Laptop DJing
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- LindyChef
- Posts: 228
- Joined: Tue Apr 01, 2003 7:52 pm
- Location: Houston and Seattle (bi-coastal wanna-be)
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To me, you only need the crazy large hard drive if you're planning on keeping your entire collection on the laptop or are using a large format like FLAC. I keep a master copy of all of my music on my desktop (which gets backed up onto an external HD regularly) and a small subset of music on my laptop (highly rated music and music that I'm currently listening to), so I end up needing maybe 30 gigs on my laptop for my music, but YMMV.
- Bob the Builder
- Posts: 525
- Joined: Wed Jun 04, 2003 6:53 pm
- Location: Melbourne, Australia
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You asked Martin, but I can vouch for what the program I utilize.
I use WinAmp, I listen to music playlists off three portable hard drives and my laptop's hard drive without any problem's whatsoever.
When I DJ, the laptop's hard drive has everything I need. But when listening to music at home, I employ all my storage sources.
Nathan
I use WinAmp, I listen to music playlists off three portable hard drives and my laptop's hard drive without any problem's whatsoever.
When I DJ, the laptop's hard drive has everything I need. But when listening to music at home, I employ all my storage sources.
Nathan
- LindyChef
- Posts: 228
- Joined: Tue Apr 01, 2003 7:52 pm
- Location: Houston and Seattle (bi-coastal wanna-be)
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I use iTunes as my database software and then I can share my collections across the network ... when needed, I can then copy stuff between the two. I'll typically rip the new stuff to my laptop and then copy it to my desktop ... then I can just cherrypick the songs I like on my laptop and delete the rest. So in reality, it's two seperate music collections, but mentally I treat it as one. To output music, I have dual soundcards, one running iTunes, one running WinAmp. iTunes is for cuing and searching, WinAmp is for output. Just drag the song from iTunes to WinAmp and it's ready to go.
I have a disaster recovery solution, which involves backing up my iTunes directory to an external hard drive ... works well if something goes to hell.
iTunes works for me because I like being able to have my collection on my iPod. I can listen to it anywhere and update my ratings and listen to new music while not attached to my computer ... now if I could have a selective statistics update between my iPod and iTunes, I'd love that.
I have a disaster recovery solution, which involves backing up my iTunes directory to an external hard drive ... works well if something goes to hell.
iTunes works for me because I like being able to have my collection on my iPod. I can listen to it anywhere and update my ratings and listen to new music while not attached to my computer ... now if I could have a selective statistics update between my iPod and iTunes, I'd love that.
- Bob the Builder
- Posts: 525
- Joined: Wed Jun 04, 2003 6:53 pm
- Location: Melbourne, Australia
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It soulnds like you are descirping my set up there (except for the network part).
I just find iTunes is a pain when you want to split songs up over different drives. It's not like it's as easy as grabbing a play list and moving it from one drive to another and mantain all your ratings, BPM's, last played ect, ect info.
Brian
I just find iTunes is a pain when you want to split songs up over different drives. It's not like it's as easy as grabbing a play list and moving it from one drive to another and mantain all your ratings, BPM's, last played ect, ect info.
Brian
JR Media Center can do this bob. Also has built in functionality for playing multiple audio streams at the same time (cueing, playing etc)..
One program that can do it all. I also use it to dump my music onto my ipod - which is handy when I want to listen to it on the car stereo rather than ripping audio cds (like i use to).
One program that can do it all. I also use it to dump my music onto my ipod - which is handy when I want to listen to it on the car stereo rather than ripping audio cds (like i use to).
http://www.swinggear.com.au
now selling authorised WWII posters and featuring a newly refined black t-shirt printing method. Now even greater quality than before.
now selling authorised WWII posters and featuring a newly refined black t-shirt printing method. Now even greater quality than before.
- Bob the Builder
- Posts: 525
- Joined: Wed Jun 04, 2003 6:53 pm
- Location: Melbourne, Australia
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Can you upload new ratings from your iPod to it?Skippy wrote:JR Media Center can do this bob. Also has built in functionality for playing multiple audio streams at the same time (cueing, playing etc)..
One program that can do it all. I also use it to dump my music onto my ipod - which is handy when I want to listen to it on the car stereo rather than ripping audio cds (like i use to).
