Help With Pros And Cons, laptop recording rig Options

[glecko]

My home studio is based on a pc running paris and cubase for sequencing. I use a motu express to sync 4 keyboards to midi clock. I have just purchased a powerbook 15 1.25 512. running panther 10.3. After researching manufacturer sites, I have picked my choices for software and hardware. I would like to know if anyone can help with pros and cons for this setup. I am going to run Digital Performer 4.xx(whatever the latest version is). I must have a reliable control surface. I am leaning toward the tascam fw 1884 because of its firewire connectivity, its 4x midi ports, and its flexible mixing options. I have not heard that this is a seamless installation. In fact, from reading the different discussion groups, there seems to be as many problems getting software and hardware integrated with the mac as with the pc. A logical conclusion might be that the most reliable installation might be to go as close to all apple as possible. That would mean Logic as software and logic control as control surface with one of the many firewire interfaces such as those by motu or presonus. Then add a midi pathbay or timepiece. My choices of dp4 and fw1884 have the least number of different products to integrate. My main reason for switching to mac isin the hope that there will be less integration problems, so my time can be spent in creative bliss, rather than solving integration problems. especially the problems like "this worked yesterday, but not today!!!"

[patatfrit]

Hey Glecko,

DP 4.12 and the 1884 is a great combination. In fact I know someone who has that perfect set up with 4 FE-8 expansion surfaces and everything works near perfect. In fact I've been communicationg with Frontier Design, who designed the 1884 and they themselves created the drivers to work with DP4/Panther unlike every other drivers being created by the software company.

Lets put it this way, you're bound to come up with snafu's here and there but you'll get use to it. Good luck with the change over.

Frit

[Synthetic]

right now is an odd time for Apple OS... they are still tweaking the new OSX system and audio interface developers are trying to keep up with the changes. Some are doing this better than others right now. Unfortunately, I think you are right about the Mac and PC having the same issues with making devices work. The plus side to this I believe is stability which the Mac is known for.

I wish I could say its all plug and play but right now but there are obvious issues with 10.3 and some audio interfaces and some software. If I were to buy a new Apple today... I would opt to find a used or older model... one loaded with 10.2+ myself. I am still not sold on non-booting OS 9 machines and the 10.3 because I don't feel that the software has caught up enough for 10.3. There may be some apps that are working fine with 10.3 but there still seems to be issues with some other apps and devices.

that's my 2 cents