Many great ideas have been shared in another thread regarding media storage, operating systems, and equipment performance. I'd like to weigh in on this subject in its own separate thread and share hardware and software techniques along with the reasoning behind each decision.
First and foremost is what form of media (audio, video, karaoke) is being used in the performance as each form has completely different operational concerns. For example, an audio library (even lossless) take much less space than the others, with hard drive spindle speed rates and latency being minimally impactful to playback. With a 2tb internal hard drive, even the largest of mp3 / FLAC libraries can store a well manicured collection, thus eliminating the need for externals except for peace of mind.
Karaoke libraries can be quite large, especially if not properly managed in reducing duplications. Even so, a 2tb internal hard drive with an auxiliary large usb 3.0 external hard drive works well as spindle speed and latency factors are again of minimal concern.
Video libraries are a completely different animal from the other two. This is my performance media choice with a current library of 30,000+ .mp4 video files, each file being 150mb or more in size.
From this point forward, all the techniques to be discussed will deal with storage and performance issues and how to achieve a level of the highest capacity, lowest latency, and catastrophic failure damage control.
Factor 1: The laptop choice.
Regardless of the brand choice, it should have the fastest internal processor, the fastest bus speed rate, the largest sized SSD for the laptop market, and the RAM maxed out to the laptop's capacity. For video DJs, twin video cards are great; one for the laptop screen, the second for the HDMI output to the second monitor. Try to find a model that the video card doesn't use shared RAM resources. It may affect the quality of the second monitor's viewing; e.g. slight stuttering, lack of sharp clarity, etc.
Here's the first divergence from the norm. The laptop choice should have docking station capabilities. A docking station is a plug and play for laptops. A docking station accommodates multiple external devices, including power, remaining connected and semi-permanent. This completely eliminates the wear and tear on laptop ports, jacks, Bluetooth adapters, and Cat5/6 LAN connections.
First, here's the docking connection jack on the bottom of the Dell Latitude laptops:
The second part is the docking station itself, which, in many cases, has more inputs than a stand-alone laptop.
Including a 130 watt power supply, the docking station costs... wait for it... $30.00! I have three, one for each Dell Latitude I use. The docking station is semi-permanently mounted on the gig rig/mixing console/podium, everything is attached to it and all that is needed is to snap the laptop into the docking station jack.
Factor 2: Failure Damage Control
Having three identical laptops, if the OS (currently using Win 10 Pro 64bit) I update one C drive, then clone the other two. No need to go through the arduous Window update procedure on all three, doing one at a time.
Now that all three laptops are identical, and all desired externals are connected to the common docking station, if one laptop fails, remove it from the dock, snap the second laptop in and within seconds, you are back in business.
Factor 3: Media Storage Options
It's a fact that all internal devices run at a much higher rate of bits per second than externals. Therefore, if one wants to ensure the faster transfer rate with the absolute lowest latency, all media should ideally be internal.
That being said, maximizing the laptop's internal hard drive with the largest available Solid State hard drive. Most laptops have 7mm hard drive thickness restriction, and currently SSD's at 7mm hold 4tb and cost around $400.00+.
Typical laptop drives are 5400 rpm spindle speed, although some may be 7200 rpm. SSD transfer rates are lightning quick with almost no latency whatsoever. SSDs are Indy 500, all other styles are go-carts.
Factor 4: Adding More Internal Drives
Most laptops have a CD\DVD optical drive. How often is it used on site? If not frequently, or at all, consider replacing it with a hard drive caddy. One can now install another INTERNAL hard drive (another SSD), double internal capacity, and at internal bus speed transfer rates. Again, no delays, no sleep states, no spin down/awake modes, virtually no delays or latency.
If a CD/DVD device is wanted on rare occasions, purchase a portable USB CD/DVD device (cost is less than $30.00) and attach it to the dock station.
Factor 5: Updating The Constantly Growing Media Collection
Having a monster office desktop computer (8 core @ 4gHz w/24gb RAM), all media files are brought into the desktop machine, files are renamed in accordance with my file naming protocol preferences, existing tags are stripped, then the files are tagged again with my personal tag naming protocol preferences, added to the database, and now those files need to get to the laptops.
Having a file comparison program is essential. It's a program that compares your master data collection with and external hard drive with the identical collection on it. The program compares the master against the backup, deletes/adds files according to comparison and now the master data file and the external backup files are identical. Simply connect the external backup to the laptop and run the file comparison program in reverse. Badda bing badda boom. Master media collection, backup external media collection, and all the laptop's media collection are identical.
