Laptop host??

[Eric White]

Hey there..

What is the preferred method for using a laptop as a host here? I have a customer interested in SAC but wants to run a limited channel count - 16 - and cant afford the space of a dedicated PC rack for traveling shows. They currently own a MacBook , any solutions here on using this or should they look at a different laptop?


New territory and I don't have the slightest answer, thought Id ask the ones that would know. Thanks much.

-Eric

[Brent Evans]

The RME interfaces are the most stable. I have also seen a Profire 2626 used as the interface with good results.

Fireface UFX will do 30x30 on a USB port, which is important in that most newer laptops no longer have a firewire port. While expensive, it's about the only product on the market that will do this.

[soundchicken]

30x30 on a usb?

what kind of lag comes on that?

[Paul Henry]

If the laptop has Firewire a couple of Profire 2626 should do the trick.

[mojogil]

I buy used Dell Precision M4400 laptops and use them successfully for 24+ channel shows via firewire. I always replace the HD with a solid state. I've used the Profire 2626 and the Profire Lightbridge successfully.

[hclague]

I've been using both a Dell M4400 and a Dell E6500 as backup hosts for 24 channel systems with RME Digiface and Cardbus card. I chose these models because they came with both a PCMCIA and Express card card slots. Both are running stripped down version or XP. the Digiface is interfaced through the PCMCIA slot and the expresscard slot has a UAD solo card for my UAD Plugins.

Hal

[Paul Henry]

So basically it's:

Older laptop with PCMCIA/ Express Card Slot - Firewire Card.

Older laptop with onboard Firewire.

Newer laptop with USB but limited choices.

Very new laptop with Thunderbolt port and PCIe expansion chassis:

http://www.sonnettech.com/product/thunderbolt/

[Brent Evans]

30x30 on a usb?

what kind of lag comes on that?

Supposedly it's usable for live monitoring. USB 2.0 is more than capable of the bandwidth of that many channels, the problem with most interfaces is that the drivers aren't written well enough to do the parsing required. RME is cream of the crop stuff.

I tried one of the MOTU combo units (828?) on USB and it worked fine in testing, but you can't get it anymore.

[RBIngraham]

I tried one of the MOTU combo units (828?) on USB and it worked fine in testing, but you can't get it anymore.

Huh?

http://www.motu.com/products

Almost all of the MOTU interfaces currently available are Combo Firewire/USB2. Some are only USB I think.

Now, whether they work well with SAC... I have no idea. But if they did a MOTU 8 Pre USB would be a nice 16 channel interface when linked with one external preamp. In fact I think my next move may be to try out the 8 Pre units just for preamps into my PCI card set ups. As I would like the uniform look and unlike the M audio 2626 units (which are no longer made anyway) they have a mode you can put them into from the front panel to use them as a A to D. Although no D to A unfortunately.

[Paul Henry]

..... and unlike the M audio 2626 units (which are no longer made anyway)..........

I had heard that too, but the website still list them.

http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/ProFire2626.html