So as some of you may know I've had some issues with Vista and I was going to get another laptop with XP on it. Well, the last couple of days I've been practicing, I have my stuff set up at home and I'm working on cross fading and trying different song combinations, practicing my singing etc. I noticed that when I shut off the internet connection on the laptop and it wasn't looking for a signal or maintaining a connection etc. that the crackle went away. Also, at the same time using the Behringer instead of the internal sound I don't seem to be having problems anymore. I'm going to do some more testing and report back. I don't know if any of you are having any Vista problems, but if this can help someone else, then great.
A report on Vista and DJing
- Thread starter The Wizard Of OZ
- Start date
Also make sure that there aren't any windows updates in que waiting to be downloaded....your computer (as I was told) may be looking for updates or to install them if it's not turned off.
First rule of computer DJ'n Turn off the friggin radio (wireless or wired internet) go as far as disabling your wireless and wired network cards while gigging and only get updates for your hardware and software via another computer using a pen drive. If you have a stable setup you do not need to keep updating all the time. Turn off antivirus it slows your machine down Turn off autoupdates for Windows. Avoid getting files from an unknown source. If your setup is running well why get updates unless it adds features that you must have. This is very important remember where your hardware plugs in it saves the headache of the OS looking for drivers each time you change ports. Keep your music on a external drive (and if you can afford it make a backup -hard drives are so cheap now ) Keep a copy of your DJ software and presets on a pendrive so if your main gigging machine craps out you have a way to install your software on a different system. Buy as much ram as you os supports buying more is a waste of cash you can use for music Be flexible do not close your mind to only one software solution one day you may have to gig on someone else's computer.
And by the way always have fun...
And by the way always have fun...
Well, for the most part things seem to be working ok now. Using the Behringer sound card instead of the internal sound seems to have made a big difference and turning off EVERYTHING as far as background processes seems to have helped along with disabling the network card. Time will tell . . .
EXACTLY what I had to do with my Dell. I actually ended up taking it to someone to "wipe it clean" for me....no more issues. No more internet, slideshow production, word processing...ANYTHING. Only a gig lappy now.
Best advice is to keep your laptop isolated and used for DJ'ing only.
Never had an issue with my Compaq/HP laptops on XP and now working on Vista.
-DJ Joe
Never had an issue with my Compaq/HP laptops on XP and now working on Vista.
-DJ Joe
Regarding Vista---there was a story out yesterday that Dell is now offering XP on new PC's for an additional $50.
Seems computer sales are in the gutter. Dell hopes to stimulate sales by offering XP.
Vista has been a terrible failure for Microsoft. One wonders if it (the failure) was intentional to help stimulate Apple sales. (OMicrosoft has a major investment in Apple)
Seems computer sales are in the gutter. Dell hopes to stimulate sales by offering XP.
Vista has been a terrible failure for Microsoft. One wonders if it (the failure) was intentional to help stimulate Apple sales. (OMicrosoft has a major investment in Apple)
I always turn off my radio transmitter if I am not in a wi-fi zone, on my old system it made all the difference between stuttering audio and a problem free show.
With vista and my well built sony laptop no issues whether wireless is on/off (knock on wood).
Side Note: If you're a power user and know what your doing then using your lappy for other things is okay, if not, be wary!
Things to put on a gig laptop that goes on the net:
Audio Grabber
SpyBot
Firefox
(DJ program of choice)
(linear audio editor of your choice)
(My PC contains other essentials [to me] like quickbooks, adobe suite, roxio, java sdk, and other programming materials) I know what I am doing, but am saying just use sparingly. Always have a backup system available in the event if necessary.
With vista and my well built sony laptop no issues whether wireless is on/off (knock on wood).
Side Note: If you're a power user and know what your doing then using your lappy for other things is okay, if not, be wary!
Things to put on a gig laptop that goes on the net:
Audio Grabber
SpyBot
Firefox
(DJ program of choice)
(linear audio editor of your choice)
(My PC contains other essentials [to me] like quickbooks, adobe suite, roxio, java sdk, and other programming materials) I know what I am doing, but am saying just use sparingly. Always have a backup system available in the event if necessary.
I honestly don't know where people get that idea from... :sqconfused:
Vista has been a great success for MS. I think people read too many blogs, and horror stories from folks who have no clue how to work a Windows computer (or just have an agenda)...
The horror stories were just as bad, if not worse for XP -- albeit, there were not as many computer illiterate folks on the net when it came out. One soured user, can make lots of noise on the internet, and make something good look bad. Also, one soured user can do the same, and make something bad look good -- Obama comes to mind
Make sure you delete the sidebar...it`s un-nessisary for a DJìng laptop and its uses more ram than youd think!, An IT guy told me to do this and no joke I think my laptop is almost a quarter faster
I am still upset with the bluetooth support in Vista, my bluetooth dongle refuses to work. None of the bluetooth dongles seem to natively support vista ironically.
As long as you have a version 2 bluetooth device it works in Vista, I bought a cheepie Version 2 dongle for $18 plugged it into my laptp and desktop and it worked without having to search for drivers, windows had it built in.
What i have found is that if you have new hardware Vista is the best OS MS ever made It's stable, fairly secure and does not let you make bad desisions quickly (like installing a trojan) I like the fact it askes you before you do something that may infect or change the OS and with newer hardware looking for drivers is much easier.
I honestly don't know where people get that idea from... :sqconfused:
Vista has been a great success for MS. I think people read too many blogs, and horror stories from folks who have no clue how to work a Windows computer (or just have an agenda)...
The horror stories were just as bad, if not worse for XP -- albeit, there were not as many computer illiterate folks on the net when it came out. One soured user, can make lots of noise on the internet, and make something good look bad. Also, one soured user can do the same, and make something bad look good -- Obama comes to mind
Show me the sales numbers, Rick... I haven't seen ONE article anywhere, including an article I read in the WSJ that indicates that Vista is anything but a HUGE disappointment for MS.
I understand that you like it, and that is fine, but I haven't read even one good report about Vista sales.... not one, and I search this stuff out and read many business magaines and newspapers.
Has nothing to do with whether I, or the WSJ like it Son (or how many migraines you get or read)...
With close to 200 million copies sold, it's kind of hard to argue with figures...
I believe dividends were up quite a bit as well -- but I'm not really into that crap -- you can look it up if yer vested.
The only people slamming Vista -- are those who shouldn't be using a computer (or should get a Mac)...