How do I keep a Macbook awake while closed?

corygilbert · Post by **corygilbert** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 4:52 pm

+1 for insomnia,
very cool for that "I'm not checking email" kinda performance.
one caveat though, be careful about heat. with the lid closed on my g4 pb it can get a little hot, I suggest making sure you have it on some sort of breathable stand, ie: a milk crate etc. to allow the maximum amount of air to circulate.

metafactor · Post by **metafactor** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 8:52 pm

Pitch Black wrote:Hey Metafactor, I've got a vid up on YouTube demoing how I play live without looking at the screen.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=1siG6_Pd-Mg

For me the answer is lots of cardboard strips and overlays for the controllers. (one for each song)

HTH

Thanks Pitch....nice vid. I wish I had a doepfer 64 knob controller. I am half tempted to order one of the pre-made boards and build one. I don't understand why they don't sell them completely built anymore. You've all been helpful.

Pitch Black · Post by **Pitch Black** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 11:12 pm

metafactor wrote: I wish I had a doepfer 64 knob controller. I am half tempted to order one of the pre-made boards and build one. I don't understand why they don't sell them completely built anymore.

I don't understand it either. There's nothing out there like the Drehbank any more. People always say "64 knobs is so many" but if you're into hands-on live mixing, its nothing. The average Mackie or Behringer 16ch desk has around 150, counting faders.

Thats all we've done, re-create the Eurodesk we used to use! Using the two Drehbanks, we had to give up one FX send and forego having pans, mute buttons and channel faders. I wish someone would make a Mackie/Eurodesk-style controller that had roughly the same number of knobs, a mute button, and a fader per channel.

A real basic standard mixer-paradigm MIDI controller, but with 16 channels.

jonny72 · Post by **jonny72** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 12:49 am

willdahbe wrote:could there be any overheating issues with closing the display while running some heavy programs?

Lots of people raise that issue, but Apple support running their laptops closed with an external monitor, keyboard and mouse. Which means there shouldn't be any problems and if there are you'd have a good case taking it up with Apple.

Pitch Black · Post by **Pitch Black** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 1:35 am

jonny72 wrote:
willdahbe wrote:could there be any overheating issues with closing the display while running some heavy programs?
Lots of people raise that issue, but Apple support running their laptops closed with an external monitor, keyboard and mouse. Which means there shouldn't be any problems and if there are you'd have a good case taking it up with Apple.

I here ya, but their idea of normal use is perhaps doing a Keynote/Powerpoint presentation in a boardroom. Not streaming and warping multiple channels of audio from disk, in a hot club! Only one way to find out - suck it and see.

I'd be sceptical... But if you're not going to be using the screen, why not dim the display right off, and put the Macbook somewhere out of sight, but open for good ventilation. Like on a milk crate below the table/DJ setup. I've had my old Powerbook G4 freeze up due to heat once at a gig - the venue was oversold and the aircon broke down! There was thick slimy condensation on every surface. After freezing, the Powerbook wouldn't even power back up until the next morning!

Heat is your emeny! I'd think twice about "tweaking the nose of the devil" by giging with the lid closed.

My2c, call me "professionally paranoid".

Akshara · Post by **Akshara** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 1:37 am

ould there be any overheating issues with closing the display while running some heavy programs?

The MBP and Macbook are designed to be used in clamshell mode, according to Apple support.

snowtires · Post by **snowtires** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 1:40 am

a friend of mine uses his tv as his display when he's watching movies, he plugs in the external display to his macbook pro and then restarts the laptop. when it's shutting down, he closes the macbook and then it restarts thinking that the tv is the display.