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 DJing Discussion
Looking for Hardware Recommendations
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Looking for Hardware Recommendations

T.R.U.O.N.E. 3:17 AM - 23 October, 2005
I'm putting out a call for some advice on laptop/portable desktop systems. I've been running SSL for a couple years on a custom desktop that was supposed to be portable but really isn't and it's a royal pain to lug around to gigs, which I do everywhere.

I need a real inexpensive machine that will SOLIDLY run SSL and that's all it has to do. I'm going to either have a lot of onboard disk space or external for files (around 500 mb) and that's it. I know a lot of people here have a lot of experience using diff machines so I'm asking what people have had good luck with so I can boil things down to essentials. I've always just gone as high as possible for processor speed, etc. that was available at the time when getting new machines but if SSL is running well at lower processor speeds then I could really just use the dough. So what can people offer on this end? I'd greatly appreciate the benefit of people's experience.

PS: I know there's the main laptop thread but a lot of those specs are old and don't address the minimum standards I'm talking about.

T.R.U.O.N.E.
DJ_X_Trodinaire 6:26 AM - 23 October, 2005
read the manual

it gives you the minimum requirement....
IanJ 8:36 AM - 23 October, 2005
well if you get a small LCD screen say 15-17" then I'd head over to Apple and pick up a Mac mini which start out at $499 I have one and if kicks ass. The one I got cost $898 and these are it's specs

* 1GB DDR333 SDRAM - 1 DIMM
* 80GB Ultra ATA drive
* 4x SuperDrive (DVD±RW/CD-RW)
* Internal Bluetooth + AirPort Extreme Card
* Wireless Keyboard & Mouse Set - U.S. English
* No modem
* Mac OS X - U.S. English
* 1.42GHz PowerPC G4

it runs ike a dream, never had any kind of USB dropout which I read about in these forums all the time. But thats my 2 cents.

plus no viruses...
nobspangle 11:51 AM - 23 October, 2005
Any modern PC laptop will run SSL without problems. Processor speed is more important than RAM.
nik39 5:02 PM - 23 October, 2005
Quote:
PS: I know there's the main laptop thread but a lot of those specs are old and don't address the minimum standards I'm talking about.

Why are these specs old? People still use these machines with SSL.

Quote:
I've been running SSL for a couple years on a custom desktop

...wow, I thought I was one of the first owning SSL, for about 1 1/4 years.

Quote:
it runs ike a dream, never had any kind of USB dropout which I read about in these forums all the time.

Sorry, this is wrong, there are a lot of users having absolutely no problem and of course some who have those problems. But its definitly not something which is read+posted all the time.
T.R.U.O.N.E. 1:24 AM - 25 October, 2005
Thanks for the suggestions.

I'm just looking for SPECIFIC cheap setups that work very well. Not old outdated ones. So if anyone has any more suggestions. Thanks.

Oh and thanks for the laughs nik...

They're so cute at that age
nik39 5:43 PM - 25 October, 2005
Which laughs? You seem to misunderstood my post. And again, the setups are not outdated.
sixxx 6:03 PM - 25 October, 2005
T.R.U.O.N.E. c.a.n.y.o.u.g.i.v.e.u.s.a.p.r.i.c.e.r.a.n.g.e?


thanks
T.R.U.O.N.E. 10:52 PM - 25 October, 2005
Yeah, price range would be as low as possible. If what everyone's really telling me is it will run on pretty much anything the specs in the manual say no problem I'll almost believe it.

I'm coming like I'm sure other people are in the distant (but never too distant past) where everything was trial and error. I applied Serato to my ultra-system and now I've got FS-phobia in trying to downsize into something more economical.

But...if everyone's saying it'll run on those specs... I guess I should believe them...

Anything else I should consider on the low end of things?

Nik: you misunderstood me, I'm laughing at your need to correct everyone and how childish it is.
Serato
Josh 3:10 AM - 26 October, 2005
My advice would be find out a few different systems which you can afford, then head over to the laptops thread and see if they've been rated by other users there.
nik39 11:06 AM - 26 October, 2005
Quote:
Nik: you misunderstood me, I'm laughing at your need to correct everyone and how childish it is.

Dont know what you're talking about. If something is wrong, and you are being corrected you should be thankful, thats the way I feel. Whatever, it looks like you are smart enough to figure out for yourself, and you dont need help.
Serato
Josh 9:57 PM - 26 October, 2005
This board is here to present accurate information, if Nik took the time to point out mistakes I think that's a valuable addition. He did it without being negative so please don't turn it negative.
T.R.U.O.N.E. 12:17 AM - 27 October, 2005
I'm not going to get into it because I'm just looking for information, I'm not "living" on this board as it seems some parties involved in this issue are and have other issues at stake like being seen as an authority or whatever. But the next time someone requests specific information I'd save all hypercorrection behaviors for places (if any) where they actually contribute to the thread. Nothing nik said mattered to my question or the information I was looking for, and all the information he felt the need to expound on was generally correct, just approximate anyways and most intelligent people could figure it out. If as a mod you really think that's valuable when someone's trying to get specific information, well all I can say is, you must really love this guy. In effect it took the focus away from the information I needed and onto meaningless trivia. Whatever, everyone's got their schtick in life, that's just my two cents and it's being honest not negative. A number of the setups on the laptop thread are not available for retail anymore and may have been made during a different version of SSL software. As I said I'm hypersensitive having had FS and SSL from the beginning and was looking for CURRENT setups because I know if someone is using something I can go buy out of the box right now, chances are it'll work given past xperience.

Whatever. The point was it was a stupid unhelpful post that seems to have derailed the thread. Thanks to those of you that actually tried to help. I guess the message is that Serato is perfect and I shouldn't even ask such stupid questions based on unrealistic insecurities. I can't help but get a little of the early Final Scratch vibe. Even if it is perfect... where's the love?

I don't have anything against anyone but come on now. Can't we do any better than that?
Serato
Josh 3:40 AM - 27 October, 2005
meh...

what about something like this that DJ Jinnai posted in the laptop thread?

Quote:
Name of Laptop (Brand & Model): Generic Brand from Fry's
Processor Type & Speed: 1.5 GHZ AMD Sempron
MB of RAM: 704MB
HD Space: 40GB
Screen Size: 15
How much you paid for laptop: $599
Performance (1-10, 10 high): 10
Any problems or issues: USB Dropouts,fixed by Disabling WI-FI.
Other helpful comments: Be sure you always turn off WI-FI before using Serato! No Dropouts now! :D


Looks like you can still get them: shop2.outpost.com

What's the most you're willing to spend?