How does it deal with AAC digital rights?
How well does it import ratings, BPMs, playlist, song counts from the itunes library?
Does it have a drag and drop facality into other programs with file songs?
How will does it does it work with an iPod on playlists, on the go playlists, podcasts, two iPods ect?
These are some of the reasons I have stayed with iTunes.
Bob the Builder wrote:Can you upload new ratings from your iPod to it?Skippy wrote:JR Media Center can do this bob. Also has built in functionality for playing multiple audio streams at the same time (cueing, playing etc)..
One program that can do it all. I also use it to dump my music onto my ipod - which is handy when I want to listen to it on the car stereo rather than ripping audio cds (like i use to).
How does it deal with AAC digital rights?
How well does it import ratings, BPMs, playlist, song counts from the itunes library?
Does it have a drag and drop facality into other programs with file songs?
How will does it does it work with an iPod on playlists, on the go playlists, podcasts, two iPods ect?
These are some of the reasons I have stayed with iTunes.
ratings from ipod to jrmc = yes
aac digital rights = unsure (as in I've got NO AAC files to test with)
importing from itunes library = never installed itunes so don't know (see link below)
drag n drop = yes
ipod playlists = you can view all the playlists and structure of the ipod and pick and chose which bits you want to bring into jrmc (you have to save the on the go list though).
2 ipods = oh to be that rich. but yes it does support multiple ipods (see link below)
its heavily supported, so you should be able to find answers to all your questions here:
http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/
http://www.swinggear.com.au
now selling authorised WWII posters and featuring a newly refined black t-shirt printing method. Now even greater quality than before.
now selling authorised WWII posters and featuring a newly refined black t-shirt printing method. Now even greater quality than before.
Short list:Travis wrote:I'm thinking of getting a laptop for DJing in the near future. What min spec's do y'all recommend?
- • 1GB minimum of RAM (Everyone says you can get by with less but why bother)
• 80GB or 100GB hard drive. 5400 RPM is standard but you can get a 7200 RPM now for a little more. Get the largest HD you can afford.
• External sound card
"We called it music."
— Eddie Condon
— Eddie Condon
- WindsorSwingKid
- Posts: 12
- Joined: Fri Aug 01, 2003 4:05 pm
- Location: Windsor, Ontario / The Blues House
- Contact:
I have not posted lately, but, here is my current configuration:
John...
P.S. If your D.J.'ing location does not have wireless Internet, disable your wireless network adapter... Mine polls for signals every thirty seconds or so and skips the music playing... Might just be me though... JKS...
- Dell Inspiron 1150 laptop (P4 2.8 GHz, 512 Mb RAM)
- Sound Blaster Audigy NX 2
- Seagate 100 Gb portable hard drive
John...
P.S. If your D.J.'ing location does not have wireless Internet, disable your wireless network adapter... Mine polls for signals every thirty seconds or so and skips the music playing... Might just be me though... JKS...
Last edited by WindsorSwingKid on Sat May 06, 2006 8:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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- wheresmygravy
- Posts: 145
- Joined: Tue Oct 28, 2003 11:24 am
- Location: Dallas
I haven't personally done it, but now that you bring it up I may start looking at those macbooks again... the guys over at pennyarcade were ridiculousely pleased with the duel boot, so I may have to check it out.
I'm not an obsessive personality. I just happen to pick hobbies that seem to consume my life.
www.lindyguy.com
www.lindyguy.com
Not just you on the wireless polling, although it might be limited to Dells. I disable my wireless as well whenever I'm spinning, if not I get a feedback "kerchunk, kerchunk" every time it polls.WindsorSwingKid wrote:I have not posted lately, but, here is my current configuration:I run the supplied Creative Labs Organizer to play my MP3s through the Audigy card and I run WinAmp to play through my internal, built-in sound card... All of my MP3s are on my portable hard drive... Seems to work out alright...
- Dell Inspiron 1150 laptop (P4 2.8 GHz, 512 Mb RAM)
- Sound Blaster Audigy NX 2
- Seagate 100 Gb portable hard drive
John...
P.S. If your D.J.'ing location does not have wireless Internet, disable your wireless network adapter... Mine polls for signals every thirty seconds or so and skips the music playing... Might just be me though... JKS...
John Dyer, Denver CO