Recommended netbooks for Traktor DJing?

[mmauve]

*no longer takes this thread seriously*

my bad

[seb30303]

Seems like a lot of people are assuming Traktor Pro will give problems with a netbook without actually having any experience what they're talking about.

I've used a Samsung NC10 with Traktor Pro since it first came out and it's always been rock solid for me over many many live gigs. It's a perfect portable setup with 2 XP10 controllers. Sometimes I use it with a DJ2 and Numark DJ I/O instead, and sometimes with an additional Novation Remote Zero SL for full control over 4 decks.

Of course a netbook needs to be optimised for audio use (see below), and not have loads of crap installed on it.

Testing mine with the DPC Latency checker shows the latency consistently under 300us while idle and consistently under 500us with Traktor running. Sound card latency is set to 5.5ms (obviously this isn't using the build in sound card!)

CPU usage is typically around 20% with 2 tracks playing together. With 4 tracks playing together, all with filter engaged, plus 2 effects active on all tracks, CPU usage is still below 40%. Additionally engaging key-shift on all 4 tracks just starts to push the CPU into the red, but on 2 tracks is comfortable.

Incidentally this is with Traktor Pro quality settings set to HiQ (Fast CPU).


Setting up a netbook for audio
-----------------------------

This bit is important! I'm sure part of the reason why PC netbooks/laptops get such a bad reputation for audio is because they come bundled with so much crap by default.

Firstly, get a netbook with Windows XP (not Vista or 7). Then do a bit of research how to optimise for audio - that means turning off all unnecessary services, flashy visual features, system restore, etc. Then check with something like Autoruns what other software is starting with Windows and turn it all off unless absolutely necessary.

To avoid audio glitches and drop-outs caused by badly written hardware drivers, you need to create a new hardware profile with everything unnecessary disabled - so this would include all network devices (wired, wireless, bluetooth), plus the built in sound card. Then when gigging, boot into this hardware profile (have another hardware profile for networked use when at home). DPC latency checker is helpful here to make sure you have no misbehaving drivers active.


Screen resolution
-----------------

The obvious downside of a netbook is the screen resolution (typically 1024x600). But personally I've found this to be ok - I just assign hotkeys to switch views when I do want to see a long list of tracks at once. I even use it with 4 deck mixing - it fits 4 full size decks at once with the FX hidden, but more commonly I have decks C+D in compact mode to allow room for a small track browser below.

The only caveat is that in the newer versions of Traktor Pro the preferences dialog is too high for a 600 pixel screen, so the buttons to import and export are inaccessible. I have a little app called "Netbook Resolution Customizer" (NRC) which allows the screen to be switched temporarily to 1024x768 (or whatever you want actually). This causes the screen to scroll and allows access to the import and export buttons.


Seb

[charo]

Seems like a lot of people are assuming Traktor Pro will give problems with a netbook without actually having any experience what they're talking about.

does it really seem that way? cause the rest of your post just about proves why you shouldn't use one....

5.5ms latency is a pipe dream on a netbook

[seb30303]

does it really seem that way? cause the rest of your post just about proves why you shouldn't use one....

5.5ms latency is a pipe dream on a netbook

Sorry, don't follow what you're saying. I think I was pretty clear that my netbook works perfectly with 5.5ms latency and has done over many live gigs.

Obviously I'm not talking about using the built in sound device, but rather a decent external with good ASIO drivers. Both XP10s and Numark DJ I/O have no problems running at 5.5ms latency.

... although I have to add that I just took a look in the ASIO control panel for the Numark and it says 7.9ms (while Traktor says 5.5ms). It's 256 samples anyway (at 44.1kHz/24bit).

[charo]

you're talking about a latency setting for one part of the total latency chain, that's not a latency detector. i wouldn't be surprised if you're seeing a total latency with the netbook of about 3 or 4 times that number

and when you say X or Y soundcard can do 5.5ms, well that is dependant on the computer being used being powerful enough to handle that processing power without glitchs/sound reproduction errors.

I can't plug my firebox into my dell 700M (a more powerful computer then the netbook although it is pentium3 M processor) and get the same lowend latencies as when i plug it into my dual-core lappy.

perhaps reread that post karlos wrote: I think he summed it up great. it just doesn't make sense to skirt the lowend of the system requirements for said software if perfectly good mid to mid-high end systems are available for equal or not much more.

if you want to repurpose your netbook to run traktor then fine but running processor intensive programs was never really the intention of the power-saving minded processor in them.

[seb30303]

I should clarify then that I'm *not* using it as Traktor scratch, but rather I am controlling with USB and/or MIDI controllers.

I realise that overall latency is the audio buffer latency, plus the hardware DAC latency, plus the controller latency. But this is likely not that much more than the audio buffer latency. It's certainly not noticeable when in use.

My point was why not use a netbook for Traktor. Aside from screen size/resolution, I would not gain any extra functionality from using a more powerful full size laptop. And the size benefit of a netbook + 2 XP10s is great in a crowed booth, or when travelling on planes with only hand luggage.

[seb30303]

if you want to repurpose your netbook to run traktor then fine but running processor intensive programs was never really the intention of the power-saving minded processor in them.

BTW, I wouldn't really call optimising for audio 'repurposing'. I do the exact same kind of optimisation on my quad core studio PC.

Just because you have a high power laptop or PC doesn't mean you should leave all the unneeded background services and drivers running ... that's just asking for trouble, especially in a live situation.

[Karlos Santos]

Im guessing that by "repurposing" Charo meant using a netbook previously used for other purposes and deciding "hey ive got a Netbook, think ill try to cram Traktor on it". That was my reading of it..?

[charo]

Im guessing that by "repurposing" Charo meant using a netbook previously used for other purposes and deciding "hey ive got a Netbook, think ill try to cram Traktor on it". That was my reading of it..?

yup, thanks karlos

[seb30303]

Im guessing that by "repurposing" Charo meant using a netbook previously used for other purposes and deciding "hey ive got a Netbook, think ill try to cram Traktor on it". That was my reading of it..?

Ah ok. Well I'd have to agree with that. Taking any general use PC, cramming Traktor on it and expecting to have a reliable performance instrument is asking for trouble (IMO).

Personally I bough my NC10 specifically (and only) for DJing, and I've been very happy with that choice, having moved from previously using a full size laptop.