12" Or 15" Powerbook Options

[zakary]

Hi everyone,
i'm new in the forum and a prospective powerbook user, my dilemma is the 12" or 15" powerbook?

I am aware of the differences (the 15" has more screen res, 1Gb ethernet, up to 2Gb of ram, pcmcia slot, 800 firewire)

The only reason i would prefer the 15" is the pcmcia slot since i already own the exellent RME multiface card, the other options do not tempt me that much, since i can still use an external monitor with the 12" at any resolution.

If i get the 12" (with 1.25Gb ram) would i be able to use the MOTU 828 (mkI), in the specs of the card i read that the connection is with standard 1394 FireWire.

Has anyone tried this with the 12" powerbook ?

thanks in advance
zak

[BretonRoss]

as far as the 828 goes, you're golden...i use it with a G3 iBook...god i need a new comp...

[gif_silver]

if you like the RME so much, then why do you want a motu? by the way - what's the deal with the ins and outs on the RME: how many? do you use many plug-ins with it, and if so, how does your present computer fare?
cheers
ju
PS my mac guy said he wouldn't ever recommend the 12" powerbooks, and iBooks neither. he said they're just crap. but the 15" get his thumbs up a bit higher...
cheers again!

[lepetitmartien]

Old iBooks were cramped by the tiny cache, impairing the processor, the new line should do better, way better. Next iBook have so-so screens, but you can easily make them support two screens with a simple trick (shell script, all other the net).

The powerbooks give you power and the screen, and 15" of real estate is great, the 12" is really tiny.

No, in the bill, think about buying some RAM, the more, the better (1 GB is a minimum).

So balance between ram you have to by and I'd look on the performances of the new ibooks (see xlr8yourmac.com for user inputs with benches if they have already some) If the quality of the screen is not a crucial problem.

And take an Applecare plan for you laptop! Laptops which gigs are endangered laptops.

[zakary]

The only way i can connect my RME Multiface Hammerfall is via a pcmcia slot, and this can be done only on the 15" 1.3Ghz powerbooks & 17", the 12" 1.3Ghz hasn't got a pcmcia slot, so if i was to get the 12" 1.3Ghz i'd have to replace the RME.

The RME is an excellent pro card, crystal clear sound (8 analog i/o, digital i/o, adat, etc) lowest latency i've ever experienced, even my 1.2Ghz pentium III runs smooth with this card, no clicks, 0 latency, only when i use processor heavy plugins i get some problems but they are due to to my crappy pc. So one reason to replace the RME is the pcmcia slot if i go for the 12" 1.3Ghz. I got this card to bring down the latency and have a clear sound, aslo to be used with an external mixing desk and external effects, my work flow is now changing and i need as little as possible external stuff.

The Motu 828 has some features that i could use which are not found on the RME, for example the mic preamps (now if i want to record a guitar or vocals i have to use my mackie desk->rme->pc) also the master volume & headphone knob (these volumes are controlled via the software mixer of the RME which is not handy some times)

The ibooks seem great, i am aware of the shell patch that enables the use of dual monitors but in forums i've seen many problems and i'll definately be using the dual monitor support many times, also the powerbooks seem slightly better in performance, so if i was to get the 12" powerbook (firewire audio interface - Motu 828 & firewire external hard) would i be running smooth ? If i was to go for the 15" i'd keep my RME.

Any experiences with the above possible configurations ?

thanks
zak

[Riverdog]

I'm using a 12" 1Ghz PB with 512 Meg of Ram and a 60 Gig Hard Drive...
I'm using a dual monitor setup with Logic Pro 7...

I regularly get 16 - 24 Tracks with 3 to 5 softsynths (Along with my 12 hardware synths) and 12-20 effects... The system runs very smoothly so i have no idea why people say the 12" is crap... (???)

The screen is clear, bright - and with the dual monitor setup, I have no problem running a heavy duty rig for Jingle and commercial work...

Along with the PB I'm using a M-Audio FW410 which records great...
If you're REALLY mobile - Go with a 12"... It's a powerhouse little laptop...

Good Luck...

[zakary]

Thanks everyone so far for your replies,
after a lot of research i see no difference in performance between the 12" 1.3Ghz and the 15" 1.3Ghz powerbooks, provided that they both have the same amount of ram. I forgot to mention that my needs are not so heavy duty, i'm into deep-dub house, so i'll be using something like max 26 tracks (mixed audio tracks, softsynths, soft effects, buses) and occasionaly record some vocals or guitar. I think logic could cover all my needs. I wont be recording many external stuff simultaneously and playing back at the same time, just record 1 external source, then process it and then bring it in the arangement and sequence / arange / process with soft effects along with other softsynths (kontakt, etc). Is anyone else into similar music style and workflow ??? Would i need an external firewire drive for this ?

Even though i don't really need the portability of the 12", i would prefer it to the 15" BUT i would have to change my RME Multiface and it's kind of difficult right now since this is a brilliant card, no problems AT ALL, not only me but anyone else using it, plus i have read a lot of problems about chainning firewire audio interfaces & firewire drives which i would have to do if i was to go for the 12".

I must admit that the RME is tooo much for my needs, the only other interface that i could go for is the motu 828 mk1 since everyone using it is very happy with it, plus it has the pre-amps that i'll need, knobs for headphone/volume control, firewire connection (is it powered from the firewire bus or does it need external power supply?)

I'll do some more research and if i can see in practice (get to use it) a 12" 1.3Ghz/1Gb ram with a motu828 mk1 chainned with a firewire hard drive, doing what i need i'll go for that, if not i'll go for the 15" 1.3Ghz / 1Gb ram with my RME multiface.

thanks so far
z

[gogmagog]

Dub = echo + reverb
echo + reverb = very big demands on system

if dub is your chalice, then spend spend spend on cpu power
and memory.

most of the probs i have ever had in computer music have been
in trying get massive dub atmospheres without making the lights dim

a clever person outthere has the answer - if you are rich enoughg this is a prob you can buy your way out of (logic pro and its plug in freezing might help)

i think that the prob is that all the really massive dub is done using racks and racks of big metal boxes - miked up water tanks and oil trucks etc.......