Reworking My Large System

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There was one other STRANGE happening on the project front today. I was in the office taking measurements of the new SKB rack, which was sitting next to my old Gator rack. I got up and took a few steps toward the kitchen and I heard an electronic BEEP behind me. I turned around to see that my newest Nano PC had turned itself on, and was booting up. I had not come within 3 feet of that computer when I was in there, and certainly had not touched it. So I shut it down and went out into the garage to cut a piece of wood to use check for fit in the new rack. I was gone for 15 minutes or so, then I went back in the office and sat down in my chair, and all of a sudden... BEEP!... And that darn Nano PC booted up again all by itself. I was no where near it. It was actually starting to creep me out. I think I might have a haunted computer.[emoji1] I told my wife I hadn't put any PORN on that computer, so it shouldn't be getting "turned on" by itself.[emoji1]


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Today is delivery day. Many of the items I ordered are supposed to be delivered TODAY!

The most important piece is the Denon MC6000MK2. Is it CRAZY to be excited about getting another controller?[emoji1] Apparently I am... got the front door open so I can see when it's delivered, and I keep looking out every 2-3 minutes.[emoji1]I already own one MC6000MK2, but it was not new when I bought it. The one coming today is not exactly NEW, but nobody has owned before me. It was a store demo (for 20 days according to the description). I bought it from a vendor I've never bought anything from before, so there's a little bit of the unknown. It should come with all the original packaging, which my current MC6000MK2 did not have, but it did come in the original box.

I just finished getting the two Nano PC's set up late last night. The 2TB SSHD drive for the Video/DMX Control PC hasn't come yet, but I found one I already had and put it in. These Nano PC's seem to be some pretty good performers. I'm a little concerned about the 32gig SSD system drive... they've got less than 14 gig free space. If I had a lot more software to install, it would be tight. They're running Windows 10 Home, which is what they came with. I've been running Windows 7 on my DJ computers, but I know I'll have to upgrade by January 2020 anyway. If this works out well, I'll put the Windows 10 drive that came in my small system's AIO PC back in. Otherwise, I'll have to install Windows 7 on these Nano PC's and set them back up all over again.

I haven't tried Traktor out yet on the Nano PC. I was going to use the MC6000MK2 from my small system to set Traktor up and test it out, but since I only finished up the setup yesterday, I haven't got that far. Now I'll just wait for the new controller rather than taking something out of a working (Small) system.

Lots of other bits and pieces due today too. Pretty soon I'll be able to get started putting stuff in the racks. I've been looking at these racks and measuring and thinking about them for a week now. It's hard to believe the racks were only delivered a week ago. Somehow it feels like they've been here for months.[emoji4]


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I'm still trying to decide if I use my existing SKB molded 10U case .. or buy a new Gator 10U case. The current one is fine, though the hardware has oxidized over the years and I would need to make a new caster board for it (old casters too small .. new casters don't fit old holes). Probably $10 in additional parts.

New one would run just under $200 plus a caster board around $90 ... is it worth another $275+ for a few less scuffs and shiny clasps ... still thinking on it.
 
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steve149 said:
I'm still trying to decide if I use my existing SKB molded 10U case .. or buy a new Gator 10U case. The current one is fine, though the hardware has oxidized over the years and I would need to make a new caster board for it (old casters too small .. new casters don't fit old holes). Probably $10 in additional parts.

New one would run just under $200 plus a caster board around $90 ... is it worth another $275+ for a few less scuffs and shiny clasps ... still thinking on it.
Click to expand...

I've noticed the hardware on these SKB racks DO tend to oxidize a bit. When I got the slant top rack, I tried the keys from the rolling rack in the top latches, and they didn't work. Turns out SKB's all use the same keys, so I tried the keys again, and using a little more force, the key went in the lock and worked... just stiff from oxidation and disuse.

On my 3+ year old Gator Case rack, the hardware is chromed, so it still looks and functions like brand new. No locks on the Gator rack, and they probably would never be used if it had them. Since the SKB had them, and though they may never be used, the OCD says they have to function.[emoji1]

There are a couple of things I've noticed when comparing the two (SKB and Gator). The plastic on the SKB is thicker and sturdier... heavier too. The plastic on the Gator Case rack has warped a little; probably because this rack sits in my minivan year round, and the minivan is parked in the driveway. The warping is probably not obvious to anyone but me... again, the OCD issue.[emoji1] The other difference is the width... The SKB is wider, and the casters are much wider apart. I haven't had a problem with the Gator Case rack tipping over, but the SKB would definitely be even less likely to tip.
 
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DJ Bobcat said:
I've noticed the hardware on these SKB racks DO tend to oxidize a bit. When I got the slant top rack, I tried the keys from the rolling rack in the top latches, and they didn't work. Turns out SKB's all use the same keys, so I tried the keys again, and using a little more force, the key went in the lock and worked... just stiff from oxidation and disuse.

