Computer specs- Will this suffice?

L

lyricist

New member
Can someone, who knows what they're talking about, please tell me if the specs listeed here would do well for recording? Not heavy recording.. but simple stuff. With no lag..


Inspiron 6000 Intel® Pentium® M Processor 740 (1.73 GHz/2MB Cache/533MHz FSB) (pentium M 1.7 is faster then pent 4/celeron 1.7)

Memory 1GB Shared DDR2 SDRAM 2 Dimms

Video Card Integrated Intel® Media Accelerator 900 Graphics

Hard Drive 40GB Hard Drive

Network Card Integrated 10/100 Network Card and Modem

Wireless Networking Card Intel® PRO/Wireless 2200 Internal Wireless (802.11 b/g, 54Mbps)




Thanks.
 
Will do. You biggest improvement would come from a second harddrive to use for just the audio files. But really, this setup would already do.
 
Halion said:
Will do. You biggest improvement would come from a second harddrive to use for just the audio files. But really, this setup would already do.
Click to expand...

Thanks... Not sure what you mean by "use just the audio files" though.


I don't know a lot about computer hardware. Do you mean use one harddrive for the software/any of my other files. then one hardrive for files i've recorded? I was thinking of getting some external memory for that..that way if my computer crashes all my songs will be safe?

I'm still not totally sure how fast a pentium M 1.7GHz is. but heard it is probably about equivilent to a pentium 4 of 2.something GHz. Hopefully that is true!


anyone reading this using a pentium M 1.7GHz by any chance?
 
aaroncomp said:
This should work, but....it'd be better if we knew your soundcard instead of your network setup.
Click to expand...

should work? hmm lol. My current laptop is a celeron M 1.40GHz, with 248 RAM..it is slow! Little did I know celerons were prettty slow, though.

It lags while trying to play 6 tracks back in FLstudio. Sad.


Anyway, I don't have a soundcard yet.

I'm open to any suggestions..keep in mind im just a beginner.


What I think I might be getting is to aid in recording is this:

1. mic- marshall MXL V67

http://www.8thstreet.com/product.aspProductCode=6458&Category=Microphones

2. phantom power

http://www.8thstreet.com/Product.aspProductCode=1989&Category=Recording


And for soundcard:

M audio mobilepre

http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/MobilePreUSB-main.html



Again, any suggestions if you know something better for a beginner and such is MUCH appreciated. I don't want to buy things and find out they are complete and utter crap. Though to more experienced people, i'm sure some of these things are. lol

Anything else I'm going to need?

I'm a bit concerned though..this inspiron laptop is lacking in places to input devices. My old laptop had like a place you could plug midi into. this does not..would that be a problem??


thanks much again!
 
I just bought an inspiron 6000 with a 2 GHz processsor (centrino). It has worked fine so far playing back about 30 tracks with a plug or two on most. So it should be fine for what you want.
 
pdadda said:
I just bought an inspiron 6000 with a 2 GHz processsor (centrino). It has worked fine so far playing back about 30 tracks with a plug or two on most. So it should be fine for what you want.
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Holy crap. 2.0GHz CENTRINO? that's beyond fast.. and $$$$ too

Where did you get that at? I couldn't find any 6000 centrino's on dell's site :confused:


It has no midi input, right. so how would i do this?


I'm scared that none of the recording things will fit into it.
 
I don't think the sound card i was looking at has midi.

shux.. hmm


Okay so, now im just trying to find out if i have firewire. it does have 2 USBs.

I made another post on this because ididnt think anyone would bother responding in this thread anymore.

i should go delete that.
 
lyricist said:
I don't know a lot about computer hardware. Do you mean use one harddrive for the software/any of my other files. then one hardrive for files i've recorded? I was thinking of getting some external memory for that..that way if my computer crashes all my songs will be safe?
Click to expand...

??? It is possible to record directly to RAM (you'll need ALOT of it though) I believe there are utilities that can take a chunk of physical RAM and make it so the OS sees it as a drive. BUT, if your PC crashes mid-session, you will LOSE it, as whatever is stored in RAM gets dumped when the system is powered down.


See if you can find a good tutorial on PC basics, so you can learn all about Operating Systems, different levels of storage (RAM/Hard Disc/Archival Storage (CDs,magnetic tape,etc...). http://www.howstuffworks.com might have some good stuff.

