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I would like to know what type of computer most use. A laptop that is small and easier to use? I understand that laptops don’t have as good of a sound card in them.  Where as desk tops do and can change them easier if you want to install a better sound card!! I currently don’t have a computer for my system. Again I am new at this and as time goes on I am building my system. Time for the computer to be installed!!!! Thanks to all for their input, it has been very helpful!!!!!!!!!!~~~airman15905~~~Brian V.

After years of running a rack mount with a Delta44 sound card I have a laptop which I carry for a backup. I have used it extensively and can use either one and nobody can tell the difference. It is a tossup. It depends  on the application. For just pure shows laptop. Recording and more rack mount for expansion.

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I run a laptop with a backup laptop available in the car. If I had a trailer or van to wheel a large rack, I would consider a rack-mounted system with a slide-out console. But that costs double what *two* laptops cost.

With CompuHost, I can keep a copy of the software on as many machines as I want -- I just need the dongle to allow it to work. We even have a backup dongle shared between me and my service club, so if one is lost the show can still go on.

The soundcards in laptops these days are "good enough"...  Take that to mean what you may.

I mean, personally?  I can tell the difference between my laptop and my desktop (with good soundcard) over headphones, but not over a decent set of speakers.

Gigging I tend to use a laptop for a few reasons:

1) Portability - much easier than any other computer, when it needs to fulfil various roles (at home I also use it to organise my media before venturing out).

2) Cost - a lot cheaper than a rackmount.

3) 2 Outputs - Native support for 2+ displays.  ALL laptops have a secondary output (pretty much), and so this suits me fine.  I have signal amplifiers/splitter/extenders for use when needed.

If I had my wish, then sure, I'd grab a rackmounted PC with dual vga out, one of which is connected to a touchscreen mounted in the rack, with a nice RAID configured hard drive array.  But I don't have that money right now.

There is a third choice. I had what used to be called a "lunchbox" put together for me. It has a handle on it and measures about 10x10x12 inches. That way I could put in whatever I wanted to... sound, graphics, memory, hard drive... just like a desktop.

But here's the deal. I'm only in one room and can leave the monitors and keyboard there. So there's no more setup than a laptop.

Since one of my kids did the assembly and setup it worked out to be a lot cheaper than a comparable laptop. Plus I really wanted a good sound card. Both those reasons were why I went this way.

Sounds like a good solution for your situation, one that might bear looking at for my permanent-install gig. The laptop then becomes the backup -- we add new music there, then mirror over the music directory. (No, we don't multi-rig, it would be a backup.)

I have 3 systems total

2 have Toshiba Laptops, and 1 MTU Shuttle PC

I prefer the laptops as they take up less space and require less setup time.

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FlipSide Karaoke
Scott

Bill, sounds like similar to what I have - I have a PC 'shuttle' that is a little bigger than a lunch box. Mirrored SATA drives, a CDG readable drive. I have a 17-inch monitor, and a cordless keyboard that is on a slide-out tray under the monitor. Mouse sits next to the monitor. I will try to remember to get a picture of the setup tomorrow night. DJ rack with a top lid that swings back on itself which holds the laptop for filler music; the board, a CD burner, and the players that I don't use anymore are all in the DJ rack. Very compact setup. Sits on a 4-foot long table. Enough room on the table for slips, my bottled water, a notepad for noting anything that requires attention. I have a mic stand that holds my cordless SM58, and I have a small light that alligator clips onto the mic stand that shines over my board. No more five-foot long table for CDGs...phew... This setup is very compact and I'm really enjoying it. I chose to have the keyboard and monitor at standing height - I believe a host that sits all night behind a computer looks kind of 'lazy' to me and is not very accessible or approachable.  Better to be standing up, IMO, and moving around a lot. IMO. IMO. No slam on people who sit.

K

Yeah pretty similar. I wasn't aware that you guys weren't using a laptop.

Since my front table is my subs the computer sits on a table just to the side.  It's fairly well- protected there. I also stand most of the night, but once in a while I'll jump up on the table behind me and squat feet-up like I was on the floor.

Like you I really don't like sitting in a chair. I look too disengaged and I can't see as well.

I have no digital camera at present but the singers are constantly taking pics and I'll see if I can get one of them to take a shot of the setup.

Disengaged is the word I was looking for...And seeing everything was an issue while sitting...not to mention, I sit ALL WEEK LONG at my regular job. Change in altitude is nice!

k

Laptops are more convenient, but I prefer a PC due to the fact that I can upgrade easily if need be.  If something goes bad, I can replace myself without having to go through a service tech.  Better video & sound cards available - although laptops are starting to get better USB external audio devices so this isn't that much of an issue, but if you need to hook up a bunch of external piece to get the quality/storage/cd drives/etc that you want, kind of defeats the purpose of a small platform IMO.

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I agree with Lonnie. I have a 3U rackmount as my main but I do carry a laptop as a backup or as my small gig, which I am not using my rack. It's not about sound, I think my laptop does pretty good job of producing sound and also pretty good job of video as well.

I have my rackmout so I can add things if I need to or upgrade. One example. I just upgraded my router to 802.11n wireless. I got a card for the n and now my connection is 5 times faster, without having to plug in Ethernet. That makes transferring files much easier.

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Only reason I use the Laptops other than Space is ease of setup. I have really invested in equipment that is streamlined as I do many different functions and many times it needs to look elegant and compact. Also some functions do not have accomodations for larger setups. The other reason is I'm over 50 and like to travel lite.

If I had a choice I would probably use a rackmount due to ease of replacing components etc. but I chose to go the route of DJ coffin with all components mounted in the case, so when I'm ready to break down it's like a 5-7 minute job. The Toshiiba Laptops have been outstanding with regards to performance as well as longevity. I'm still running on a laptop I purchased in 2003 and it has proved to be bullet proof. I'm very happy.  I do carry a back up laptop to my gigs at all times just in case.

Here's some pics:

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FlipSide Karaoke
Scott

2 laptops.  One for back up.  Because i have 2 of everything in 2 very small packages.

I use a tower pc, have for many a year!

Mine fits all neatly inside my rack so the rackmount made sense to me. Here is a picture of my gear in a rolling rack. The computer is at the bottom of the rack

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Nice rack Eben Here my rack. i use a 2 unit comp which has given me problems over the years with the pci 90 degree riser coming lose.

Top  Dfx12 mixer, dbx 266xl compreesor, Lexicon 550.

Lower power conditioner strip, Alesis microverb 4, aphex 104 and 2 unit comp

3.2 800 FSB with M-Adio Delta 44.

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Nice looking rack, Eben. If I had a van or trailer, that is the way I go. Alas, I pack even my big rig into my car, so I use two smaller racks and a pair of laptops (one for backup). I have multiple rigs possible with mine, too, since I have two mixers, two amps, and extra mics and cables along all the time.