new laptop or 1U for Xite?

PC Configurations, motherboards, etc, etc

Moderators: valis, garyb

Post Reply
User avatar
siriusbliss
Posts: 3118
Joined: Fri Apr 06, 2001 4:00 pm
Location: Cupertino, California US
Contact:

new laptop or 1U for Xite?

Post by siriusbliss »

Decided to start a fresh topic...

Been way too busy the last several years to even try to keep up with latest Windows/PC setups.

Looks like my nearly 10-year old ADK / Win7 laptop is starting to show it's age with really slow bootup, etc.
I've considered wiping it and rebuilding with (Godmoded) Win10 and see how that works since it still has the express card slot.

ADK seems to think that 1) Xite does not run on Win10, and 2) would require some sort of daisy-chaining express card>Thunderbolt 2>Thunderbolt 3 adapters just to get it to work, and even that would probably be a stupid (and very expensive) experiment.

So that leaves me with considering a 1U approach.
So - what are current recommendations (Jim, Gary) for 1U or maybe even 2U rack computers?
Are there any PCIe slot/cardbus cards that can handle Xite in such an environment?

What are the options?

Thanks!

Greg
Xite rig - ADK laptop - i7 975 3.33 GHz Quad w/HT 8meg cache /MDR3-4G/1066SODIMM / VD-GGTX280M nVidia GeForce GTX 280M w/1GB DDR3
User avatar
garyb
Moderator
Posts: 23248
Joined: Sun Apr 15, 2001 4:00 pm
Location: ghetto by the sea

Re: new laptop or 1U for Xite?

Post by garyb »

why not make the C drive an SSD in your current rig?

Win7 or Win10 doesn't matter that much. why does ADK think that the XITE doesn't work in win10? this computer i'm typing on has win10 and a Scope card.

win7 or 10 doesn't matter much. the main difference is win10 has all kinds of security for use in the cloud environment. it's a version of windows to get you off of your internal HD and onto apps that are online based, turning your computer into a powerful tablet. that's where the money is.

sure, you can use a thunderbolt to expresscard adapter, those are made by Sonnet Technologies:
http://www.sonnettech.com/product/echoe ... rbolt.html why does thunderbolt 2 or 3 matter? you would need to adapt 3 to 2, but that is strictly part of the money-making process.

business laptops can still be ordered with expresscard slots, so ADK can build one, if they are so inclined.

do you have a lack of power for the projects that you run? are you running a system older than Haswell? if it's a Haswell, then there probably is very little to gain from the current crop of systems. if you have enough power and you just would like snappier poerformance, go to an SSD.

i still prefer a desktop for performance over a lappy. the architecture and cooling is much better that way, even in a 1 space rackmount.

if you are just itching for something new, then of course, it's time to buy...
User avatar
siriusbliss
Posts: 3118
Joined: Fri Apr 06, 2001 4:00 pm
Location: Cupertino, California US
Contact:

Re: new laptop or 1U for Xite?

Post by siriusbliss »

I know Xite runs on Win10, but ADK apparently doesn’t know that.
I’ve thought about swapping out the host drive, so we’ll see.
I’d like more RAM for the ROMplers like Kontakt, which I use for various libraries.
Win10 (stripped down to nothing using Godmode with all the apps, cloud, etc. turned off) is very fast launch of programs.
CPU is i7, but earlier generation, so I’m not sure it’s Haswell era or not.

G
Xite rig - ADK laptop - i7 975 3.33 GHz Quad w/HT 8meg cache /MDR3-4G/1066SODIMM / VD-GGTX280M nVidia GeForce GTX 280M w/1GB DDR3
User avatar
garyb
Moderator
Posts: 23248
Joined: Sun Apr 15, 2001 4:00 pm
Location: ghetto by the sea

Re: new laptop or 1U for Xite?

Post by garyb »

no, Haswell is not 975...it's an older one for sure, but it's plenty powerful for most things. a 4790k is almost twice as powerful, but if you aren't running out of cpu power that doesn't matter.

more ram is easier on a desktop.

even bone stock win7 on an SSD will boot, load Scope, and load Bidule and several vstis, in less than 60 seconds.
petal
Posts: 2354
Joined: Sun Sep 15, 2002 4:00 pm
Location: Copenhagen
Contact:

Re: new laptop or 1U for Xite?

