Compatibility of Laptops for MBox

[Z_FX]

Hi,

I've already got PTLE6.4 MBox running on a desktop PC and I need compatibility/buying advice for running on a laptop which I might buy.

The Digidesign compatibility documents are a bit out of date it seems, in terms of Mac laptops available in Australia: ie I'm interested in getting an iBook G4 and it seems the compatibility documents are not up to date with the two basic types now available....

Basically all I want to do is record 2 channels of 16 or 24 bit audio at either 44.1 or 48kHz reliably for up to an hour. So I don't need to do playback and mixing and plugins etc. on this machine.

Now, I'd have to upgrade RAM to 512MB from the basic model specs, but what about Hard Drives? Most laptop models have standard drives that are 4200rpm, not even 5400rpm...and the documents say 7200rpm...has anyone got at least 2 channel recording going okay using just a 4200 or 5400rpm drive only?

Any comments Digidesign or others on this question? (I just posted a similar question on the PC forum because the other option instead of the cheapest iBook G4 would be the Dell Inspiron 700m with 512MB of RAM).

Regards,

Steve

[zErOcOoL]

Hello!
I just recently bought a powerbook, and I was very conscious of the fact that the hard drive only runs at 4800 rpm. I went out and bought an external firewire drive from a company called Lacie (www.lacie.com). I got an 80 gig hard drive that runs at 7200 rpm for around $100. It's alot cheaper than getting a Glyph, which can cost much higher than that. The Lacie works fine, and I'm doing alot more audio than just two channels. If the ibook has a firewire port, it should work fine. Good luck!

[Z_FX]

Hi,

thanks for that...but can you tell me did it work okay recording straight to the slower internal drive anyway? Have you tried that?

What were your powerbook specs?

Thanks,


Steve

[mobilemac'nstrat]

Although it's obviously better and recomended to record to an external FWD, I have often successfully recorded long (40 min) sessions of two tracks to the internal drive of my 17" 1Ghz Powerbook with an Mbox.
The slightly slower system bus on an iBook shouldn't prevent it doing the same. I believe the hard drives, presumably the limiting factor here, to be similar or identical in spec.

[JFreak]

you should be able to record two tracks to the internal hard drive, even if it were 4200rpm.

[deardaddy]

I did record 18 tracks for more than 2 hours on the internal HD of my PB (44k/16bits - 1024/65%) with the 002R

[bassntreble]

I regularly record 90 min of stereo 16/44.1 to my PB drive. I have a Ti667 VGA but the internal drive has been modded to a 60 Gig 7200 rpm model. I don't see any problem recording stereo to a 4200 rpm drive though. used to do it all the time back in the Sound Designer days.