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[Matthias McCready]

So I am looking to get a FOH computer. I realize part specific questions are better found on a computer forum however as to general solution what would you recommend?

Its primary duties will be to host Waves plugins and to do multi tracking.

Note: I will be running this in conjunction with a Waves Server One, which should be doing most of the heavy lifting. The computer needs to be able to run two touch screens (If I correctly understand 3rd party payed software is necessary for Mac Mini's). I also would not mind having a rig that is capable of running Protools HD and my UAD stuff (thunderbolt). Of course the computer needs to be as stable as possible and I have preference towards windows.

There are three options as I see it.

1) Mac Mini's can be purchased quite cheaply. Would perhaps buy two (one for multi-tracking and one for plugins). As they are cheap I could purchase immediately and if I want something more powerful down the road perhaps one of them would become a Smaart rig in the near future. However I am thinking these are not as beefy as I would like and the touch support is dubious at best. Thunderbolt is native.

2) Intel NUC. Could theoretically get something as powerful as I need (even for Protools), however once RAM, storage, and mounting is considered it is only a few hundred cheaper than my favorite option. Thunderbolt is native.

3) Custom Rack PC build. This is my current favorite option, however there are better things for money to be spent on for the moment and I would love to be able to use the Waves stuff now. After speccing out parts it would probably be about $2k for case and parts. I also see this as a longer term solution. Thunderbolt in this case meant a significantly more expensive mobo, but would work.

What would you do/have you done?

Thanks!
Matthias

[Helge A Bentsen]

Lenovo X250 or 260.

I'm using a X250 for FOH duties (Waves/Smaart/Lake etc) and it runs smooth as silk.

[Roland Clarke]

Unless something has changed that I’m not aware of you can’t run touchscreens on macs.

[Matthias McCready]

Unless something has changed that I’m not aware of you can’t run touchscreens on macs.

You cannot, however through http://www.touch-base.com/ you can. More than I would like to pay for that though...

[Andrew Hollis]

. . . I have preference towards windows.

There are three options as I see it.

1) Mac Mini's . . .

If my preference was Windows and touch, I would not consider a Mac, which doesn't satisfy either.

Also, in the pro audio space, the ratio of Windows-to-Mac development is at least 20:1, which is why you'll find more Windows than Mac control options (offline software, etc). You mention Thunderbolt but no reason for it. I've never needed it. You don't need beefy to multtrack these days.

[Jeff Lelko]

I think you need to base your hardware selection on your software selection - not the other way around.  If you must have touch and strongly prefer Windows, then yes, a Windows machine will probably serve you best unless your software choice mandates Apple’s OS. 

Why do you need touch though, especially on a non-tablet workstation?

I recently went the opposite direction with my business.  I’ve used Lenovo ThinkPads for the past 10 years.  Some had touch, some didn’t.  Between having poor luck with hardware lately coupled with my reliability issues with Windows 10 I converted my company to Apple (iPad Pros and MacBook Pros).  So far no complaints and I don’t miss or desire a touchscreen on the MacBook Pros like I thought I would. 

[Matthias McCready]

If my preference was Windows and touch, I would not consider a Mac, which doesn't satisfy either.

Also, in the pro audio space, the ratio of Windows-to-Mac development is at least 20:1, which is why you'll find more Windows than Mac control options (offline software, etc). You mention Thunderbolt but no reason for it. I've never needed it. You don't need beefy to multtrack these days.

Good to know on the Windows stuff. The thunderbolt is for running the UAD interface that I have. Down the road this should probably be a separate computer, but might as well kill two birds with one stone for the moment.

Why do you need touch though, especially on a non-tablet workstation?

The goal with touch screens is to have seamless integration of Waves plugins at the console, essentially eliminating the need for a keyboard and mouse. I will be utilizing the touch screens with a nOb control.

The nOb control is what makes the difference here, without it I would have no desire to use touch screens, but I think together it should be a potent combination.

[William Schnake]

1) Mac Mini's can be purchased quite cheaply. Would perhaps buy two (one for multi-tracking and one for plugins). As they are cheap I could purchase immediately and if I want something more powerful down the road perhaps one of them would become a Smaart rig in the near future. However I am thinking these are not as beefy as I would like and the touch support is dubious at best. Thunderbolt is native.

We decided two years ago to move to a Mac Mini for our front of house systems.  The ones we have are Late 2012 with 2.5 ghz I5 processors and 500 gig Samsung SSD.  We run Paralles for our Crown/dbx software.  At the same time we can record 48 tracks off of our Dante setup with no issues whatsoever.  I like the Mac and it suites our needs.  I think we paid roughly $350 for them used in late 2014 early 2015.

Bill

[Matthias McCready]

We decided two years ago to move to a Mac Mini for our front of house systems.  The ones we have are Late 2012 with 2.5 ghz I5 processors and 500 gig Samsung SSD.  We run Paralles for our Crown/dbx software.  At the same time we can record 48 tracks off of our Dante setup with no issues whatsoever.  I like the Mac and it suites our needs.  I think we paid roughly $350 for them used in late 2014 early 2015.

Bill

I am not a Mac fan, however the price point is the attracting factor. My business partner works with software and can get them for pretty cheap new/used. While not my preference I feel that due to the performance to price ratio I would be foolish not to atleast consider it the idea...

[Jeff Lelko]

I wouldn’t call myself a Mac fan either, but there’s a reason why you see so many Macs being put to use in our industry, and the AV/production industry at large. 

One thing that may pose a factor to what you’re trying to do is how well your touchscreens actually respond.  One of my ThinkPads would need to you tap the screen first to enable touch mode versus mouse mode - if that makes any sense.  Depending on how your nOb works this might be an issue.  My light console (running Windows 7 Embedded) does not have this problem and can handle touch and mouse simultaneously.  I still rarely use touch though.  Between sweaty dirty hands and accidental gestures causing problems I only use it as needed - not something I’d build a road rig around outside of the occasional tablet mixing.  Just my two cents though and good luck!

[ProSoundWeb Community]