To answer the question about two hard drives, you want your Operating System and all software on the primary hard drive (usually refered to as C:\) and all DATA (song files, word documents, family photos, etc) on a secondary drive. This helps performance, but you also have the advantage of being able to re-install your OS if it ever gets f*cked up (happens alot with Windoze!) without losing your data. You just re-install Winoze, all your applications from the original CDs (or installation files which can be stored on your secondary drive), and you're good to go!

Why do you want a laptop (vs. a desktop) again? The only secondary drive on a laptop would be external, so you'd want to make sure you have an spare USB2.0 or Firewire port.
 
Actually, I got the computer off the dell website. They make a 2.13GHz one too. But it costs $150 more than the 2GHz, so I couldn't justify it.
2.0GHz
1GB RAM (DDR2 400MHz)
128MB video card
60GB 7200 RPM HD

Total after tax and shipping: $1400
 
gordone said:
??? It is possible to record directly to RAM (you'll need ALOT of it though) I believe there are utilities that can take a chunk of physical RAM and make it so the OS sees it as a drive. BUT, if your PC crashes mid-session, you will LOSE it, as whatever is stored in RAM gets dumped when the system is powered down.


See if you can find a good tutorial on PC basics, so you can learn all about Operating Systems, different levels of storage (RAM/Hard Disc/Archival Storage (CDs,magnetic tape,etc...). http://www.howstuffworks.com might have some good stuff.

To answer the question about two hard drives, you want your Operating System and all software on the primary hard drive (usually refered to as C:\) and all DATA (song files, word documents, family photos, etc) on a secondary drive. This helps performance, but you also have the advantage of being able to re-install your OS if it ever gets f*cked up (happens alot with Windoze!) without losing your data. You just re-install Winoze, all your applications from the original CDs (or installation files which can be stored on your secondary drive), and you're good to go!

Why do you want a laptop (vs. a desktop) again? The only secondary drive on a laptop would be external, so you'd want to make sure you have an spare USB2.0 or Firewire port.
Click to expand...
Oops

i didnt mean external memory.. i meant external hard drive..

so that is safe right? if my system goes down i will have all the song files on the external drive.

;)

i do have 2 usb ports...

gotta go look at my manual to check if i have "firewire"
 
pdadda said:
Actually, I got the computer off the dell website. They make a 2.13GHz one too. But it costs $150 more than the 2GHz, so I couldn't justify it.
2.0GHz
1GB RAM (DDR2 400MHz)
128MB video card
60GB 7200 RPM HD

Total after tax and shipping: $1400
Click to expand...
a laptop? which one?


i looked..all icould find was pentium M's with centrino TECHNOLOGY.

so, they werent pure centrinos, they were moreso a pentium M.



and im nto trying to ask dumb questions or be repetitive but what are you using to hook up midi since the inspirons do not have a midi port? are you just hooking it into one of those sound card modules? do u need that AND a firewire module? or is firewire just being used here as a super fast usb port?

i just want to hurry and get everything together :

aka. 1 decide on final laptop
2. decide on all recording gear (THAT WILL WORK WITH MY LAPTOP :p )
and that all hooks up nicely together. I know what mic i will be getting but now i am beginning to get confused about what sound card i need and if i can record my synth sounds with it or a mixer. no one has answered me so if someone reading this knows..please answer this question:

I have a synth and i would like to record IT'S sounds. when i try to record it with midi i get the sounds of the program iw as using (in one case, FLStudio). I just want to have the actual synth sounds- that's why i bought it! how is it possible for me to record the actual synth sounds into a track and also be able to edit it?

i dont want another programs sounds, or midi sounds, i just want my synth sounds. is it possible??

i might have to end up purchasing from online so i dont want to be finding out it doesnt work and send it back. so with my questions im just trying to fully understand what i need/what to do. esp the synth question because using my synth's sounds is VERY important to me.

we dont have many music retailers here, and when there is a store they carry next to nothing!


hopefully someone can answer that synth question so i can begin my search in what i really need. put this off for 1 year because of lack of answers but this time- no way. lol :D

thanks.
 
lyricist said:
please answer this question:

I have a synth and i would like to record IT'S sounds. when i try to record it with midi i get the sounds of the program iw as using (in one case, FLStudio). I just want to have the actual synth sounds- that's why i bought it! how is it possible for me to record the actual synth sounds into a track and also be able to edit it?

i dont want another programs sounds, or midi sounds, i just want my synth sounds. is it possible??[/B]

If you like the sounds of your synth, then you don't need to use MIDI. You should plug a cable from the output to your soundcard/interface and record it as audio. You will plug into something line level I believe. No preamp needed.
Click to expand...
 
