HD Speed--5400 or 7200 rpm?

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TwinSpinDJ

TwinSpinDJ

Up-lighting
ODJT Supporter
Jan 21, 2010
2,847
2,231
West Melbourne, Florida 32904
www.twinspindj.com
Since I am going to be buying a laptop for solely DJ use, I want to be sure to have the best possible speed and processor for DJ software. :triconfused:

What is the difference between these two speeds when using DJ software? Advantages? Disadvantages?

I intend to access External HD primarily since it will hold nearly all of my music.
 
The difference is 1800RPMs, lol. I kid I kid. Most laptops have a 5400 (sometimes 4200) RPM drive. I notice the difference in responsiveness right away even with similar memory and processor specs. If you can afford it AND the manu offers it go with the 7200 RPM drive. I wouldn't upgrade to a 7200RPM drive on my own due to possible heat issues. If the manu offers it as an upgrade you know it's engineered to deal with the increased heat.
 
TwinSpinDJ said:
Since I am going to be buying a laptop for solely DJ use, I want to be sure to have the best possible speed and processor for DJ software. :triconfused:

What is the difference between these two speeds when using DJ software? Advantages? Disadvantages?

I intend to access External HD primarily since it will hold nearly all of my music.
Click to expand...


Very little difference, if you're keeping your music on an external -- with some caveats...



The only reason it might cause slowdowns, is if you are low on memory, and Windows is paging back and forth to the drive. For example: you have a large library database in your software, and are low on usable RAM -- Windows pages back and forth to its page file on disk.

Another example: your software loads entire song files into memory, and creates multiple buffers for looping, scratching, etc. Same problem -- memory gets swapped out to disk.


When in doubt, go with the faster drive, because other processes in Windows may already be paging memory. Also, keep your drive defragged regularly. The page file is memory mapped, but when it has to grow, it gets slow on a fragged drive. I run Diskeeper on all my machines, and it doesn't allow them to get fragged :)
 
jokerswild said:
Let's say the documentatoin of your new computer is criptic at best... how can one find out what rpm their hhd is?
Click to expand...

Check their website for specs.

I usually buy from NewEgg, and about 90% of the time (made up statistic, but close IMHO), they list it. Then I check the manu website for specs, then I read 789 reviews. Some of those reviews are by people who know what they're doing, and look at the stuff :)

When in doubt, yank the drive, and read the label ;)
 
SoftJock Rick said:
Check their website for specs.

I usually buy from NewEgg, and about 90% of the time (made up statistic, but close IMHO), they list it. Then I check the manu website for specs, then I read 789 reviews. Some of those reviews are by people who know what they're doing, and look at the stuff :)

When in doubt, yank the drive, and read the label ;)
Click to expand...

Well I probably wont have to yank it because next week when my memory upgrade comes I'll have the back off and probably can just look at it... my bet is 5400 though...
 
jokerswild said:
Well I probably wont have to yank it because next week when my memory upgrade comes I'll have the back off and probably can just look at it... my bet is 5400 though...
Click to expand...

It's no big deal to yank a drive out -- takes all of 15 seconds :)
 
Dan and Rick thanks for the detailed response and education. The lap that I now have (HP ZD8000 Pavilion) is 7200 rpm. I was looking last month and late December at laps that were on sale and I couldn't find any on display that claimed 7200 rpm. Most were 5400 or the speed wasn't listed on the detail sheet.

Rick, so how much RAM would you recommend so that I don't run into the "slowdown?" I will have my song database on the same computer in mirror; song/artist. Makes it easy to find song when I'm in a hurry because someone just made a request and they were not sure of the Artist or Song Title.

Thanks, also, Precision.

Hey fellas, let me pass along a compliment to you for I have told others about our professional (sometimes "wild") group of associates here at ODJT. I'm sure they are now "lurking" about and are very interested in the digital/computer issues and Uplighting discussions that have occured recently.

Anyway, that was a long-winded statement for "you guys give help when asked." :)
 
TwinSpinDJ said:
Dan and Rick thanks for the detailed response and education. The lap that I now have (HP ZD8000 Pavilion) is 7200 rpm. I was looking last month and late December at laps that were on sale and I couldn't find any on display that claimed 7200 rpm. Most were 5400 or the speed wasn't listed on the detail sheet.

