Comments on computer choice

[Roy Dennis]

My previous Vista laptop has had a catastrophic disaster as the mother board burnt out :m so I am replacing it with a new Windows 7 model.:c as I see MTU is now shipping their laptop with Windows 7.

I have been looking at 2 models a Packard Bell TJ65-DT041 which has Intel Core 2 Duo T6600 processor 2.2 Ghz. 4 GB ram 320 GB hard drive, Nvidea G210M 512 MB Graphics card.

The other is an Acer which I have found out now Acer & Packard Bell are One.
The Acer model is very similar:
Processor - Intel Core 2 Duo T6600 / 2.2 GHz ( Dual-Core )
RAM - 4 GB (installed) / 8 GB (max) - DDR3 SDRAM - 1066 MHz
Hard Drive - 320 GB - Serial ATA-150
Operating System - Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium
Screen - 15.6' TFT 1366 x 768 ( WXGA ) - 24-bit (16.7 million colours) - CineCrystal
Optical Drive - DVD±RW (±R DL) / DVD-RAM - integrated
Graphics - ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4570
The main difference in these 2 is the graphics card NVidea or ATI. One other thing the Acer has DDR3 SD Ram at 1066 Mhz & the Packard Bell has DDR2 presumely 800Mhz.

I have read some very good reviews on the Acer but can't find any on the Packard Bell, not this specific model #

One thing the Packard Bell has Over The Acer is WiFi built in which would be handy around the home although you can always get a WiFi dongle.

My main question is the best video card NVidea Or ATI ?

Any other comments welcome.:)

Roy.

[capnvic]

If it is for gaming, then I would go with NVIDIA, but if it is going to be a system for Karaoke, then it really does not matter, since most graphics cards in laptops are designed for display refresh and presentation.

Check with some of the online testing sites for the ratings of the laptops, before purchasing.

CAVEAT EMPTOR:)

[billyo]

i would go with ATI, i heard that some people are having problems with NVidea

[capnvic]

i would go with ATI, i heard that some people are having problems with NVidea

Most problems are with the incorrect drivers and not necessarily the video card.

My recommendation is to go with a company that will provide you the best overall support. Dell or HP will give you this kind of support. If you can spend the extra 50-100 dollars for a Dell or Hewlett Packard do so...You won't regret it....:)

[Roy Dennis]

Thanks Billyo & Capnvik for your views, I'm still searching and trying to make a decision. I don't do gaming, it will mainly be for my DJ & Karaoke nights but I think I will go with the Acer. I am now going to have to get a VGA to video converter, I have noted a lot of billyo answers to this problem too.

Roy.

[Wrahn]

Roy,

What was your final choice of laptop, and how's it working with Hoster and Microstudio?

I also want to move away from sorting through my collection of discs and using my three drawer karaoke CD+g player. I worry that my player, which is eight years old, will quit working and I already know there are no replacements for this type of set-up. I would buy the laptop from MTU because I know it will work, but I don't do shows and the MTU laptop is too expensive for just my personal use. MTU used to have other laptops, but now they only sell the one at about $2,000 with Hoster installed.

So once again, what did you buy and how's it working? Any input would be great.

Thanks,
Wes

[Roy Dennis]

Hi Wes.
I chose the Acer Aspire 5738G. You can view it at this address: http://www.acerdirect.co.uk/Acer_Aspire_5738G_Laptop_LX.PEX02.045/version.asp

I am well pleased with my purchase and would recommend this model to anyone who wants to run Hoster or any of the other MTU products. It is Windows 7 operating system which I was a bit unsure of but since having this and setting it up as recommended in the Hoster Manuel I have no regrets about my purchase and after my old XP machine it is lightning fast.:c

I am not saying this is the best machine you can have as they are now selling computers with the new i3, i5, & i7 processors, but for my money so far I have no regrets.:)

Roy.

[Wrahn]

Roy,

Thanks for the quick reply. I didn't realize you lived in the UK. I'm in Florida and the Acer model is only available in the UK. Not sure what the US model number is for the same machine.

