Are laptops reliable enough?

[Wave theory]

Originally Posted by Corran

I really don't understand why Metric Halo restricts their hardware to Macs. That's alienating a huge (bigger!) client base.

I got really interested the first time I read about them and saw the used prices that I could get one (or three) for but if I can't run it on my Windows machines too bad.

Well, as someone who now works on both windows and Mac, and is active on web boards for both, there is an enormous difference in the amount of voodoo required to make things work in the Windows world, compared to the Mac.

Metric is a smallish company, and since I'm 100% happy with operating my MH box on a Mac, I'd prefer that they devote all their attention to developing for that platform, rather than dividing their efforts.

If I didn't already own and prefer my Mac, then I'd buy one for my location work. My Metric box is a tool, and part of my business.

I'm looking to buy a windows laptop for my other system, but when I look at all the configuration gotchas, it's going to be difficult to come up with a machine that works. Coincidentally, the most popular machine for that platform is a MacBook pro running windows. The hardware is solid, and predictable.

OK, rant over.

[JonesH]

Originally Posted by sonare

You can forget the former happening-- MH is Mac by philosophy as well as knowing the resources required for writing ASIO plus the headaches of supporting Windows users. They don't answer the phone even now, anyway.

As to the latter-- be patient-- there seems to be something in in the wings be not tomorrow--

Rich

Yes, of course. There seems to be little interest from MH to develop for windows.
As to the Sequoia on Mac rumors, there's been quite the mumble on the interwebs for about a year. That would be absolutely terrific if true. I heard April or December.
Absolutely unconfirmed of course.

[David Spearritt]

All this talk about Mac being the only way to get reliable hardware and software for audio recording is just complete BS.

Pyramix, Sadie and Sequoia are all PC only programs and they are at the top of the critical production, live sound and mastering software heap in the most demanding and expensive, if it fails, field, ie large classical music and opera productions. This says more than any out of date wives tales about the stability of windows.

Windows also runs and dominates the business worlds in mining, engineering, medical, stock markets, legal, and government without hitches. I don't see any Macs anywhere near these fields and applications.

[Plush]

I'm getting my feet wet with a laptop and the new SADiE V. 6 soft.

However this type of set-up will never act as the main recorder.

[fifthcircle]

Plush-

what are you going to be using for your interface for SADiE? Just looked at the LRX at NAMM and an impressive piece of gear it is. Out of my price range for now, but impressive just the same.

--Ben

[Wave theory]

Originally Posted by David Spearritt

All this talk about Mac being the only way to get reliable hardware and software for audio recording is just complete BS.

Pyramix, Sadie and Sequoia are all PC only programs and they are at the top of the critical production, live sound and mastering software heap in the most demanding and expensive, if it fails, field, ie large classical music and opera productions. This says more than any out of date wives tales about the stability of windows.

Windows also runs and dominates the business worlds in mining, engineering, medical, stock markets, legal, and government without hitches. I don't see any Macs anywhere near these fields and applications.

If you read my post, I don't imply that Mac is the only way to get a reliable system. The topic of this thread is "are laptops reliable enough?" The obvious answer is yes, be it Mac or Windows. At this point, I'm actually surprised that we're even asking whether laptops are sufficiently reliable.

Here's what I can say in the context of this discussion, as a user of both Pyramix on Windows, and Metric on a Mac. Selecting and optimizing a Windows machine for Pyramix is not a trivial task. Many users have to turn to specialists to have Windows machines built and tuned to run Pyramix reliably. There are some approved components which are no longer in production, meaning you need to scour the internet to obtain the correct combination of approved motherboards and video cards when building a workstation machine. Some Pyramix users prefer to stick with their old laptops, not being able to find new machines as reliable as older machines.

My experience on the Mac side with Metric Halo was that I bought an off the shelf machine, loaded the software, plugged in the box, and it worked. No OS tweaking, no special version of the machine.

Don't get me wrong, I like Pyramix, and it's the app that pays the bills. As a point of illustration, if I had 2 hours to set up a working Windows or Mac recording system, I'd go with the Mac. And that 2 hours includes the drive to and from the Mac store.

