Anyone know how close we are to getting a non-Mac tablet with latency low enough for recording?

[alexis]

Title says it all!

Thanks -

[Exalted Wombat]

There's plenty already. Only they're rather large tablets, with proper keyboards, generally called "Notebook Computers". What's this obsession with tablets anyway?

[Folderol]

Latency of the hardware isn't an issue these days (unless you're doing something pretty complex). It's all the CPU and GPU starving eye-candy that causes the problems, and I can't think of place where it's more prevalent than on tablets.

[alexis]

There's plenty already. Only they're rather large tablets, with proper keyboards, generally called "Notebook Computers". What's this obsession with tablets anyway?

For me (not an obsession though), for remote audio recording, also no fan noise (a secondary concern, as that is far from the rate limiting step in my audio chain).

Loading something like Cubasis or Auria onto the tablet, recording, then bringing back to the DAW.

Had not considered a notebook. I assume since smaller, not more fan noise than a tower or a laptop ... are they otherwise well-behaved enough for audio recording? I wonder if they are powerful enough to load a full DAW (I use Cubase) on ...

[Edit: Sorry Folderol, I missed your kind post. I thought I'd read that indeed the latency on the non-Mac tablets was quite long, measured in scores of milliseconds ... I will have to revisit that. Thanks!]

[The Elf]

Loading something like Cubasis or Auria onto the tablet, recording, then bringing back to the DAW.

Tablets are just cut-down computers that run a restricted set of software - there are already adequate non-tablet solutions for what you want to achieve (e.g. portable recorder, fan-less notebook, iPhone/similar plug-in mic's/interfaces), so why do want the solution to be a tablet?

[RyanA4]

Because tablets are handicapped. Us hardware people sleep better at night knowing everything we use to make music has limitations we must overcome!

In all seriousness, there are grumblings that the impending (probably next year) larger and more powerful iPad might be targeted squarely at pro audio/video folk- meaning Logic for iPad, (fingers crossed) a Thunderbolt port for interfaces, probably software improvements to improve midi and audio latency (and further speculation it will wirelessly mirror the desktop for the upcoming PowerMac towers....).

But I gave up on the iPad for anything but light midi sequencing and some 2-3 track recordings (until the iConnectMidi 4+ shows up at my door), and, of course, the guilt free VSTs for hardware addicts! It's more of a sketchpad for ideas that end up in a DAW and a nice compliment to a hardware setup- which is the best we can do for music production tablets at this point.

[Daniel Drummond]

If you will only record you don't need low latency, unless recording soft synths. For audio the latency doesn't matter as long as the musicians are not monitoring themselves through the software. Consider a dedicated 16 channel recorder also. I read a review a few months ago here in SOS of a cost effective one but can't remember the name...

[RyanA4]

The Zoom R24. Been very close to picking one of those up myself. Great little compact recorder, 24 tracks, 4 simultaneous inputs, can act as an audio interface and drop your mix right into a DAW. Great for people with lots of hardware- much faster results putting your drums and bass through a mixer--->Zoom R24--->DAW than throwing individual tracks in without total confidence in your leveling.

[alexis]

Loading something like Cubasis or Auria onto the tablet, recording, then bringing back to the DAW.

Tablets are just cut-down computers that run a restricted set of software - there are already adequate non-tablet solutions for what you want to achieve (e.g. portable recorder, fan-less notebook, iPhone/similar plug-in mic's/interfaces), so why do want the solution to be a tablet?

I didn't know there was DAW software for iPhone, very interesting. I'm trying to look at only 24-bit solutions, do you know whether the iPhone fits the bill? Have you used one for recording, or do you know someone who has?

Portablity with multiple functions is the answer, of course. Can't use a Zoom to read the SOS forums, on a bus!

Rapturous Marsupial had mentioned a Notebook computer ... I have to say I'm not very knowledgeable about them, except vaguely knowing they're possibly smaller and more portable than a typical laptop (= good!). As far as I know Cubasis and Auria are only for iPad ...is anyone recording audio on notebooks? What software are you using?

Thanks!

[Exalted Wombat]

n all seriousness, there are grumblings that the impending (probably next year) larger and more powerful iPad might be targeted squarely at pro audio/video folk- meaning Logic for iPad, (fingers crossed) a Thunderbolt port for interfaces, probably software improvements to improve midi and audio latency (and further speculation it will wirelessly mirror the desktop for the upcoming PowerMac towers....).

So it will be a Macbook Air. Probably makes more sense to buy something a bit chunkier, with ROOM for the necessary ports. But if it's important the base unit should be super-slim, and you don't mind hanging a web of adapter cables off it..

[The Elf]

Loading something like Cubasis or Auria onto the tablet, recording, then bringing back to the DAW.

Tablets are just cut-down computers that run a restricted set of software - there are already adequate non-tablet solutions for what you want to achieve (e.g. portable recorder, fan-less notebook, iPhone/similar plug-in mic's/interfaces), so why do want the solution to be a tablet?

