 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Forums - Computer music & technology
Subject: buying a new pc
Original Message 1/54 21-Jul-00 @ 06:08 PM - buying a new pc
I'm soon buying a new pc custom built. These people did me solid on the last one. Couple of questions:
Somebody suggested getting an Athlon chip instead of a Pentium. Is Athlon really better for digital audio and graphics? I would otherwise get a P3 850 Mhz. I also have to look into Athlon compatibility with Logic, Cake, and Layla. Anyone know of compatibility problems between Athlon and any music software?
Would I be better off in your opinions to get a scsi hard-drive with less storage space> Otherwise I am planning on getting a 30GB IDE 7200 rpm hd.
The motherboard will be an ASUS 133 bus and probably with the square pentium chip slot as opposed to the long rectangular one. Scsi or Athlon will change tat of course. Is there any difference between the two chip configurations? I'm told that Intel is phasing out the rectangular one in favor of the square one.
Also an ASUS GeForce 32mg video card. I need to check that for compatibility also.
Lastly I'm sticking with Windows 98 because I detect that Logic and Windows 2000 have not totally embraced eachother yet.
Any comments, answers, insights are more than welcome.
Somebody suggested getting an Athlon chip instead of a Pentium. Is Athlon really better for digital audio and graphics? I would otherwise get a P3 850 Mhz. I also have to look into Athlon compatibility with Logic, Cake, and Layla. Anyone know of compatibility problems between Athlon and any music software?
Would I be better off in your opinions to get a scsi hard-drive with less storage space> Otherwise I am planning on getting a 30GB IDE 7200 rpm hd.
The motherboard will be an ASUS 133 bus and probably with the square pentium chip slot as opposed to the long rectangular one. Scsi or Athlon will change tat of course. Is there any difference between the two chip configurations? I'm told that Intel is phasing out the rectangular one in favor of the square one.
Also an ASUS GeForce 32mg video card. I need to check that for compatibility also.
Lastly I'm sticking with Windows 98 because I detect that Logic and Windows 2000 have not totally embraced eachother yet.
Any comments, answers, insights are more than welcome.
Message 2/54 21-Jul-00 @ 06:23 PM - RE: buying a new pc
Espoo2
Posts: 505
Link?: No link
File?: No file
Yeah, I got a k6-III, 450... Works fine and no problems with software at all.
And definetly stick with 98, although it is FAR less reliable than 2k, its made to work with mostly NT software, not 95/98 stuff... so just hold out till windows millenium or whatever comes out...
And definetly stick with 98, although it is FAR less reliable than 2k, its made to work with mostly NT software, not 95/98 stuff... so just hold out till windows millenium or whatever comes out...
Message 3/54 21-Jul-00 @ 09:30 PM - RE: buying a new pc
Thanks Espoo2. I found out that Layla and the rest of the Echo line has problems with the K chip motherboards. There is only one Athlon motherbaord that they claim is compatible. I think that I will stick with pentium this time around. My present computer is a P2 350 and takes everything I throw at it through Logic without coughing a bit. I also have Photoshop, Illustrator, 3D graphic proggies, Cakewalk, and Unreal Tournament on it and it just runs. So I figure an 850 with twice the RAM (256) and 3 times the hd space will be way more than enough. I'm upgrading 'cause my wife needs her own puter so she will use this one. It has served me well. Thanks for the input.
on it and it just runs. So I figure an 850 with twice the RAM (256) and 3 times the hd space will be way more than enough. I'm upgrading 'cause my wife needs her own puter so she will use this one. It has served me well. Thanks for the input.
Message 4/54 22-Jul-00 @ 07:50 PM - RE: buying a new pc
Espoo2
Posts: 505
Link?: No link
File?: No file
You may want to look into the whole midi/usb option also...
Its supposed to be faster and more reliable than the basic gameport/pci midi option...
Its supposed to be faster and more reliable than the basic gameport/pci midi option...
Message 5/54 22-Jul-00 @ 08:32 PM - RE: buying a new pc
Good idea. I have to expand my midi ins/outs.