Rick, so how much RAM would you recommend so that I don't run into the "slowdown?" I will have my song database on the same computer in mirror; song/artist. Makes it easy to find song when I'm in a hurry because someone just made a request and they were not sure of the Artist or Song Title.

Thanks, also, Precision.

Hey fellas, let me pass along a compliment to you for I have told others about our professional (sometimes "wild") group of associates here at ODJT. I'm sure they are now "lurking" about and are very interested in the digital/computer issues and Uplighting discussions that have occured recently.

Anyway, that was a long-winded statement for "you guys give help when asked." :)
Click to expand...

All my machines have 4 GB or better. I use all 64 bit OS's.

There's no reason to use a 32 bit OS anymore -- their time is past.


Entry level, is now 4 GB.
 
I'll 2nd Dan and Rick's suggestions. I just upgraded my laptop from 5400 to 7200. Same machine, same ram, there was a big difference in how the two reacted. I also noticed that the 7200 cured a problem I'd been having with video files. Most times, when I used a video track, there would be a delay of several seconds after the track was done. Now, there's no delay and it pops right to the next track. Take that for whatever it's worth.
 
Hey guys, I need to apologize for making an unqualified statement...until now. My laptop is 5400 rpm! :yosurrender:

I went back and looked at spec sheet...duhh! But, I DO intend to get the new lap with 7200 rpm HD and "4 GB [RAM] or better. I use all 64 bit OS's...." as Rick stated.

Gee...I must have been doing some of that "wishfull" thinking when I started this thread. :trirolleyes: Thanks all for clarification.
 
either stay with a 5400 rpm HDD or buy a solid state drive and be done with the issue

or its a heat issue you will have to deal with till they fix it
 
TwinSpinDJ said:
Since I am going to be buying a laptop for solely DJ use, I want to be sure to have the best possible speed and processor for DJ software. :triconfused:

What is the difference between these two speeds when using DJ software? Advantages? Disadvantages?

I intend to access External HD primarily since it will hold nearly all of my music.
Click to expand...

Hey Art how you been? Can you post a link to the external you want? If it is an External hard drive what connections does it comes with? Firewire or USB? Also you only want it for Audio only or Video too?
 
Hey, Freddy...compadre! Thanks for input. I have a 1TB w/power supply and USB for now. For Christmas received a Seagate Expansion 1TB (external) that runs only off of USB.

I'll give you a call this week as I have a few questions about "stored" music on external HD and being able to access it from Laptop DJ software program. Yesterday I found out that I really screwed myself, without knowing it.

A week earlier I copied the "My Music" folder on my laptop to the External Seagate, referenced above. I named it My Music (dupe) and date. Went back into My Music on the laptop and deleted some music, deleted a few folders not needed, created a few new folders. I then rearranged music files within new and old folders.

Yesterday, I felt like listening to music on the laptop via OTSAV (dj software). I selected a song from OTS to play. Needless-to-say, it wouldn't play. Strange. I tried a couple other songs, they didn't play either. WTF? Trying to discover why the track wouldn't play I learned that the "path" of the song in My Music was different than the song in OTS. Crap!

To make a long story shorter, I tried re-copying the My Music (dupe) back to My Music on the Laptop...not a good idea! During the transfer (copy) process the file I was sending back to My Music on laptop got corrupted, somehow...only part of the data got copied back. Also, I learned that it created another "My Music" file in My Music on Laptop. So, I spent most of the day deleting duplicates and putting tracks appropriate folders in My Music Laptop.
Finally, I did a major update from within OTS program that checked all the files on "Laptop's My Music folder" so that the "path" would be correct, like it used to be before "the Idiot" (me!) screwed it up. It only took from 8:45 pm, yesterday, till sometime early morning 4:00 am, today. Scanned nearly 19,000 items; found 9045 that were unavailable. I then did a "re-link" and narrowed it down to ONLY 724 "unavailable" due to deletions, title changes, etc. I now have to go through this list one-by-one and determine if it is a song that needs to be recopied to "My Music" and then imported into OTS.

