• Registered: 2013-03-18
  • Posts: 2

Topic: Laptop for 2 x 32 channel recording (Firewire & MADI / ExpressCard)

Hi,
we're planning to record 64 channels, with 32 from a proprietary device connected via Firewire and 32 via MADI.

Can any recommendations be given on a laptop (read: portable solution for on-the-go recordings, power consumption is an issue)?

Two alternatives come to mind:

- A MacBook Pro. Non-retina versions offer 1x Firewire and 1x Thunderbolt. Using a Sonnet Box, we would connect a HDSPe MADI PCIe. Retina Macs come with two Thunderbolt lanes, so we could use the Sonnet box and an adapter to Firewire.

- A PC based system, although, ExpressCard _and_ IEEE1394 seems hard to come by these days.

Also, there remains the issue of comatibility, i.e. can such a system handle 2x32 channels via Firewire and Expresscard or on two different Thunderbolt lanes?

On the software-side, we have a custom solution which is working for similar setups with reduced number of channels (e.g. Fireface 400 & Fireface UC).

Any experiences or suggestions?

  • Registered: 2011-05-04
  • Posts: 249

Re: Laptop for 2 x 32 channel recording (Firewire & MADI / ExpressCard)

HP Elitebook lines and Lenovo Thinkpad W530 still have expresscard slot, so you can use RME's HDSPe MADIface card (I personally do not have experience with the card, but why not..). I Have Thinkpad W520, and it works pretty well with various expresscard (like FW controller card with TI chip). Only complain is, expresscard tends to be ejected by accident, so you have to be really really careful.

3 Reply by freiform (edited by freiform 2013-03-19 09:40:49)

  • Registered: 2013-03-18
  • Posts: 2

Re: Laptop for 2 x 32 channel recording (Firewire & MADI / ExpressCard)

Thanks for your answer.

We're looking for a Laptop with both, ExpressCard/34 _and_ IEEE1394. We use both interfaces simultaneously. But as it happens, there seem to be a few Lenovo T- and W-Series models meeting that requirement.

http://www.lenovo.com/psref/pdf/tabook_WE.pdf

  • Registered: 2009-06-30
  • Posts: 215

Re: Laptop for 2 x 32 channel recording (Firewire & MADI / ExpressCard)

I have a one year old Lenovo T410 with expresscard34 slot and firewire (4pin, small connector).
Madiface works good here. I can record 64 channels on one usb2.0 drive without any problems.

Georg