The perfect alternative to a laptop

DJ Life & Community General Discussion
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The perfect alternative to a laptop

Mini ITX PC systems.

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You can get those motherboards starting as $50 and pretty much DIY to meet your needs. You counld give use to an old LCD monitor and use spare parts you have around. A component brakes, it’s easily replaced. They can even he mounted the the VESA holes behind any monitor for the ideal mobile solution.

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You can get from a built-in intel Atom to a Intel i7. just like any other desktop but nanosized. If I buy a new MBP I might not take it to the club but rather have a cheap DIY replacement that in case it gets damaged or stolen I wont suffer it that much.

The only cons I see it’s that they may need to get plugged to a wall but further research will definitely find a solution to this.

More info google ITX

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what’s the difference between this and a All in one pc?

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I really like mITX, my next computer desktop will be mITX however I cannot agree that it is a laptop replacement. It has no battery for instance and therefore I cannot use it while I am on the train.

The main benefits to mITX vs all in one PC is expandability. Not all AIO PC’s allow you to swap critical parts out and some AIO use laptop parts.

mITX cases from Sugo are extremely popular for building incredibly fast desktop computers.

In the future (approx 5+ years time), my phone will plug into a screen + HID controls and then using advanced remote desktop protocols like teradici’s PCOIP connect to a powerful host computer. All the portability, with all the power.

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QFT

I meant computer to DJ :slight_smile:. Haha thats how engraved people have computer DJ = laptop. I posted this upon seeing M Elbert Grant thread but didnt wanted to hijack it. The difference between this and All in one pc besides what Kaek said is price.

Components can be found for cheap and are easily replaced when busted and there are more options for upgrades contrary to laptops that is pretty much memory and hdd. Also you save space since you can have a wireless keyboard/mouse that you can put away once you start to play or also use something like Air Mouse for Iphone to do the same. Since the PC would be installed behind the monitor or away with just the video cable, accidents due to spilled drinks would be 99% prevented. And if someone steals it, well, at least it wasn’t my $1500 Macbook Pro. Since you can use pretty much any LCD, you can buy used thru Craigslist or even given for free.

You know, now that I say it I think I might build one to DJ when I get some extra money :eek:. The downside would be no battery but anyways I always plug in to be safe…

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Pretty smart, let us know how it turns out when you finish it

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Has anyone seen the new FTO3 case from silverstone?

I will be building my next pc as a mITX since Im guessing I’ll start moving around after graduating collge next year.

My big desktop is already getting to be a pain everytime I move, but its hard to part with the case that I have now :disappointed:

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Just saw the Silverstone cases when googling Sogu. Very very nice cases. For a main rig I would definitely get one of those but to dj just get the minimum that can deal with traktor no problems. Maybe one of those Atom dual-core and the rest with parts I have around. Maybe a simple DIY box with an old tower I have in the garage paint it flat black, put a sticker and call it a day.

You could also build some great “Apple branded” hackintosh with the mITX or simply just buying the Mac Mini board off Ebay, the cpu and put it inside some DIY case.

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Have a look here.

Scroll all the way down for a iTX system that will also run OS X on it comfortably. For £350 (or $600) you get a very good spec’d system and could mount it all in the case in you OP and on the back of a monitor.

Would be a mean little machine then!

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I just built a pc like this for DJing, it uses a laptop power chord. Its a great idea, but its no laptop. I’m looking to sell mine because I want the portability of a laptop. Remember you still need to have a keyboard and a mouse with you, and carrying the monitor around. Still a sick pc though

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Can we see a pic? How about specs? How much?

Keyboard and mouse are no biggie. You can get something like this Mini-2-4GHz-2-4G-Wireless-Keyboard-Mouse-Tracking-Ball or get one of those cheap rubber keyboards you can roll and put away. Mouse is the same thing.

And about the monitor yes… you would need to carry a lcd around but maybe one of those old 13" - 15" wouldnt be that much of a problem. I estimate the mITX to be about the same size as a NI Audio 4/Presonus Firebox. I’ll investigate more upon searching for components.

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This is a great idea… somehow thinking along the lines at using the monitor a a pseudo “rack” i.e. making something like a wall mount bracket on the back of a 15 - 17 inch monitor, and having the soundcard, motherboard, and etc attached… cool thread!

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[quote]Scroll all the way down for a iTX system that will also run OS X on it comfortably. For £350 (or $600) you get a very good spec’d system and could mount it all in the case in you OP and on the back of a monitor.
[/quote]

$600 EXLUDING the case, bluetooth, IR & Wifi or warranty on the unit … :-S, a Mac-mini is almost as good value and you can get a Vesa Mount for them. I not knocking the specs I know the Proc / Ram /HDD is better than a mini, if I was going the OSX route though I’d probably go for the real thing, Hackintoshes are great n’all (and I’ve had 2) but you just never know when the latest OSX update will screw everything up.

Anyhooo’s though …

Idea 1.

Why not mount the entire lot in a half decent flightcase and build yourself a 00budget :stuck_out_tongue:

http://www.thomann.de/ie/thon_aktenkoffer.htm

You could vesamount a 18’ screen in the back of the case nicely or get creative and completly strip and remount (what i’d do)

You’d have LOTS of room in the base of the case for the mobo, PSU, fans etc..and maybe even for a half decent soundcard & keyboard mounted on top of your choice.

Working out the numbers it should cost under $700 for a i3 3ghz setup with 4gigs ram, 1tb removable drivebay, Wifi, DDR3, 18.5’ samsung monitor and keyboard with trackpad.

Add about $100 and you could get a nice rugged backlit keyboard :stuck_out_tongue:

Add $200 and you could get a programmable Point of sale rugged macro keyboard and use it as a controller as well.

Idea 2.

Slightly larger case, 2xmotherboards and a KVM switch.

Idea 3

Modify bigger case and mount 2 x 12’ monitors and 2x mobo’s etc in the bottom … y’know .. Ableton on one traktor on the other blagh blagh :stuck_out_tongue:

It’d be some blood sweat and tears but a cool project.

I used to spend hours on the mini-itx site you have my head swirling of the possibilites now :stuck_out_tongue:

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I could see this being great for live set ups i.e running ableton on an extended desktop with two monitors but for traktor?? meh i like just being able to whip out my laptop and just plugging in my sound-card its less stress.

I have toyed with the idea of using a wireless keyboard and mouse as i like to keep my screen as much out of the way as possible but it was a nightmare in some clubs fitting the key board under the decks and mixer.