On a side note, in 1985 we almost bought a condo in Estepona which is on the Costa del Sol part of Spain. It is a great place, but it didn't work out for us. I'm sure you enjoy your time in Spain.

Thanks again for your reply,
Wes

[Lonman]

Roy,

What was your final choice of laptop, and how's it working with Hoster and Microstudio?

I also want to move away from sorting through my collection of discs and using my three drawer karaoke CD+g player. I worry that my player, which is eight years old, will quit working and I already know there are no replacements for this type of set-up. I would buy the laptop from MTU because I know it will work, but I don't do shows and the MTU laptop is too expensive for just my personal use. MTU used to have other laptops, but now they only sell the one at about $2,000 with Hoster installed.

So once again, what did you buy and how's it working? Any input would be great.

Thanks,
Wes
Most computer/laptops today off the shelf work well with Hoster. I have an older (07) HP Pavillion laptop with 64 bit Vista that works flawlessly. Just ran an 8 hour show non-stop, outside in 90+ degree weather not too long ago without as much as a hiccup in audio or graphics & it's just a basic Intel N-Vidia based card built in. I do use an external sound card for better audio than the headphone jacks of the build in audio cards tend to provide. As long as the specs of the computer match or better Hosters minimum specs, you should be good on most any choice - just check the user reviews on anything you look at.

[billyo]

if you don't do show and if youre using it just around the house or small parties, my suggestion would be to just buy a mini notebook, i bought one ( asus $299 back then) and i ran micorstudio on it and i also use it to dj small parties, dont have problems with it and also it has xp os..the only problem with it was it doesn't have a cd/dvd drive , and also my suggestion would be to get yourself an ext. hhd. and put all your songs in it...you said you're in florida ..where about in fla. i'm from fla. too ( wpb )..

[Wrahn]

billyo - Thanks for the information about the use of the Acer notebook. My wife has one, in fact it's called the Acer Aspire One. I did test it with Microstudio and it seemed to work, but I've not used the demo Hoster to test it out on the Acer. If I use the Acer, how do I get the video out to the 2nd monitor?

I live in the Venice area on the other (some say better) coast of Florida.

Lonman - Thanks for your input. I believe you used to be an active member of a karaoke forum which was sponsored by one of the manufactures. The forum was called JOLT. In fact, that's where I believe I learned about MTU. I tried to access the forum, but it appears it is history.

Thanks again,

Wes

[Lonman]

Yeah JOLT was karaoke.coms own forum. It has been dead for about 3 or 4 years now.

[Wrahn]

Most computer/laptops today off the shelf work well with Hoster. I have an older (07) HP Pavillion laptop with 64 bit Vista that works flawlessly. Just ran an 8 hour show non-stop, outside in 90+ degree weather not too long ago without as much as a hiccup in audio or graphics & it's just a basic Intel N-Vidia based card built in. I do use an external sound card for better audio than the headphone jacks of the build in audio cards tend to provide. As long as the specs of the computer match or better Hosters minimum specs, you should be good on most any choice - just check the user reviews on anything you look at.

Lonman,

So, if I buy a laptop I should make sure it has a built-in graphics card that is dual monitor capable. I'm not familiar with the use of an external audio card for a laptop, could you please explain what it is?

Thanks for your help,
Wes

[Lonman]

Lonman,

So, if I buy a laptop I should make sure it has a built-in graphics card that is dual monitor capable. I'm not familiar with the use of an external audio card for a laptop, could you please explain what it is?

Thanks for your help,
Wes
It's just an external device that plugs between a USB port on the laptop and your mixer, routing all the music through it instead of just plugging your laptop to the mixer via the headphone jack on the laptop. Much clearer sound quality than the headphone jack can provide.

[Wrahn]

I'd like to thank Roy, BillyO and Lonman for their input concerning my questions about computer choice for Hoster.

I did a demo of Hoster using my ACER Aspire One connected to a TV using a "D" connector for video and a mini plug with two RCA connectors to my Mixer/Amp and the computer's headset output. Everything seems to work fine. I already had checked out my Compaq Presario C302NR using an S-video cable for the video. It also seems to work fine. Both computers have XP installed.

