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Preparing a PC to record.


Guest tourtelot

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Guest tourtelot

Here's the setup: Presonus preamp direct into a Digigram VX440 into my laptop (1.8ghz AMD, 512mb ram) using Cubase SX as a recorder.  Three tracks at 44.1k/24bit.  When I played back the recording, I had obviously run out of something; RAM, buffer, or CPU speed.  Lots of errors.

I am upgrading to a stick of 1g RAM which may take care of all the issues.  Also probably going to record at 16bit next time.  My question is, how do those who do this regularly (and maybe on critical things unlike my failed recording, thank God!) prepare your computer to record.  When I start up my PC, and since it is not strickly dedicated to recording, many apps launch and probably run in the BG.  I'd like some advise on making the computer ready to record only.  I tried setting up a new account but this means reloading apps and drivers.  Is there an easier way?  I have lots of recorder choices for critical work so no snide remarks about getting a new $3000 Mac, boys and girls.

(Interestingly enough, I do see my first Mac purchase ever coming soon in the form of a Mac Mini for my cart, so I am not one of the die-hard PCers)

This is for recording my daughter's piano recitals and such, just for fun, but I'd like to make a successful recording next time<g>.  Ideas?

D.

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When I start up my PC, and since it is not strickly dedicated to recording, many apps launch and probably run in the BG.

I have lots of recorder choices for critical work so no snide remarks about getting a new $3000 Mac, boys and girls.

(Interestingly enough, I do see my first Mac purchase ever coming soon in the form of a Mac Mini for my cart, so I am not one of the die-hard PCers)

D.

I have heard of this mostly with Windows PC users (and some Mac users) this thing about all sorts of things loading "in the background" and I can't even begin to advise how to deal with this with Windows. With the Mac I avoid any and all programs that do anything like load themselves automatically at startup, so whenever I'm booted up it is a fairly clean system anyway --- I have never found the need with OS X to boot the Mac so that it is dedicated to just one task like recording. This was not the case with all previous system OS (like OS 9 and back). I think there are some fundamental difference between the way Windows works and OS X. Windows I believe makes extensive use of DLL's (dynamic loading libraries?) and people have told me that this can cause problems similar to what Mac users used to have with Extensions loading and conflicting with eachother.

I can't really add any more to try and solve your difficulties, but I know there are a couple of other Windows users here that could possibly advise.

I will say (and please, no flames) there is a reason why more critical audio recording tasks are done on Macs instead of PC's but we know that Windows is able to do these things so you'll have to rely on someone who has had success using the setup you describe.

Regards,  Jeff Wexler

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Ditto on what Ron says.

Also do yourself a favor and try Sony Acid Pro 6 ( free trial for a month )

http://www.sonymediasoftware.com/Products/ShowProduct.asp?PID=1005

I have recorded for years in my home studio on a windows machine.

I got a Macbook for the cart though. I just wouldn't trust a PC for anything critical.

LL

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In addition to optimising your computer, I would consider using a different software to record with--something simpler and less editorial-oriented than Cubase.  I don' t know of a PC equivalent to Boom Recorder on the PC side, but there must be one, something very simple just for tracking, w/o any extra bells and whistles and heavy graphics.  SAW Studio?

Philip Perkins

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Ditto on what Ron says.

Also do yourself a favor and try Sony Acid Pro 6 ( free trial for a month )

http://www.sonymediasoftware.com/Products/ShowProduct.asp?PID=1005

I have recorded for years in my home studio on a windows machine.

I got a Macbook for the cart though. I just wouldn't trust a PC for anything critical.

LL

Well, I do.  We run a PC based Sadie system every day in the studio for long form docs and indie features, across 32 tracks w/ lots of plug ins, automation and perhaps 3000 audio clips.  As w/ Mac, a computer that is for recording should not be involved in word processing, games or internet work.  Many of us used PC laptops on the set for both recording and  playback for years with good results.  There are more choices now, and Metacorder and Boom recorder have caused a lot of defections to the Mac side, but maybe someone will come up with something like them for PC. I hope so.

Philip Perkins

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Guest tourtelot

Thanks for the replies, guys.  Is there anyway to preset my PC to start-up in different congurations?

Does SAW Studio playback pulled-up (at 44.144?)

Does Sony Acid 6 do multitrack?  I have used Sony Sound Forge and it works great, except it's only two-track.

D.

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Guest tourtelot

Sony Acid does multitrack but looks even more complicated than Cubase.  I might check into SAW.  Anyone know of any really simple multi-track tracking/mixdown apps for PC?

D.

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Every computer is slightly different on this, but you can get Windows to start up in "Safe" mode, in which most of the drivers are not loaded.  Of course, this may create a problem if the drivers you are using to connect to your interface is not loaded.  I think on my computer you hold ctrl when it is booting. 

I would also second the suggestion from below that if you are using a computer for paid for recording (critical or not) you should dedicate a computer that does nothing but recording.  Don't ever even connect it to the Internet. 

BTW, I recently came very close to purchasing one of those refurbished iBooks for $599 from an Apple store here.  I was told by the employee there (a budding soundie, as it turns out) that the in-store refurb pricing is usually better than the on-line prices (of course, you have to have a store close by and actually go in to find out for sure).  Anyway, at these kinds of prices, it sure seems to me that I will be investing in building out a Boom Recorder or Metacorder system sooner than later.

Phil

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Guest tourtelot

Thanks.  I looked at Audacity and it looks pretty good.  I have a few quibbles with the way it labels files for sampling rate, calling. as near as I can tell, 44144 files 44100 when they are re-imported.  I am looking to try a copy of Cubase LE if anyone has one to lend.  I really like Cubase SX for house-keeping but I believe that it is very processor hungry. I added 500mB RAM (now up to 1G) and killed almost everything in the old startup.  Computer certainly does chores faster now and I'll have to try a test record soon to see if my problems disappeared.

I hear you about the dedicated computer; a Mac Mini is on the wish list (it would be my first ever Mac since I started with a Timex Sinclair 1000(??) in 1982 maybe. BTW, what a POS that thing was!! I hope trhe Mac is better<g>.

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