Laptop for Hoster

[Jamie Simpson]

Hi Guys!

Looking forward to buying hoster thanks to my friend Mad Maxx!

Here is the laptop I am thinking about getting to run the program.

Does it have what I need. I was especially looking at the graphics card to make sure it can do dual display ( i think it can.. Radeon 9000 with S-Video)

What about an external sound card? All I am using this machine for is karaoke. Is the internal card good enough or any recommendations for an external?

What ya think?

Compaq Presario R3230US Notebook PC w/ Intel® Pentium® 4 2.8GHz Processor


Here is the link to the specs..

http://www.staples.com/Catalog/Brows...d+Notebook+PCs


Thanks

Jamie Simpson
Houserockers DJ
Clarion, PA

[Beavis]

you dont need any special laptop to run hoster.

make sure its a P4

make sure you have a dual display video card, large hard drive or external hard drive, a good sound card.

you will be good to go !

[bdayton]

Don't forget to check that the CD/Rom / DVD is on MTU's list of supported devices. If it is not on the list, then it dosent matter if it supports the CD+G format or not, if it not on MTU's list, then it will not work.

Um? Well, it used to be that way... not sure about today.

JMHO

[gduns - with the Lord]

well,
It looks like a good laptop, but it isnt that far off of the Mtu price of a laptop, with hoster installed and working, . In face by the time you figure the program, and the trouble you will have setting it up if doesnt work The safe bet is the laptop that mtu sells. check it out. you owe it to yourself to at least look. I can tell you from what I know of it it is a much better unit.

[Jamie Simpson]

Hi Guys!


Thanks for the advice!

gduns...

I am actually not buying the laptop from staples but from a local dealer that I have done business with for many years. Their service and tech is fantastic!

MY biggest worry about the mtu laptop is the warranty and if something breaks where do I get it serviced? The people I deal with sell and service Acer (which is what the 4 machines I have now), Compaq and HP.

It's very nice to drive down the road and within a day or two have everything fixed.

bdayton....

I am pretty sure the drive is not cdg compliant and was planning on buying a plex 52 external.

I have a plex internal in one of my other computers and has been great!



As far as the Radeon 9000 this is what it says on their site..

Multi-monitor management and multi-display support

• MOBILITY™ RADEON™ 9000 provides the highest quality output support for DVI-I, TV and CRTs.
• ATI’s HYDRAVISION™^* technology brings a rich set of multi-monitor features that are exceptionally easy to use.
• Connects up to three monitors at one time and HYDRAVISION™ allows user to tailor their desktop to the way they work, improving productivity.

*OEM option. Not available on all systems.

IS that dual display?

Thanks for taking the time to respond!

Jamie

[gduns - with the Lord]

Most laptops, do have dual display capabilities. make sure it is usb 2.0, not usb 1.1. usb2.0 is 40 times the speed of the 1.1.

The only reason I caution, Is because I bought a compaq, and expected it to run with hoster. and it didnt. I had to sell it and get another that would. as far as what was not compatible, I couldnt tell you. But it was not a hoster problem, it was a problem with the compaq. and it had the ati video also.

one thing you may get with a non-mtu computer, is a hum when you plug it into the mixer, but a hum eliminator will take care of that.

Good luck!!!!

[bdayton]

Originally Posted by Jamie Simpson

Hi Guys!

bdayton....

I am pretty sure the drive is not cdg compliant and was planning on buying a plex 52 external.

I have a plex internal in one of my other computers and has been great!
Jamie

Looks like you really DID read the directions!
You appear to be more on top of things than I was when I first got Hoster. You'll do well!

[flipper]

Unless you are stuck on the idea of using a laptop you might want to consider the other two options MTU has to offer. The Shuttle and the Rackmount system. They are turnkey with big hard drive, MTU CDG drives and everything you need except the LCD Monitor.

I purchased a laptop and found that I needed to carry an external plextor drive for customer discs, and even with 60gig hard drive I'm beginning to run out of space. If I had it all to do over again I would go with MTU's Rack Mount or Portable PC. Probably will when I expand to a second hoster system.

I bet you could get an extended warranty through MTU for a price.


Flipper

[MTUSUPPORT]

Jamie,
Yes that ATI Radeon 9000 Mobility will work. This is an older chip, that is in the Laptop that I use all the time. The newer laptops that we sell have had the 9600 and now they are up to the 9700 chips, which are alot faster than the older chips.

This laptop looks like it should do you just fine though.