Online Computer For Recording?

[nobby]

Do you use the same computer for both surfing the web and audio recording?

It seems there might be advantages to both.

[blackieC]

Maybe I'm just paranoid, okay I'm paranoid, but I'd rather just not take the risk of any internet funny business tainting my recording rig.

The internet is the sole domain of Mr. Lappy and If I need to update a driver or something on the big box it's really not too much of a hassle to DL to lappy, throw the file on a CF card or USB hard drive and install from there. For uploads, transferring files to DVD then uploading from a different machine is a handy way to make sure my lazy ass is backing up files.

[crunch]

Ok, we cheat, we look at various forums, ebay and get drivers, whatever... but we shouldn't.

It should be noted that not running network interfaces is going to free up a LOT of processor cycles and memory.

We do it anyway.

Why? When this is perfectly good advice? Because we don't have room for another box, and it makes squirting files onto our network slightly more convenient than swapping drives all of the time. So fuck it, throw hardware at it, it's the Microsoft/Apple way!

[archtop]

This mac does 'em both fine.

I've even chatted with y'all while the thing was recording.


Now on the other hand, if it was a P.C. I woudn't even fart
while a disc was being copied.

[Goes211]

Now on the other hand, if it was a P.C. I woudn't even fart while a disc was being copied.

Picking the first platform war at the Womb ?
:grin:

[nobby]

So far the comments are leading me to stick to the original idea of keeping this older pc for going online and getting a new one for recording.

I think the prices are starting to bottom out for xp pc's in advance of the new OS.

[blackieC]

Oh yeah, prepare for 32 bit PC's to get crazy cheap in the next month and a half.

I'm just going to stick with my XP box for a bit while a whole lot of other folks pay for the privilege of beta testing Vista.
Roll eyes

[digiengineer]

Do you use the same computer for both surfing the web and audio recording?

It seems there might be advantages to both.

It depends on where I am at. If I'm in the studio, the clients that hire me expect me to act like I'm interested in what they are doing... plus, the DAW is usually attached to an ethernet control surface hogging the bandwidth (not as much of a problem with computers with dual ethernet ports now).

At home I use the same computer for internet and DAW, and now it's become a necessary evil as I've been doing on-line production, edits, demos, and mix approvals while the clients are in a studio on the other side of the country. The album I'm currently working on, I met the artist 3 years ago and haven't seen her since.:icon_eek:

[Fulcrum]

I built my box to be able to do both.

As I'm in back of a personal firewall router I find that it does indeed do both quite well.

[nobby]

If I'm in the studio, the clients that hire me expect me to act like I'm interested in what they are doing

Is everybody in L.A. expected to be an actor? :grin:

[bbkong]

If you don't have a script in your pocket and a stack of head shots in the car, you aint shit in this town.

Firewall and a switch for 4 pc's here. I'm building a new box for DAW next month after I make a few spock decisions (hear that Bryan?) and it'll be a stand alone linked up with the Radar. I'll keep this one for other things like Mechwarrior and interblah.

[digiengineer]

I'm building a new box for DAW next month after I make a few spock decisions (hear that Bryan?) and it'll be a stand alone linked up with the Radar. I'll keep this one for other things like Mechwarrior and interblah.

I'll make it easy for you: 8-core (2 Quad-core Xeon processors) Mac G5 running Windows. Check the sig.
http://www.freesmileys.org/emo/whacky084.gif

[otek]

I have both, on a LAN with a firewalled hub.

The Mac is the predominant "music machine", whereas the PC is used for everything else (although I do some editing on the PC).

[Bob Olhsson]

Here my old Mac does e-mail and accounting. The PeeCee does audio and the web because the Mac 7500 is just too old.

[EyreSpace]

No phone, no pool, no pets, er... internet that is. I have to go home to use the net. And the new place is causing me to lose sleep!

[Kenny Gioia]

I started out using my mac only for Pro Tools.

Now I use it for everything.

Mail, Internet, Ichat, baking recipes.

No big problems.

[FajitaTone]

My Mac G4/400 is too damn slow to run ProTools and web. So I use the laptop for those duties. The work g5's do EVERYTHING though.
Coolio

[Mixerpuppet]

I have 2 PC's that are using a common video monitor, Keyboard and mouse, I have the drives between the 2 networked so I can shuffle data but one is connected to the internot with a full accompanyment of Office Products and Internet Security from McAfee... The other machine is record only, streamlined with only what is neccessary for tracking. I also do some video and I would rather not have any interruptions for any reason while dumping frames from the deck.

I really don't care what Im using to get the job done...

