AW: Laptop loopers, what do you do with your favorite rack gear?

["Rainer Thelonius Balthasar Straschill" <rs@moinlabs.de>]

> I guess my question would be, does it make sense to keep it 
> and use it in some sort of effects loop of my MOTU 828?  Has 
> anyone tried this?  Is latency too much of an issue?

Don't know the MOTU or the Lexicon, but here's my take on this topic:

I guess you are by now familiar with my laptop setup by now ;), but I'm
still reflecting on the correct route to go, and with several things in
mind:

a) I want to further optimize my laptop-based setup so it's even quicker to
set up and to transport in rough conditions, but still relatively easy to
carry around.
b) I need a new computer for my home use (at least for things that take up
lots of processing power - like music and games).
c) I could use some more processing power in my laptop setup.
d) There are things I might think about regarding the use of outboard gear.
e) My hardware setup does not collect dust, I just used it last week 
playing
a ninjam with Daryl.
f) I don't want to spend more money than necessary.

So there would be several solutions:

1. Retain the laptop setup as is (perhaps optimizing the interface), and 
get
a new computer for home use.
Problem: very good in the f) department, but doesn't fulfil c)

2. Blow up the laptop setup with a powerful laptop
Problem: isn't that cost-efficient (so not good in the f) department),
doesn't give me the flexibility to custom-tailor my computer (especially 
for
gaming, so b) won't be fulfilled)

3. Get an industry-style computer (rackmount case, 1HU keyboard/trackball
solution) and mount it in a rack together with interfaces and perhaps
peripherals.


Currently, I like 3. the best. I could put it in one of the SKB Mini Gig
Rigs, and with a 2HU case for the computer and 1 HU for the interface (like
a Fireface800 (although quite expensive) or a combination of the existing
Multiface and a QuadMic) and another HU for the keyboard/trackball combo,
I'd still have 2HU in front at my disposal - which might house the Eclipse
in an effects loop (connected via ADAT) and a Finalizer or DEQ2496 on the
2bus...or a combo of the (already existing) VF-1 and something else for
preparing vocals (like a half-rack channel strip? or something digital 
which
does the same?)...or whatever. Now I could mount the BCR2000 in the top
somehow and a monitor in the lid...still need to think about that - did
anyone actually go that route, with a TFT integrated in a rack setup?
Another nice thing with the industry computer as an alternative to the
laptop would be that you're able to use something which actually uses slots
- like creamware hardware or the UAD-1 you mentioned (although I think I
would be looking at the creamware thing).

For the outboard gear: latency won't be that much of a problem if you can 
do
the routing without actually entering the computer (i.e. in the interface).
The RME stuff allows the mixer to be controlled by MIDI, so this could be
done easily, as long as I'd only need the outboard gear to effect either 
the
audio ins before they enter the computer or the 2bus before hitting the
mains.

There are things my Eclipse does which none of my software thingies does -
at least not on my current computer while at the same time running Mobius,
one software sampler, two to five software synths, four send effects, 
guitar
amp simulation and countless insert effects...


So again, not a great solution - but if someone could comment on the
industry PC in rack system - viewscreen issue, I'd be delighted. Any ideas?

        Rainer