biglardyboy
Hi,
First of all I would like to hi to everyone and after using VirtualDJ live for the first time at the weekend, this product is the mutt nutts!!!
My appologies if this topic has been covered in the past, but I currently have a dell Latitude C840 laptop with the following spec:
2.4GHz P4
256MB RAM
nVidia 64MB graphics card (seperate from main memory).
I have tried to run some music videos through this card, but they are very stuttery and when I check the CPU usage, it shows 100% all the time.
I recently purchased a dell docking station for this laptop and in it is PCI slots. My thinking is that I should be able to install a better PCI graphic card (say 128MB). I have installed an old 64MB nVidia one I had going spare, but this is where another problem starts. I can not have the laptop screen running and have my extended desktop on the PCI grahics card in the dock.
Has anyone else tried to to this in the past? I am very reluctant to go and buy another new laptop as I can't afford it!!
Thanks for any advice you can give.
Mark
First of all I would like to hi to everyone and after using VirtualDJ live for the first time at the weekend, this product is the mutt nutts!!!
My appologies if this topic has been covered in the past, but I currently have a dell Latitude C840 laptop with the following spec:
2.4GHz P4
256MB RAM
nVidia 64MB graphics card (seperate from main memory).
I have tried to run some music videos through this card, but they are very stuttery and when I check the CPU usage, it shows 100% all the time.
I recently purchased a dell docking station for this laptop and in it is PCI slots. My thinking is that I should be able to install a better PCI graphic card (say 128MB). I have installed an old 64MB nVidia one I had going spare, but this is where another problem starts. I can not have the laptop screen running and have my extended desktop on the PCI grahics card in the dock.
Has anyone else tried to to this in the past? I am very reluctant to go and buy another new laptop as I can't afford it!!
Thanks for any advice you can give.
Mark
Posted Tue 27 Sep 05 @ 8:03 pm
acw_dj
My friend,
First get more memory. If your system supports 1GB go for that first. A PCI Video Card is not a good Idea (PCI slots are slower than AGP and even more slowly than PCI Express). You should stay with your current laptop video card because is more efficient than a PCI Video card. You could use a better sound card in that PCI slot, like Delta 44 from M-Audio.
Check this for more info:
http://www.virtualdj.com/forums/41187/Hardware_Technical_Support/Video___Laptops.html
http://www.virtualdj.com/forums/14530/Hardware_Technical_Support/Notebook___good_enough_.html
If you want better performance you're going to change your laptop. Sorry.
First get more memory. If your system supports 1GB go for that first. A PCI Video Card is not a good Idea (PCI slots are slower than AGP and even more slowly than PCI Express). You should stay with your current laptop video card because is more efficient than a PCI Video card. You could use a better sound card in that PCI slot, like Delta 44 from M-Audio.
Check this for more info:
http://www.virtualdj.com/forums/41187/Hardware_Technical_Support/Video___Laptops.html
http://www.virtualdj.com/forums/14530/Hardware_Technical_Support/Notebook___good_enough_.html
If you want better performance you're going to change your laptop. Sorry.
Posted Tue 27 Sep 05 @ 8:08 pm
biglardyboy
Thanks for that. I currently have a Maya 44 USB sound card as I have been converted to Virtual DJ from another (not so good) mp3 software!
What sort of laptop is the best to go for, one with a seperate graphics card in it like mine (but with 128MB card) or with shared memory for the graphics card? Does it make that much difference? Sorry to be a pain, just thinking about the cost, thats all!!
Mark
What sort of laptop is the best to go for, one with a seperate graphics card in it like mine (but with 128MB card) or with shared memory for the graphics card? Does it make that much difference? Sorry to be a pain, just thinking about the cost, thats all!!
Mark
Posted Tue 27 Sep 05 @ 8:22 pm
frd1963
Lardy,
I have an old Dell laptop with docking station that I use for my 9-5 job and there is an extended desktop limitation under WIn2K at least on mine which Dell and ATI both say will never be fixed. Basically, it's just not possible under Win2K due to a limitation in the drivers for this hardware combination. Extended desktop does work under XP though on the same Dell.
As for suggestions of which laptop to get... I currently use an HP ZD8000 P4 3Ghz with 1GB, ATI X600 PCI-X video card w/ 256MB. Only paid about $1700. CPU runs at about 12% with full DVD quality videos running on both decks simultaneously.
Have also used HP ZD6000 with AMD64 2Ghz, 1GB, ATI X200 wPCI-X with 256MB (half shared) and it works very well also. It was only $1100.
Had a Toshiba Satellite 3.2Ghz, 512MB, AGP, etc. but returned it after a couple days because it was just sluggish at various times. Inconsistent performance. Nice machine, but didn't gain my confidence. $1725.
I have an old Dell laptop with docking station that I use for my 9-5 job and there is an extended desktop limitation under WIn2K at least on mine which Dell and ATI both say will never be fixed. Basically, it's just not possible under Win2K due to a limitation in the drivers for this hardware combination. Extended desktop does work under XP though on the same Dell.
As for suggestions of which laptop to get... I currently use an HP ZD8000 P4 3Ghz with 1GB, ATI X600 PCI-X video card w/ 256MB. Only paid about $1700. CPU runs at about 12% with full DVD quality videos running on both decks simultaneously.
Have also used HP ZD6000 with AMD64 2Ghz, 1GB, ATI X200 wPCI-X with 256MB (half shared) and it works very well also. It was only $1100.
Had a Toshiba Satellite 3.2Ghz, 512MB, AGP, etc. but returned it after a couple days because it was just sluggish at various times. Inconsistent performance. Nice machine, but didn't gain my confidence. $1725.
Posted Tue 27 Sep 05 @ 10:31 pm
acw_dj
Great selections frd1963. If you go to the HP US site, the Zd8000 is in $1199...
http://www.shopping.hp.com/webapp/shopping/computer_series.do?storeName=computer_store&category=notebooks/hp_pavilion&series_name=zd8000_series&catLevel=2&tab_switch=true&tab=specs
http://www.shopping.hp.com/webapp/shopping/computer_series.do?storeName=computer_store&category=notebooks/hp_pavilion&series_name=zd8000_series&catLevel=2&tab_switch=true&tab=specs
Posted Wed 28 Sep 05 @ 7:10 am
frd1963
That computer really is a pretty good deal. They get you on the upgrades though. Configured as mine is, price is till $1612 but then there is also a $50 rebate. (with 100GB 5400 drive, 1GB RAM, 256MB video, P4 630, Bluetooth, DVDR, remote control...stupid but only $14.95)
Posted Thu 29 Sep 05 @ 5:30 pm