What’s Next?

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I have watched a number of DJ Barr's videos over the past couple of years. I believe I saw him walking around the DJ Expo with a couple other dudes last August.

I believe Barr operates in @djtaso market/area if I am not mistaken?

I watched the video. I think he was a bit harsh in critiquing some of the set ups, but again it's all his opinion.

I have to admit, I totally Dig DJ Rusty's Speaker Stands for those 10s he has mounted high. I don't know why stands like that are not mass produced and marketed to DJs. They just have a cleaner look than Tri Pods ...Maybe they are easier to tip over than a Speaker Tripod Stand? ...But presentation wise, I would absolutely use stands like that...especially for a set of 10 inch speakers...Even 12s probably look good on that style of stand.
 
Yes he's in my market... don't know him personally (way too many dj's here)... but I also have seen his gig logs... I don't think we touch the same kind of events. He seems to attract event's of all sorts, where as I'm more narrow focused.

Those stands you mention, are essentially global truss base plates, or large pipe and drape plates, with a pole and adapter for a speaker. I can't imagine those base plates being anything but really heavy to keep those speakers stable.
 
Yes he's in my market... don't know him personally (way too many dj's here)... but I also have seen his gig logs... I don't think we touch the same kind of events. He seems to attract event's of all sorts, where as I'm more narrow focused.

Those stands you mention, are essentially global truss base plates, or large pipe and drape plates, with a pole and adapter for a speaker. I can't imagine those base plates being anything but really heavy to keep those speakers stable.

He recently started working for POSH djs...seems to be doing more high end stuff...but he definitely used to do some weird baby showers and stuff...lol

cc
 
I agree... It can be gussied up to look nice enough for most events. I’m just not sure it’s what’s next. I think that industrial look is more past than future... not just my opinion. I’m hearing/reading that in a lot of places. I like the industrial look, personally. I’m not a big fan of the scrims though either.[emoji4]
I don't disagree .. though there is still time to recover the costs for the few events it might be ideal for ..
 
Will I use Dell All-In-One computers with my What’s Next system? That’s undecided, but the Dell Optiplex 3030 AIO looks pretty good. It looks like it’s about the right size. It’s 19”x13”. For comparison, the MacBook Pro 15 is 13.75”x9.48”. It’s considerably smaller and lighter than my 7440’s.

I got a great deal on this thing. While I need to add some RAM and put in a different hard drive, the computer appears to be in PERFECT condition... no scratches, no dead pixels... it looks like brand new. Runs great too, albeit on Windows 7 Pro. I rather like Windows 7 Pro, but I’ve already upgraded all my other DJ computers to Windows 10 Pro, so I’ll do the same with this one. Having an old OS is certainly not what’s next.[emoji1]

Once I get the computer upgraded, I’m going to try it out using my Pioneer DDJ-T1. The T1 is very close to the same size a the Denon MC7000 I’m thinking about purchasing. Right now I don’t need the dual USB’s (the MC7000 has ‘em), but when I have a What’s Next system, it will have two computers and a controller with dual USB’s. I’ll use my Allen & Heath ZED 10FX as a stand-in for whatever secondary mixer I end up using. Having at least an 8 channel secondary mixer with built-in Bluetooth is also something I want to have in my What’s Next system.
 
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Hehe...it will definitely look fly to people who still use the term fly... 😁

Yea .. better than boss or cool, though ...

that's neato ..

FAR OUT![emoji1]

EXCELLENT!!!

DUDE!!!!!
SWEET!!!!!!!!

^^^^ If this is WHAT'S NEXT, maybe I need to get out of the DJ business!!!:laugh:

SOOOoooo... Anyway, I made a to-scale mock-up of what two Dell Optiplex 3030's would look like on Taso's podium setup...

1540482976855.png

... It's just to get an idea of how big they would look as opposed to dual 15" laptops. Not too bad, huh?:djsmug:
 
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SOOOoooo... Anyway, I made a to-scale mock-up of what two Dell Optiplex 3030's would look like on Taso's podium setup...


1540482976855-png.35458



... It's just to get an idea of how big they would look as opposed to dual 15" laptops. Not too bad, huh?:djsmug:
That actually doesn't look bad.... the laptops give the audience a better view of what is going on between the screens, but that would work.
 
