What do you use?

[Charlie Brown]

I'm terrible at making decessions so I thought before I go and spend £500, I better make sure it's the right thing for me.

What do you use? (either laptop/computer or digital playout system/cortex etc)

Has anyone brought a digital playout system and then swapped it for a laptop?(or viser versa)

Thanks in advance.

PS: This is the first poll I have done on the bus on my iPhone - bare with me

[andyw]

i voted laptop but we also have the cortex 1000 for backup and we still use cd's as well, the laptop is used the most charlie i recommend you get out and have a play with everything you can, because at the end of the day it is about what suits you and your show.

[Excalibur]

Two Cortex for me, but I also have a laptop with a playout system on. I haven't learnt enough about it to use it as a main, and probably wouldn't use it as one. It is nice to have it there as extra insurance, and track download.

[Charlie Brown]

I know - I work well with a laptop now. Buying a touchscreen laptop is another option. Anyone done this?

[Woodyo]

This year have been using 1 American Audio SDJ2 SD Card Player as my main player ( also has a mixer facility which could be used as a back-up). Have had this for a year now , basically keep two 4GB sd cards loaded in the machine all the time with all the tracks I would normally play at Weddings and Parties. Having a usb port also means I can use a couple of memory sticks for new tracks and customers playlists. I have a SDJ1 as a back up for this , and carry back-up SD cards which are a copy of the ones I have in the machine.
I Also use a laptop running mixmeister for finding requests quickly. Works for me.
Cortex type players work fine but in my opinion laptop is best as you can see a lot more info on the screen , playlists etc are easier to manage and change and you don't have to constantly update databases etc. Whatever you go for just make sure if one playout system goes down you have a back-up that you are comfortable with.

[thex-faders]

We use a laptop with PCDJ VJ and a DAC3 controller. Taken about ay ear or so to get all the songs in collections and cue'd up but not gigs are so much easier as everythings in genre's etc.
However we are looking at the American SDJ 2 dual player with the mixer that woodyo has as a back up due it having the built in mixer.

[Megamix]

tried Cortex - but too many errors, tried several laptop progs until I found one rock steady - think its about what your comfortable with and agree with Woody, more info, managing data.

[jeff wood]

I use a rack mounted PC running OTS AV with a 4500 controller.

Also have two Denon DN1200 cd players.

( these have USB sticks filled with tunes aswell )

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Jeff, how do you transport kit if you work anywhere other than your res?

[jeff wood]

easy, its on wheels

I dont often do anywhere other than my res, but I find that nearly all hotels and venues have flat access.

Ive been using my "superconsol" for over a year now, and it works well, I'm happy with it..

you cant see in the pic, but theres two amps in it, plus the pc, and theres a two way active cross over kind of behind and down a bit from the denon 4500.