New Apple MacBook out

robin · Post by **robin** » Wed May 17, 2006 10:06 am

kenn michael wrote: Shared graphics on the Macbook is not a problem for audio apps.

In my pre-coffee state I'd forgotten we'd been through all this with the mini. I must admit I'm tempted by the new MB. I'll stick with my powerbook until the merom (core2) based mbp comes out though.

hacktheplanet · Post by **hacktheplanet** » Wed May 17, 2006 10:13 am

OH GOD OH GOD

PLEASE someone hold me back!
Please? I REALLY want the 13 inch for $1000, but there's no way in HELL I can afford and rent at the same time!

Oh man..
Fuck.

No, I must keep control of my credit card until June, when the price of Intel processors will drop.

divi · Post by **divi** » Wed May 17, 2006 12:26 pm

4onthfloor wrote:
draff wrote:Can anyone really list out the differences in the macbook and macbook pro? I know the following:

screen size
pro has a built in mic (whoopee)

but what else? I can get the macbook with a 2 ghz duo, I can get the 120gb HD, I can get the 2gb of RAM, it has optical audio in/out, so what is the difference that causes the price gap? Is it just the technical things like front side bus, cache, etc? You know, stuff that I don't know a whole heck of alot about anyway? And does this stuff make that big of a difference?

I can deal with the smaller screen for all of the other benefits and low cost if performance is on par...

Anyone?

You can add integrated graphics and non-illuminated keys to the list, but depending on your usage, those might not make a whole lot of difference either. Also, it doesn't look like you can opt for the 7200 RPM HD on the 13. Also, I read a lot of people bitching about the "glossy" display, but I have no experience with that, so i'm not sure if that would affect your judgement. Just something else to consider.

another difference is the lack of ExpressCard/34 slot, so no way to expand it with for example a firewire card. problem: i'm using a FW400 motu828mk2 and a FW800 lacie HD with my current powerbook G4...

tomperson · Post by **tomperson** » Wed May 17, 2006 1:00 pm

So, I won't be able to use my echo indigo DJ on one of these babies?

Oh, and by the way, I have a laptop with 5400 60gb HD and integrated graphics (intel 915) and it runs just fine, so I think that you shouldn't be worried by the integrated graphics unless you want to squeeze the lappie to the maximum on studio production (not my case, I prefer my main PC for that).

nobbystylus · Post by **nobbystylus** » Wed May 17, 2006 1:08 pm

You can't use the Echo Indigo with any of the new Macintel laptops, cos its not using PCMCIA... just sold mine for £80 on ebay...

tomperson · Post by **tomperson** » Wed May 17, 2006 1:15 pm

I just found out by reading about ExpressCard. Too bad, it's such an elegant, portable soundcard. And i just got it in March

What options are there for really portable sound cards that will work with FW or ExpressCard???

frahnque · Post by **frahnque** » Wed May 17, 2006 1:21 pm

4onthfloor wrote:
richardl wrote:Early reports indicate that the hard drive in the new MacBook can be easily upgraded by end users. As easy as upgrading RAM.

That would be the f*ckin' cat's pajamas. Thanks for the info guys!

For some early "take-apart"-pictures go here:
http://www.kodawarisan.com/k2006/archiv ... aaa_1.html

Note how easy it seems to remove the HD (seems to be pulled out from the battery-compartment).

EDIT: Sorry for repeating what has already been said. I notcied so after writing these sentences and pushing the 'submit'-button. Im just a bit over-excited at the new of this

ooooh.. I _really really_ feel like getting one. The only thing that I'm a bit wondering about is that danged Intel Media Accelerator 950 with _SHARED_ (shrug) memory... Does anyone have any idea how it'd affect overall system performance? I'm used to haveing a Radeon X700 mobility card...

tomperson · Post by **tomperson** » Wed May 17, 2006 1:40 pm

I repeat:
I have a lappie with integrated graphics (intel 915) and to me it runs just fine. I've managed to run it for live gigs with a 2.5 Gb set with like 20 channels (10 running at the same time at any given moment i'd say) really comfortably with live 4. For live usage I think it's quite a reasonable number, bearing in mind that it is a 1.6Ghz centrino with 768mb ram.

With live 5 I had to tune that very same set (which was a good thing anyway) so as not to get the occasional cpu hiccup. Overall my experience has been as good as my main PC box.

noisetonepause · Post by **noisetonepause** » Wed May 17, 2006 1:52 pm

I'm making music on a 1.33 GHz G4 iBook. Before that I used a 900 MHz G3 iBook. Both have 32 MB crappy ATI video cards.

THIS THING WILL BE FINE!

(fark's ache!!)

tomperson · Post by **tomperson** » Wed May 17, 2006 1:55 pm

Yeah man, exactly. And before that we were using even crappier hardware (if at all).

One thing that dissapoints me is that the new macbook's keyboard isn't illuminated. One of the things i liked the most about mac laptops...

snowtires · Post by **snowtires** » Wed May 17, 2006 2:01 pm

kabuki wrote:BTW, External drives (Including FW400) have poor performance in Live. BAD Bottleneck. OK For the Studio, not good for live use.

Unless you load clips into RAM...

that's funny, because i noticed the exact oppposite. my external fw400 hd is the only reason i can use live in a live setting, period.

divi · Post by **divi** » Wed May 17, 2006 2:51 pm

tomperson wrote:I just found out by reading about ExpressCard. Too bad, it's such an elegant, portable soundcard. And i just got it in March

What options are there for really portable sound cards that will work with FW or ExpressCard???

motu ultralite? probably a bit overkill if what you need is an echo replacement.
who knows, echo might come with an expresscard version.

divi · Post by **divi** » Wed May 17, 2006 2:55 pm

divi wrote:
tomperson wrote:I just found out by reading about ExpressCard. Too bad, it's such an elegant, portable soundcard. And i just got it in March

What options are there for really portable sound cards that will work with FW or ExpressCard???
motu ultralite? probably a bit overkill if what you need is an echo replacement.
who knows, echo might come with an expresscard version.

or you get lucky and "Adaptor - ExpressCard to PCMCIA" works fast enough for audio. look for it here: http://www.duel-systems.com/products/expresscard.aspx

robin · Post by **robin** » Wed May 17, 2006 2:58 pm

divi wrote:
tomperson wrote:I just found out by reading about ExpressCard. Too bad, it's such an elegant, portable soundcard. And i just got it in March

What options are there for really portable sound cards that will work with FW or ExpressCard???
motu ultralite? probably a bit overkill if what you need is an echo replacement.
who knows, echo might come with an expresscard version.

i got in touch with them about this when the MBP came out, they replied by saying they're working on a firewire solution.

glu · Post by **glu** » Wed May 17, 2006 3:04 pm

I wonder how this will compare to my AMD 3400 w/1.25 GB ram. I guess it doesn't really mean shit until Live 6 is out. Damn! Have to wait it out and see.
Excited!