I didn't know there was DAW software for iPhone, very interesting. I'm trying to look at only 24-bit solutions

iXY

Of course it depends on how sophisticated you want to get, but if you're taking audio back to home base to work on it properly then a DAW is maybe overkill.

[johnny h]

Title says it all!

Thanks -

It'll probably be a while. High end developers don't like Android because its users are lower in number, lower in income and lower in probability of paying for software. For audio developers its even worse - the audio system is very badly designed on Android and doesn't work with low latency audio.

[alexis]

Loading something like Cubasis or Auria onto the tablet, recording, then bringing back to the DAW.

Tablets are just cut-down computers that run a restricted set of software - there are already adequate non-tablet solutions for what you want to achieve (e.g. portable recorder, fan-less notebook, iPhone/similar plug-in mic's/interfaces), so why do want the solution to be a tablet?

I didn't know there was DAW software for iPhone, very interesting. I'm trying to look at only 24-bit solutions

iXY

Of course it depends on how sophisticated you want to get, but if you're taking audio back to home base to work on it properly then a DAW is maybe overkill.

Thanks, The Elf. Looks like a great way to get audio into an iPhone (says SOS's Paul White!) - I could see considering buying my 1st iPhone just to use it!

It's all a matter of personal choice, but on balance I like the idea of a little more DAW features at the remote recording end, even if I'm going to bring it back to the main DAW later. E.g., cycle recording w/ lanes - I know it's not a necessity, but I've gotten very used to recording audio that way, and all things being equal, would like to have that option remotely as well.

Cubasis obviously would be nice for me, as I'm a Cubase user. It unfortunately doesn't run on an iPhone, just an iPad.

Is anyone running a full scale DAW in a netbook?

[Richard Graham]

Loading something like Cubasis or Auria onto the tablet, recording, then bringing back to the DAW.

Tablets are just cut-down computers that run a restricted set of software - there are already adequate non-tablet solutions for what you want to achieve (e.g. portable recorder, fan-less notebook, iPhone/similar plug-in mic's/interfaces), so why do want the solution to be a tablet?

I didn't know there was DAW software for iPhone, very interesting. I'm trying to look at only 24-bit solutions

iXY

Of course it depends on how sophisticated you want to get, but if you're taking audio back to home base to work on it properly then a DAW is maybe overkill.

Thanks, The Elf. Looks like a great way to get audio into an iPhone (says SOS's Paul White!) - I could see considering buying my 1st iPhone just to use it!

It's all a matter of personal choice, but on balance I like the idea of a little more DAW features at the remote recording end, even if I'm going to bring it back to the main DAW later. E.g., cycle recording w/ lanes - I know it's not a necessity, but I've gotten very used to recording audio that way, and all things being equal, would like to have that option remotely as well.

Cubasis obviously would be nice for me, as I'm a Cubase user. It unfortunately doesn't run on an iPhone, just an iPad.

So why not an iPad?

[Richard Graham]

n all seriousness, there are grumblings that the impending (probably next year) larger and more powerful iPad might be targeted squarely at pro audio/video folk- meaning Logic for iPad, (fingers crossed) a Thunderbolt port for interfaces, probably software improvements to improve midi and audio latency (and further speculation it will wirelessly mirror the desktop for the upcoming PowerMac towers....).

So it will be a Macbook Air. Probably makes more sense to buy something a bit chunkier, with ROOM for the necessary ports. But if it's important the base unit should be super-slim, and you don't mind hanging a web of adapter cables off it..

You'd only need one adaptor cable on any laptop, including a MacBook Air, the USB audio-interface one ... Why would you need to add "a web of cables" onto it? What other necessary ports would you need room for

[Dan Bo]

Is anyone running a full scale DAW in a netbook?

Does Reaper count as full scale?

[Exalted Wombat]

n all seriousness, there are grumblings that the impending (probably next year) larger and more powerful iPad might be targeted squarely at pro audio/video folk- meaning Logic for iPad, (fingers crossed) a Thunderbolt port for interfaces, probably software improvements to improve midi and audio latency (and further speculation it will wirelessly mirror the desktop for the upcoming PowerMac towers....).

So it will be a Macbook Air. Probably makes more sense to buy something a bit chunkier, with ROOM for the necessary ports. But if it's important the base unit should be super-slim, and you don't mind hanging a web of adapter cables off it..

You'd only need one adaptor cable on any laptop, including a MacBook Air, the USB audio-interface one ... Why would you need to add "a web of cables" onto it? What other necessary ports would you need room for

Anyone who chose a MacBook Air would naturally also choose a super-slim "Mac-like" audio interface, with barely room for a mini-jack headphone socket, let alone XLR mic ports. So the web continues...

Yes, I'm teasing. But only just.