[The Diz]

i tend to work with laptop on left...IM, various other time wasting places....TV just to right with CNN, ESPN, Judge Judy, often with sound on... and the "work" in the middle for when i'm not too distracted by the other things to get something done. thank god for these computer things. i used to have to have people sitting behind me watching me work all day. no way to live.

[vanblah]

I use a PC to do both sometimes. I usually feel guilty afterward though ... is that OK? I have to download MP3s of the latest pop songs so that I can remove the vocals and use them as backing tracks for my band.

[martinw2k]

I have to download MP3s of the latest pop songs so that I can remove the vocals and use them as backing tracks for my band.

:icon_eek: :icon_eek: :icon_eek:

[vanblah]

I have to download MP3s of the latest pop songs so that I can remove the vocals and use them as backing tracks for my band.

:icon_eek: :icon_eek:

What? You mean everybody doesn't do this? You mean there are people doing covers that actually know how to play instruments and know how to learn a song??? Incredible. I must find me some of these musicians and start a band.


:lol:

(My band doesn't do covers ... )

[CurtZHP]

My DAW never sees the outside world. If I need to download something, I use my wife's machine and then sneaker-net it to mine.

My DAW has never crashed. Not unless I did something really stupid that I knew would make it crash.

[MacGregor]

A DAW and a normal PC connected to a Linux server which does
the network stuff (email, ftp, firewall, diskspace, ...).
The normal PC is for internet access and hosts some VSTi when
I do huge arrangements.
Even I could surf from the DAW I never do it.

Ironically I don't own a Mac.

[bblackwood]

Every computer in the building is on the 'net here. Of course, dealing with a max of four channels of audio (and using all outboard processing) means that power cycles are easy to come by...

[invisibl]

On a MAC here Do everything on it too..Surf and ruin music simultaneously!@!!

I'm gonna build a Hackintosh soon outta bits and bobs and I'll probably keep that one dedicated..For about a day.

PC's in my life seem to be a bit more picky.Either its a registry based system ( Or I'm a moron) But the BSD environment allows most anything dropped onto it, to live happlily with existing apps...

[oudplayer]

Have an Athlon 3400+ system running Samplitude, and do a bit of web stuff and programming on it, no problems. Just make sure that the web cache files are not on the same partition as audio (this is true for macs, too) to avoid fragments. The somewhat broken mac laptop gets full-time web design and surfin duty.

[Brendo]

It depends on where I am at. If I'm in the studio, the clients that hire me expect me to act like I'm interested in what they are doing... plus, the DAW is usually attached to an ethernet control surface hogging the bandwidth (not as much of a problem with computers with dual ethernet ports now).


I always wondered about this - at JMC we have a C24 hooked up, obviously by ethernet... if we wanted to network this with the DV edit suite next door (it's actually in what used to be the machine room), then can we use a hub or switch or something?

[MacGregor]

A switch is the easiest way to go.

[bunnerabb]

P4 - 3.2 GHz, 2 GB DDR - 2 80 GB SATA - 2 - 80 GB EDIE - Intel PERL 956 - Nuendo 2.0 - No net.

POS IBM 300 GL - 1 80 GB EIDE - .5 GB PC100 - Net.

I am installing a rj45 splitter,though, so I can jack the DAW in if I care to, for moving tracks.

All I need now is a 19" TFt to set between the NS-10s at the mix station.

[bunnerabb]

Did you know that 32 bit architecture is not able to address more than 3 GB of RAM?

[Brendo]

I thought it was 4gb...

[vanblah]

Did you know that 32 bit architecture is not able to address more than 3 GB of RAM?

Correct, unless you use the /3GB switch during boot.

[Knastratt]

I realized I was on to something when I was tracking guitars...












...while surfing, installing software, organizing photos, occasionally listening to my music library, writing a letter to the editor and uploading stuff for my home-page...












...at the same time I was upgrading the system.

No. It's not a PC.:icon_eek:

[padboy]

I have both, on a LAN with a firewalled hub.

The Mac is the predominant "music machine", whereas the PC is used for everything else (although I do some editing on the PC).

Dude! You got your face back!

Good to seeya. Errr. You know what I mean.

pb

...don't tell, don't ask...

[TSTW]

Now on the other hand, if it was a P.C. I woudn't even fart
while a disc was being copied.

heh heh

[nobby]

Quote:
Originally Posted by archtop


Now on the other hand, if it was a P.C. I woudn't even fart
while a disc was being copied.

heh heh


So you can use a PC instead of Beano?

[Skwaidu]

I currently have just this G5 at the studio so yes, I surf and Skype with it.

[nobby]

Firewall and a switch for 4 pc's here.

Otek:--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I have both, on a LAN with a firewalled hub.

The Mac is the predominant "music machine", whereas the PC is used for everything else (although I do some editing on the PC).


