• Zurf
  • Zurf
  • Blunt but well meaning moderator
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  • From: Virginia, USA
  • Registered: 2007-06-27
  • Posts: 7,522

Topic: New computer

Well, my seven year old Dell that is still rock solid stable is just maxed out.  I can't do with it what I want any more, so it's going to go to the kids.  My wife and I find ourselves frequently overlapping or waiting for one another, so we bought ourselves each a laptop computer for our anniversary (22 years on the 28th of the month). 

I bought a Sony VAIO for myself and a Toshiba somethingorother for her.  The VAIO has a web cam and will soon be getting a USB microphone.  So, I may finally, finally, finally be able to record a song or two and playback to hear what I need to do for improving and refining my style and so-called arrangements.

What's that software Russell evangelizes?  Is it Audacity?  I use that for the voiceover work I do for training classes.  Will it work for music too?  Do I need two different inputs, one for the guitar and one for voice?  How do I keep the mics from bleeding into one another?  Maybe this should be in the Recording forum.  Aww heck. It's mostly about bragging about the new computer so I'll leave it here.  A moderator can move it if it needs moving, though.

Granted B chord amnesty by King of the Mutants (Long live the king).
If it comes from the heart and you add a few beers... it'll be awesome! - Mekidsmom
When in doubt ... hats. - B.G. Dude
  • From: Madeira Beach, Florida
  • Registered: 2007-12-05
  • Posts: 3,312

Re: New computer

Happy Anniversary to Mr and Mrs Zurf!

Looking forward to listening to and viewing the recordings from your new hardware.

Rule No. 1 - If it sounds good - it is good!
  • From: North Carolina
  • Registered: 2008-03-29
  • Posts: 953

Re: New computer

Congratulations on your anniversary Zurf, and also for the new computers, maybe we'll get to see a song or two now!

Cam

Keep a fire burning in your eyes
Pay attention to the open sky
You never know what will be coming down
  • Zurf
  • Zurf
  • Blunt but well meaning moderator
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  • From: Virginia, USA
  • Registered: 2007-06-27
  • Posts: 7,522

Re: New computer

You guys don't understand how fortunate you are that I haven't been able to post songs.  I ain't no Russell Harding or all1song, that's for sure. 

- Zurf

Granted B chord amnesty by King of the Mutants (Long live the king).
If it comes from the heart and you add a few beers... it'll be awesome! - Mekidsmom
When in doubt ... hats. - B.G. Dude
  • From: Western Oregon,US
  • Registered: 2008-07-22
  • Posts: 2,498

Re: New computer

Happy anniversary to you! And many more I'm sure.

  Congrats on all those years of Marriage and your new PCs.  Audacity, which you are already familiar with, is quite capable of doing nicely with your musical efforts.  You will need to use some sort of dual in-single out mixer if you plan on using 2 mics at once in order to balance the volumes and prevent one from stomping on the other.  Also the microphone inputs on PCs are mono so you are better served recording each track individually and doing the stereo mixing within the software.

  Russell has covered that I think rather well in the tutorials in the Recording section, but I can assist you if needed.

Take Care my Friend;
Doug

"what is this quintessence of dust?"  - Shakespeare
  • Zurf
  • Zurf
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  • Registered: 2007-06-27
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Re: New computer

Well, I have both computer set up now.  I checked out the Audacity site and it appears that they have not got a tested version for Windows 7 yet, so I went with Wavepad.  Wavepad does have a Windows 7 version, and it is as easy as pie to use.  I recorded one song, which was so bad that I erased it immediately, and then recorded another song.  It was also bad, but I had had a second beer by then and so was less inclined to be hard on myself.  I have no way of sharing anything with y'all though.  Perhaps I should finally break down and get a mySpace page.  I e-mailed a copy of it to Russell so that he can play it and get a laugh when he's feeling low. 

- Zurf

Granted B chord amnesty by King of the Mutants (Long live the king).
If it comes from the heart and you add a few beers... it'll be awesome! - Mekidsmom
When in doubt ... hats. - B.G. Dude
  • dino48
  • Honoured Member
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  • From: los banos,california
  • Registered: 2007-04-06
  • Posts: 6,801

Re: New computer

congrats on the anniversery and the new computer zurf. one of these days I will have to replace my ten year old hp,with windows me it is ancient. Have another beer  and maybe you can get past that minor problem on your new computer.

my papy said son your going too drive me too drinking if you dont stop driving that   Hot  Rod  Lincoln!! Cmdr cody and his lost planet airman
  • From: NY
  • Registered: 2009-08-26
  • Posts: 4,320

Re: New computer

CONGRATS on the anniversary and computers!  Get a You Tube account... it will accept just about any regular file type.  What operating system were you using before?  I'm curious to know how the windows 7 stands up compared to other versions of windows.  My hubby has Vista on his (and it sucks)... I'm still using XP and it'll be time for a new computer soon!

