H P Pavilion upgrade

  • Thread starter Thread starter Dani Pace
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Dani Pace

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I have a H P Pavilion 4533/win 98/Pent 2 processor, that I want to upgrade to use in my humble studio. This thing only has the factory installed sound card and no CD burner. Right now I am on a limited budget so I need to bring this system up to a useable device for the least amount of money possible. I have a pretty decent analog mixer/recorder that I basicly use for getting my tracks down, so do I need to install another sound card to import my sounds ? I'll probably install Easy CD Creator 5 to use as my recording output. I'll be useing an Iomega 48x24x48x USB 2.0 External Drive to burn my CDs. OK thats what I've got to work with for now, can I do anything much with it or do I need to add more? I'm not trying to get too elaborate with it, just a simple system to put a few demos and song writing ideas down with. Any ideas and help will be appriciated. Dani
 
I say start from scratch. I've heard nothing but bad things about HP computers for audio. You can build a box from scratch that will do what you need it to do for around $400 if you're really careful (this would not include your monitor or audio interface or other peripherals). If this sounds interesting to you, I can tell you how I would go about building a decent audio computer for under $400 or so.
 
Let me take that back. You can have a minimal recording computer and your audio interface for around $400. Here's how:

- Barebones 1Ghz system from www.surpluscomputers.com - $99

- Seagate 40GB 7200rpm EIDE Hard Drive OEM Barracuda IV ST340014A - $74 from www.newegg.com

- MICRON/MICRON ORIGINAL 256MB 32x64 PC133 SDRAM RAM 168Pins DIMM, CL=3-Unbuffered, Non-parity, 7.5ns, 3.3V - $40 from www.newegg.com

- M-Audio Audiophile Audio Interface - $149 from www.8thstreet.com.

Total before shipping - $362.

This computer can probably give you at least 16 tracks at 24 bit/44.1 Mhz with effects. You can get a CD-R drive when you get ready to mix down your songs. If you wait until the big retail chains have one on special, you can get one that'll work for $50 or under.

So, to sum it up, DITCH THE HP!
 
All I'm useing the HP for is to drive the CD burner. I'll be recording and mixing everything before I go to the puter and then burning on an external unit too. All I want to use the HP for is to make the transfer, will it work for this, or should I toss it? I am setting this system up to do the rough work so having great quality sound is not an absolute nessessity, Ive got another system to do the polished work on. Dani
 
Those barebones kits are friggin cheap. It'd be worth just buying one for net surfing and toying with Linux.
 
Build your own. Its cheaper and you can be selective over hardware choices.
 
Dani Pace said:
All I'm useing the HP for is to drive the CD burner. I'll be recording and mixing everything before I go to the puter and then burning on an external unit too. All I want to use the HP for is to make the transfer, will it work for this, or should I toss it? I am setting this system up to do the rough work so having great quality sound is not an absolute nessessity, Ive got another system to do the polished work on. Dani
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I'm not sure I understand your question. What are you recording and mixing on? If you're asking whether your HP will work as something you can record stereo mixes to, and then burn a CD on, well, yes, you should be able to do that. Is that what you mean?
 
cominginsecond said:
I've heard nothing but bad things about HP computers for audio.
Click to expand...

Uhm. I have an HP 2.53 ghz, P4, 1024 ddr sdram, 80 gb dma HD external 80 gb dma HD, CD-RW, USB ports, I also installed a Firewire, and 4 expansion slots in back. I used MIDI to put down the tracks, and then my Audiophile Soundcard to A/D to my comp, and then just mixdown the 16 tracks with Cool edit pro, and edit it with soundforge/goldwave/cool edit.
It works excellent, and I'm sure it is because is extremely fast, but the performance that this computer has given me so far audiowise is excellent. No delays, lag. or HISS whatsoever. So I don't know what are you talking about.
 
i multi-track on a HP Pavillion (500mhz Celeron)....no problemos.....you should be able to do what you want without any upgrades......
 
Well I hooked everything up and tried it today...it worked surprisingly well. I did a quick mix on a Yamaha MT120 then loaded it into the HP then burned it ot CD. I would like to have a little more control on the recorder in the HP the windows recorder leaves a little to be desired. any software recomendations? Like I said before I'm trying to keep this as simple as possible and still get a pretty good sound. Dani
 
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