I sincerely hope this helps fellow ODJT members if the should take a deeper look into their current processes and procedures.
Be well. Stay safe. Live long and prosper.
First and foremost is what form of media (audio, video, karaoke) is being used in the performance as each form has completely different operational concerns. For example, an audio library (even lossless) take much less space than the others, with hard drive spindle speed rates and latency being minimally impactful to playback. With a 2tb internal hard drive, even the largest of mp3 / FLAC libraries can store a well manicured collection, thus eliminating the need for externals except for peace of mind.
Karaoke libraries can be quite large, especially if not properly managed in reducing duplications. Even so, a 2tb internal hard drive with an auxiliary large usb 3.0 external hard drive works well as spindle speed and latency factors are again of minimal concern.
Video libraries are a completely different animal from the other two. This is my performance media choice with a current library of 30,000+ .mp4 video files, each file being 150mb or more in size.
From this point forward, all the techniques to be discussed will deal with storage and performance issues and how to achieve a level of the highest capacity, lowest latency, and catastrophic failure damage control.
Factor 1: The laptop choice.
Regardless of the brand choice, it should have the fastest internal processor, the fastest bus speed rate, the largest sized SSD for the laptop market, and the RAM maxed out to the laptop's capacity. For video DJs, twin video cards are great; one for the laptop screen, the second for the HDMI output to the second monitor. Try to find a model that the video card doesn't use shared RAM resources. It may affect the quality of the second monitor's viewing; e.g. slight stuttering, lack of sharp clarity, etc.
Here's the first divergence from the norm. The laptop choice should have docking station capabilities. A docking station is a plug and play for laptops. A docking station accommodates multiple external devices, including power, remaining connected and semi-permanent. This completely eliminates the wear and tear on laptop ports, jacks, Bluetooth adapters, and Cat5/6 LAN connections.
First, here's the docking connection jack on the bottom of the Dell Latitude laptops:
The second part is the docking station itself, which, in many cases, has more inputs than a stand-alone laptop.
Including a 130 watt power supply, the docking station costs... wait for it... $30.00! I have three, one for each Dell Latitude I use. The docking station is semi-permanently mounted on the gig rig/mixing console/podium, everything is attached to it and all that is needed is to snap the laptop into the docking station jack.
Factor 2: Failure Damage Control
Having three identical laptops, if the OS (currently using Win 10 Pro 64bit) I update one C drive, then clone the other two. No need to go through the arduous Window update procedure on all three, doing one at a time.
Now that all three laptops are identical, and all desired externals are connected to the common docking station, if one laptop fails, remove it from the dock, snap the second laptop in and within seconds, you are back in business.
Factor 3: Media Storage Options
It's a fact that all internal devices run at a much higher rate of bits per second than externals. Therefore, if one wants to ensure the faster transfer rate with the absolute lowest latency, all media should ideally be internal.
That being said, maximizing the laptop's internal hard drive with the largest available Solid State hard drive. Most laptops have 7mm hard drive thickness restriction, and currently SSD's at 7mm hold 4tb and cost around $400.00+.
Typical laptop drives are 5400 rpm spindle speed, although some may be 7200 rpm. SSD transfer rates are lightning quick with almost no latency whatsoever. SSDs are Indy 500, all other styles are go-carts.
Factor 4: Adding More Internal Drives
Most laptops have a CD\DVD optical drive. How often is it used on site? If not frequently, or at all, consider replacing it with a hard drive caddy. One can now install another INTERNAL hard drive (another SSD), double internal capacity, and at internal bus speed transfer rates. Again, no delays, no sleep states, no spin down/awake modes, virtually no delays or latency.
If a CD/DVD device is wanted on rare occasions, purchase a portable USB CD/DVD device (cost is less than $30.00) and attach it to the dock station.
Factor 5: Updating The Constantly Growing Media Collection
Having a monster office desktop computer (8 core @ 4gHz w/24gb RAM), all media files are brought into the desktop machine, files are renamed in accordance with my file naming protocol preferences, existing tags are stripped, then the files are tagged again with my personal tag naming protocol preferences, added to the database, and now those files need to get to the laptops.
Having a file comparison program is essential. It's a program that compares your master data collection with and external hard drive with the identical collection on it. The program compares the master against the backup, deletes/adds files according to comparison and now the master data file and the external backup files are identical. Simply connect the external backup to the laptop and run the file comparison program in reverse. Badda bing badda boom. Master media collection, backup external media collection, and all the laptop's media collection are identical.
I sincerely hope this helps fellow ODJT members if the should take a deeper look into their current processes and procedures.
Be well. Stay safe. Live long and prosper.