Art and beauty are in the eyes of the beholder.
What constitutes excellent music is in the ears of the listener.

mekidsmom's Website

  • Zurf
  • Zurf
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  • From: Virginia, USA
  • Registered: 2007-06-27
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Re: New computer

I was using XP.  I scrupulously avoided Vista.  So far 7 seems to fine, but it's only been one evening.  The thing with 7 is that it takes pretty much an entire processer to run it, so if you want any reasonable speed pop for the Pentium Duo processor.  That gives a processer to run the operating system and a processer to run everything else.  The dual core has two processers but only one communication bus to the motherboard, so the two processers have to share the bus.  The duo gives you two buses.  Right now it probably doesn't make much difference, but as software becomes more robust and power hungry, it will matter.  I also went with 4GB of memory and the most cache memory on processor I could afford.  Each of our computers have Pentium T6600 processers.  With the 64bit version, which is 7 Home Premium, it will handle a ridiculously high amount of memory.  Probably far more than the motherboard's BIOS files will address. 

With a little planning of this sort, we should get a better life out of the computer.  Seven years has been a good run for the current computer.  I could make it live longer if I put a new higher capacity hard drive in, but I've already got two extra hard drives hanging off of it.  It was time to stop rigging and just upgrade for us. 

- Zurf

Granted B chord amnesty by King of the Mutants (Long live the king).
If it comes from the heart and you add a few beers... it'll be awesome! - Mekidsmom
When in doubt ... hats. - B.G. Dude
  • badeye
  • The Blues Fixer
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  • From: Cape Breton Island, Canada
  • Registered: 2006-09-02
  • Posts: 3,381

Re: New computer

Hi Zurf, just upgraded to a laptop myself. windows 7 works great so far. just got a wireless mouse and works great.


Enjoy....   Badeye.

one caper after another
  • From: Tooele Ut
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 4,049

Re: New computer

Now guys, I'm going to have to buy me a new computer now with windows 7.  it's just so hard to keep up with the zurfs and badeyes.

You can see all my video covers on [url]http://www.youtube.com/bensonp1000[/url]
I have finally found happiness in my life.  Guitars, singing, beer and camping.  And they all intertwine wonderfully.
  • badeye
  • The Blues Fixer
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  • From: Cape Breton Island, Canada
  • Registered: 2006-09-02
  • Posts: 3,381

Re: New computer

bensonp wrote:

Now guys, I'm going to have to buy me a new computer now with windows 7.  it's just so hard to keep up with the zurfs and badeyes.

ah we"ll wait for ya Bensonp.  i found scrolling on this new laptop to be different then i got a wireless mouse and presto all's good.
windows 7 is real fast and easy to get around. this also has a built in webcam that im figuring out and can see and talk to my sis who
lives far away in a different province .   maybee a recording some day lol.


take care...   badeye    cool

one caper after another
  • upyerkilt
  • upyerkilt
  • Unofficial king of Scotland
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  • From: Balloch, Scotland, UK, Earth
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 3,290

Re: New computer

my new laptop has windows vista and i love it, it is much better than XP.
as for the gimmick of windows 7, i dont really care if i have it or not.

Zurf, my old computer was dying fast on me but there was nothing wrong with hard drive. I took it out and bought a HDD caddy for £10. i am now using it as an external hard drive. i wish i knew about hard drive caddies a few years ago. I could have saved all the stuff i lost from my first computer.

Ken

ye get some that are cut out for the job and others just get by from pretending
  • From: Tooele Ut
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 4,049

Re: New computer

I actually just bought a new computer (a dell) about six months ago with vista.  I'll just have to trudge along for a couple more years with this system.  i'm ok with it.  It works fine.

