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Which tablet computer would you buy for both mixing AND system control duties?

Motion Computing LE1600
- 11 (47.8%)
IBM/Lenovo Thinkpad X60 and variants
- 7 (30.4%)
Fujitsu Stylistic
- 0 (0%)
Other (please explain)
- 5 (21.7%)

Total Members Voted: 23


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Author Topic: What tablet for Tablet mixing/system control?  (Read 23963 times)

Tim Weaver

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What tablet for Tablet mixing/system control?
« on: January 23, 2011, 05:42:23 PM »

I need a new tablet. This will be my dedicated audio pc so it will need to run things like System Architect, Studio Manager, Smaart, and anything else audio related as well. I will be remote mixing with it so ergonomics and battery life play an important role in the decision as well.

What would you buy for yourself?


Thanks,
-=Tim=-
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Mac Kerr

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Re: What tablet for Tablet mixing/system control?
« Reply #1 on: January 23, 2011, 05:47:46 PM »

I need a new tablet. This will be my dedicated audio pc so it will need to run things like System Architect, Studio Manager, Smaart, and anything else audio related as well. I will be remote mixing with it so ergonomics and battery life play an important role in the decision as well.

I wouldn't buy a tablet to run all those applications. I'd buy a laptop or rack mount computer for that and use a small, light tablet to VNC into the wired computer running the apps. In my case that would be an iPad, but there are other alternatives in the pipeline if you don't want an iPad.

Mac
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Gregor Buser

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Re: What tablet for Tablet mixing/system control?
« Reply #2 on: January 23, 2011, 06:32:43 PM »

I have an acer 1820 PTZ, witch is a convertible. Best gadget I ever bought, except for the reflecting screen, but with a non reflecting screen foil it is ok.
Lots of power for this size, up to 7h of battery life, great screen resolution and only 1.7kg.
I don't know if you still can get it, since they replaced it with 1825 witch has a capacitive screen and therefore isn't controllable by a pen. Capacitive reacts better but try adjusting studio manager with you fingers...!
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Mac Kerr

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Re: What tablet for Tablet mixing/system control?
« Reply #3 on: January 23, 2011, 06:43:23 PM »

I don't know if you still can get it, since they replaced it with 1825 witch has a capacitive screen and therefore isn't controllable by a pen. Capacitive reacts better but try adjusting studio manager with you fingers...!

You can get both a capacitive stylus, and a pair of gloves with small capacitive buttons on each finger for finer control of multitouch devices than fat fingers.

Mac
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Justice C. Bigler

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Re: What tablet for Tablet mixing/system control?
« Reply #4 on: January 23, 2011, 07:24:04 PM »

We have a Motion LE1700 tablet for remote control of our PM5Ds and our XTA network and Galileo access.

I agree with Mac, get a real computer for all the heavy stuff like Smaart and use the table for remote control when you need to walk the room or stage.
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Tim Weaver

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Re: What tablet for Tablet mixing/system control?
« Reply #5 on: January 23, 2011, 07:37:55 PM »

I wouldn't buy a tablet to run all those applications. I'd buy a laptop or rack mount computer for that and use a small, light tablet to VNC into the wired computer running the apps. In my case that would be an iPad, but there are other alternatives in the pipeline if you don't want an iPad.

Mac

Let's say that I will be using the tablet only. This will be my carry-on solution that goes with me in a briefcase with my cans and a change of socks. Primary concern will be remote mixing and system tweakage. running System Architect or various DSP gui's shouldn't be too hard of a task. Smaart may or may not make it on this computer.
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Mac Kerr

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Re: What tablet for Tablet mixing/system control?
« Reply #6 on: January 23, 2011, 07:54:38 PM »

Let's say that I will be using the tablet only. This will be my carry-on solution that goes with me in a briefcase with my cans and a change of socks. Primary concern will be remote mixing and system tweakage. running System Architect or various DSP gui's shouldn't be too hard of a task. Smaart may or may not make it on this computer.

I think that is not a good solution when you are on the road. That means you are limited to the tablet for all your computing. Since Windows is not a tablet based OS, and most general applications are not tablet focussed it is going to be harder to do all the other things you might do with a computer. A tablet like an iPad or Galaxy Tab weighs almost nothing, is very thin, an will be almost unnoticed in your bag. It will have better battery life than a Windows tablet, I get a full day of off and on web surfing on a charge with my iPad, and I can watch movies on a plane or bus, or read books on it. When I want to type, or have a computer hard wired to my gear so it doesn't have to reconnect for an RF dropout, I have my regular laptop.

