don'tkill kenny said:
Masked,
I am trying to hook up the same set up and am equally confused by the many computer choices for the 02 rack. I was thinking Mac power book myself. I also came across this deal at guitar center.com
http://www.guitarcenter.com/events/digioffer/index.shtml
which looks interesting. The good thing about it is you get the 17 inch flat screen included and similar memory and power as the Mac for hundreds less. I have also heard that Mac is the way to go for music production software so it's a tough call.
I too am kind of hoping to be spoonfed the correct info and then just get started recording. Why does everything have to be so complicated?
Polaris what is an AMD system using chipsets?
I'm like the idea of tech support as I am not a computer wiz either. I have been in contact with Sweetwater and have some quotes from them on g4 tower vs. laptop + 02 rack installed.
There has been a lot of good argument's here over tower vs. laptop/ home built vs. store bought/ the value of learning to build your own system/ DAW super computer builders/ etc. and it's got me full of possibley to many choices. I am gonna keep asking questions and poking around for a week or 2 longer before I take the plunge.
$1700 for a computer that's not really expandable looks pretty pricey (the GC/Gateway deal).
I place a lot of value into DIY, but even if you go store bought, educate yourself about what goes into a system, and know what you buy.
I.E., know what RAM does what, what a chipset is and how important it is, drive speeds and the resulting effects on audio, etc.
You don't have to be a guru to know that the higher the drive speed and the proper chipset for a given audio card will result in less headaches.
Definition of chipset from WhatIs.com:
A chipset is a group of microchips designed to work and sold as a unit in performing one or more related functions. A typical chipset is the Intel 430HX PCIset for the Pentium microprocessor, a two-chip set that provides a Peripheral Component Interconnect bus controller and is designed for a business computer that "optimizes CPU, PCI and ISA transactions for faster, smoother multimedia performance in video conferencing, playback, and capture applications." This chipset includes support for the Universal Serial Bus (USB).
Basically, it facilitates communication between the busses, CPU, and peripherals.
In application to audio, some chipsets will work well with some sound cards and not others.
For example, some on this board will tell you Via (used in conjunction with AMD cpu's) are bad. Not entirely true. While they are not recommended for use with an Intel chip at all by any prosumer card manufacturer, they are recommended for use with an AMD cpu by Digidesign and Echo.
But in the case of RME, Aardvark, and M Audio, it seems to be that the nVidia nForce2 chipset works better when used with AMD cpu's.
Intel chipsets are definitely the most universal compatibility-wise.
To sum it up, when going AMD, use:
nForce2 or Via KT333 and up chipsets, depending on soundcard.
Intel use:
always Intel chipsets.
Always, Always, Always check the sound card manufacturer's compatibility and/or tech support pages before plunking down the money on a motherboard (or entire computer).
