View previous topic :: View next topic |
Author |
Message |
SoundsGreat-Elaine Singer King's Row
Joined: 30 Dec 2004 Posts: 1055 Location: Toronto, Canada
|
Posted: Sun Oct 28, 2007 2:32 pm Post subject: Getting a New Computer |
|
|
The time has come for me to replace my computer before disaster strikes. I would very much like to move to a laptop but am not sure how I set things up to record on a laptop seeing as how I can't install my nice sound card on the laptop.
Also, what should I be looking for as far as the noise factor goes - I noticed that some laptops I was looking at say 36 dB - but I'm not sure how acceptable that would be.
Any and all advice welcome.
Thanks. _________________ Elaine
The Youthful Mature Voice (Emeritus)
Senectitude is not for the faint of heart. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
jasbart Been Here Awhile
Joined: 26 Sep 2006 Posts: 293 Location: Gilbertsville, KY
|
Posted: Sun Oct 28, 2007 6:47 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I've had a Macbook for almost a year and a half, and it's so quiet it's scary. On both the PC and Mac sides.
If you don't need a laptop, try a Mac Mini...it's equally quiet, will run both PC and Mac, and is about $599 with the 1.83 processor. It's also extremely small...about 6" square by 3" tall.
Jim _________________ Jim Barton
Barton Voice & Sound
www.bartonvoice.com |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Frank F Fat, Old, and Sassy
Joined: 10 Nov 2004 Posts: 4421 Location: Park City, Utah
|
Posted: Sun Oct 28, 2007 7:00 pm Post subject: |
|
|
My suggestion, get a good one... if you choose PC - do not get Vista, PERIOD.
Toodles
F2 _________________ Be thankful for the bad things in life. They opened your eyes to the good things you weren't paying attention to before. email: thevoice@usa.com |
|
Back to top |
|
|
SoundsGreat-Elaine Singer King's Row
Joined: 30 Dec 2004 Posts: 1055 Location: Toronto, Canada
|
Posted: Sun Oct 28, 2007 7:02 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I am definitely planning on getting XP if I get a PC - but it will cost me more because it's not easy to come by a computer with XP on it so they have to wipe the hard drive and then load XP and all of XP's drivers. _________________ Elaine
The Youthful Mature Voice (Emeritus)
Senectitude is not for the faint of heart. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Donovan Cinquecento
Joined: 10 Jan 2007 Posts: 595 Location: Raleigh/Durham, NC
|
Posted: Sun Oct 28, 2007 7:23 pm Post subject: |
|
|
In my modest (yet VERY recent) experience, the easiest place to buy a good computer that still has XP on it, is from TigerDirect. Now I know not everywhere has the actual retail stores (there are 2 within 20 miles of me), but you can still purchase from their website tigerdirect.com.
I got a great computer, pre-installed with XP and it only cost about $400 or so. _________________ Donovan
www.DonovanVO.com |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Tom Test DC
Joined: 23 Jan 2007 Posts: 625 Location: Chicago, IL
|
Posted: Sun Oct 28, 2007 9:50 pm Post subject: Dell sells laptops with XP` |
|
|
They also sell really cheap refurbs, but you can get brand-spankin' new laptops with XP instead of Vista as an option. Do NOT get Vista!!
All the best,
Tom Test _________________ Best regards,
Tom Test
"The Voice You Trust"
www.tomtest.com |
|
Back to top |
|
|
CWToo Guest
|
Posted: Mon Oct 29, 2007 6:56 am Post subject: |
|
|
Never bought a computer from TigerDirect but I have purchased a bunch of other stuff and never had a problem with them. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
todd ellis A Zillion
Joined: 02 Jan 2007 Posts: 10493 Location: little egypt
|
Posted: Mon Oct 29, 2007 7:00 am Post subject: |
|
|
big fan of tiger direct! never had a problem with them. i ordered a video card from them recently and it arrived broken. (actually looked like it just wasn't put together correctly at the factory) called them and they said "just throw it away and we'll send you a new one". and they did.
new egg is great too. _________________ "i know philip banks": todd ellis
who's/on/1st?
