Building a studio computer

with industry Pro, Nick Batzdorf

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nomiyah
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Re: Building a studio computer

Post by nomiyah » Thu Jul 06, 2006 5:41 pm

OK, the computer's built.One more question. My cousin (who built it) installed "the basic package of Drivers, OS, Office Suite, Antivirus, Firewall, Anti-Adware, Browser."I am only using the computer in the studio. Will that extra software create problems or does it not matter?Thanks.Nomi

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Re: Building a studio computer

Post by andreh » Thu Jul 06, 2006 10:56 pm

Nomi-If you decide to install GigaStudio, you may have to uninstall Office...Tascam warns against running Outlook and GS on the same computer (though I've done so for a short period without any problems).The other software you mention shouldn't give you any headaches. I'd keep the studio computer offline unless you need to download software updates...even with anti-everything software installed, PC's are virus magnets.Have fun with your new toy! : )Andre
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Re: Building a studio computer

Post by edteja » Fri Jul 07, 2006 1:02 am

What Andre said.... if you keep it completely offline you can get rid of adware and antivirus and the firewall. It just means the computer has more space, cycles available for music. If you do leave them on, make sure that none automatically startup when you boot the system.
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Re: Building a studio computer

Post by nomiyah » Fri Jul 07, 2006 5:01 am

Great advice. Do any of you use your studio computers for other tasks like writing, printing, etc? I was only planning to use my new computer for music, I have another computer to do all that other stuff. But I'm wondering how much adding software to the studio computer affects its performance.

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Re: Building a studio computer

Post by edteja » Fri Jul 07, 2006 5:26 am

Different programs use different system resources. Some will use up precious cycles, others will happily stay dormant. Why bother with them?--they also use disk space.What I do is use Rewriteable CDs to transfer anything that needs printing to the office computer, which is online and connected to the scanner, printer and internet. I do have a browser on my studio computer in case I need to connect it for a software update, but I have even done some updates by downloading and saving the files and then transferring & opening them on the studio computer.I'd be interested in how other folks handle this. I hate the idea of my studio machine online at all.
"In the future, when we finally get over racism, bigotry, and everyone is purple, red, and brown ... then we'll have to hate people for who they truly are."--George Carlin

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Re: Building a studio computer

Post by davewalton » Fri Jul 07, 2006 5:49 am

Quote:I'd be interested in how other folks handle this. I hate the idea of my studio machine online at all.I have a PC that's dedicated to my music but I don't have any problem with it being online at all. As a matter of fact, I'm uploading/downloading music and video files frequently for various projects and couldn't work effeciently in the least if my music computer was offline. It obviously makes it easy to always have the latest updates, etc to all programs, including security updates for Windows being online. A regular router with built-in firewall and standard virus protection has kept me clean for years. I've honestly never had a problem.I'll add that I backup to two separate sources just in case. Dave

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Re: Building a studio computer

Post by nomiyah » Fri Jul 07, 2006 5:57 am

Dave,That's a good point you make about efficiency.Nomi

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Re: Building a studio computer

Post by spariam » Fri Jul 07, 2006 1:41 pm

My music studio computer is completely offline. There may be some updates I need to do, and if it requires me to be online, that'll be the only time. I transfer files via CD-R or (mostly) a USB stick or mp3 player. And my music computer is bare-bones software wise...I don't even run Finale on my main recording machine. I do use a cheap old laptop for my internet connection (e-mail, web browsing, etc), another cheap old machine that I run Linux on, mainly for Gimp and Lilypond - and I dual-boot that machine so I can run Finale and a few other windows programs that I may or may not have on my Internet connected machine.

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Re: Building a studio computer

Post by nickbatzdorf » Sat Jul 08, 2006 7:28 am

"Different programs use different system resources. Some will use up precious cycles, others will happily stay dormant. Why bother with them?--they also use disk space."The cycles aren't precious anymore, and if hard disks get any less expensive they'll be paying you to use them. I don't believe in keeping separate computers for non-musical applications. It's a pain in the ass and it's hasn't been necessary for several years. In the worst case you could set a separate startup drive or partition (harder to do with Windows, but dual-boot partitions are still possible).I have everything on my main G5, and my entire network of several computers can go online for updates (although I don't surf the net on Windows machines because of all the diseases floating around). The way it's set up is with a Linksys router in the last port of a gigabit ethernet switcher; the DSL modem goes into the router, which is there 99% as a firewall and 1% so I can access the net on my PowerBook when I'm working in the garden.I want all my computers to behave as a single one as much as possible, and the less dividing of tasks the better as far as I'm concerned.

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Re: Building a studio computer

Post by edteja » Sat Jul 08, 2006 11:40 am

I would imagine that works well for you Nick. You have quite a head start on me in setting up your digital music universe. I haven't networked mine--it hasn't seemed as necessary at this point as some other things are. And believe it or not, my office computer can be overtaxed if too much is going on. It isn't state of the art. So I migrated some prose writing/editing (bread and butter) work to my laptop and do the rest on the office machine. Both of those can connect to the internet via DSL. And, if needed, I can connect the music computer..I just haven't wanted to. Those diseases you mentioned... they are everywhere. I know you and Dave hav been okay, and that is great. I know other people, with firewalls, with antivirus, who have been less fortunate. I've never had a problem either, but...So for the moment I keep the music machine separate, and honestly I would take more software off if it I could without trashing XP. I run into glitches--times when I need more horsepower. But as I drool over the software I'd like to add, I admit that networks start to sound good. But then a dual-core processor sounds more pressing. Meantime, other than not having the ability to use the office machine on concurrent tasks for music, keeping them apart hasn't been a problem. But a year or two from now I could be where you are in terms of seeing a real need for that. So it is cool to know how you view the situation. Give me a chance to catch up with you. I haven't even gotten my first issue of your mag yet, but I'll get there.
"In the future, when we finally get over racism, bigotry, and everyone is purple, red, and brown ... then we'll have to hate people for who they truly are."--George Carlin

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