A few Linux DAW-ish ideas have appeared during disk prep and backup as old hardware crept out of the attic:
Set up touch screen https://ctrlr.org controller surfaces for most used DAW and instrument functions on a Lenovo N20 Chromebook (Intel something, 4gb RAM IIRC) or a noname Windows 10 (Atom x5-Z8300, 4gb RAM) or Android (Rockchip RK3066, broken screen but still touchable) tablet. Use them as 10" remotes in any corner of my little loft. Look ma, no mouse.
Figure out Netjack (yeah!) and send master audio busses to a multitrack recorder on an old Celeron SU2300 @ 1.20GHz 6gb RAM laptop. Not sure why but hey.
If any of them can handle a few Bitwig tracks it might be worth the hassle for those extra 8 loop and stretch and re-pitchable tracks. If I get more into DJ-ing-ish stuff it could be a nice Mixxx companion and music library backup player as well.
Or test punish the devices with a synth or guitarix or something and send that the other way.
To keep the Windows 7 DAW as clean as possible:
Hook up OBS (or similar) screen recording with a netjack feed and remote desktop / vnc / teamviewer / any smooth remote protocol.
Remote control isn't really crucial for this task, just a smooth realtime feed of both audio and video.
Please do chip in if you've got other suggestions for this little side-project
Tweezers are included, zirconed and all and I actually expect to just freeze both OS and DAW in a stable disk image, keep it mostly offline, kill and strip any CPU and RAM nonsense and go as no/low maintenance LTS as possible with this setup.merlyn wrote:As a long term solution I wouldn't think Windows 7 is an option.
The setup you've described where you install what you need and leave it sounds good in principle. It's like treating a computer as an instrument like a guitar -- you don't upgrade your guitar every six months, well, I don't.
In practice it's a bit more complicated than that. Even a guitar needs maintenance. The strings need changed, the intonation needs setup and sometimes a guitar has to go into the shop to get the truss rod tweaked. A computer, being vastly more complicated than a plank with wires, can need more maintenance.
Windows is going to become a desktop as a service eventually, so you'll have to jump ship at some point. The question is -- when?
(You may need zircon encrusted tweezers and F A C E G is Fmaj9)
Any add-ons will probably be from iPad or Android apps or hardware gizmos like retro synths, Livid guitar wing, PS3 or Wii controller, Fishman MIDI pickup, ROLI keys, stuff like that.
I also found an old Behringer V-amp modeller fx thing that still sounds ok but best of all has MIDI out, also from the two footswitches. So another mousetrap there and more knobs to turn and twist to the beat.
All the best, keep on rocking in the free world