My new computer

Bob Martin · Post by **Bob Martin** » 10 Oct 2005 5:02 am

Hi guys, I just had to tell someone about my new computer. I've always had a pretty good computer but never cutting edge. Case in point I have been using a P-4 2.4 ghz 1 gig of ram and an 80 gig built in HD. No AGP slot so I used the onboard graphics which sucked and I used the onboard sound (soundmax)which sucked as well. so much for the old and in with the new

My new box is a dell 8400 with a P-4 3.2 ghz 512 mb double channel ddr ram (which is way cool) 160 gb HD with serial A.T. bus sys (fast), PCI express slot for video with a Radeon EX-300 (cheap but 8 times faster than old AGP cards)one phillips 16X dvd RW burner and another DVD ROM for copying DVD's and such. 6 USB2 slots for fast speed transfers and external HD's.

I'm going to use this in my studio and it will replace my old 2.4 P-4 I can't wait to see the performance boost. I will upgrade the ram to 4 gb so that I don't have any issues while recording but other than that it's ready to go.

The most I could squeeze out of my 2.4 was 20 tracks with tons of plugins going at once with no hiccups. I expect to be able to go up to at least 40 tracks with even more real time effects. On my old machine I have recorded 24 tracks with RTE but I was nervous while doing it hee hee.

With my recording setup I can record 8 tracks live and as I said playback 12 tracks at once (12+8=20) so on my new one I hope to record 8 at once ant playback 32 tracks at once.

What do you guys think have you got any experiences with this machine? I guess some might ask why buy one rather than make your own which I have for years. Well if you've priced these Dells lately you can't make one this cheap believe me. My box total with all the extras plus a 17" digital FP monitor was 599.00 heck when I priced all the parts for building one I quit at 600.00 and still had not bought the monitor or ram. Plus I like the look of these new dells they are nice looking and very easy to work on and very upgradeable. I have 3 open PCI slots 2 internal 5.25 bays 1 3.25 bay and 4 slots for ram each holding 1gb ram. So I think I'm set for another year

Bob

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 10 Oct 2005 5:31 am

The Biggest problem I have with Dell (other than the poor support and they are "built to a price") is that everything is proprietary. If you have the optional Audiogy 2ZS card, it is a custom version made for Dell and you can only use Dell updates. Dell has the BIOS set so you can't monitor CPU temp (if you wanted to). The front panel power switch and connector is even proprietary (you couldn't put a Dell M/B in a standard ATX (or BTX) case - the board wouldn't fit and you couldn't interface the power switch/connector.

erik · Post by **erik** » 10 Oct 2005 1:40 pm

Well enjoy! I can't use but one VST plugin in my computer before the freeze hits. But then I'm using a music program that cost me $5, so why complain.

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-johnson

[This message was edited by erik on 10 October 2005 at 02:41 PM.]

James Quackenbush · Post by **James Quackenbush** » 10 Oct 2005 3:25 pm

Big Bob,
CONGRAT"S !!......I love it when I get a new computer ... Problem is that when you buy a new computer , your at the top of the hill, and a year later, you're completely outdated !!.....Enjoy the top while you can !!...Good Luck with it , and don't forget to buy a UPS for it .......Sincerely,Jim

Bob Martin · Post by **Bob Martin** » 10 Oct 2005 7:01 pm

Yeah Dell stuff is mostly non interchangeable with other computers but I won't want to be interchanging anything as far as I know and I didn't get the sb audigy card because I don't need it. I use a propritery sound card to record in my studio. I use a Roland 24 channel digital board with R-Bus technology that transfers 24 tracks in and out of my computer digtially without any latency.

As far as it being outdated in a year it could be but I doubt it due to Moores law of chip physics being defunct and we have pretty much topped out on our current chip power. Of course they have new technology in the making but it will be a while for them to get it going.

So if I can get a year out of this machine before I have to buy a newer more powerful box I'll be tickled to death and 600.00 bucks a year is pretty cheap for upgrading equipment in a studio.

I'll let you know how things turn out after I make a few recordings

Bob

I thought I'd put this up due to my terrible explanation of moores law LOL

(môrz lâ) (n.) The observation made in 1965 by Gordon Moore, co-founder of Intel, that the number of transistors per square inch on integrated circuits had doubled every year since the integrated circuit was invented. Moore predicted that this trend would continue for the foreseeable future. In subsequent years, the pace slowed down a bit, but data density has doubled approximately every 18 months, and this is the current definition of Moore's Law, which Moore himself has blessed. Most experts, including Moore himself, expect Moore's Law to hold for at least another two decades.[This message was edited by Big Bob Martin on 11 October 2005 at 03:38 AM.]

Bob Martin · Post by **Bob Martin** » 15 Oct 2005 6:44 am

Well just an update on my new computer. I have managed to record 8 tracks at once while playing back 36 tracks at once and many plugins running at the same time. I'm really impressed with it's performance. I think I'll be good for a few months

Bob