So Laptop or PC......oh no what have is started!!!

[notroubleclubber]

Im in the market to go digital with my mobile disco.

1st choice.... Laptop or Desktop

What do you prefer?

Im thinking laptop is easier as smaller and better to carry.Desktop bit bulky and need some sort of rack mount which will cost even more BUT better to work with as can upgrade and less likely to overheat?
So im thinking laptop at the mo with 160gb hard drive and some sort of usb controller with built in soundcard (Behringer 3000 or Hercules RMX)

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Hi

Please read this http://www.mobilediscodirectory.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=11711 and also please be aware of the 'no text talk' rule on the forum.

Many thanks.

[CRAZY K]

Im in the market to go digital with my mobile disco.

1st choice.... Laptop or Desktop

What do u prefer?

Im thinking laptop is easier as smaller and better to carry.Desktop bit bulky and need some sort of rack mount which will cost even more BUT better to work with as can upgrade and less likely to overheat?
So im thinking laptop at the mo with 160gb hard drive and some sort of usb controller with built in soundcard (Behringer 3000 or Hercules RMX)

Personally I would look at USB controllers as well--dedicated music playout.

Although some laptops are dedicated im told---but costly.

CRAZY K

[notroubleclubber]

I was thinking of buying a budget laptop (£400 from catalog) and installing my own software on it and using it just for discos. I already have tried and used VDJ so quite happy using that then using a usb controller to control everything and just using the laptop really for a monitor.
CrazyK - Bottom of my post states what usb controllers i intend to use.is that what you mean?
Solitaire - Edited and introdiced myself - apologies.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

I think what Crazy K is talking about is a Midi/Media controller such as a Denon HD2500 or Numark D2 etc

[Spirits High]

I was thinking of buying a budget laptop (£400 from catalog) and installing my own software on it and using it just for discos. I already have tried and used VDJ so quite happy using that then using a usb controller to control everything and just using the laptop really for a monitor.


That's not a bad budget £400, have a look at things like the Cortex HDC range but if it's laptop you want then no problem.

There are some bargains to be had if you look hard enough

[notroubleclubber]

Yeah, have looked into using a "all in one" unit that has hard drive built in but id prefer to stick with what ive been using which is Virtual DJ.Ive been using that with a desktop pc with no problems but thought the desktop is a bit large to move about and also would have to cough up for a rack mount unit for it which im finding hard to find.- Hnece looking for a laptop instead.

[Vectis]

Well whichever way you do go (and there are pros and cons for each) don't forget to leave a little in the budget for one of these beauties (http://www.produb.co.uk) :(

[notroubleclubber]

oh yeah, thats sorted!

[Dynamic Entertainment]

Whatever you go for, just make sure its got a hell of a lot more than the minimum specs.

I bought an Acer (wouldnt have generally touched one) laptop for running Serato Scratch Live off and i made sure i had 4 times as much ram, double the clock speed etc etc. Plus its dedicated to running tha, so has been stripped down to the bare OS and is as stable as its going to get for Microshaft :)

[notroubleclubber]

Im going to use Virtual DJ and i think that runs at 600Mhz PC. Im getting a brand new laptop celeron that is usually about 2GHz and will make sure it has at least 512MB Ram.160GB Hard drive.And ive got myself a behringer B3000 USB/MIDI Controller which i will use.
Plan is to have laptop running VDJ and Behringer B3000 USB Controller to run that.Output for both 2 channels (Deck 1 and 2) goin into my numark CD2 cd/mixer unit so i can control the 2 channels independentally and monitor them (and use CD if laptop goes down with simple flick of switch) and then main output from numark cd2 mixer to amp (or amps once i work out how to split signal to 2 amps) as planning on getting a Classd 12`s and 15 sub set.

Will that work and be adequate for max 200 people and large halls?

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Im going to use Virtual DJ and i think that runs at 600Mhz PC. Im getting a brand new laptop celeron that is usually about 2GHz and will make sure it has at least 512MB Ram.160GB Hard drive.

You might want to check this out before buying...

The minimum requirement to run Virtual DJ is:
PIII 850 MhZ computer
1024x768 SVGA video
DirectX compatible soundcard
512 MB RAM
20 MB free on the hard-drive

The recommended configuration is:
PIV 3 GhZ computer
1024x768 SVGA video
4.1 DirectX compatible soundcard (with front and rear separate outputs)
1024 MB RAM
200 MB free on the hard-drive

The recommended configuration to mix video is:
Dual Core 2 GhZ CPU
ATI or nVidia video card w/256Mb of Dedicated DDR3 memory (dual output capable)
2048 MB RAM

[thex-faders]

main output from numark cd2 mixer to amp (or amps once i work out how to split signal to 2 amps) as planning on getting a Classd 12`s and 15 sub set.

Will that work and be adequate for max 200 people and large halls?

You need a crossover if you want to split signal to subs & full range.

Something like this would be good?
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CITRONIC-AX-3-2-WAY-3-WAY-ACTIVE-CROSSOVER_W0QQitemZ120427905196QQcmdZViewItemQQptZ UK_CE_DJ_equip_SmokeMachines_atmospherics_ET?hash= item1c0a1000ac&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1690%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C 240%3A1318%7C301%3A0%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50

[Danno13]

All this depends on how far you want to future proof yourself, if you shell out for a rackmount case now, you're unlikely to ever need to buy another one, as you can just replace the components inside.

If you buy a laptop, repairs & upgrades will be expensive, that's if they're even possible given the space limitations. Another thing that concerns me with laptops, is you'll usually have to use an external drive, which I've found more troublesome than inbuilt ones.

I played about with desktops PCs and even mounting the parts direct into the bottom of various flightcases, but eventually went for an avrio rack mount -

http://www.avrio.co.uk

(can't get their website to play ball at the moment, else i'd link direct to the page you need...)

Oh, and I almost forgot, I personally think a rackmount system with a dedicated controller (like a DAC2, DAC3, HC4500 etc.) and monitor off to the side, looks far more pro and "purpose built" to the public, than using a laptop.

I actually used my laptop last night for the first time in ages, just to control the lighting and got the "so do you just download all your music to the laptop then?" comment which i've never had when using a rackmount for my playout!

[notroubleclubber]

Cant seem tofind any link toany cases for desktops on there. Been offered a pentium 4 2.4Ghz desktop with 160GB Hard drive and 1GB Ram for £35. Is that worth going for to run Virtual DJ? Im not gonna run any videos on it, just mp3s.

[Danno13]

Here we go, this is what I use - http://www.just-cases.com/data/ds27.html

[notroubleclubber]

I cant find a price - do you know how much they go for?

[Danno13]

Cost me £140, but that was about 18 months ago now.