Desktop vs. Laptop

[xxyzz]

How many of you are using a laptop vs. a desktop for you shows?

[marklwood]

I know they can be a pain to lug around, but a laptop has so few options when it come to maintenance and upgrades. I have the luxury of not having to cart mine around, but I would still go for a shuttle if I was that concerned about size and weight.

[ddouglass]

I use a Shuttle type (small square with a handle) case but built it myself. I do have a Dell XP laptop that we use for backup. The laptop just doesn't have the power of the shuttle though, especially with the built-in onboard video card.

[bryant]

Originally Posted by ddouglass

I use a Shuttle type (small square with a handle) case but built it myself. I do have a Dell XP laptop that we use for backup. The laptop just doesn't have the power of the shuttle though, especially with the built-in onboard video card.

Same here. Although I have been using the ,aptop from time to time with no ill effects except for a very rare hoster freeze-up, which is usually associated with Virtual DJ up and running at the same time and playing videos in between songs.

I have an acer mini backup laptop as well that is even less power than the Dell XP laptop, but runs okay too. Probably very lucky here.

[bryant]

Originally Posted by marklwood

I know they can be a pain to lug around, but a laptop has so few options when it come to maintenance and upgrades. I have the luxury of not having to cart mine around, but I would still go for a shuttle if I was that concerned about size and weight.

A shuttle is the way to go. My wife uses it all the time at her shows and has had not one problem, even when running VDJ at the same time and playing all kinds of videos and visual effects as well.

[dspins]

Laptops tend to have crappy sound cards. Desktop wins. Soundblaster audigy series card makes your music sound amazing. EAW speakers help too.

[Lonman]

I prefer a desktop only because it's more readily upgradable. I use a M-Audio pro audio sound card with balanced 1/4" connetors (although have a great USB audio interface for my laptop now that also uses 1/4" balanced jacks as well), video cards can be swapped out easily, memory, etc. Laptops are a little more inconvenient in upgrading and servicing on site - aside from just simply having a complete 2nd laptop for backup, a HECK of a lot more convenient as far as setup though!

[computex13]

Don't do many shows anymore, but my laptop has always worked like a charm. If something every happened to it, I would go rack mount.

[bryant]

Originally Posted by computex13

Don't do many shows anymore, but my laptop has always worked like a charm. If something every happened to it, I would go rack mount.

I use a laptop on nights when my wife has the shuttle, although both of us carry a back-up laptop too.

Once I lost a video card at a show, and another time the adapter cord failed, and both times I went to the backup.

I actually got a call from another DJ a few years ago who asked me to take over his shows as he had lost his laptop functionality during a show with NO back-up there in place. I think he was too embarrassed to return
as a DJ/KJ.

IT IS REALLLLLYYY RISKY relying on solely a laptop at a show. I recommened having at least two there, or a desktop with a karaoke machine up and ready to go. Although carrying MORE stuff around defeats the purpose,I understand.

I may be a little luckier than most as all my gigs, and the new ones I mentioned in a different post are ALL within a mile of each other and within a mile of my house, several of them I use the "house" equipment, the others are secure enough to keep my stuff on stage there. The most I would ever have to walk in a storm with would be two laptops and a mixer.

[lmcmains]

I like to use desktop best. I have two shuttle computers I've been using for about four years. I also have two small factor Dell desktops that I have for backup and one Dell laptop.

[billyo]

i've been using my Dell laptops ( E1505 and E1405 for back-up ) and never had a problem running a show with it, i also have an asus mini laptop and i only use it strictly for djing, and i also have 4 Dell optiplex (8"x9" )workstation with microstudio installed in one of them ( basically my main pc's ) with all the dj music installed in it.( have to have a back-up )

[mindonstrike]

I prefer a desktop for all the reasons already posted

I have 2 shuttles, 1 for the show and one for backup. I've also got a laptop for singers to preview songs but it can be hooked up in a pinch, but would probably only use it if my monitor stopped working. Between those three things I'm covered.

Like computex13, I'd like to install a couple of rackmounted units at some point.

Sam

[madjim- with the Lord]

Originally Posted by mindonstrike

Like computex13, I'd like to install a couple of rackmounted units at some point.

I use a rackmount I purchased from MTU in a four space portable case. It a little heavy but very impressive when I carry it in and set it on a table. It's just a desktop (my vote was for a desktop ) that runs sideways (like the old desktops) but the cards are secured and the drives are installed in a shock resistant mount. Works great for me!

