly to the wood sides, will be attached via rubber grommets for vibration isolation. The front and back of the rack will have doors that seal to the rack case with rubber stripping to make an audio / air seal. Ventilation will occur through the raised floor it sits on, as there will be an air duct underneath to provide cooling. At the very top of the rack on the back, there will be a small return duct that goes to the A/C return duct. This should isolate all the annoying fan and hard drive noise. One of my hard disk recorders sounds like a diesel truck starting when it rewinds. Maybe time for a new drive

Of course, I can do this kind of stuff because the studio is under construction - all the walls are either open, or not up yet.


Hope that helped,

Frederic

 

[sjoko2]

Hey Frederic - ever considered just NOT having any of that stuff in the control room?
The problem is - computers need cooling, and so do drives. I burned a CPU once by putting a computer in an insulated box, even with a vent! Expensive joke that one.
The new cat5 stuff allows you to put everything wherever you like, very cheaply.
Our new place has a central machine room, containing everything that makes noise. Computers, drives, any other recording media.
It will eventually feed 2 full control rooms and one project room, which are not even in the same building, but spread over a one acre site.
Having a totally silent control room is wonderful.

 

[crosstudio]

adjacent closet

i got extenders for my key, mouse, and video and put my PC and printer in an adjacent closet. i put a hole in the baseboard to run the cables through. it works great. the PC (1.2ghz athlon thunderbird) gets all the air it needs because i don't have to keep the closet door closed.

 

[frederic]

Sjoko,

Don't think for a second I don't completely agree with you regarding silence in the control room, and of course, cooling requirements for the equipment. Part of my career was spent building large-scale coporate data centers to house unix, netware and NT servers plus related switching/WAN infrastructure equipment for forture 100 companies, then manage them going forward. I absolutely agree with you.

However, the "board of directors" has given me strick guidelines that the studio is not to "creep" into the rest of the house (like it did in the last place - I had several 7' racks of gear in the living room with a large snake of cable going up the stairs to the bedroom I labeled "studio" for space reasons). This studio must be self-contained. Its either that or I'm buying an addition this summer

Hey Frederic - ever considered just NOT having any of that stuff in the control room?
The problem is - computers need cooling, and so do drives. I burned a CPU once by putting a computer in an insulated box, even with a vent! Expensive joke that one.
The new cat5 stuff allows you to put everything wherever you like, very cheaply.
Our new place has a central machine room, containing everything that makes noise. Computers, drives, any other recording media.
It will eventually feed 2 full control rooms and one project room, which are not even in the same building, but spread over a one acre site.
Having a totally silent control room is wonderful.

 

[sjoko2]

*grin* ever considered "shedding" some of her shoes? Convinving her that the thrift store realy needs them?

I had the same problem. My ex wouldn't let me put my old monitors in the living room. Damn inconsiderate of her! They were only 3.6 x 4 x 4.3 (without the horns) Some woman just do not have a sence of priority don't they?

 

[frederic]

Shoes are actually not a problem. She's not into shoes. What gets me are these clay & ceramic "faces" all over the walls.

While my better half is not exactly an audiophile, she has not once complained about the Radio Shack Mach I speakers in the living room. Yes, they have 15" woofers

Anyway, I'm just happy to have my own space, which is my console room. I have to share the garage as a recording space with a few cars, but I can live with that. The console room is all mine. To quote Daffy Duck...

"Mine, Mine, Mine, Down, Down, Down, Go, Go, Go..."

*grin* ever considered "shedding" some of her shoes? Convinving her that the thrift store realy needs them?

I had the same problem. My ex wouldn't let me put my old monitors in the living room. Damn inconsiderate of her! They were only 3.6 x 4 x 4.3 (without the horns) Some woman just do not have a sence of priority don't they?