Presonus Firebox with XP Media Center Edition ??

[radiocynic]

Hi, all --

If even ONE person can tell me that this works for them, I'm just about ready to buy a Presonus Firebox to attach to my 2GB Dell Inspiron 6000 laptop. BUT, I have the dreaded XP Media Center Edition.

I realize Sweetwater is not permitted to even condone this, since the manufacturer doesn't show compatibility with MCE. But I've seen numerous posts re different configurations that ARE working with MCE, either with or without the mods listed by scottdemarko in the sticky above.

I would actually like to maintain at least some MCE features if possible (notably a tv/vid tuner) but my main goal is a trouble-free audio & MIDI recording system. For starters, I plan to use the included Cubase LE and gradually upgrade from there.

Any advice or reassurance that this combination works for anyone would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance! -- Randy

[scottdemarko]

I can't really think of anything on Media Center that can't be accomplished in XP Home or XP PRO.

I have a video card on my laptop that records TV
I have a wireless connection to my xbox to my laptop so I can play back tv shows/videos etc that I have stored on an external hard drive. The xbox has Windows Media on it ($50 for an xbox $20-$30 for the media center edition software) for $80 you have an entertainmnet hub that will play music, movies, etc from any external source...

The basic reason why media center is not recommended is performance. You get a ton more performance/processing power etc using a operating system that isn't bogged down with so many extra features that aren't going to be used while recording. Even on my XP home edition I have went into the MSCONFIG and disabled anything starting up when my computer starts.

I'd be interested in what programs specifically you are using on Media Center that can't be ported to XP HOME. (or functionality)

The only reassurance is that it may or may not work fine. (Actually thats a given for any OS etc... just about everyone has to do some form of tweaks to their OS or the recording program upon setting up before it will work perfectly.. ) My initital setup with Pro Tools took around 2 hours before I had it perfect. In the beginning I had buffer underun errors, I/O errors you name it. I am guessing to someone with no recording background that might have invoked a return on the system but technically these kinds of things are normal upon first installation of most recording software/hardware.

I'd say that it really comes down to doing this at your own risk. It may or may not work, and it certainly isn't supported by the manufacturers because of how many complaints received on low track counts, buffer underrun errors etc. The best case scenario is to design a computer around the recording device/software you plan to use, the worse case scenario is to use a computer not listed as compatible. ;-)

I think you can take it from there.... Feel free to call me with more detailed questions. I have some other ideas that may or may not help.

[radiocynic]

Scott, thanks very much for the reply; sorry for my delayed response.

Mainly just an issue of wanting to (IF POSSIBLE) use the existing system I already paid for and is functioning well. This laptop's a little more than a year old -- In hindsight, of course, I REALLY wish I had researched more completely to know then how incompatable MCE was with the music stuff I knew I'd need to get later. I would have been more than happy to get Home or Pro, but, I didn't.

The ONLY feature I use on MCE is an outboard Dell Angel USB TV tuner, feeding into MCE's recording/playback features. I'm guessing there might be different (non-MCE) software it would still function with, but I haven't researched that.

The only other issue is being extra-wary of changing OS's on the laptop when it's otherwise working well for innumerable other personal-use and business-use needs. (Recently sorting through numerous nightmares with a should-have-been-simple upgrade of a different computer from 98SE to XP Home.) Of course, I'm really limited on free time and finances (yeah, isn't everyone?) so I just can't afford further major setbacks in either while attempting to accomplish numerous musical projects.

So do you know, does it work well to "downgrade" from XP MCE to XP HOME?

I'm thinking that I should buy the Presonus, then address the OS issue if and when the MCE gives me problems(?) perhaps using the sticky's methods of disabling MCE features, or just plain changing the OS to XP Home(?)

(And I'm not against tweaks to OS's or jumping through a few hoops for several hours to get audio stuff to work -- I'm an old DOS / MIDI guy from back in the day that we had to reconfgure IRQ's and all. But I've just reached the level where I don't want it to be a several-DAY nightmare, or just-plain-unsolvable!)

ANY advice, ideas, suggestions on any of this is greatly appreciated!! For that matter, I'd be grateful to hear your opinion of the Presonus Firebox vs other similarly-priced Firewire or USB units.

Thanks again. -- Randy

[scottdemarko]

Downgrade is not the correct termonology for what you would be doing. If I had $50-$100 (Windows XP Home ranges anywhere from as cheap as $20 to as expensive as $95 depending on where you purchase it)

I would suggest a complete back up of everything, then installing Windows XP as if you wiped out your system. However keep in mind you would remove all programs, all files etc.. A complete disk reformat.

You would only want to do this if your serious about recording. Otherwise the hassle as you mentioned would probably be to overwhelming to be worth it. (Me personally you'll gasp when you hear I have 5 PC's and 2 Macs in my home (3 laptops, 2 desktops, an E-Mac, and I-mac). I have successful performed a disk format on a WINDOWS MEDIA Center PC to XP HOME.

I use a device I got from Best Buy to do video recording from Live TV and I have an XBOX with Media Center loaded on it to directly link to my PC that has all my media files on it (movies, music etc.) So far I haven't found any benefits of Windows Media Center over XP Home or Pro... All of our PC's have XP Home except one has XP PRO.

Since your fully aware of the potential pitfalls, and possible fixes, I would go forth and see how things go.... ;-) Whats the worse that can happen? It doesn't work and you begin the tweak process, and eventually either give in and load XP HOME or get a new computer that will work 100% with it... If you can accept that, then by all means live for the moment!

;-)

Good Luck~!

[terry]

radiocynic

There is always the option of dual booting. Plus if I'm not mistaken presonus comes right out and states they do not support Media Center Edition. At least with dual booting you could tweak and strip down xp so it will better for you.

[radiocynic]

Thanks again Scott, and Terry, for the suggestions.

I am indeed serious about the music thing -- (as seriously as you can take someone who USED TO BE cutting-edge in 1992, but is still currently using a 486 running a DOS MIDI sequencing program!)

I quite likely will do the reinstall to XP Home. I don't think I'll really need to breech the dual-booting scenario, as long as I can find out from Dell if the video recording and live tv device I already have will function under XP Home or whatever other possibilities there are for that.

I actually just completed an upgrade from 98SE to XP Home on another old desktop -- (only 3 PC's here, thanks!) -- including the whole repartition of the drive, etc., so at least I already know the drill. (Unfortunately, that desktop's not powerful enough to deal with audio.)

Beyond all that, I'll just need to make sure that old desktop is working well enough that my wife will not run screaming from the room when I suggest cannibalizing the laptop!

Thanks again for the help! -- Randy

[Justin]

Find out what TV capture card you have built in. If it is a common brand, you can probably run MediaPortal or GB-PVR using it.

I personally use GB-PVR at home with a Hauppauge MCE150 tuner card and it works great.

[T.speer]

I was thinking about buying xp home or xp pro and installing it on a 500g 7200rpm EXTERNAL USB drive,and using it when I want to record rather than using a dual boot system,by changing the boot drive in the bios on start up,would this work ????
Thanks
Tom
T.spee@adelphia.net