You can see all my video covers on [url]http://www.youtube.com/bensonp1000[/url]
I have finally found happiness in my life.  Guitars, singing, beer and camping.  And they all intertwine wonderfully.
  • From: Tooele Ut
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 4,049

Re: New computer

thanks riddler, i'll check

You can see all my video covers on [url]http://www.youtube.com/bensonp1000[/url]
I have finally found happiness in my life.  Guitars, singing, beer and camping.  And they all intertwine wonderfully.
  • From: NY
  • Registered: 2009-08-26
  • Posts: 4,320

Re: New computer

Riddler... I was JUST about to say that!  Yeah... I think if you bought it within the past year of win 7 coming out then you're eligible for the free upgrade (although please make sure you check out what Zurf said about the processors and make sure you're not going to end up with a dog if it can't handle it!  I had that problem with an older computer years ago that I tried to upgrade from ME to XP).

I avoided Vista too... everyone else ran out and got one despite everything I told them!  LOL!  Of course, THEN they all wanted me to fix their little issues and I happily said, "I don't have that version, I know nothing about it... I can't help you" ... tho of course I COULD have, I used ignorance as an excuse since they didn't listen to me in the first place.  The biggest complaint I hear is that they have a horrid time updating Vista... can't configure the auto update to work properly, or the built in firewall to STOP asking the same thing over and over again.  I'm glad you don't have any issues with yours Ken!  Thus far, I haven't heard anything negative about Win 7 ... I generally get a new computer every 2-3 years ... I've had this one ... well it'll be 4 years in the spring so I'm due.  I know, I know, they can last way longer than that... but I have a strong techie drive (even if I don't know what to do with it... mostly... I just can't afford to stay on top of the latest tech). 

Keep us updated... those of you with the new Win 7 ... cuz when it's tax time, I'll be looking into a new puter (tho... I'll make this one last if I have to if I hear too many bad win 7 stories).

ZURF - your info on the processors is VERY IMPORTANT ... THANK YOU so much!

Art and beauty are in the eyes of the beholder.
What constitutes excellent music is in the ears of the listener.

mekidsmom's Website

  • From: Tooele Ut
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 4,049

Re: New computer

i checked with the site and the dates are june through now.  I actually bought mine in april, as it turns out and it wouldn't let me do it.

You can see all my video covers on [url]http://www.youtube.com/bensonp1000[/url]
I have finally found happiness in my life.  Guitars, singing, beer and camping.  And they all intertwine wonderfully.
  • From: NY
  • Registered: 2009-08-26
  • Posts: 4,320

Re: New computer

bensonp wrote:

i checked with the site and the dates are june through now.  I actually bought mine in april, as it turns out and it wouldn't let me do it.

That stinks!

Art and beauty are in the eyes of the beholder.
What constitutes excellent music is in the ears of the listener.

mekidsmom's Website

  • From: Tooele Ut
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 4,049

Re: New computer

yes, it does, but i'm happy enough with vista.  it works.  And I can still talk to you guys

You can see all my video covers on [url]http://www.youtube.com/bensonp1000[/url]
I have finally found happiness in my life.  Guitars, singing, beer and camping.  And they all intertwine wonderfully.
  • From: Tennessee
  • Registered: 2007-08-04
  • Posts: 436

Re: New computer

I would email dell and see if they would still honor it...

  • From: Tooele Ut
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 4,049

Re: New computer

Well riddler, I just may do that.  Thanks again.  Is Windows 7 really that much better to have to go through all this?

You can see all my video covers on [url]http://www.youtube.com/bensonp1000[/url]
I have finally found happiness in my life.  Guitars, singing, beer and camping.  And they all intertwine wonderfully.
  • Zurf
  • Zurf
  • Blunt but well meaning moderator
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  • From: Virginia, USA
  • Registered: 2007-06-27
  • Posts: 7,522

Re: New computer

From what I hear, it is.  But I don't know squat about Vista.  I do know that there's not a lot of driver software for Windows 7 64 bit right now and that's causing me a little trouble getting my printers to work on my home network.  Then again, it could be that I set up my own wireless home network without knowing the first thing about setting up wireless home networks. 

- Zurf

Granted B chord amnesty by King of the Mutants (Long live the king).
If it comes from the heart and you add a few beers... it'll be awesome! - Mekidsmom
When in doubt ... hats. - B.G. Dude
  • From: Tooele Ut
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 4,049

Re: New computer

I'm getting ready to hook up a wireless network myself.  I used to have one, but it is old.  I'll just hang in there with vista for awhile and see what happens.

You can see all my video covers on [url]http://www.youtube.com/bensonp1000[/url]
I have finally found happiness in my life.  Guitars, singing, beer and camping.  And they all intertwine wonderfully.