update
I haven’t updated the site in a week and a half. It feels like ages since I’ve touched this site, yet not much really happened. I’m badly losing track of time, amongst other things - feeling like I need to jam everything in now now now! and getting impatient that nothing immediate is happening.
Recap on the digital multitrack recording front:
The Sager 5670 is NOT suitable for use with the RME Hammerfall. I got worked - the vendor I bought the PC from has the TI CardBus controller chip listed; it’s actually the dreaded ENE CB1410. I was able to play back 24 tracks of 16-bit/44.1kHz audio to a stereo mix in Cubase, but when I started opening more than 2 outputs and tried bouncing shit back to my ADAT-XT, all hell broke loose.
Too bad - the Sager is otherwise a very nice laptop. Very fast, and the 15″ UXGA screen is one of the best LCD screens I’ve ever seen. I’m in the process of returning it, though.
Attempt #2: I ordered a Dell Inspiron 5150 - mobile Pentium 3.06, 15″ UXGA UltraSharp screen, 64MB ATI Mobility Radeon 9000. Dell doesn’t carry 5400-rpm drives anymore (as of this writing), and their RAM prices are insane, so I also have to order aftermarket RAM and another hard drive. It feels weird to buy a brand new laptop and immediately switch out the parts, but I was unable to find a stock laptop that has what I want/need. Plus I’m very worried about ordering a laptop sight-unseen, and Dell’s estimated shipping time is a frickin’ MONTH from now.
But…I don’t really have another choice at this point, except to build a desktop unit instead. I’m pretty determined to build a mobile system, so that’s out of the question. I’m worried about the performance of the mobile processor, the fan noise, and the Dell isn’t exactly a beautiful sight to behold, but if it works, then it’s all good. If it doesn’t….I get to return it, and hopefully Sony and Toshiba will have introduced their new models by then. If that doesn’t work…this has turned into an expensive failed experiment and I guess I can hock the RME on Ebay.
I also tried bidding on a used Inspiron 5100 off of Ebay, but the asking price went too high. So…since the new laptop doesn’t arrive for a month, I’ll shut up about it for awhile.
Other things:
I bought the new Jealous Sound album, Kill Them with Kindness. I’ve been looking forward to this album for ages - after loving their first EP, I had really high expectations. It’s pretty good, which is the only way I can really sum it up. “Troublesome” is in the running for Favorite Song of the Year (don’t really keep these kinds of lists, but if I did, it’d be on there). “Naive” and “The Gift Horse” (which I had downloaded awhile ago) are still my other two favorites. I think they kind of butchered the re-recording of “Anxious Arms” - it doesn’t really have the energy, edge, and punchy guitars and drums that the version on the EP did. But overall, it’s a good album, and recommended.
What else? I’m getting worked at work. It might be time to move on to the Next Big Thing. If only I knew what the Next Big Thing was.
Oh, I played golf today at the 3-par course in Los Feliz. I haven’t played in awhile, and it really showed (not that I was that good in the first place). The funny thing was this middle-age woman who played in the group before us who had a caddy (on a frickin’ 3-par course!). She also used a driver to tee off the 1st hole - I was expecting her to whack the ball about 100 yards past the first hole, but as it turns out, it only went about 10 yards and off to the right. Appearances can be deceiving.
Time to go get my laundry and try to enjoy the rest of the day. I’ll probably play a little SOCOM - dropped down to about 44,000 in the rankings, and busted 4 kills in one game yesterday, which was an all-time high for me. Haven’t been playing much at all lately, but when I did, I’ve been getting lazy - setting up Claymores and sitting back waiting for fools to run by (because you can eat dinner at the same time), and I think that has impacted my play somewhat. Time to get a little more aggressive.