ollieluff Posted May 20, 2008 Share Posted May 20, 2008 I am looking for a cheap Windows machine capable of running ArKaos (DMX) smoothly with the necessary split output graphics card to put the full screen output into a matrix and maintain the library etc... on the other screen. Any solutions greatly received. The Dualhead2Go makes me nervous as it looks like it will be memory hungry Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scjb Posted May 20, 2008 Share Posted May 20, 2008 Not sure the DualHead2Go will be anymore resource-hungry than a native dual-output. I'm also looking into laptops capable of decent output, and am working my way through the specs of the various "gaming laptops" out there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smalljoshua Posted May 20, 2008 Share Posted May 20, 2008 Doesn't the dual head to go just split the output from one of say 800X600 to two at 400X600 each the computer only seeing one monitor? As for a laptop how about the Toshiba P200 Or the Toshiba A200 As you can tell I like Toshiba Laptops. I have had one for the last 3 years and it has worked extremely well with only one minor problem with the screen which was covered under warranty. Josh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Modge Posted May 20, 2008 Share Posted May 20, 2008 Speaking as one who's just finished building such a beast a rack mount pc in a shock mount rack, with a (if keen \ rich) a solid state drive is a cheaper more powerful option. I've put a rack shelf (and some foam in) to hold the monitors in the space above the pc's 4u. This isn't exactly what you call "ultraportable" but you get a lot more bang for your buck. The Solid State drive is because I've actually worked gigs where the shear amount of base engery bouncing about the room has caused a "Heads in platters" moment for my laptop HDD (Drum and Base gig with the most outrageous PA I've ever had the misfortune to hide from); Also the SDD makes it slightly safer to drop it, little as I wish to try that. PC components are far cheaper spec for spec than the laptop counterparts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ollieluff Posted May 21, 2008 Author Share Posted May 21, 2008 Hmm I initially thought desktop instead of laptop but by the time 2 monitors have been brought its much for much. The dualhead I thought was capable of "true" dual screen functionality but I may have misread completely - any one have any experience of it? In terms of a preview monitor I want to run this locally from the machine and then take a "loop through" out of the preview to the matrix or would I better off feeding directly in to the matrix and using that to route to an output screen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toxopholist Posted May 21, 2008 Share Posted May 21, 2008 the quad head machines we use for wide screen blended systems are capable of putting out the full maximum res of the graphics card(s) to each of the outputs connected, then there is a second piece of software that enables you to set up the screens as you wish, in an array or individually. I imagine a dual head machine is capable of behaving in much the same way. It sounds like a reasonable spec laptop would satisfy your needs just as well, maintaining the laptop screen for control and then utilising the VGA/HDMI or DVI port for your content. Charlie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom_the_LD Posted June 2, 2008 Share Posted June 2, 2008 I am looking for a cheap Windows machine capable of running ArKaos (DMX) smoothly with the necessary split output graphics card to put the full screen output into a matrix and maintain the library etc... on the other screen. Any solutions greatly received. The Dualhead2Go makes me nervous as it looks like it will be memory hungry CheersWould custom building be an option? This way YOU say what goes in the machine. EDIT: Just realised the title of the thread. Is there any way it could be a desktop not a laptop? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zellbrink Posted June 4, 2008 Share Posted June 4, 2008 I would always suggest a mac in this situation. with soundbooth and garageband, you have a virtual studio everywhere you go. as for projection, it does wonders - especially with picture slideshows. you can get a pre-owned macbook pretty cheap these days at ebay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
berry120 Posted June 4, 2008 Share Posted June 4, 2008 Hmm I initially thought desktop instead of laptop but by the time 2 monitors have been brought its much for much.Stupid point, but if you get a laptop you're only going to have one monitor, unless you buy another extra... Would custom building be an option? This way YOU say what goes in the machine.That's personally the route I'd take, unless you really do need a laptop. If you do, then it doesn't seem like it needs to be too powerful. The toshiba's above look like a good option, I can't see them having any problems. I would always suggest a mac in this situation. with soundbooth and garageband, you have a virtual studio everywhere you go. as for projection, it does wonders - especially with picture slideshows. you can get a pre-owned macbook pretty cheap these days at ebay.Without wishing to start an argument, I'd have to disagree here. Unless I haven't looked at something the OP doesn't seem to need a virtual studio everywhere he goes, and I can't see how a mac does wonders with picture slideshows any more than anything else does. Add to that macs usually have a lot less bang for the buck than a normal laptop or PC and I really don't see the point. If you're going down the second hand route, you can probably pick up an equivalent old windows machine for less - not that that's a route I'd recommend anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jakefraser Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 If you're set on a laptop, using the VGA output for the ArKaos video output and the laptop TFT for the library stuff, then you could do quite well with looking at the Dell XPS laptops or one of the Precision workstation laptops, both lines of which have dedicated and powerful graphic chips in them that should be capable of what you're asking them to do. You could look at the Shuttle barebones PCs which are a damn sight more compact than other PCs you could build. Linky here OR a rackmount PC using low profile graphics cards fitting into these cases... HTH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manuel1975 Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 Hi There,Funny! I have been doing some reserch on exactly the same subject. My conclusion is to either buy a mac powerbook or buy a gaming laptop. Both options are expencive so im waiting until I have some money laying around. I came to this conclusion because of the gpu hungrey things we both want to do. You want to use 2 outputs? as in two output for media projection and one for your control screen right? Well this reqires a lot of GPU rendering power. Both the Mac book Pro and the gaming laptop option deliver this. I have a slight preference for the mac book pro option because of the stability of the hardware. All the vj's I meet are working with mac's. I dont have a prefference for mac or pc but the power book harddisk is clearly stable enough to work under these hot and shakey conditions. I know this is expecive but imagine you running your show live and your hardware hangs... Not funny! Completely off topic: did you experiment with the pixelmapper plugin? If so, what is your experience with this...? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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