My back up is a Raid hard drive setup. In my 10 years of working with computers (I maintain four, one for audio and video production), I've only had one hard drive failure (Dell). I've found if I keep my fans working and my mother boards as dust free as possible, they never go down. I blew one motherboard up when I didn't understand how to install DDR RAM and Cutiual didn't add a sufficient warning but that was a technician error, not a motherboard failure. Of course I'm very careful to not get a virus.

Jim

[Musicman51]

I like to keep the operating system as simple as possible. Nothing extra to lug around. I use a simple laptop, with an external with all my KMA's on it. Never had any complaints yet about how it sounds. Now my sound system? thats something else, very complicated,...and it kicks serious butt!

[capnvic]

Originally Posted by Musicman51

I like to keep the operating system as simple as possible. Nothing extra to lug around. I use a simple laptop, with an external with all my KMA's on it. Never had any complaints yet about how it sounds. Now my sound system? thats something else, very complicated,...and it kicks serious butt!

I don't have any problems with either of my laptops with regard to sound. I have two Dells: A Latitude E5500, and an Inspiron 1520. I use an external IOmega 160GB hard disk drive connected to two of the four USB ports. I have a backup drive which is a 120GB Western Digital IDE in an enclosure. The sound comes out fine through my Mackie mixer to the 2 S12e Yamaha Speakers, and one floor monitor.

[Musicman51]

capnvic,
Thanks for your nice reply. I also own a pair of yamaha speakers as well. I own 2 Club Series 15's. They are just a great workhorse. I keep my computer system simple, because thats about all i can do at my age..lol I am not a computer geek. So a laptop, an external HD, and an Edirol interface for audio seems to work just dandy for me.
But i am a gear guru. I enjoy using all types of gear, i fell in love with the Peavey FX16 board. This board and it's effects for the money, sounds better then any other i have used. And i have used them all. Glad to hear your Mackie and yamaha do the trick. I am currently using 4 Carvin LM series speakers. I have a 15" 2 way, and a 15" 3 way on each stand, using two stands. So i run 4-15", 2 horns, and two 6" speakers. Also 2 Warfendale 12" Monitors, and 2 JBL 18" subs. Of course i may be using something else next week...lol I also use an SKB rack with various gear in it as well. I enjoy talking gear, or any problems one might have, or questions about almost any type of audio equipment. My favorite brands? Joe Meek, and Avalon. Here are a couple photos.
Also a posting on the Carvin forum awhile back where i traded out the transducers on these cabs.
Thanks for your nice reply. George

http://www.carvinbbs.com/viewtopic.p...highlight=lm15

[Stefan]

Originally Posted by bryant

Same here. Although I have been using the ,aptop from time to time with no ill effects except for a very rare hoster freeze-up, which is usually associated with Virtual DJ up and running at the same time and playing videos in between songs.

I have an acer mini backup laptop as well that is even less power than the Dell XP laptop, but runs okay too. Probably very lucky here.

Get VDJ 6 pro. It seems to have fixed the crashing of Hoster

[bryant]

Originally Posted by Stefan

Get VDJ 6 pro. It seems to have fixed the crashing of Hoster

Thx, just got it yesterday and started playing with it last night.

What the crash was Stefan; was when I would play a video with VDJ, then forget to "De-activate" VDJ's video.
VDJ would seem to take some kind of priority over the second "extended" monitor, and if I went to a song in the playlist then Hoster would crash.

The other problem was when I used "SBDJ's" slideshow plugin (dosn't make pictures "FAT" like VDJ's slideshow does), even when I WOULD deacivate the video following it's use, Hoster would still crash, but randomly, as if VDJ still had some kind of priority over the second monitor even after deactivating.

Is this the kind of crashing you are referring to as well?

I did read that one of VDJ6.0's improvements was better video control with 15% less memory requirement, and some patches to fix some of the video freezes on certain Nvidea video cards, of which I have one of.

[Stefan]

YEp. I don't have to disable video in VDJ 6 anymore. So far so good. I have an ATI video card and use a IBM Thinkpad T60. Lovely.

[bryant]

Originally Posted by Stefan

YEp. I don't have to disable video in VDJ 6 anymore. So far so good. I have an ATI video card and use a IBM Thinkpad T60. Lovely.

So let me get this right:
1) Someone is done singing a song, and you bring up VDJ, activate the video(if not already activated)and play a video. Video plays well.

2) After video is over, you bring up Hoster and hit play for the next singer in the playlist, and the song lyrics come up quickly and easily on both the computer and secondary screens, right.

Just like that, and then back to VDJ video, then Hoster again, back and forth all night with no intervention like activating or deactivating VDJ video.