And you are clearly right about the widespread use of Windows machines. On the other hand, the dominant machine in the creative fields is the Mac.

[Plush]

Originally Posted by fifthcircle

Plush-

what are you going to be using for your interface for SADiE? Just looked at the LRX at NAMM and an impressive piece of gear it is. Out of my price range for now, but impressive just the same.

--Ben

When I get it set up I'll be goofing around with a MOTU Traveler firewire interface just for laughs. Basically, I'm wanting to get acquianted with SADiE V. 6 to see if I want to put it on our main SADiE computer.

Traveler doesn't sound so great but it works to get sound in to the laptop. I have had this Traveler here for some years sitting on a shelf. I had suspicions about its transparency when plugging an AES input into the Traveler. It sounded pretty bad. I felt that the Traveler changed the inputted sound.

Oh well--it's just for my learning and trial for right now.

Later use may be much more pro. The nicest set-up I've imagined so far would include MADI remote controlled mic amps into the laptop with a RME Madiface. Combo of RME gear and
new boxes from DirectOUt .de

[Corran]

Originally Posted by Wave theory

As a point of illustration, if I had 2 hours to set up a working Windows or Mac recording system, I'd go with the Mac. And that 2 hours includes the drive to and from the Mac store.

On the other hand, I think most would agree an even better solution is to simply turn on the HD24 and go grab a bite to eat. Regardless of Mac or PC these machines are still customized to run whatever. Starting "from scratch" you can't exactly be up and running in minutes on any computer, or be 99.9% sure it's gonna work.

[David Spearritt]

Originally Posted by Wave theory

Selecting and optimizing a Windows machine for Pyramix is not a trivial task.

Pyramix Native is a straight install, I have it on a desktop and a laptop that are completely unmodified Windows 7 OS installs.

Many users have to turn to specialists to have Windows machines built and tuned to run Pyramix reliably. There are some approved components which are no longer in production, meaning you need to scour the internet to obtain the correct combination of approved motherboards and video cards when building a workstation machine. Some Pyramix users prefer to stick with their old laptops, not being able to find new machines as reliable as older machines.

MassCore maybe, but then its not a standard piece of software, being tied to very specific hardware.

My experience on the Mac side with Metric Halo was that I bought an off the shelf machine, loaded the software, plugged in the box, and it worked. No OS tweaking, no special version of the machine.

And this is admirable, but not hard to see why, with completely closed and restricted hardware and software frameworks.

But enterprise class PC hardware and standard Windows 7 installs (or XP for that matter) can achieve the same thing. People have to do a little more research before buying PC hardware because there is so much to choose from and all is not created equal.

Choosing a high quality laptop (Lenovo T Series and X Series) running untweaked W7 can behave exactly the same way as the Mac install. You get what you pay for. There are many other configs that work out of the box as well.

[philper]

Originally Posted by Corran

On the other hand, I think most would agree an even better solution is to simply turn on the HD24 and go grab a bite to eat. Regardless of Mac or PC these machines are still customized to run whatever. Starting "from scratch" you can't exactly be up and running in minutes on any computer, or be 99.9% sure it's gonna work.

...what? I boot the computer, having plugged in the FW connection from the interfaces, which are prewired in a traveling rack. After that it's all patching you'd have to do w/ your HD24 anyhow.

phil p

[Wave theory]

Originally Posted by philper

...what? I boot the computer, having plugged in the FW connection from the interfaces, which are prewired in a traveling rack. After that it's all patching you'd have to do w/ your HD24 anyhow.

phil p

Either way, I like Corran's idea of getting a bite to eat. Never like to do a session while hungry.

[philper]

Originally Posted by Wave theory

Either way, I like Corran's idea of getting a bite to eat. Never like to do a session while hungry.

No argument there.

phil p

[JonesH]

Originally Posted by David Spearritt

And this is admirable, but not hard to see why, with completely closed and restricted hardware and software frameworks.

? The iPhone may be restricted out of the box, but noone's telling you what you can and can't runt on your mac..?