Well it seems I either have to use one computer for everything, or use a hub or switch. Which I currently know nothing about.

I'm leaning towards Cubase 4 Studio as my next platform, which seems more than adequate for all my recording needs, and I just read this:

Mac OS X Version 10.4
Power Mac G4 1 GHz or Core Solo 1.5 GHz
512 MB RAM
CoreAudio compatible audio hardware
Display Resolution 1024x768 pixels
DVD drive required for installation
USB port required for Steinberg Key (copy protection device)*
Internet connection required for license activation

Windows XP Home or XP Professional
Pentium/Athlon 1.4 GHz
512 MB RAM
Windows DirectX compatible audio hardware (ASIO compatible audio hardware recommended for low latency performance)
Display resolution 1024x768
DVD-ROM drive required for installation
USB port required for Steinberg Key (copy protection device)*
Internet connection required for license activation


Not even sure if XP home can be used on 2 computers with one internet connection. Anybody?

[Brendo]

you would need more than one license key for xph or ms takes their ball and goes home, so to speak.

hub/switch = easy. plug your computers into it, plug your modem in, all standard ethernet cables, voila!

[nobby]

you would need more than one license key for xph or ms takes their ball and goes home, so to speak.

I'd only be putting that software on one computer, using the other for surfing, etc. I thought Steinberg was the entity requiring the licence key? Or are you referring to using both computers? The new one would come with its own OS ? :\

hub/switch = easy. plug your computers into it, plug your modem in, all standard ethernet cables, voila!

Okay, I thought there might be something in the computer that your IP recognizes. Obviously I'm no expert.

Both computers wouldn't be able to share the same firewall, or would they?

[Knastratt]

I'd only be putting that software on one computer, using the other for surfing, etc. I thought Steinberg was the entity requiring the licence key? Or are you referring to using both computers? The new one would come with its own OS ? :\


Okay, I thought there might be something in the computer that your IP recognizes. Obviously I'm no expert.

Both computers wouldn't be able to share the same firewall, or would they?

A router with a firewall is what you need!

[Brendo]

I'd only be putting that software on one computer, using the other for surfing, etc. I thought Steinberg was the entity requiring the licence key? Or are you referring to using both computers? The new one would come with its own OS ? :\

Yeh you're quite right. The new one would come with it's own OS - it sounded like you were going to try to install the same copy on more than one computer, sorry.

Okay, I thought there might be something in the computer that your IP recognizes. Obviously I'm no expert.

Both computers wouldn't be able to share the same firewall, or would they?

Phone line -> Modem -> Firewall -> Switch

Switch -> Computer 1
Switch -> Computer 2

At least that's how we're set up here at work. Ok, I lie, that's how we WERE set up here at work, there's now two firewalls, three modems, a VoIP system, a WAN link between two sites... ugh. But it WAS pretty simple before.

You may need to reconfigure your firewall? Not sure. Got brand/models for us?

[Brendo]

Oh, also, at home, I have ADSL coming into a modem/switch/firewall/wireless unit, and then everything plugged into that. That's one box...too easy.

[Spock]

Cable modem to just about any of the linksys or dlink fireware/router/switch/wireless combos.

Something like a WRT45G.

To your cable/DSL provider you have only one thing hooked up. On the other side of the firewall you have 4 jacks, plus whatever you can put on wireless.

[nobby]

SWEEEET!

Thanks Brendo, Knastratt, and Spock.

:Thumbsup: :Thumbsup:

[bbchessman]

I use a G-5 Mac for the Digi002 and it's online too. No problems unless I try to play Call of Duty multi-player while trying to record more than four tracks at once. CRASH!:Surprised:

I have another rig set up with an 001 G-4 1.25 and it's always online and I've never had a crash running PT 5.3

My Motu rig never goes online. Never had a crash either. Except an occasionly freeze upon quiting. Still haven't figured that one out.

[nobby]

You guys have to realize that if you are playing Grand Theft Auto while mixing a record, you are either going to take longer to get a good mix, or you are going to run over a prostitute and crash into a police station.

[Brendo]

You guys have to realize that if you are playing Grand Theft Auto while mixing a record, you are either going to take longer to get a good mix, or you are going to run over a prostitute and crash into a police station.

What if he's MIXING the sound for GTA?

[stevep]

Do you use the same computer for both surfing the web and audio recording?

It seems there might be advantages to both.

I keep my Mac off line until i need to load files

I use a PC for office and internet





steve perkins

[digiengineer]

You guys have to realize that if you are playing Grand Theft Auto while mixing a record, you are either going to take longer to get a good mix, or you are going to run over a prostitute and crash into a police station.

Words to live by...:very happy: