Biohazard

Can you actually buy laptop motherboards? I didnt think this was possible? Does that mean you could effectively, to a point, build your own?

Stewmac isnt UK. I think he wanted UK sites.

Ok, thanks for that. Just out of interest too, how much are laptops upgradable? I seen pics from someone on the AMD forum who took his laptop apart slightly and got under the keyboard (I think it was, might have been the back) and took photos of the motherboard. I didn't realise this was possible?

The new look is cool and it does seem to run a bit faster.

Ok, thanks. Well i'm going for the firewire HDD at 7200 rpm so that should be fine. Is that M-Audio firewire audiophile also a sound card as well as a audio/midi interface? Or do I need a seperate sound card (kinda hoard in laptops)? I take it laptop memory is easily upgradable?

Ok, the bit about the firewire being ok for daisy chaining is reasuring. And the fact that external HDD through firewire at 7200 rpm being ok is reassuring too. I would be using this mixer (obviously the setup wouldnt be the same): http://projectguitar.ibforums.com/index.ph...15&hl=recording scroll down to Dugz Ink's post with the picture. For audio device, I would be using this M-Audio device: http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_gb/Fire...phile-main.html Although something has just occurred to me which may need me to re-think a few things if the answer to my next question is no. Is that firewire audiophile device a sound card like the PCI version. As well as being a audio/MIDI box for connecting mics, guitars, mixers etc through? Ok, thanks for the info about the processors. Oh one question about USB 1.1 and USB 2.0 that occured to me after reading back in this thread. apparently USB 1.1 caused latency problems. Would USB 2.0 devices cause latency probs, just wondering, although as long as it is a sound card too, i am pretty fixed on the firewire audiophile device. One last question, laptop memory is easilly upgradable right? Just so I could go to 1024 from 512 at a later date if required. Thanks guys for being patient with my bombardment of questions. I appreciate everyone's support!!!!!

First of all, nice computer. I have to go laptop really because i'm going to uni in another years time to do music technology. Apparently it does matter about speed of HDD because of the speed in writing and reading to and from the drive when recording etc. It's not the fact that signal is going through a hub. What I want to know is what effect it will have on audio quality with using one firewire port for two devices. A HDD and an M-Audio Audiophile? They are both going to be sharing the firewire bandwidth. Does anyone have any comments as to whether Intel processors are good for audio despite their noise and heat. They are incredibly fast, thats one thing going for them. Im specifically on about the P4 range and possibly centrino, but mainly P4. Or would I be better going for the mobile AMD 64-bit? Anymore comments are appreciated. Thanks.

YAY

Check out the WD Music Products UK page, they will have wire for you. Also check out www.axesrus.com because they will probably have what you need to. Or check random custom guitar builders because they will probably sell you some wire too. Heck, even guitar shops that do repairs will have wire they can sell you. But dont forget, wire is wire and as long as you get the right kind, electronics stores like RS and Maplin will sell wire too, along with all components you would need.

What are the specs? Is it a laptop or desktop? I can't go with a Mac because they are a little more expensive plus compatibility issues with programs I already run. To be honest, it's just the HDD issue at the moment. I noticed this: http://www.wdc.com/en/products/products.asp?DriveID=75 But again it is USB 2.0. This apparently won't be good enough. Especially since a mouse will also be used and sharing the USB 2.0 resources. Plus, I said above that I noticed an AMD 64-bit 3000+ processor in an Acer laptop. However, when looking at two UK sites that build audio laptops for you. They use Intel processors. Yet I have heard bad things about them in terms of heating and other issues. Ok, they are incredibly fast, but would I want to consider an Intel laptop, or stick to considering this Acer AMD 64-bit laptop (even though it is a mobile 64-bit processor and I don't know what they are like compared to desktop 64-bit processors)? Thanks for anymore suggestions. Plus can anyone clarify how audio quality would be affected if I did get a firewire hub and connected an M-Audio device and a HDD through the hub into the one firewire laptop port? Sorry for all the questions but I do appreciate everyone's generous support and advice. Thanks guys.

Yeah . Just the inconvenience (i so cant spell).

Yeah i would ideally like a laptop, as im going to uni etc too. Whats that PCMCIA on laptops like? I think its some form of PCI. Would any HDD connect through that? It's such a hard thing to decide on, so many different opinions flying in from everywhere.

I've tested with new batteries, still nothing. Zach has given me return instructions, god damn it . I'm in the UK so i'll be without it for op to 4 weeks.