On my 3+ year old Gator Case rack, the hardware is chromed, so it still looks and functions like brand new. No locks on the Gator rack, and they probably would never be used if it had them. Since the SKB had them, and though they may never be used, the OCD says they have to function.[emoji1]

There are a couple of things I've noticed when comparing the two (SKB and Gator). The plastic on the SKB is thicker and sturdier... heavier too. The plastic on the Gator Case rack has warped a little; probably because this rack sits in my minivan year round, and the minivan is parked in the driveway. The warping is probably not obvious to anyone but me... again, the OCD issue.[emoji1] The other difference is the width... The SKB is wider, and the casters are much wider apart. I haven't had a problem with the Gator Case rack tipping over, but the SKB would definitely be even less likely to tip.
Click to expand...
I have a couple Gator molded cases and they are fine. I have the older SKB molded case that they no longer make (looked almost the same as the Gator). The new ones from SKB are almost $100 more than the Gator and I don't see much advantage (though they do look thicker). Maybe if I needed to stack racks, but I don't.

I like the ATA cases, but a starting point of 65 pounds, means it will end up around 80-90 .. more than my old Yamaha subs. Plus, they almost all have 2 handles per side, which means the balance will be off unless all the weight is forward (rack of amps). I prefer a center mounted handle on the sides to make it easier to lift from front or back.
 
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The new Denon MC6000MK2 (Demo) just came. Wrapped a little weird, which made me a little anxious, but it was in an original box. All the cords, documentation, and Serato CD were there, and still in the original unsealed plastic bags. The controller is in PRISTINE condition. It looks and smells brand new... not a single scuff, scratch, or even a finger print anywhere. One little OOPS... I forgot to order the rack mount kit.[emoji1] I'll get that ordered today. In the meantime, I'll hook it up to the new Nano PC and try it out. I'm happy with the way it looks. If everything works right, I'll be ecstatic![emoji4]


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DJ Bobcat said:
The new Denon MC6000MK2 (Demo) just came...
In the meantime, I'll hook it up to the new Nano PC and try it out. I'm happy with the way it looks. If everything works right, I'll be ecstatic![emoji4]
Click to expand...
Well...[emoji1]... The new controller works great. A couple of new discoveries, though. Ain't it always something?[emoji1] I installed Traktor... the same install I used on my old music PC. In the process of setting it up (I had my Small System to use as a guide), I realized I was using Traktor 2, but my Small System has Traktor 2 PRO. It has options my old system doesn't have. I never realized the difference because I wasn't using the same controller on both systems, and it has been a while since I set it up. So the new MC6000MK2 works fine, but some of the "Extended" controls are missing, so I'm going to upgrade to Traktor 2 Pro... CHA-CHING... another $100. I could just install another copy of the license I used in the Small System, which WOULD be legal. Native Instruments does permit the installation of a backup copy. I think I used the second license of Traktor 2 Pro on my Stick PC, but it can be easily uninstalled. But before all of that, I need to do some testing to make sure this new Nano PC will work playing music non-stop for several hours straight. I'll do that tomorrow when the wife is at work.[emoji4]

I ordered the rack mount kit for the Denon controller. Got it from B&H Photo... same place I bought the kit for the Small System last summer... $30 plus shipping. The SAME kit on Amazon.com is listed for $98.88. Who would pay that much for a couple of metal mounting bars and some screws?[emoji1]
 
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Gettin' nothin' done today.[emoji4] Breakfast, haircut (I'm lookin' pretty cute[emoji4]), lunch with the wife, then headed out to run the weekly errands. Not sure how I ever got ANYTHING done when I was still working?[emoji1] When I come home, I'll fire up the new Nano PC and MC6000MK2 and let my test playlist play for a few hours non-stop. Last night I played the playlist one time through and everything worked great, so I'm not expecting any problems.

I have one issue I need to resolve, though. In my old Large (rack) System, I ran two rackmount computers; one for DJing (music) and one for DMX & Video. When I say video, I'm really talking about music visualization software. The computer was set up to have an attached projector to display visualization patterns on a screen behind my booth that kept time with the music. To do that, required an audio line into the computer from my mixer. Here's the issue. These new Nano PC's have NO onboard audio, so no line in or out. The one hooked to the controller is no problem, since it uses the controller's sound card, but the DMX/Video PC doesn't do that. The other thing the DMX/Video computer did in my old system, was provide a backup for playing music. I had the audio line out going into channels 5/6 on my mixer, so if anything ever happened on my DJ computer I could be playing a playlist on the Video computer within a few seconds. So I need an audio out/in option for this new Nano PC... USB for sure, but which external sound card? Needs to be something super-simple and small.[emoji4]
 
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steve149 said:
Other end .. Can't get too much better ... https://www.amazon.com/AudioQuest-D...&sr=1-2-catcorr&keywords=audioquest+dragonfly
Click to expand...

