newbie starting out

[nitelite51]

Hi everyone. I recorded a demo for my band on the drummer's Yamaha aw2816 and I have been considering getting one but I'm wondering if it would be better to get some stuff to go with my laptop instead. I've got a Mac iBook g3 @900 mhz. Does anybody have any advice on what, if any, stuff is out there that is compatible and would get my Mac somewhere like the Yamaha workstation or better? Thanks.

 

[dwillis45]

For mac powerbooks, Digital Performer coupled with a firewire interface (MOTU 828, M-Audio 410, etc.) might get you close. But, with the ibook G3 900, I would be concerned with the computer's drive speed (4200rpm). Usually, 7200 is suggested for audio. You could upgrade RAM from the included 128 to 640 by adding 512, but there is not much you could do about drive speed.

I suppose you could replace the current drive, but that would probably cost about $300 not including installation. You could try an external firewire drive, but then you would have no available firewire ports (I believe the ibook has one firewire port.) And since the ibook has no PCI slots for a soundcard, you would then have to use a USB connection for an audio interface.

 

[AlChuck]

What about a PCMCIA interface? Does the iBook support those? Then you could free up the the Firewire port for the external hard drive....

 

[nitelite51]

thanks for the tips. the MOTU Digital Performer looks like a very feasible way to go. I'd never heard of it before - you've been a real help.