Cool and exciting stuff psw, it looks like you're progressing with this all the time and each post brings something new and a move foward. Have a good holiday.

But other than that, would a laptop (the one i mentioned) be suitable for audio. Or should I really be looking at other solutions?

It is looking very good. Although i'm just wondering. Is that black box just there now for prototyping or hiding the circuit? Because I doubt many people would want a black box stuck on the side of their guitar. I dont know, just my thoughts. But it's definately looking good.

Hi guys. Instead of desktops, for the mobility reasons i've been looking at laptops recently to record music and stuff. It would be a work/internet/music recording laptop. The specs of one I found are below: Acer Aspire 1522WLMI AMD 64-bit 3000+ processor which hyper threading or whatever they call it VIA chipset, cant remember exact number, K8N800 or something like that 512mb RAM DDR 330 upgradable to 2gb using SoDIMM modules 60gb HDD, possibly 7200 rpm but not sure 64mb nVIDIA GeForce FX Go5700 or something like that graphics card 1x firewire port (IEEE 1394 or whatever number it is) about 4x USB 2.0 ports other standard laptop ports Windows XP Home I was for quite some time interested in a desktop, but in terms or transporting it to uni, and back home during breaks etc, I think it might posibly be hassel? The mobility of a laptop may be good, i help organise and run school discos, so I may like to try recording one of these events (a desktop would be hell to bring around places and set up etc). I may also like to record a friends band too, once again, a laptop rather than desktop is more apropriate. I don't know, i'm trusting the response of you guys and very much appreciate advice and input. As mentioned by a recording tech i emailed, he said I may need a second HDD for audio work. Ideally a SATA 120 HDD. but this is impossible for laptops. What would the pros and cons be of having an external HDD that connects through USB 2.0 if I went down the laptop route? I understand that an external HDD, going through USB 2.0 (or firewire if I baught a firewire hub) would not be suitable due to speed, for recording. Is this true? If so, could I record a track on the built in 60gb drive, then transfer it to an external for editing, mixing, mastering etc. Or is this idea blown out the water by the fact that all audio work should be done on a seperate HDD? Thanks for any information guys. I appreciate any help.

Yeah that all helps thanks. It also turns out that i didn't wire the jack up wrong. It seems to be the Fuzz Factory circuit itself that is having problems.

I'd agree with psw. I can follow tha diagram, it makes enough sense to me. I do think some people expect it to be a fully working fernandes esque or sustainiac esque sustainer.

Prototyping as I understand it, is putting together a solution, whether refined or the best as you can do with your resouces, to show the solution to someone as close to how it would be as a finished product as physically possible. Testing is just making sure something works or does what it is intended to do. You can test at a lot of different stages, before prototyping and after.

Actually im still a little confused as to what is the "tip", "sleeve", and "ring". Using the link to the picture in my first post, could anyone clear this up for me please. I also take it that the "sleeve" is hot, "tip" is ground and the "ring" is for the negative end of the FF battery clip? I just dont understand what legs on that stero jack are actually the tip, sleeve and ring. Thanks a great deal to anyone who can clear this up for me.

Oh right, the smallest is definately ground and not hot? If I have mixed these two up would that explain why the Fuzz Factory cuts out when its on and the rest of the guitar signal doesnt cut out at all when the FF is off? Would this also explain why batteries are being ate away like a bitch?

Hi, sorry if this has been repeated before, I apologise. I wired my custom guitar up ages ago in August and everything worked fine except my built in Fuzz Factory kept cutting out. I was worried it might be the board but checked all my wiring, I thought it might be the switch but was told this was unlikely. The only problem a tech could see when I sent him my wiring diagram was I had got the wires connecting to the hot and earth leg of my stereo jack the wrong way round (the middle lug was fine, the FF battery clip went to that as it should). I had connected the guitar output wire to the largest leg (ground) and the ground connection to the shortest leg (hot). However, when looking at my jack socket, it looks something like the right hand picture on this site: http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Electronics,_p...es.html#details What I would like to know is, which leg is the shortest (hot), the largest (ground) and the middle (for battery clip)? Thanks for any help guys, I can't wait to get this wired up properly so my fuzz won't cut out again. It probably also explained why my Fuzz Factory was eating batteries like a bitch, when they should last for bloody ages.

Excellent news psw. Good to see the progress being made. So what are your current goals and aims at this moment with the sustainer?

sorry to sound dumb, but what is f-spaced???