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IMNSHO, tooo big .. but that's me ...
 
IMNSHO, tooo big .. but that's me ...

Perhaps they look a little large on Taso’s podium, but my podium concept is 4 feet wide, and has a large cabinet underneath, in which I would transport my EVOX8’s. So this is what mine might look like...
a46ec5fe7cf789e221492f3cf1ac70ec.jpg

... I painted the Dells white; not in real life, but in the concept. Painting the rear panel would be easy, because it comes off all in one piece and has nothing attached to it... it’s just a big piece of molded plastic. In my concept, though, I envision a large (one piece) lid/panel on which both computers would be mounted, so it would not look exactly like the pic above.[emoji4]
 
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Perhaps they look a little large on Taso’s podium, but my podium concept is 4 feet wide, and has a large cabinet underneath, in which I would transport my EVOX8’s. So this is what mine might look like...
a46ec5fe7cf789e221492f3cf1ac70ec.jpg

... I painted the Dells white; not in real life, but in the concept. Painting the rear panel would be easy, because it comes off all in one piece and has nothing attached to it... it’s just a big piece of molded plastic. In my concept, though, I envision a large (one piece) lid/panel on which both computers would be mounted, so it would not look exactly like the pic above.[emoji4]
OK, less obtrusive in white ...
 
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Well... back to this thread. I got the memory (2x4GB) for the Dell Optiplex 3030 yesterday and got it installed. No problem, really. Dell does a good of engineering the inside of their All-In-One (AIO) computers to make upgrades and repairs as simple as possible, but the clip-on plastic rear covers are a PITA... Why not 4 screws instead of the plastic clips that are far too easy to break??? I didn’t break any, but it always feels like (and sounds like) they’re breaking.

Now, there’s not a thing wrong with this computer. It’s a decent size; quiet, performs well, but... I’m having second thoughts about using dual AIO computers. The displays are larger than laptops, which is good, but they’re also heavier, which is not good. This 3030 is basically a big oversized tablet without touch screen capability. I have an even larger Optiplex 7440 with touchscreen capability, and with Windows 10, it can be configured to run as a tablet, but it’s very large. Thing is; I’ve discovered (by using my Surface Pro tablet) that DJing with a touch-screen is not nearly as easy as using a controller, mouse, and keyboard.

I’m beginning to think that the Nano PC’s (similar to those I installed in my Large System) are a better choice than the AIO computers. I’m looking at how Nano computers have evolved, and found there are many more options than when I bought mine, and some are available with i7 quad core processors, so lots more power than mine. The ones I use are fine, but nowhere near i7 power/performance.

68be25ceedb0ab56103d9d793c70d00a.jpg

In my Large System, mounting two Nano PC’s meant that size was a major consideration. But in a What’s Next system, I can determine the dimensions (not restricted by 19”, xU rack spaces), so I can allocate enough space that I’m not limited to Nano computers of any particular size. If I use Nano computers in my next system, I will design it to have more flexibility to change out the computers.

The nice thing about using Nano computers is you’re not locked into any particular display size. Pretty much any monitor of any size will work. My current Nano’s support dual 4K monitors, though I’m not using 4K monitors currently. As those really wide curved monitors come down in price, though, that might be the way to go (instead of dual monitors). Only problem with a single wide-screen monitor shared by two computers is if the monitor fails, you can’t use either computer.

Storage... this is another thing I think about. Having matching big disk drives in both Nano computers like I have in my Large System is a waste. Keeping drives in sync is time consuming, and it’s not really necessary. I have Ethernet switches inside both my Small and Large systems in order to network the primary and backup computers (for sharing the mouse & keyboard and file sharing). It would be pretty simple to place another Nano computer in there setup as a NAS, with a single copy of music that both computers could share. All I’d need to connect it would be power and short Ethernet cable. I could even carry a backup NAS. In my What’s Next system, a shared NAS is probably the way to go... at least that’s what I’m thinkin’ right now. Comments?
 
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There's too many points of failure to have a hot standby for everything. Keep backups close and something to fill the time needed to change a part out is about the best you can do without running 2 full systems simultaneously.

This is true.
I am certainly not gonna bring ALL of my backup gear into the hall.
There is no room under my table to hide it all!
:cheers: