Re: laptop for live music

[Doug Cox <dougcox@pdq.net>]

I used to have a Dell laptop from work that I tried to use as an audio 
computer.  It exhibited the hum problem that some people have mentioned 
(and *didn't* hum when it was run on batteries).  After a lot of 
searching and talking to Dell people, I finally found that the Dell 
laptops have a known grounding issue that can cause the hum.  First I 
read from others that they had the same problem - and a couple of these 
people said that a Dell helpdesk person told them it was a known 
problem.  After a couple of calls to Dell, I finally got one of them to 
tell me the same thing.  He said it was not a well known fact amongst 
the helpdesk folks, but that it was in the Dell knowledge base.

I can't say if they've fixed it on newer models, but I know I'll never 
try a Dell as an audio laptop again.

I have a Thinkpad T40 now that I've done some experiementing with, and 
it performs very well.

Doug

Kris Hartung wrote:

> Weird...and you've probably done what I've tried too, plugging the 
> powersupply into different outlets. I have not tried plugging it into 
> a different circuit yet (as many outlets in a venue or your house can 
> be on the same circuit). Not sure if that would help, though. I think 
> it is a proximity thing with the powersupply and other audio gear. How 
> about encasing it in a lead box? :)  Anyway, this sort of forces us to 
> use notebook that have long battery life...not thoe with desktop 
> processores in them (the big, thick ones), but the mobile units. My 
> wife's Centrino Thinkpad last for 4 hours...not bad.
>  
> Kris
>  
>
>     ----- Original Message -----
>     *From:* Clint Allen <mailto:clint.allen@gmail.com>
>     *To:* Loopers-Delight@loopers-delight.com
>     <mailto:Loopers-Delight@loopers-delight.com>
>     *Sent:* Thursday, December 29, 2005 4:30 PM
>     *Subject:* Re: laptop for live music
>
>     I have the same problem running from my Emachine laptop. Running
>     on power supply? hum/noise.
>
>     Running on battery? No hum/noise, but I have about an hour or so...
>
>     However, I also have the same hum coming from a Gbox shuttle that
>     is my desktop recording solution.
>
>     I've replaced and done everything I can think of except move to a
>     new house.
>
>     Clint Allen
>
>
>     On 12/29/05, *Kris Hartung* <khartung@cableone.net
>     <mailto:khartung@cableone.net>> wrote:
>
>         Well, with exception of the hum problem I have with my HP
>         nc6000, which
>         could be a defective powersupply, both the IBM and HP
>         "commerical" boxes
>         kick ass.  I have nothing but good things to say about the
>         Thinkpads....my
>         wife, who works for Intel, uses one as her work computer (all
>         Intel
>         employees use them), but I don't think you could go wrong with
>         one of the
>         commerical/business notebooks from HP either. Also, IBM
>         doesn't make
>         Thinkpads anymore, they sold that whole product line to
>         Lenovo. Hopefully
>         this won't have an impact on their quality in the future.
>
>         Here is question for you all...with all the high performance
>         standards
>         required for gaming, would it make sense to find a notebook
>         for music
>         applications that has also been proven to be a good choice for
>         gaming? Aside
>         from the graphics part, it seems the processor, cache, and
>         other system
>         architecture features might be good for music applications as
>         well...just a
>         thought.
>
>         Kris
>
>         ----- Original Message -----
>         From: "Gary Lehmann" <hqr@cox.net <mailto:hqr@cox.net>>
>         To: <Loopers-Delight@loopers-delight.com
>         <mailto:Loopers-Delight@loopers-delight.com>>
>         Sent: Thursday, December 29, 2005 1:37 PM
>         Subject: RE: laptop for live music
>
>
>         > So is IBM ThinkPad the best way to go?
>         > Any other contenders? I speak of course of the Windoze 
>platform.
>         > Gary
>         >
>         >
>         >
>         >
>
>
>