So, it seems that either one will work with my current set-up. I plan on buying the Turtle Beach Audio Advantage Amigo II USB Interface Sound Card & Headset Adapter to replace the use of the computer headset output. Now, I have to decide if I want to spend all the time and effort to move all my CDs onto an external hard drive, as well as, spend the money for the Hoster program.

Can I assume I can switch the external hard drive from one computer to another?

Once again, thanks for your help.

Wes

[ddouglass]

As long as both computers recognize the drive as the same drive letter and you have the songs database built on both computers to that drive letter.

[billyo]

you can't go wrong in putting all your songs into an ext. hhd..i can't even tell you how many back-up ext. hhd's i got ( all 500g slim design hhds.) not including the one's i got pugged into my show & back-up laptop, i just ordered a new one ( Seagate GoFlex 500gb Usb 3.0 SuperSpeed drive ) i worked on one yesterday ( helped a friend copy her song into it ,she doesn't know how) as a back-up and it was fast so i decided to get one:) ..just make sure that you always plugged that drive to the same usb port. for it to have the same drive letter..good luck

[Skybird74]

Most computer/laptops today off the shelf work well with Hoster. I have an older (07) HP Pavillion laptop with 64 bit Vista that works flawlessly. Just ran an 8 hour show non-stop, outside in 90+ degree weather not too long ago without as much as a hiccup in audio or graphics & it's just a basic Intel N-Vidia based card built in. I do use an external sound card for better audio than the headphone jacks of the build in audio cards tend to provide. As long as the specs of the computer match or better Hosters minimum specs, you should be good on most any choice - just check the user reviews on anything you look at.

Lonman, I would like to know if you import a lot of Singers' disks and run BA at the same time, since you say you didn't have any problems. I have a HP AMD with 32bit Vista & same NVidea card. However, I noticed that your speed is 2.8Ghz and mine is only 1.89Ghz. I wonder if that's what makes the difference.:r Saturday night the first 8 singers all had their own disks with Versions that I didn't have. I didn't have BA on until later in the evening. After that is when Hoster crashed again after importing from another disk.:f

[Lonman]

Lonman, I would like to know if you import a lot of Singers' disks and run BA at the same time, since you say you didn't have any problems. I have a HP AMD with 32bit Vista & same NVidea card. However, I noticed that your speed is 2.8Ghz and mine is only 1.89Ghz. I wonder if that's what makes the difference.:r Saturday night the first 8 singers all had their own disks with Versions that I didn't have. I didn't have BA on until later in the evening. After that is when Hoster crashed again after importing from another disk.:f
No I don't run BA from Hoster - I do use a separate program that I paid alot for a few years back and I just let it run continuously in the background on a second audio card (the built in headphone jack) and manually mix it. Also have a separate player for customer dsics. I get so many customer discs throughout the week, i'd rather not use my computers drive.
I also have Windows Media Player playing behind Hoster with a slideshow of singers and fun times throughout the years.

[Skybird74]

No I don't run BA from Hoster - I do use a separate program that I paid alot for a few years back and I just let it run continuously in the background on a second audio card (the built in headphone jack) and manually mix it. Also have a separate player for customer dsics. I get so many customer discs throughout the week, i'd rather not use my computers drive.
I also have Windows Media Player playing behind Hoster with a slideshow of singers and fun times throughout the years.

Can I also ask..... if the audio runs continuously in the background, do you manually turn off the volume when you play from Hoster? One of the best features of BA is that it fades the music out, so I don't have to mess with any other controls. Do you use a USB sound card for Hoster?

How do you get the WMP slideshow on your second screen for people to see? I've tried that in the past & it was a pain to drag it over to a second display & still be able to use the controls.

I've been using a second player for disks for the last couple years also, but now having problems switching back & forth. After doing so several times, I now lose the video from the computer. I'm not sure if it's the A/B (rf modulator) that's going bad or if it's the S-Video output going bad on the computer:r Any ideas would be much appreciated.:)

[Lonman]

Can I also ask..... if the audio runs continuously in the background, do you manually turn off the volume when you play from Hoster? One of the best features of BA is that it fades the music out, so I don't have to mess with any other controls. Do you use a USB sound card for Hoster?
I have a USB I/O interface for Hoster & use the sound card built in for the audio. I prefer the hands on method personally, since I do not allow songs to play to the end if they are instrumental, I just fade into the music & call the next singer, fade out when the next song starts. Just a preference.