Post by petal »

I'm running a 7 year old I7 875k self build desktop windows 7 in both 32-bit and 64-bit installations, with my XITE and 3 PCI-cards.

It has been upgraded with an SSD and a new GFX and it still runs the latest games. I simply cannot justify an upgrade, since I don't have the need for more CPU power.

I'm mostly running 32-bit because of my XTC-solution, but I have noticed that my machine seems much faster in 64-bit windows.

Maybe you should get your hands on an SSD and windows 7 and give your old machine a reinstall :)
dawman
Posts: 14368
Joined: Sun Jul 24, 2005 4:00 pm
Location: PROJECT WINDOW

Re: new laptop or 1U for Xite?

Post by dawman »

1400 USD.
Runs cool.

I use 8 x Instances Of Kontakt
PianoTeq Pro 6
Zebra2 HZ (Diva Filters)
Omnisphere/Keyscape/Trillion
128 Samples to launch for SFX (fake applause, crickets, Seagulls, etc.)
UVI B5 and GG Audio Blue 3.

Image

Image

Image

Image
dawman
Posts: 14368
Joined: Sun Jul 24, 2005 4:00 pm
Location: PROJECT WINDOW

Re: new laptop or 1U for Xite?

Post by dawman »

Then these are industrial/connectivity expensive bad ass Laptops.

http://us.getac.com/notebooks/x500/features.html
dawman
Posts: 14368
Joined: Sun Jul 24, 2005 4:00 pm
Location: PROJECT WINDOW

Re: new laptop or 1U for Xite?

Post by dawman »

I use this now.
Dual SE-1s took up 8U in an ATA.
Heavy ass shit to lug around, but they sounded like Thor.

Now I use 2 x SE-02s with 2 of those iLok/USB/Monitor Stands.
Making presets I stack them close by.
Then when gigging I slide them in their Hangers.

I’m too burned out-to Be lugging a PA and rig to gigs.
Just show up and play for me now.
D5E97239-BFDC-400A-93E7-D81E350FECC3.jpeg
D5E97239-BFDC-400A-93E7-D81E350FECC3.jpeg (403.27 KiB) Viewed 5261 times
User avatar
sunmachine
Posts: 471
Joined: Mon Mar 01, 2010 12:37 am

Re: new laptop or 1U for Xite?

Post by sunmachine »

I don't know if you like Apple computers... ;)
But a MacMini would be another option for a zero noise 1U solution.

The picture shows one in a Sonnett RackMac Mini together with the Sonnett Thunderbolt adapter.
More info here: http://www.hitfoundry.com/issue_26/mac_mast.htm

Link to the RackMac: http://www.sonnettech.com/product/rackmacmini.html
xite-macmini.jpeg
xite-macmini.jpeg (105.57 KiB) Viewed 5225 times
User avatar
siriusbliss
Posts: 3118
Joined: Fri Apr 06, 2001 4:00 pm
Location: Cupertino, California US
Contact:

Re: new laptop or 1U for Xite?

Post by siriusbliss »

sunmachine wrote:I don't know if you like Apple computers... ;)
But a MacMini would be another option for a zero noise 1U solution.

The picture shows one in a Sonnett RackMac Mini together with the Sonnett Thunderbolt adapter.
More info here: http://www.hitfoundry.com/issue_26/mac_mast.htm

Link to the RackMac: http://www.sonnettech.com/product/rackmacmini.html
xite-macmini.jpeg
I designed the motherboard on the last Mac Mini. :)
Great little workhorses but I’m now considering just getting a TB interface and Bootcamping my MacBook Pro.

G
Xite rig - ADK laptop - i7 975 3.33 GHz Quad w/HT 8meg cache /MDR3-4G/1066SODIMM / VD-GGTX280M nVidia GeForce GTX 280M w/1GB DDR3
User avatar
sunmachine
Posts: 471
Joined: Mon Mar 01, 2010 12:37 am

Re: new laptop or 1U for Xite?

Post by sunmachine »

siriusbliss wrote: I designed the motherboard on the last Mac Mini. :)
Great little workhorses but I’m now considering just getting a TB interface and Bootcamping my MacBook Pro.

G
Yeah, I love the Mac Mini!
If you don't mind connecting the Thunderbolt adapter each time you're gonna use the MacBook with the XITE, then that's probably the way to go. Cheaper and less to take care of.
I for one like to have a fix setup that I can just turn on (and that can't be affected by MacBook updates).
Post Reply