I need advice on purchasing new computer

[Jenny Jo]

After struggling for over 2 years trying to record on a terrible windows vista HP laptop, I'm finally in a position to purchase a desktop computer for my recording. I was wondering if anybody out there can recommend a good/no frills desktop starter computer that I should buy (I can only afford about $1,000 right now), with room for expansion. I know I need firewire with pro tools, and I already have an external firewire (with texas chip). A mac is way out of my price range, so I will be looking into PC computers.

ANY AND ALL advice will be so appreciated!!!

I'd like to add that I'm not usually recording with a lot of tracks. 20 at the most...with minimal effects. So my needs are very much those of an amateur (which I am).

I apologize if this is not the appropriate area to post this. If there's a better place, please let me know :)

Thanks

[albee1952]

Actually, a Mac Mini or a used MacBook Pro are both in your price range. Getting compatible parts is critical, and there are so many possible combinations in the PC world that its tough to know which will work and which will not(unless you buy from a specialist like Sweetwater or RAIN computers). Sweetwater has a new line and the lower end might suit you well and be affordable. Here is the one that's right in your price range. Just call them and ask about compatibility with Pro Tools(I would get PT9 or PT10 unless you already own 8 and can get the updates to 8.0.5)

http://www.sweetwater.com/creation_station/CS200

[Jenny Jo]

Thank you albee1952! The CS200 seems to offer just what I need, at the right price for me. I just sent an email to them asking if the computer is compatible with PT8, which I have. Your answer and link gave me the exact info I needed. Thank you!
~Jenny Jo

[albee1952]

Originally Posted by Jenny Jo

Thank you albee1952! The CS200 seems to offer just what I need, at the right price for me. I just sent an email to them asking if the computer is compatible with PT8, which I have. Your answer and link gave me the exact info I needed. Thank you!
~Jenny Jo

Cool! Remember that any new PC will likely have Windows 7, so you would install PT8, but DO NOT connect the interface when asked(just click on OK and let it finish and reboot). Then run the 8.0.5 updater, and DO connect the interface when asked during the setup. Remember to ignore any "New Hardware Found" windows that pop up after you connect the interface.

BTW, if your interface happens to be either 002 or 003, then connect the firewire cable with everything powered OFF and leave the power switch OFF on the interface until its time to connect. Have your PT8 authorization code handy for the first time you run Pro Tools(the code that starts with "DIGI08.....")

[Jenny Jo]

Thanks for the advice on the updater and interface connection! I remember running into install problems with my PT previously on a computer, I bet this will solve that. I talked to a sales rep at Sweetwater about the CS200, and he said there will be no problem running my protools LE on it, and he sent me a link to a free download on the avid forums for a protools 8 update. You've all been so helpful here on these forums with your advice, I appreciate it a lot. Thank you :) ~Jennifer

[Jenny Jo]

Well, I thought it seemed too good to be true that I could just load my software and record! I got my new CS200

http://www.sweetwater.com/creation_station/CS200

and tried to record today. Within a few seconds of arming and recording a track, these warnings popped up:

~problem detected with audio clock. Check that your clock source & sample rate are correct.
~Operating system held off interrupts too long. If this occurs often, try increasing the 'H/W buffer size' in the playback engine diaglog'

This is so frustrating. I have always dropped the buffer size to 256 when recording, and 1026 for playback.

I wonder if anybody has advice on how to fix this, or is using the cs200 themselves? I uploaded the version of PT LE 8.0.3 that was recommended to me by the sales rep, and it's installed on my computer........sad face.

~Jennifer Jo

[RegenerationMix]

hi, i am not familiar with the CS200 , but the sample clock error is saying your session is at a different clock and sample rate that your CS200. they both need ot be set to the same and one needs to be set as the master clock. You can check the pro tools settings and see if your clock is set to internal or you CS200 and what your sample rate is between the two.

I would update to 8.0.5 and not stay at 8.0.3. Having said that, im not sure what computer you have and how many cores you have set to pro tools and what your hardware buffer is set to. It may take some playing around with those settings to find what works with your computer.