The pair don't have to weigh much more than the Windows tablet and they will be much more convenient and flexible.

Mac

ps. Smaart on a tablet seems silly, since you need to have at least 2 audio cables attached to the computer anyway. A base station computer and a VNC tablet seems much more useful.
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Gareth Marsh

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Re: What tablet for Tablet mixing/system control?
« Reply #7 on: January 24, 2011, 01:43:01 AM »

I think that is not a good solution when you are on the road. That means you are limited to the tablet for all your computing. Since Windows is not a tablet based OS, and most general applications are not tablet focussed it is going to be harder to do all the other things you might do with a computer. A tablet like an iPad or Galaxy Tab weighs almost nothing, is very thin, an will be almost unnoticed in your bag. It will have better battery life than a Windows tablet, I get a full day of off and on web surfing on a charge with my iPad, and I can watch movies on a plane or bus, or read books on it. When I want to type, or have a computer hard wired to my gear so it doesn't have to reconnect for an RF dropout, I have my regular laptop.

The pair don't have to weigh much more than the Windows tablet and they will be much more convenient and flexible.

Mac

ps. Smaart on a tablet seems silly, since you need to have at least 2 audio cables attached to the computer anyway. A base station computer and a VNC tablet seems much more useful.


The laptop route is how I went about it.

Laptops with plenty of grunt are a lot cheaper than tablets (where I am anyway), and you can hold an iPad or similar so easily in one hand and the touch interface really is good. VNC does lag slightly with the display but commands happen pretty much instantly.

A bonus is that you can get the kindle app for the iPad and loads of games for it and that sorts your entertainment for the flights too!


Gareth
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Steve Dumont

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Re: What tablet for Tablet mixing/system control?
« Reply #8 on: January 24, 2011, 01:50:32 AM »

I have also been using a LE1700 as a remote for a laptop with great success.  I have also tried it as a direct controller for system architect.  Works fine in a pinch but.....

The main problem that I have encountered with SysArch and the tablet direct is that if you lose your wifi link for a second (ie going thru a lobby to get to a balcony) it takes a while for all your devices to re-connect and be controllable again.  This is of course a hassle but the bigger pitfall is that if you do not have your main amp screen visible (using custom panels etc) you don't necessarily know that you are not actually controlling anything until the amps connect again and want to sync.

Having smaart available on the tablet is quite handy for setting delay times on larger system.  Wireless measurement mic + tablet makes it easy to walk around setting delay times as you sit in the location you are measuring.  If you also have console control you can kill the pink and open a mic or music to verify by ear that you like the results.

Mac, how has the Ipad worked out for you?  One of the things that has kept me from trying it is that I like the fact that I can only make changes with the pen.  It seems like a much greater potential to change things by accident with a capacitive screen / fingers.

Steve

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Mac Kerr

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Re: What tablet for Tablet mixing/system control?
« Reply #9 on: January 24, 2011, 09:52:49 AM »

Having smaart available on the tablet is quite handy for setting delay times on larger system.  Wireless measurement mic + tablet makes it easy to walk around setting delay times as you sit in the location you are measuring.  If you also have console control you can kill the pink and open a mic or music to verify by ear that you like the results.

Mac, how has the Ipad worked out for you?  One of the things that has kept me from trying it is that I like the fact that I can only make changes with the pen.  It seems like a much greater potential to change things by accident with a capacitive screen / fingers.

Steve

I can see a wireless measurement mic going into the tablet, how does the reference signal get there?

The iPad has worked out great for me. I am typing this response on it. I have not used it much on shows because work has been slow, but I have used StageMix to set up fill mixes while sitting in the pattern listening, and a little eq.

Fat finger control is fine, although you can get a stylus if you want one. The stylus can't do multitouch though. I have read maybe a dozen books on it, watched some movies, played some games, handled a ton of email, and spent time here at PSW. Over all, I couldn't be happier with it.

Mac
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ProSoundWeb Community

Re: What tablet for Tablet mixing/system control?
« Reply #9 on: January 24, 2011, 09:52:49 AM »


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