[johnny h]

n all seriousness, there are grumblings that the impending (probably next year) larger and more powerful iPad might be targeted squarely at pro audio/video folk- meaning Logic for iPad, (fingers crossed) a Thunderbolt port for interfaces, probably software improvements to improve midi and audio latency (and further speculation it will wirelessly mirror the desktop for the upcoming PowerMac towers....).

So it will be a Macbook Air. Probably makes more sense to buy something a bit chunkier, with ROOM for the necessary ports. But if it's important the base unit should be super-slim, and you don't mind hanging a web of adapter cables off it..

You'd only need one adaptor cable on any laptop, including a MacBook Air, the USB audio-interface one ... Why would you need to add "a web of cables" onto it? What other necessary ports would you need room for

You don't, obviously! Its just Wombat's continual Apple envy seeping through. The sacrilegious use of computers that 'just work' rather than 'just work after you uninstall all the crapware, go through your virus checker updates, firewall interrogation, drivers, blah blah blah..'

[Mixedup]

Is latency the problem you think it is? I mean, you only really need zero latency for artist foldback, as long as you can use your headphones or sit in a room where you have monitors, rather than hear the live performance in the room. In which case, you can use a USB driver on an Android device if you wish. You might need a USB adapter cable, but it can be done. Not saying that this is the best solution - the iOS devices are currently better suited to audio - but location recording (in stereo) can be done.

I think the new MS Surfaces are due out soon, complete with an audio package. Not sure how that will work out, but it could be what you want, particularly if you're on Windows now.

The other option is to use a smartphone for everything else and get a nice compact recorder that's dedicated to teh task. Eg the Zoom H6 (6-track capture), or a larger dedicated recorder a la A+H ICE16 (though you'd need something with mic preamps for that...).

Personally, I'd be choosing a compact notebook with Windows and plenty of USB ports for dongles, interfaces etc, as this will make for a much more versatile solution IMO.

[johnny h]

Is latency the problem you think it is? I mean, you only really need zero latency for artist foldback, as long as you can use your headphones or sit in a room where you have monitors, rather than hear the live performance in the room. In which case, you can use a USB driver on an Android device if you wish. You might need a USB adapter cable, but it can be done. Not saying that this is the best solution - the iOS devices are currently better suited to audio - but location recording (in stereo) can be done.

I think the new MS Surfaces are due out soon, complete with an audio package. Not sure how that will work out, but it could be what you want, particularly if you're on Windows now.

The other option is to use a smartphone for everything else and get a nice compact recorder that's dedicated to teh task. Eg the Zoom H6 (6-track capture), or a larger dedicated recorder a la A+H ICE16 (though you'd need something with mic preamps for that...).

Personally, I'd be choosing a compact notebook with Windows and plenty of USB ports for dongles, interfaces etc, as this will make for a much more versatile solution IMO.

Sod dongles, any software company that wants me to stick redundant bits of plastic on the side of my laptop can do one.

[alexis]

I didn't realize till I just looked it up that essentially notebook=laptop nowadays.

So why not a laptop? Cost, concern that it will run Cubase properly, and it doesn't bring a new functionality into the house (I've got two laptops already). So, looking like a tablet, which because of latency issues, looks like it means an iPad (need to hear it live in the cans).

Thanks -

[Exalted Wombat]

So why not a laptop? Cost, concern that it will run Cubase properly, and it doesn't bring a new functionality into the house (I've got two laptops already).

So why not use one of your laptops?

[alexis]

So why not a laptop? Cost, concern that it will run Cubase properly, and it doesn't bring a new functionality into the house (I've got two laptops already).

So why not use one of your laptops?

1. XP
2. They are work laptops, I have some leeway in what I do with them, but loading up DAW software is probably asking for a midnight visit from the IT ninjas.

[Exalted Wombat]

A new laptop then. The utility models now come with an i3 or i5 processor, 8GB RAM, a 1TB hard drive... Plenty to run a DAW on, and a lot cheaper than a considerably less powerful iPad.

Or get something like a Zoom R - [whatever does the number of tracks you need]. Bring the result home for further processing on your main computer if required. They're great little track-capturing machines, a bit fiddly for editing and other manipulation. And they also plug into a computer as a multi-channel audio interface.

[ef37a]

So why not a laptop? Cost, concern that it will run Cubase properly, and it doesn't bring a new functionality into the house (I've got two laptops already).

So why not use one of your laptops?

1. XP
2. They are work laptops, I have some leeway in what I do with them, but loading up DAW software is probably asking for a midnight visit from the IT ninjas.

You can run Reaper in "portable" mode from a usb stick.
I assume "Da Management" will allow you to install drivers for an AI? If not, use a Behringer UCA202. I used one on a works PC and it was fine with its generic drivers (I am pulling your's a bit! The 202 is a handy wee thing but 16bits only.)

But then you are going to stuff the works lappie's hard drive with .wavs unless you dump them off after each session.

Dave.