Chris

[Emcha_audio]

Originally Posted by Jenny Jo

Well, I thought it seemed too good to be true that I could just load my software and record! I got my new CS200

http://www.sweetwater.com/creation_station/CS200

and tried to record today. Within a few seconds of arming and recording a track, these warnings popped up:

~problem detected with audio clock. Check that your clock source & sample rate are correct.
~Operating system held off interrupts too long. If this occurs often, try increasing the 'H/W buffer size' in the playback engine diaglog'

This is so frustrating. I have always dropped the buffer size to 256 when recording, and 1026 for playback.

I wonder if anybody has advice on how to fix this, or is using the cs200 themselves? I uploaded the version of PT LE 8.0.3 that was recommended to me by the sales rep, and it's installed on my computer........sad face.

~Jennifer Jo

I7 do not allow for hyper-threading, so keep on core free for windows and other applications that you might be running. You might also want to experiment on which number of cores at 99% will give you the best performance, might not be the maximum. This will of course not solve the clock problem or the interrupts of windows (you need to run the optimization chart listed http://avid.custkb.com/avid/app/self...p?DocId=349411 for windows 7, even if sweetwaters did it just to be sure it was done properly). But it may give you better performance.

[Jenny Jo]

Thanks for your answers. I'm going to update my PTLE to 8.0.5 (from 8.0.3), and see if this helps. I just read that 8.0.3 le is not supported by windows, just 8.0.4 le and up...I'm hoping this will solve the problem.

These are the specs for my CS200:

motherboard: Intel H67 express chipset
cpu: Sandy Bridge Core i3 2.6GHz 2; cores / 4 program threads
Heat sink/fan: scythe cpu cooler
RAM: 4GB DDR3/1333 (2 DIMM, 4 slots filled)
system drive: 1 x 500GB Seagate barracuda
video: dvi-i, hdmi & display port, dual montior support
ports: 1 Gigabit ethernet, (10/100/1000 Mb/s) 2 SATA 6.0 GB/s ports 3 SATA 3.0 Gb/s ports, 1 eSata port, 1 x firewire 400; 2 x usb 3.0, 8 x usb 2.0
Windows 7 HP 64-bit OS
2U rackmountable/desktop format
intel H67 Express chipset
sandy bridge core i5 3.1 GHx 4 Cores/8 program threads
noctua quiet case fans

I'll follow up with another post when I see how it goes. I'm also having some help with all of it in a few days from somebody who knows a lot more about protools than I do, so I'm sure all will work out well :) ~Jenny

[albee1952]

Originally Posted by Jenny Jo

Thanks for your answers. I'm going to update my PTLE to 8.0.5 (from 8.0.3), and see if this helps. I just read that 8.0.3 le is not supported by windows, just 8.0.4 le and up...I'm hoping this will solve the problem.

These are the specs for my CS200:

motherboard: Intel H67 express chipset
cpu: Sandy Bridge Core i3 2.6GHz 2; cores / 4 program threads
Heat sink/fan: scythe cpu cooler
RAM: 4GB DDR3/1333 (2 DIMM, 4 slots filled)
system drive: 1 x 500GB Seagate barracuda
video: dvi-i, hdmi & display port, dual montior support
ports: 1 Gigabit ethernet, (10/100/1000 Mb/s) 2 SATA 6.0 GB/s ports 3 SATA 3.0 Gb/s ports, 1 eSata port, 1 x firewire 400; 2 x usb 3.0, 8 x usb 2.0
Windows 7 HP 64-bit OS
2U rackmountable/desktop format
intel H67 Express chipset
sandy bridge core i5 3.1 GHx 4 Cores/8 program threads
noctua quiet case fans

I'll follow up with another post when I see how it goes. I'm also having some help with all of it in a few days from somebody who knows a lot more about protools than I do, so I'm sure all will work out well :) ~Jenny

You're going to need a second hard drive for recording 7200 rpm and no "green" drives allowed. With Windows 7, you can also use a USB2 or eSATA external. Internal Sata will be cheapest and give the best performance.