Lesson Learned: Don't try something like this unless you FIRST discuss it WITH THOSE WHO KNOW.

Interesting to note, there were 1500 songs in the Laptop's "My Music" folder that are now linked to the External MyBook 1TB HD that were'nt there before. Why? Because I didn't feel the need to copy them previously to the external HD.

So...I now need to know the best way to access music from within OTSAV? Do I somehow change the "path" from the laptop "My Music" to the new external Seagate Expansion HD? If so, then can I delete the current laptop "My Music" files? I really could use the 54gb of space on my laptop. But then, I'm screwed again because of having to "scan" the new location of where My Music is stored.
Suggestions?
 
Just a note Art...

You should never store your tracks under My Music. It's a virtual folder in Windows, tied to your user account. It doesn't really exist -- it's actually linked to a folder with a really strange looking numerical sequence, similar to a GUID.

Create a root folder on your drives called MP3 or something (that's what I call mine, because it keeps the paths shorter). Move all your music under that folder. Then, whenever you get a new drive, do the same exact thing, which makes it super easy to sync drives, and keep everything updated.

If you use a Windows virtual folder, and your user account gets hosed -- bye, bye music... ;)
 
LOL......yikes I know the feeling.

Call me later in the evening if you want to. I try always when buying an External that has a Firewire port

Notice the ports on this External. It comes with different ports which I love. I usually buy the external with a Firewire port and 7200 RPM when available.

USB 2.0 / IEEE 1394a / eSATA

Hard Drive
 
SoftJock Rick said:
Just a note Art...

You should never store your tracks under My Music. It's a virtual folder in Windows, tied to your user account. It doesn't really exist -- it's actually linked to a folder with a really strange looking numerical sequence, similar to a GUID.

Create a root folder on your drives called MP3 or something (that's what I call mine, because it keeps the paths shorter). Move all your music under that folder. Then, whenever you get a new drive, do the same exact thing, which makes it super easy to sync drives, and keep everything updated.

If you use a Windows virtual folder, and your user account gets hosed -- bye, bye music... ;)
Click to expand...

Excellent advice Rick........ I have mine in Drive letter F and all folders are stored there. On my external all I have is music and Videos only and all other files I have get placed on my backup drive.
 
SoftJock Rick said:
Just a note Art...

You should never store your tracks under My Music. It's a virtual folder in Windows, tied to your user account. It doesn't really exist -- it's actually linked to a folder with a really strange looking numerical sequence, similar to a GUID.

Create a root folder on your drives called MP3 or something (that's what I call mine, because it keeps the paths shorter). Move all your music under that folder. Then, whenever you get a new drive, do the same exact thing, which makes it super easy to sync drives, and keep everything updated.
If you use a Windows virtual folder, and your user account gets hosed -- bye, bye music... ;)
Click to expand...

Rick--:triconfused: The following is the path as shown on the External HD in OTSAV: C:\Documents and Settings\HP\My Documents\My Music\Various Artists\T732\06 Love Song.mp3
What would then become the path as you prescribed above. I will use "MP3" folder label when I create the new folder?

Since I will not be moving songs from different folders, only changing the path of where the contents of "My Music" is stored, it may not take as long as before?

Here's the Option from within OTSAV that I will do to re-link all music to MP3 file: I hope it won't take as long as last evenings scan and re-linking.

Freddy, I'll give you a call later this evening.

Thanks, guys.
 
TwinSpinDJ said:
Rick--:triconfused: The following is the path as shown on the External HD in OTSAV: C:\Documents and Settings\HP\My Documents\My Music\Various Artists\T732\06 Love Song.mp3
Click to expand...

From the path above tells me that you are not using the external drive you have your music stored in the hard drive that comes with your laptop. (internal Drive). What Rick is stating is to create a new folder MP3 and store all your music there.

On the root of the C: Drive create a folder named MP3 and copy all your music to there.

So your new location will be .

C:\MP3\Various Artists\T732\06 Love Song.mp3


Now if you do this keep in mind that the DJ program will look to the old path so you have to browse to the new location that you create.
 
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