Topic: I just won a netbook! Hmmmm...

[12milluz]

netbooks are great for what they are designed for....surfing the net.
i think you'd be much better off with an Edirol R09 or something along those lines opposed to the netbook.
the netbooks give up processing speed in favor of long battery life and small form factor.

Bullocks!

Im pretty sure any netbook is well within the spec for a UA5...

OS: Microsoft Windows 98/98SE/ME/2000/XP
Computer: Windows compatible computer with a USB connector*
CPU/Clock: Pentium II processor 233MHz or higher (win98/SE/ME)
Pentium II processor 400MHz or higher (win2000)

The Sys Req for M-Audios Fast Track require only a PIII 500...
http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/FastTrackPro.html

Yes but the processor speed is not what is important here. It is the architecture. I will bet any money the atom notebook architecture is not as good as Pentium for recording.
Still, it will probably work. Just not necessarily as well as with a Pentium processor.

[Brian Skalinder]

I don't think whether the raw specs and/or architecture can handle audio recording is really the issue -- I suspect the specs and architecture are perfectly cabable of doing so.  The bigger issue in my mind is creating and maintaining a reliable netbook recording environment.  Software, drivers, services, and other configurations -- and not only those obviously used for audio recording -- can all have an impact on whether or not the netbook recording environment is reliable and stable.  Even something as simple as Windows Updates or anti-virus updates could have an impact on the stability of the platform.  That's where the real headache comes into play:  creating, and more importantly maintaining, a reliable platform.  And for me, that's the attraction of a dedicated recorder:  simplicity and stability.

[rastasean]

perhaps netbooks wouldn't be great for LIVE recordings but for lite to moderate audio editing, I don't see it being too bad. after all, most of you tapers started using less sophisticated machines and audacity and that worked perfectly fine. don't expect to load pro tools and do 192bit recordings on 24 channels or anything but load audacity and maybe even reaper for audio editing later on...I would personally connect the thing to a larger monitor for more editing.

another positive thing that netbooks can be used for is live streaming of shows. it seems like live streaming of shows has become popular and I personally wouldn't want to take something like a mac book pro into just any venue.

plus netbooks are less expensive than the ipad.   

[heyitsmejess]

i have a netbook.
i reguarly run 10 channels to it with no problems (i use reaper).
however, i have access to power, and i do all editing/effects/etc on my home desktop.
but for recording, it works just fine!

(i have done some light processing on it.  it takes a little while longer to render, but it does work)

[rastasean]

i have a netbook.
i reguarly run 10 channels to it with no problems (i use reaper).

excellent! thanks for the input. what make/model and, most importantly, color do you have?

[heyitsmejess]

emachines em250

-Intel Atom CPU N270 1.60GHz
-InsydeH20 BIOS
-1 GB RAM
-250GB HD
-Ethernet
-3-cell Li-ion battery
-10.1 ” LED LCD
-3 x USB

and its black. 

havent upgraded the RAM to 2 gigs, but that will change soon.  should see a big performance increase.

absolutly a cheap computer, but does what i need it to do flawlessly.

EDIT : you can disable alot of the windows 7 services with little effect on appearence or function.
heres the site that i learned this from

http://www.blackviper.com/Windows_7/servicecfg.htm

[Brennan]

I own an Asus eeepc, model 1005HA and to tell you the truth the mic in just sucks ass. I would get an audio card seperate of the netbook. I used Audition for my recording and it worked great, just a slight lag in the waveform display.

I have upgraded mine to 2GB ram. I'm running Windows 7 Pro.

Oh and 10 hour battery to boot

[heyitsmejess]

I own an Asus eeepc, model 1005HA and to tell you the truth the mic in just sucks ass. I would get an audio card seperate of the netbook. I used Audition for my recording and it worked great, just a slight lag in the waveform display.

I have upgraded mine to 2GB ram. I'm running Windows 7 Pro.

Oh and 10 hour battery to boot

dosent sound devices make a phantom/preamp combo with a usb 2.0 out?  i know tascam mades a 2 channel and a 4 channel version with usb 2.0 out as well

[Brennan]

Jess I'm not knowledgeable in this equipment in the slightest. I did do a quick Amazon'ing though just to see what's out there at a reasonable price. Seems that all we need is a solid USB (-powered) audio interface. Here's what I found:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BD31ZW?ie=UTF8&tag=wareit-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000BD31ZW
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001NTDFMC?ie=UTF8&tag=wareit-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001NTDFMC