Laptop recording

  • Thread starter Thread starter hackwojr
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hackwojr

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Hello.

I am interested in purchasing an I/O interface for my laptop and I could appreciate some knowledge or wisdom from others.

First, it looks like I have three interfaces available to me: USB, PCMIA, and firewire.

There seems to be many USB options available, which are much cheaper. As far as I can find, their are three companies making PCMIA cardbuses and only one that makes a firewire interface (MOTU). The firewire and PCMIA are much more costly. I really only need one or two inputs (i don't need preamps and I would like an XLR input) and outputs and I could care less about 96Khz sampling but would like a 24bit converter. I am worried about USB being fast enough, but have no experience with these.

Please advise - if anyone has anything to say on the matter.

Thanks.
jerm
 
Last edited:
I'm doin it now

I have to say that the laptop option is not ideal but, it can be done. The outboard audio interface I'm using is the Extingy. It does a good job but not for simultaneous multi track recording. I'm going through a barringer mixer to clean up the tracks then into cakewalk. I can only lay down one track at a time...to a huge problem just slows the process down from time to time.

The results are satisfactory if you're on a budget but after having invested in the $200 or so on the interface, and have been working with it I wish I would have simply saved the bux and waited to get hooked up into a "real" pc with a heavy weight multi-port audio card.
 
Digidesign also has the Digi002 firewire device. Top dollar, as usual with Pro Tools stuff, but the integration between software and hardware is bulletproof.

Not a cheap option, but an option worth mentioning. Its essentially an 8 channal analog i/o with a built in automated control surface. 4 mic pres with phantom power. Comes with Pro Tools LE software and a huge effects package. Not cheap, but you get everything you need except the computer itself.

Before the 002, I used a Tascam us428. Also very serviceable, but with a max of 4 channaes in and 2 channels out (stereo). It comes bundled with Cubasis- an 8 channel lite version of Cubase. Good for starters but quickly outgrown. Seamless integration with Cubase VST, SX, and I'd assume SL.

Take care,
Chris
 
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