| Author | Message | ||
| terryc
Senior Member Username: terryc Post Number: 1397 Registered: 11-2004 |
I have an old PC which I use for midi or recording, it has a Creative Labs Live Drive II with associated soundcard(it has a front connection panel which is very useful), Creative Labs CDRW(using Nero) and separate CD ROM. I was contemplating put in a new m/board, dual core processor, loads of RAM and SATA HD. The queston is will this model of soundcard run on Windows XP and the new hardware??. Answers please gents.... | ||
| adriaan
Moderator Username: adriaan Post Number: 2653 Registered: 6-2002 |
Your best chance is to check the support section of the Creative website. | ||
| terryc
Senior Member Username: terryc Post Number: 1398 Registered: 11-2004 |
adriaan..will check it out, it's an old piece of hardware but for what I need it suits me. thanks | ||
| dfung60
Senior Member Username: dfung60 Post Number: 449 Registered: 5-2002 |
Which parts of the Line Drive II were you using? You pretty much never want to try to upgrade an old computer to new components because you'll end up replacing everything anyway. A new motherboard may require a new power supply and possibly a new case; hard drives are so cheap these days that you definitely want to get new ones; same with optical drives. You can find cases that have front panel audio jacks and if you are building a computer, rear panel fiber optic and Firewire connections are all easily found. There are high quality audio boards, but if you've been using a Sound Blaster, the built-in sound will probably be pretty close. That leaves midi connections where you're best off getting an external USB->midi adapter or FW->midi if you have that. Since everything else will probably be new, you can keep your old computer together in case there's some specific software that you want to run occasionally. But I think you'll find the new stuff will all work better. David Fung | ||
| sonicus
Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 1367 Registered: 5-2009 |
I would peruse an Audio Card/ interface that is capable of 24-Bit /96 khz sampling frequency audio resolution .http://www.tweakheadz.com/16_vs_24_bit_audio.htm Sonic Regards ______ | ||
| sonicus
Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 1368 Registered: 5-2009 |
Here is a good list http://tweakheadz.com/audio_interface_fw_comparison_chart.htm | ||
| terryc
Senior Member Username: terryc Post Number: 1399 Registered: 11-2004 |
thank you for all suggestions..I will look into the possibilities. | ||
| briant
Senior Member Username: briant Post Number: 483 Registered: 12-2004 |
Short story: You're much better off upgrading everything. Your possibility of success is vastly higher. More detailed story: That sound card is OLD. I found an XP driver here: (http://ar-domena.com.pl/-live-drive-ii-/). So yes, it will work on XP. Problem is: will the rest of your new hardware? Newer hardware that you're interested in buying may or may not have XP drivers - most still do but some of the latest and greatest do not since it is much easier to go with the flow and abandon backward compatibility like MS did with the Win7 platform. Well, technically they did that with Vista but Vista doesn't count since it sucked so hard. If the rest of your hardware is as old as this sound card you are absolutely going to need to replace your power supply when you upgrade. Unless you get a motherboard with video built in you're most likely going to have to replace your old video card as well. Even if you don't - you're going to have problems. I guarantee it. The older hardware was *never* tested with the newer hardware. The odds of driver incompatibilities (bugs) and annoying blue screens because of them is exceptionally high. Do yourself a favor and just upgrade everything. PCs are obscenely inexpensive now as long as you stay away from the "latest and greatest". You can build yourself a smokin' recording system for under $1000. And that includes the price of the recording interface itself as long as you want to stay simple (like your Creative solution currently is). Also, while I'm busy ranting away here, if you are unfortunate enough to be running Windows Vista right now I strongly encourage you to upgrade to Win7. The difference is night and day. You will be very happy with that upgrade. | ||
| terryc
Senior Member Username: terryc Post Number: 1400 Registered: 11-2004 |
Wel it looks like it is going in the bin so I may as well upgrade the soundcard on my PC which I use here for internet connection as it has got all new innards. Thanks for all the suggestions from you guys. | ||
| hydrargyrum
Senior Member Username: hydrargyrum Post Number: 863 Registered: 3-2004 |
I'd like to echo some of the thoughts from Brian regarding Windows Vista. It is a gigantic stinking heap that should be rigorously avoided. An obscene system hog with no obvious benefits for the resources consumed. | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 4632 Registered: 7-2004 |
