Just Starting, Got a new job, need help.

[Greasemonkey]

Hi everybody, My names Andres and I'm a total newbie here. A newbie at LED lighting and computer programs in general.

I was just hired onto a company that specializes in LED lighting instillation. The owner wants to incorporate DMX programming into his companies services, he knows a little about it but not much. He's asked me to learn it and work for him.

Having 0 experience with this type of stuff I just have one question so far. What is the best Laptop to use for this type of software and line of work?

I'm literally starting at ground zero here. But the company isn't paying for my training, or equipment (laptop, software ect), and isn't rushing me to learn it. I'm gonna be doing this on my own, but first I need a good laptop.

Thanks in advance for any responses.

[Fritzsche]

Hi there,
And welcome!

A normal laptop will be okay. But I think there are three sides to this question:

1) System requirements of MADRIX
2) Personal requirements
3) Budget

1) For today's standards of graphic intense applications, the current -minimum- system requirements of MADRIX are quite managable I think. But at the same time, MADIRX can melt down the most powerful computer with ease! It depends on various factors. For DMX applications and to get started, a medium laptop should be fine. (From my point of view I would probably make sure that it has a native graphics card; instead of using only an onboard chip.) More info on system requirements is available here: http://help.madrix.com/hidd_before_star ... ments.html

2) How large should the screen be? How glossy can the display be? How long does the battery life need to be? How much weight is ok? How portable should it be? How durable does it need to be? How much warranty should it have? How many input or output ports are useful (USB, monitor, Ethernet/network, etc.)?
Those are the type of questions of mere personal preference and according to the job. Getting a bit of advice from an expert might be useful in this case.

3) You will only need a high-end laptop for very large LED pixel resolutions (mostly DVI-based). On the other hand, we have seen small netbooks runs 60 or 80 DMX universes. A low-budget laptop is more affordable, but might be outdated too soon in the future for larger projects, for example. A high-end one will be expensive. So I think there could be a sweet spot inbetween.

If you have a normal computer at hand, I can recommend to run MADRIX in demo mode and test out the overall performance. And I would run several test scenarios with different pixel resolutions, multiple layers, different MADRIX Effects, etc.

Or maybe we can find a MADRIX partner in your area, where you could get a training session!?

Thanks.

[Greasemonkey]

From looking online, I was thinking of going with the latest Dell Xps 15. It has a 3rd Gen intel i7 processor, comes with windows 8, and looks like it will perform great under a high work load. It is $1700 though. But I'm budgeting to get it.

You mentioned at the end about finding a local Madrix user that could help out, how can I find someone? Because that would be perfect!!!

[Fritzsche]

That sounds like a powerful machine! But please note that we haven't announced Windows 8 compatibility yet. Internal tests are looking good, but I just wanted to remind you of it. It is not official.

Where are you located? Our "Where To Buy" section lists numerous partners, but maybe not all of them. We could also continue this conversation by e-mail, if you do not want to disclose such information publicly. Please use info[at]madrix.com

Thanks!

[Greasemonkey]

I did look at the "Where to buy" section, and the nearest places are in Sunrise, and Miami FL. I live in St. Cloud FL which is about 30-45 minutes south of Orlando FL. Which is about 2-3 hours away from the two listed locations.

As for the not officially Windows 8 compatible info. I didn't catch that.
So I guess I'll hold off till the announcement is confirmed.

[Fritzsche]

The Where To Buy section might not include all contacts, so I would recommend calling ICD, Sunrise (distributor and official general representatives) to see if someone is closer to you or what they can offer you. Please mind that advanced training sessions might not be free of charge.

Regarding Windows 8, I currently cannot give an ETA when or if that announcement comes.

Please let me know if you have any further questions. Thanks!

[Fritzsche]

Hi there,

I just wanted to give an update to this topic.

Tests with MADRIX and Windows 8 were successful. So in general there shouldn't be any problems. However, we are still trying to assess all the possible implications that could come with a switch to Windows 8.

Thank you.