BTW, the V67 is an excellent budget condensor IMO. I used it on a session yesterday on both guitar cab and vocals. The band was quite please with the sound.
 
pdadda said:
I'm no computer guy...I thought pentium M was centrino. What I have is the Inspiron 6000. As for MIDI, I use my MOTU828mkii and just connect it to the laptop via firewire.
Click to expand...
ok someone answer me- WHAT EXACTLY IS FIREWIRE???
:eek:

is it this:
http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_...phile-main.html

or are you referring to something like this:

http://www.cubic-mall.com/lemoncell/images/a015_1.jpg

im totally lost. i thought it was the latter, but then i was on the m-audio site and saw the firewire module and got confused.

do i absolutely need a firewire? what for?
is firewire just a super fast port like a USB so if ihave USB i dont really need firewire but firewire is preferred cos is faster??




atleast i know the inspirons have a port for one since you have it..lol


I dont think pentium M is centrino. i think it just has centrino technology. i think there is something called "centrino" in itself.

like celeron m, pentium 4, pentium M, centrino (from worse to greatest)

i could be wrong. but im pretty sure that is right.
 
pdadda said:
If you like the sounds of your synth, then you don't need to use MIDI. You should plug a cable from the output to your soundcard/interface and record it as audio. You will plug into something line level I believe. No preamp needed.
Click to expand...
Oh. thanks!

can someone tell me what exactly i need? As in, what cable.

if i record it as audio i wont be able to edit it, right? i'll just have to redo the whole thing over again..



I just want to gather everything i need, write it down, then make my purchase.


so basically i have a synth and i have a computer.(well, not bought yet but let's say i had it..)

i need a soundcard... is my choice of soundcard good for what i will be doing?

I will be recording MY synth sounds. i will be recording vocals. im not going to be hookin gup a ton of instruments and having ppl record it simultaneaously. if anything i will just be recording one channel at a time.

recording it, playing it back while recording the next layer.

my mic is the V67(thanks to the guy who noted it did well) and so i need a phantom power..BUT the soundcard i might get could have phantom power, right?

is this all i need to record? do i need a mixer?
 
OK, firewire is simply a method of data transfer, like USB. Some external sound interfaces (same thing as a soundcard, but external) connect to the computer via USB and some via firewire. I'm sure there are other types of connections, but those are all I have ever used for recording. You can also get a PCI card that actually installs in your computer. If you're on a laptop, I would suggest something that connects by firewire or USB. I'm not to up on what interfaces with few inputs are good. I use a MOTU828, but that sounds like more than you need. You'll need a pre-amp for the mic, and a 1/4" input for the keyboard. You may want to consider something with a MIDI channel in case you want to add more sounds down the road. That mobilepre looks like it would be fine for you. It provides phantom power to the pre's. I assume it uses USB2.0. Maybe look at the M-Audio 410. If you only need 2 channels, you definitely don't need a mixer. Hope that helps.
And you can definitely edit audio files. You don't have to have each performance be flawless thanks to the good old digital era. Now any douche with a keytar can be a rocker.
 
Gee whiz. thanks for explaining that to me.





So basically whatever sound card i get if it says it has phantom power- i do NOT need to purchase that seperate phantom power box? Is phantom power a "pre amp"?


You are right about the whole midi thing. i know i wont be using FL studio anymore so whatever i turn to may have some good sounds i would like to use. i checked out that motu thing you use- definitely too much for me and way out of budget! lol

i searched around the forum a bit and it seems firewire is a better way to go, rather than USB.

so itake it i just need a firewire port and a chord to connect to and im good to go.

however, what in the world is this??

http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/FireWire410-main.html is it just called firewire because it connects via firewire??

I can always check ebay for one cheap ;)

I promise, we are nearing my last round of questions. i am understanding this now.

thanks again!!
 
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