external soundcard fw or usb?

[ritaheed]

a use a saffire 10 in/out firewire.... its kool with xp but its murder with ma laptop thts got vista on it - gonna get a firewire express card to see if it makes it more stable with the vista laptop.... if no vista's gettin scrappd for windows 7

[teknorich]

If you're getting an express card, you should make sure it's got Texas Instruments firewire:

http://www.startech.com/item/EC13942...wire-Card.aspx

Is supposed to be the best for audio, whereas Ricoh (Dell laptops) and Agere (some Macs) are not highly rated.

As for Windows 7, if you know anyone who's a student, then you can blag it for £30:

http://www.microsoft.com/uk/education/studentoffer/

A mate in work already did this, using one of the placement students mail adresses, and it was fine. MS send the download link and licence key to that student mail address (.ac.uk) but then obviously, once downloaded, there's nothing to stop you installing it, as nobody checks from then on if you really are a student or not. Am gonna do it myself in a couple of weeks B-)

[ritaheed]

If you're getting an express card, you should make sure it's got Texas Instruments firewire:

http://www.startech.com/item/EC13942...wire-Card.aspx

Is supposed to be the best for audio, whereas Ricoh (Dell laptops) and Agere (some Macs) are not highly rated.

As for Windows 7, if you know anyone who's a student, then you can blag it for £30:

http://www.microsoft.com/uk/education/studentoffer/

A mate in work already did this, using one of the placement students mail adresses, and it was fine. MS send the download link and licence key to that student mail address (.ac.uk) but then obviously, once downloaded, there's nothing to stop you installing it, as nobody checks from then on if you really are a student or not. Am gonna do it myself in a couple of weeks B-)

mate the card a was gna go for was this http://www.siig.com/ViewProduct.aspx?pn=NN-EC2012-S1

this was the one recomended by focusrite on there website - dunno if this has got tecas instruments firewire tho??

cheers for the heads up with windows 7, am a student so gna get tht this weekend :)