How do you get the WMP slideshow on your second screen for people to see? I've tried that in the past & it was a pain to drag it over to a second display & still be able to use the controls.
I just have it on the 2nd screen playing on a continuous loop - about 45 minutes worth of pictures at this time, so never need to touch the controls.

I've been using a second player for disks for the last couple years also, but now having problems switching back & forth. After doing so several times, I now lose the video from the computer. I'm not sure if it's the A/B (rf modulator) that's going bad or if it's the S-Video output going bad on the computer:r Any ideas would be much appreciated.:)
Not sure, I know on mine if you start the computer with the RF modulator connected & switched for the computer, it's fine for the night. Only time I lose video is if I have to reboot during a show & the RF converter is not switched to the computer. It has to be switched to the computer at boot up otherwise the computer doesn't see it for some reason. My old motherboard was different in that respect where once it was set, it would stay with those settings no matter if a 2nd video source was connected or not - unfortunately that board fried a couple years ago and the new one doesn't retain the settings and must have the 2nd source connected at boot up.

[Skybird74]

Not sure, I know on mine if you start the computer with the RF modulator connected & switched for the computer, it's fine for the night. Only time I lose video is if I have to reboot during a show & the RF converter is not switched to the computer. It has to be switched to the computer at boot up otherwise the computer doesn't see it for some reason. My old motherboard was different in that respect where once it was set, it would stay with those settings no matter if a 2nd video source was connected or not - unfortunately that board fried a couple years ago and the new one doesn't retain the settings and must have the 2nd source connected at boot up.
Lonman

It always recognizes the TV at bootup - I mean after a couple hours of switching back & forth between the computer & the player, eventually when I switch back to the computer the TV is no longer recognized. It will only recognize the player. So, I have to reboot while switched to the laptop so it will recognize it again. How do you switch Video back & forth between the laptop & your separate player?:?

Re: showing a slide show, do you bring the Singers screen back to your Desktop after every song so the audience can see the Slideshow in between Singers?

[Lonman]

Lonman

It always recognizes the TV at bootup - I mean after a couple hours of switching back & forth between the computer & the player, eventually when I switch back to the computer the TV is no longer recognized. It will only recognize the player. So, I have to reboot while switched to the laptop so it will recognize it again. How do you switch Video back & forth between the laptop & your separate player?:?
Hmm. I just use a video switcher with a buit in RF converter. Never lost video signal since I started using computer. Not sure what would cause that.

Re: showing a slide show, do you bring the Singers screen back to your Desktop after every song so the audience can see the Slideshow in between Singers?
No I just leave it running on the singer screen at all times, when the song starts, the lyrics screen takes over and puts itself on top, when it's done, the song stops & the slideshow is still playing on the singers screen.

[Skybird74]

[/b]
Hmm. I just use a video switcher with a buit in RF converter. Never lost video signal since I started using computer. Not sure what would cause that.
I guess my Switcher/converter is just getting old, since I've been using it for 5 years now. But I can't find any new ones that still use coax out, meaning I'd have to change all my cables.
It's just so much easier to use Hoster for singer's disks .... guess I'll just have to get a more powerful computer one of these days.:t
[b]
No I just leave it running on the singer screen at all times, when the song starts, the lyrics screen takes over and puts itself on top, when it's done, the song stops & the slideshow is still playing on the singers screen. Did you say you're using WMP for the slideshow? Or are you playing slideshows through Hoster in the Intermission Screen?

[Lonman]

did You Say You're Using Wmp For The Slideshow? Or Are You Playing Slideshows Through Hoster In The Intermission Screen?
Wmp.

[ddouglass]

Ok you two...if you want to discuss setup take it to another thread or use private messages. Wrahn started this thread for help on selecting a laptop, not how to setup a slideshow. He got some suggestions, so I am closing this thread.