Message 6/54 23-Jul-00 @ 01:20 PM - RE: buying a new pc
From what I found out Espoo2, there is not much available in the way of usb midi interfaces for the pc yet. Emagic just came ot with one that has only 2 ins and four outs. I think I will pick up the MOTM with 8 ins/outs and smpte sync. I am going to be working on some music for some videos soon and that will come in handy. usb midi is surely going to expand soon, but it's not there yet for my needs. I haven't had even a hiccup with the parallel port setup. I also don't want to chain my instruments together. When I tried that in the past I got hiccups in playback.
Message 7/54 23-Jul-00 @ 05:34 PM - RE: buying a new pc
erm.. MOTU.. if MOTM made midi interfaces i would have one :P
:/
:/
Message 8/54 23-Jul-00 @ 07:58 PM - RE: buying a new pc
Nobody you have a one track mind. Maybe when I hit the lotto I'll start thinkin the same thing :P
Message 9/54 23-Jul-00 @ 10:43 PM - RE: buying a new pc
Well Sitar, let me share some VERY recent experiences. I have recently put together a dedicated audio machine that currently isn't working because I suspect the chip is defective. Currently sorting that out. This is a brief summary of what I got and why - I am sure there will be people who will argue against me, but for your entertainment...
Soyo 6VCA motherboard. - Heard good things about Soyo.
PIII600e CPU - Considered an Athlon, but after running through a few websites and contacting some manufacturors, Athlons don't particularly care for audio. Some chips may be good, and I understand that some people have had good luck with them, but when my sound card manufacturor (Echo, by the way) says they won't recommend an Athlon, I take that to heart. I paid more money for a slower chip, but I know that my software and hardware will work with it. That is, when I get one that works. :-)
ALL SCSI! - very fast, easily expandable, but expensive. I got a western dig 9.1gb hd, a cd burner and a cd-rom. I got an Adaptec 2940uw controller which, although a bit old, is tried and true. Again, highly recommended from a number of trusted and respected people.
Make sure you get a motherboard with LOTS of PCI slots, an AGP slot, lots of DIMM spaces and with a good chip set. You will need to get a bigger (more expensive tower) but that is better anyways as you'll have more expandability options, and the unit will run cooler anyways.
My humble opinion is Pentium III and SCSI all the way around. If I get my system running soon, I'll let you know if my advice actually works... :-)
Soyo 6VCA motherboard. - Heard good things about Soyo.
PIII600e CPU - Considered an Athlon, but after running through a few websites and contacting some manufacturors, Athlons don't particularly care for audio. Some chips may be good, and I understand that some people have had good luck with them, but when my sound card manufacturor (Echo, by the way) says they won't recommend an Athlon, I take that to heart. I paid more money for a slower chip, but I know that my software and hardware will work with it. That is, when I get one that works. :-)
ALL SCSI! - very fast, easily expandable, but expensive. I got a western dig 9.1gb hd, a cd burner and a cd-rom. I got an Adaptec 2940uw controller which, although a bit old, is tried and true. Again, highly recommended from a number of trusted and respected people.
Make sure you get a motherboard with LOTS of PCI slots, an AGP slot, lots of DIMM spaces and with a good chip set. You will need to get a bigger (more expensive tower) but that is better anyways as you'll have more expandability options, and the unit will run cooler anyways.
My humble opinion is Pentium III and SCSI all the way around. If I get my system running soon, I'll let you know if my advice actually works... :-)
Message 10/54 24-Jul-00 @ 05:51 AM - RE: buying a new pc
Jasper
Posts: 424
Link?: No link
File?: No file
basically you should be allright as long as you pick the right motherboard.. my mum has just received her athlon/gigabyte setup and it works shite.. I just spent a whole weekend trying to get it to work smoothly.. no go..
But my homebuilt Celeron/Abit BF6 setup has yet to crash in a music app after buying the board in march. It's an oldish board based on the 440bx chipset but it'll take up to a 1Ghz P3 processor.
thing is to see whether a board is termed as 'reliable' or 'performance' cos you rarely get both.
But my homebuilt Celeron/Abit BF6 setup has yet to crash in a music app after buying the board in march. It's an oldish board based on the 440bx chipset but it'll take up to a 1Ghz P3 processor.
thing is to see whether a board is termed as 'reliable' or 'performance' cos you rarely get both.
Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6
There are 54 total messages for this topic
Reply to Thread
You need to register/login to use the forum.
Click here to Signup or Login !
[you'll be brought right back to this point after signing up]
Back to Forum
