Who is using a desktop for live performance?

[djsynchro]

My laptop screen went floppy (DO NOT BUY AN HP THEY SUCK they recalled a bundle of them with crappy hinges)

I am cringing at the thought of a new laptop that I'll only use for performing, then I thought, wow my internet computer is plenty fast, it's not the main machine why not bring that, bigger screen as well.

This is not some DJ gig where I need to be compact, there will be a shit-load of things to carry, it's for band gigs. So why not a desktop? I could build 2 and have a spare with me or run them in sync, you know redundancy, one goes down the other comes in after a 2nd what they do for live TV shows.

(i'm liking the idea. Anybody doing this (think Sasha was on an iMac)


Oh... and when the budget would allow for something a bit more extensive... a quad core for playing live would be much better than a duo core of course... another thought.

[nbinder]

I was thinking about taking my mini with me too (without a display, just VNC), not as a fallback option but to add more power (two instances of live both playing n tracks is too much for my mbp).

However I'm still in the process of decision (minimize the setup vs. have all the possibilities), so I'm interested in any experiences on that topic as well.

[davepermen]

I see both depeche mode and deadmau5 having a desktop on stage. for djing, i wouldn't. for concerts, live gigs, or so, why not? if the amount of equipment is big anyways, you can take a desktop with you. more power, possibly bigger screen, etc..

if i would go on tour, i would even take a small (most likely netbook based) home server with me, doing the backups and all, so i could, in the worst case, restore all my stuff to new systems.


but don't bash hp, btw. i use stuff from them since years for live performance/djing, they deliver great stuff. granted, i only buy their business elitebooks. not some consumer crap.

[vicz]

iMac - perfect!

[Josh D]

I'm going to be carting a Mac Pro back and forth to my new rehearsal room starting this weekend. Ugh. Maybe it'll look sexy on stage.

[SubFunk]

you guys are crazy, already a laptop is annoying... well i guess i am getting old.

unless you have a dude lugging the stuff around for ya' and setting it all up.

[Bleep Blop Ima Robot]

I would take a desktop up there for a live performance, why not go balls out if your already going to have a ton of stuff up there.

[the0verclock]

maybe it's not exactly a desktop, but i've got a rackmount XP machine that I've used for many gigs. at the studio i access it via a ethernet cable connected to my macbook. at gigs i run it headless (no monitor) but have the macbook nearby in case it doesn't start up in the right state. never had to hook it up at a gig though, worked everytime so far.

- b

[darkcatt]

Asus G512 is a desktop in a laptops body. I just bought one and I love it

[3phase]

maybe it's not exactly a desktop, but i've got a rackmount XP machine that I've used for many gigs. at the studio i access it via a ethernet cable connected to my macbook. at gigs i run it headless (no monitor) but have the macbook nearby in case it doesn't start up in the right state. never had to hook it up at a gig though, worked everytime so far.

- b

thats a desktop..


main fetaure of laptops is that they are battery powered...
of cause you can use a dektop at least you dont look like writing emails with a real oldscool 21" valve monitor on stage..

but good power conditioning is essential than.. best is you do it with 2 desktops, if one crahes the other should still work because its not likely that fluctuations in the power line strikes on two computers simultaniously.. and it would look mega cool with the two 21" monitors on stage.. best when the desktops are windows pc´s in these transformer style enclosures..with led and blacklight fx from the inside

[squelcht]

Years ago in this project I was doing with one of my best buds, we used desktops live at many gigs. Sure we used laptops live once we got the money, but there was no foul with using desktops. Its fkn stoopid---I have this friend who has much material to do a show but he feels he cant do a gig until he gets a laptop--WTF? I did it many of times before---EVEN WITH A TUBE MONITOR. Yeh. Thats right.

[the0verclock]

even with a big monitor, it's still smaller than a full drum kit

[sgreene]

NIN uses a few Mac Pros.
Those things are effing heavy.
The horsepower makes for additional stability, I would imagine.
I've opted for the desktop replacement notebook computer though...

[The Carpet Cleaner]

lol, why not bringing the tv, sofa, wife and kids as well ?