new computer

  • Thread starter Thread starter Greg_L
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Greg_L

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I've been recording on the same computer since 2005. It's time for a new one. I don't even know what to look for. Tell me what to buy. Do it now.
 
Intel i5, dual core, 4gb RAM, 64gb SSD(SATA 3) for OS, 500gb HHD(SATA 2) for data, nVidia GTX 460 for video, M Audio 2496 minimum for sound card, Asus 23" LCD monitor, Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit. generic case, keyboard/mouse, 650w PSU.

All for under $900 - should keep you quick for 5 years.

plus whatever kind of other sound interface you may need or have.
 
Ok. So do all those letters and numbers mean I have to build it from scratch? Or can I just go buy that thing at Best Buy?
 
Do you have a Micro Center near you? I just put together a massive PC for $1000. You could easily get twice the computer for half the money by putting it together yourself. You will get tons of 'bloatware' and other unnecessary crap from a prebuilt model. No need to pay for a Blueray player or any other crap that comes with them. You basically need to buy a case, motherboard, CPU, and hard drives. How powerful and how much you want to spend is up to you man.

With the PC I just put together, I am now running a project with 70 tracks and over 50 plugins at lowest latency (buffer size) with 15% CPU usage.

If you care, I'm now running Intel I7 on DH67CL motherboard with two 1TB HDD's and 8GB RAM.

Fucking fast as hell and drives are mirrored so if one fails, all my software, OS, and files are safe on the second. :D
 
Hmm. I don't do anything with my computer except record and interwebs. No games, no facebook, no video, no spreadhseets, no nothing. record or internet. That's it.
 
Then a powerful setup like we have described is going to be your best bet. Know anyone who has some computer building experience that would help put it together for you? It really aint hard, though there are some details to be aware of while assembling and installing.
 
I don't know anything about this (obviously). If build it from scratch, what do you use for an operating system or virus protection?
 
You can get an OEM System Builder Pack OS from wherever you get your parts from. Window 7 Home Premium was just $100 this way as opposed to the $250 retail version. There are many free down loadable virus protection softwares. I use Microsoft Security essentials and Superantispyware. Tried Avast but it seemed to slow shit down too much. Had McAfee and that totally ran at a snails pace, though that was on my crappy PC. Win 7 comes with Defender.
 
To have a clean, efficient PC, it's best to build from scratch. If you buy from Dell, or Best Buy you get all the bloatware (unnecessary and unneeded softare) that is basically just advertising. I've been building my own PC's since 1995. It's not real hard, and you get the components that YOU need, not the ones a manufacturer wants to give you.

There are tons of do-it-yourself sites and tutorials all over the web. Like Jimmy said, if you know someone who's done it before, they are usually a good resource. You can buy all the things you need at Newegg.com and they often have combo packages that include nearly everything you need.

As for OS and antivirus, Win 7 64 OEM(Origianal Equipment Manufacturer) and MSE(MicroSoft Security Essentials), and MalwareBytes Antimalware is all you'll need. OEM means the software will be tied to the hardware-you cannot transfer the OS to another system, but you CAN update hardware.

Do you need a new monitor, mouse and keyboard? Do you have a wireless router already (how do you connect to the internet?)
 
That brings up another point. Make sure the things you have will connect to the motherboard you select. I'm my case I already had two VGA monitors to run. I had to add a video card with dual VGA monitor support as the motherboard I purchased had only digital video outs. USB connected mouse and keyboard are probably necessary with any new motherboard as well. If you need a firewire connection you will also need a card for that as well (TI chipset).
 
Greg_L said:
Hmm. I don't do anything with my computer except record and interwebs. No games, no facebook, no video, no spreadhseets, no nothing. record or internet. That's it.
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If that's all you're doing, then just keep using the one you've got. Recording doesn't take much cpu power, especially when all you do is record audio and use a few vst's. If you were using sample type VST's or editing video, then you might need something more powerful. But you're computer isn't slowing you down, is it? Are you going to try something new?

peace,
 
How about this one:
Newegg i7 combo

you could probably knock off $75 downgrading to a i5.

Add a video card for about $100, an 64gb SSD(Solid Sate Drive, 10-15 times faster than a platter drive), Win7 64 OEM for round $100, and a sound card - round $100.

add a monitor($150) and mouse/keyboard and you're sitting around $1050-$1125.

This motherboard has a built in firewire port.
 
Lol. I appreciate the help, but you guys might as well be speaking chinese. I don't know anything about video cards or motherboards or processors or any of that shit. Maybe I'll just wipe this one out and start over. It records fine, but I'm tired of fighting viruses.
 
I found that keeping the p**n on a different computer saves lots of viral headaches. :D
 
I don't save p0rn or visit a bunch of p0rn sites.

Still, I don't know what to do. Re-format this one, or buy a new one.

Re-format is the easier and cheaper route, but I'm still stuck with a 6 year old computer and will have to re-install everything.

I'd like a new one, but don't know how to buy one or what to buy, and still run the risk of fucking viruses and reinstalling everything.
 
Re formatting is definitely a good idea. You may have a virus that has been there for years messing shit up or did long ago. When was the last time you did a fresh OS install? I do one every year as basic maintenance. Things get messed up in there under heavy use. I would do that first and consider using two computers for each task (net/recording). Your work is too good to not serve yourself a dependable platform to record with man.
 
jimmys69 said:
Re formatting is definitely a good idea. You may have a virus that has been there for years messing shit up or did long ago. When was the last time you did a fresh OS install? I do one every year as basic maintenance. Things get messed up in there under heavy use. I would do that first and consider using two computers for each task (net/recording). Your work is too good to not serve yourself a dependable platform to record with man.
Click to expand...

I just cleaned this thing up about a month ago because the same shit happened then. It ran fine until about three days ago. I've got a re-direct bug that's driving my shit crazy. I can access all of my bookmarks fine, but a simple google search re-directs me to ad sites. I have all of my recording shit backed up on harddrives, so wiping it out is a harmless pain in the ass, but fuck, this sucks.
 
Man I hate those! Had one that looked like a virus remover that said I was infected. It was the virus and soon had erased my antivirus software and nibbled on everything else. I had to wipe the drive. Have you tried a system restore? Sometimes that will work unless you got one of the nasty rodents.

Also I seem to have less virus trouble after switching to Firefox. Not sure if it is the browser that helped but it sure works better than Internet Explorer.
 
Try Superantispyware free and see what that finds and removes for you. I have had pretty good luck with it in the past getting rid of viruses. Do the full scan and remove whatever it finds except for the 'tracking cookies'.
 
i record to a stock Dell Studio laptop i bought at Staples for $600 on sale.
4GB/500GB/2.2GHz/7200RPM with firewire means its wicked fast and does everything.
 
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