Oooops... What a ninny I am... these Nano's have Realtek High Definition Audio built in.[emoji1] Don't know how I missed it. Got a message when trying to play an audio file (before I hooked up the controller) saying NO AUDIO DEVICE. Guess that meant no speakers were plugged into the jack, which was true.[emoji1] Think I'll try the onboard audio before buying a USB sound card.[emoji4]


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Well... I'm on the third pass through this 10 track playlist. Nary a blip![emoji4] That's great. I'll let it go for another hour and half or so, then shut it down before going to dinner. I'll have to run these tests MANY more times before I'll trust these computers (and Windows 10) enough to actually use them for an event. Fortunately, I have plenty of time... months actually.

I think I found the source of my mysterious computer self-starts.[emoji1] There's a setting in the BIOS; Wake On USB. Disabled it and no more self starts. I think the reason it was happening when I was nearby is because my movements on our wood floors caused enough movement for the mouse to move ever so slightly, waking the computer. At least that's the current hypotheses.[emoji1]... Until one of them turns itself back on again.


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DJ Bobcat said:
Well... I'm on the third pass through this 10 track playlist. Nary a blip![emoji4] That's great. I'll let it go for another hour and half or so, then shut it down before going to dinner. I'll have to run these tests MANY more times before I'll trust these computers (and Windows 10) enough to actually use them for an event. Fortunately, I have plenty of time... months actually.

I think I found the source of my mysterious computer self-starts.[emoji1] There's a setting in the BIOS; Wake On USB. Disabled it and no more self starts. I think the reason it was happening when I was nearby is because my movements on our wood floors caused enough movement for the mouse to move ever so slightly, waking the computer. At least that's the current hypotheses.[emoji1]... Until one of them turns itself back on again.


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Click to expand...
or ghosts ...
 
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DJ Bobcat said:
Well... I'm on the third pass through this 10 track playlist. Nary a blip![emoji4] That's great. I'll let it go for another hour and half or so, then shut it down before going to dinner. I'll have to run these tests MANY more times before I'll trust these computers (and Windows 10) enough to actually use them for an event. Fortunately, I have plenty of time... months actually...
Click to expand...

So... 6 plus hours running (the playlist). Computer worked great. Controller worked great. Of course the EVOX 8 works great. No glitches so for. The DJ Computer is essentially done, since this computer is ONLY for running Traktor. I haven't upgraded to Traktor 2 Pro yet, but that's no more than entering a Traktor 2 Pro serial number. So far, I'm pretty happy with the music setup.

The DMX/Video computer is a little more of a challenge, because it serves multiple functions. I need to install the DMX control software and the music visualization software on it. I also have a slideshow application and a few other tools. It's also my backup music computer, so I might install Traktor on it this time. There probably won't be enough space on the 32 gig internal SSD drive. On my old (rack-mount) computer I just played music using Windows Media Player or MusicBee through the line out (headphone) jack, which then plugged into the 5 & 6 channels of my Denon DN-410X mixer. It actually sounded pretty good. I'll try the built-in Realtek High Definition Audio, but I'll use a USB sound card if necessary. There's a very limited number of USB ports. The MyDMX dongle has to plug into it too, as well as a keyboard and mouse (or combo), leaving no spare USB ports for attaching to the controller. I can add a USB hub, but adding a lot of other hardware kinda negates the nano size of the computer. Probably no alternative though.

The rack rails to add on the back side of the slant-top rack came today. I think I'm pretty close to figuring out how to mount them and still retain the back cover. More on that in future posts.
 
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Four more items/parts arriving today. The Denon rack-mount kit arrives Monday. Only major part not ordered yet is the monitor mount (the single mounting bar on which both monitors will be mounted and stay on all the time). I should be able nail that down today, and get it ordered. Oh... and the DJ mic mount... need to make a decision on that too.[emoji1] Gotta spend some time putting a spreadsheet together to list my expenses. I think I'm pretty close to maxing out the budget.[emoji4] Guess I'm gonna go to breakfast and think about it.

Things are gonna start happening soon. I better take some BEFORE pics this weekend. Then I'll post progress pics as often as I can.
 
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DJ Bobcat said:
Four more items/parts arriving today...
Click to expand...
Everything I expected to be delivered was delivered... while I was out doing the grocery shopping.[emoji1] I think the delivery people do that deliberately... sitting in their little trucks down the street, watching my house for me to leave, then they POUNCE (deliver)![emoji1] Fortunately it was all still sitting in the chair on my porch when I returned. The main thing today is to install the 2TB FireCuda drive in the DMX/Video PC. I have a regular 2TB drive in there now, but the FireCuda (SSHD) should perform a little better. In addition to the FireCuda, I received the two 4GB memory sticks, which will allow me to upgrade both computers from 4 gig to 8GB in each. They seemed to be working just fine with 4GB, but that means they'll just be even better with 8GB. Then I have more software to install on the DMX/Video computer. All these little tasks take time. I hope the final result is worth it.[emoji4]
 
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DJ Bobcat said:
I think the delivery people do that deliberately... sitting in their little trucks down the street, watching my house for me to leave, then they POUNCE (deliver)!
Click to expand...

They may have seen enough of you in spandex ...
 
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