Vista? 7? Heck, I'm still running Windows 98 on my office desktop. AFAIK, it's the last OS that still runs WordPerfect 5.1 for DOS smoothly. (WP5.1 is still the finest word processor ever developed, IMHO) On my other PCs I've been dragged into the modern era - I run XP. So call me a Luddite! Bill, tgo | ||
| adriaan
Moderator Username: adriaan Post Number: 2656 Registered: 6-2002 |
Agreed on WP 5.1 - I still find myself searching for the "underwater screen" in MS Word, desperately trying to avoid having to set tabs with a mouse (shiver). As far as I could tell, not even the next version of WP was an improvement on 5.1. Win98 did turn nasty even on Windows-based programs. Win98 SE was a big improvement re stability. However, we shall not speak of the third version, which looked a lot like Win2000, but was still built on the old DOS kernel, and was marketed as Windows Millenium Edition (and was not prettier by any other name). I've been very lucky in not having had much to do with Vista, but suffice it to say I'm not really frustrated with Windows 7. Yes, still wishing I'd have WP 5.1, but I guess I'll survive. | ||
| thumbsup
Intermediate Member Username: thumbsup Post Number: 145 Registered: 7-2008 |
I've been running XP,skipped Vista and just upgraded to 7. 98 was good but 7 is smooth. very happy. I,ve heard a lot of good things about a Mac! Whar are thoughts on Mac? | ||
| sonicus
Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 1369 Registered: 5-2009 |
I have 7 MAC's ! That is all that I use for Protools. | ||
| 88persuader
Senior Member Username: 88persuader Post Number: 432 Registered: 5-2004 |
Of course this is going of the path of this discussion but I use an iMac and Macbook and both run the full Logic Studios 9 program (with two different Presonus interfaces) and I couldn't be happier. (I use the Macbook when i need something portable to record on) Had both computers running Logic for over a year and really haven't had day one of issues with either system. If you have the money my advice is ditch the PC and buy a Mac and the Logic Studios program, I think it's money WELL spent! Heck the free included Garage Band program that comes with every MAC is a very good recording program in it's own right! In general Apples simply run better than PCs when it comes to recording programs. Pro tools is also amazing and the industry standard but Logic is like $500 for the complete program with tons of plug-ins which is MUCH MUCH cheaper than Pro tools with similar plug-ins. I say, if it's for a home studio Logic is 100 times MORE than you'll EVER need and is an amazing value. If you're going to make a living as a recording tech buy pro tools, it's the industry standard and you can write off the extra expense on your taxes. | ||
| terryc
Senior Member Username: terryc Post Number: 1401 Registered: 11-2004 |
Looks like I started something good here, to be honest, I am not into home recording at that level, ever since I started playing in the early 70's I was always a 'live' player and always went into studios to record demos for gig bookings. I own a very old(1979) Akai 4000DS Mk II reel to reel tape recorder. It still works perfectly and records perfectly too. I have used it to record band's live to get that tape saturation effect although now it resides in my cupboard in it's flight case I made. I leave the recording to the ones that know best as I never have the time to sit down and record tracks. Once tried but got so bloody bored in hearing the same thing over and over again I gave up. Again thanks for all suggestions | ||
| sonicus
Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 1370 Registered: 5-2009 |
HI terryc, I understand that you are not into doing home recording in general however , you can get an audio interface that will upgrade the digital sound for your computer. I do many analog to digital transfers and many of them" Reel to Reel" tapes and cassettes as well. The "Reel to Reel" tapes that you have need to be transfered to digital files such as 24/96 wav files or aif type Or at least 16-bit /44.1 for burning to CD. Most of the old Mylar based (AMPEX , BASF, AGFA all have variations of problems) "Reel to Reel" tape WILL have problems with " Sticky Shed Syndrome" and will not be able to be played back unless they are baked ! Acetate such as Scotch 111 from the late 1950's and 60's had surprisingly less problems ;I transferred a full track Acetate 1/4 inch tape from 1958 recorded @15ips that was amazing . The time period that you mention was likely Mylar. I think Now is the time to start to archive your Collection of tapes before they get any worse. You can digitize these tapes your self with a Good sound card / analog to digital interface . I love " Reel to Reels " as well I have a fleet of MCI, Studer and Ampex machines in various track configurations. It would be a good idea to use your tape machine from time to time and do periodic maintenance and DON'T let the capacitors dry out from non use. Happy " Reel to Reeling !" And as always _____ Sonic Regards ! (Message edited by sonicus on November 04, 2010) |
