Portable Recording, WHICH POWERBOOK TO GET Options

[azkid]

Hi and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

It's me again. (formerly jce44 - I STILL can't change my email address to my new yahoo email, because I can't receive the validation email when I try to log in as my former self. The web site won't let me change it because it's "Pending Validation", and the validation (when I try to resend it, will only go to my old self... I'm stuck in that loop.)

I've got my home recording studio up and running. My trusty Power Mac G4, new Sonnet 1.8 CPU upgrade, maxed RAM and OSX 10.3.9

I love the Mackie Onyx 1220 with firewire, still learning the Tracktion 2 software, but, I need to take it this mixer on the road.

I've been looking at refurbished or used Mac laptops, (my budget is limited) but have some questions? And I'd like to use the same OSX 10.3.9, I think?? because that's what I'm using on the G4?

I know that slow HD speeds can be problematic, and that Powerbook HD's are usually 4200 RPM.

1. Do I need to get an external, faster HD as well as a laptop?
2. With Firewire?

If so, most of the Powerbooks only have 1 firewire port.

3. How do I hook up my firewire Onyx and the external firewire HD at the same time?
4. Do they make firewire hubs for this and will they work well? (Will the Powerbook "see" both?)

I only need to record 4 to 6 channels/tracks at one time.

5. How fast should the processor on the Powerbook be?

My budget is poor, but I'm silling to save up. I'd like to keep the expense under $600.00?

6. Is there any other, better way to use my Mackie Onyx to record portably, and still load the tracks into my G4 desktop for editing and CD burning once I get home?

Thanks much,

Judy

[azkid]

Here's what I've learned after 2 days of research on this topic.

1. I can't edit my posts after I "Add Reply"
2. Titanium PowerBooks don't have USB 2.0
(only PowerBook G4, 1.0GHz-DVI-AL and later models do)
3. $600.00 may not be enough bucks to cover this need
4. ebay has many (post santa claus) PowerBooks and PB accessories for sale- like 33 web pages!
5. Most ebay sellers have no clue of what a model number or USB 2.0 port is nor how to find out.
6. About 50% of these ebay sellers don't reply to the above questions when asked

Does anyone in this forum have an alternative portable recording recommendation, besides a Powerbook? I only have Tracktion 2 on my desktop and would like to take my Mackie Onyx with firewire out of the home studio, record, take the files back home and edit them on my desktop PowerMac G4.

Is there some DAT or DAW or portable multi-track recording device that will let me do this?

Still.