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
tackerman The Gates of Troy
Joined: 14 Jun 2006 Posts: 1741 Location: in the ether
|
Posted: Mon Oct 29, 2007 7:07 am Post subject: |
|
|
Newegg.com had always been great to buy from too! Great customer service. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
ccpetersen With a Side of Awesome
Joined: 19 Sep 2007 Posts: 3708 Location: In Coherent
|
Posted: Mon Oct 29, 2007 7:46 am Post subject: |
|
|
todd ellis wrote: | big fan of tiger direct! never had a problem with them. i ordered a video card from them recently and it arrived broken. (actually looked like it just wasn't put together correctly at the factory) called them and they said "just throw it away and we'll send you a new one". and they did.
new egg is great too. |
Second the NewEgg recommendation; I just got a new printer from them -- it arrived a day ahead of when they said it would and the price was great.
About monitors -- I've had matched pairs of Samsung flat panels for several years. A year or so back, when both had been in service about 2.5 years, one of them died. I got on the horn with Samsung Customer Service and they rustled up my registrations and told me that it was likely the other one would die, too. Since they were both still under warranty, they sent two monitors to me (one right away, the other about a month later). They accidentally sent two extra connector cables along and when I called to ask about returning those, they said, "Keep 'em -- you never know when you might need a spare cable."
I'm always astonished when I get good customer service like that!
We have a render farm made up of Dells, and when we order from Dell and specify XP, they say, "No problem." Something to consider even if Dell's CS sometimes seem to be flaky.
cc _________________ Charter Member: Threadjackers Local 420 |
|
Back to top |
|
|
SoundsGreat-Elaine Singer King's Row
Joined: 30 Dec 2004 Posts: 1055 Location: Toronto, Canada
|
Posted: Mon Oct 29, 2007 7:53 am Post subject: |
|
|
Thanks for all the suggestions - there are a couple of TigerDirect outlets not too far from me so I hope to be able to get to one later today. Don't think we have New Egg here in Canada. _________________ Elaine
The Youthful Mature Voice (Emeritus)
Senectitude is not for the faint of heart.
Last edited by SoundsGreat-Elaine Singer on Mon Oct 29, 2007 8:05 am; edited 1 time in total |
|
Back to top |
|
|
TheVoiceOfBob 14th Avenue
Joined: 05 Oct 2006 Posts: 1411 Location: Pittsburgher in the Carolinas
|
Posted: Mon Oct 29, 2007 7:58 am Post subject: |
|
|
Both Tiger Direct and New Egg can be done online. I've used both and I can recommend both as well. _________________ Try to imagine a world where there is no such thing as hypothetical situations.
The Voice of Bob |
|
Back to top |
|
|
todd ellis A Zillion
Joined: 02 Jan 2007 Posts: 10493 Location: little egypt
|
Posted: Mon Oct 29, 2007 8:10 am Post subject: |
|
|
Quote: | I'm always astonished when I get good customer service like that! |
me too. isn't that sad? _________________ "i know philip banks": todd ellis
who's/on/1st?
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
ccpetersen With a Side of Awesome
Joined: 19 Sep 2007 Posts: 3708 Location: In Coherent
|
Posted: Mon Oct 29, 2007 8:27 am Post subject: |
|
|
todd ellis wrote: | Quote: | I'm always astonished when I get good customer service like that! |
me too. isn't that sad? |
Yeh. Imagine if we all treated OUR clients the way some companies' customer service departments treat us... _________________ Charter Member: Threadjackers Local 420 |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Yoda117 M&M
Joined: 20 Dec 2006 Posts: 2362 Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
|
Posted: Mon Oct 29, 2007 1:38 pm Post subject: |
|
|
jasbart wrote: |
If you don't need a laptop, try a Mac Mini...it's equally quiet, will run both PC and Mac, and is about $599 with the 1.83 processor. It's also extremely small...about 6" square by 3" tall.
Jim |
Just a quick note about the Mac Mini: it appears from some articles that they're going end of life soon, so you might want to think about that.
Mac Laptops? Pricey if you trick 'em out, but good systems. _________________ Voiceovers by Gregory Houser
Philadelphia based Voice Actor
Blog - A man, a martini, and a lot of microphones |
|
Back to top |
|
|
|