VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

[Claire Dodin]

Hi!

My laptop is dying and as I'm considering what replacement to get I'm wondering about the Surface pro (version 2 or 3)

Has anyone recorded with it?

In theory, I should be able to install Adobe Audition since it runs windows 8.1 pro.

It's attractive to me because it's smaller and more flexible than a laptop. I can add the touch cover if I need to type and a bluetooth mouse for editing.

I'd love to hear anyone who has experience using it,

Thanks!
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[Lance Blair]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cT7n75rb8TA
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[Claire Dodin]

Thanks Lance, the RT is different though because it's not a computer, it's a tablet with as.
The pro version runs the full Windows 8.1 which would allow me to install and use Adobe Audition or even ProTools (in theory). I'm just wondering if the heavy editing software run well on it, if it can really replace a laptop.
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[Lance Blair]

Ah yes...

I was playing with the Surface Pro 2 at the local mall store last night. I think it has 4g RAM and a USB 3.0 jack. So, I would hope it could run Audition AOK. It was super fast otherwise.
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[georgethetech]

It seems like a killer tool for the VO booth. Silent, fast, runs a full OS, has real USB ports... It's really a laptop replacement with removable keyboard, a class by itself. Quite spendy compared to tablets, though, but compared to Ultrabooks, $650 for the Surface 2 Pro is hard to beat. I'd say it's pretty much a no-brainer for Adobe Audition users. Just get a powered USB hub, keyboard and mouse (optional), and you're good. Get the extended battery keyboard if you are a road-warrior. I wish it could run Mac OS...
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George Whittam
GeorgeThe.Tech
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TheProAudioSuite.com Co-host
TriBooth.com Co-founder

[Frank F]

The new Pro 3 is much better than the Pro 2. It more to it and IS a real computer (to a point). Although there are some things lacking, including price point.

Good luck with your choice.

Frank F
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[georgethetech]

I'm very much enjoying my 11" Macbook Air with 256GB PCIe SSD, incredible performance, very long battery life, and about $1000, same as the base-model Surface Pro 3, runs Windows and Mac OS, and it's silent unless you are doing video Skype or video editing, then the fan will spool up. Amazed they can use the same guts in a tablet without a fan...
_________________
If it sounds good, it is good.
George Whittam
GeorgeThe.Tech
424-226-8528
VOBS.TV Co-host
TheProAudioSuite.com Co-host
TriBooth.com Co-founder

[vkuehn]

As they say here in the Soouth....... "My dog is not in this fight." But I will offer a bit of philosophy about Pro2 vs Pro3. If the one machine is going to be both your recording computer and your editing computer, maybe Pro3 will offer superior performance in the editing.

But I could see putting a Pro2 in the booth for recording only, and then transferring the files over to some other machine for editing, processing, EQ etc.

I have elected to put an Android Tablet in the booth. I assume the quality isses are in the mic and the pre-amp/AtoD converter. Collecting the digitized signal and putting it into a file is a go/no-go process. It works or it doesn't. There isn't much (or anything) that the recording computer can do at that stage that makes the recorded track better or worse. A more powerful computer in the booth can't speed up how long it takes you to talk-and-record.

But when you start fiddling with the bits and editing the file, a computer can process slowly or quickly. It can allow the software to do it's magic or it can get in the way.

So think your way through the eventual work process and that may begin to tell you whether the Pro2 or the Pro3 would be your choice.

One added thought: Will you want the 'booth recorder' to be able to take trips with you and actually edit while on the road.... or if it does travel, will it only do recordings which your clients will be fully responsible for all edits?

[Jason Huggins]

If there was a legitimate way to dock that tablet to use with 2 or more displays, I might actually take a look at that. It would be awesome to have a tablet replace my iMac! Honestly, I don't think that is too far in the future. Make everything work via wireless (including displays) and you'd have a killer setup. What would be really awesome, is if you could get two of them (or more) and then link them wirelessly (or wired) so that they perform as a single system with double the power. Upgrading would be as easy as chaining another tablet.

[Claire Dodin]

I think I'll get the pro 3 as it's going to be the same price as the 2 and I can wait until it comes out.
The idea is not to use it at my home studio, but to use it when I'm on the road, because although my current laptop is supposed to be portable, when I keep changing plane/train I find it heavy. The attraction with the tablet is that it's much lighter, even with the keyboard.
I need to be able to edit files with it, which is why having a full version of windows is a big plus.
I like the macbook air but I didn't want to have to buy another version of Audition and my PC runs windows. Switching between mac and pc regularly is annoying.
George, how did you get your macbook air to run Windows too? Does it run well?
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