Looking forward to jamming out soon but i would like to take Diva with me without a laptop or PC as i dont want to spend my time glaring into a computer screen, the other players feel threatened by computers

But i can see no alternative ? a lot of money for a Receptor !

For running stuff without a screen I don't think there is an alternative. I had the same issue with guitar amp sims. I looked into Receptor but the idea of running software (in Receptor) and not having a way to 'fix' something I messed up setting it up at home (or adjust some obscure parameter) scares the heck out of me. Getting a Receptor and taking a screen, mouse and keyboard kind of defeats the purpose of a Receptor again.

To paraphrase my own conclusions:

• Take a laptop and put it in an empty rack enclosure facing you (or sit on it). Nobody will see or know and you'll have full flexibility.
  
• Build or buy a good quality mini-tower format PC and do the same. This requires a monitor and keyboard again though.
  
• Build or buy a rackmount PC yourself. Same additional requirements as above. Rackmount cases are expensive but there are special 'audio application' variants available. Buying complete systems costs a fortune, basically what a receptor costs.
  
• There are rack enclosures available for mac minis. Some compact PC systems share that format so you could use them too. Both may or may not be powerful enough to run Diva. I don't know. And again, you'll need a monitor and keyboard.

Right now I'm doing #1 and thinking hard about #3 (build, not buy). #4 is not scalable enough for me (two years from now I'd need a whole new micro-system because those things barely let you upgrade RAM), #2 is not cheaper enough than #3 to justify the hassle of dragging something around that isn't really made for that. You'd just be saving on the case itself, which is maybe $200.

I'd be happy to hear if somebody has a better solution.

Ever thought about making multisamples of your VST sounds and then using a hardware sampler with your keyboard?

A mac mini + ipad as wireless monitor and pointing device when needed ?

Not the cheapest and screenless but might do the job:

http://www.openlabs.com/nekoqx6.html

You could set up the controls on a midi keyboard so you don't need to look at the screen. I don't get why the "other players" feel threatened by computers anyway?

Maybe this can do the job for you: http://www.smproaudio.com/index.php/en/products/v-machines/v machine

Not for Diva. Not even close.

Yes i was wondering if even Receptor has enough power ? The highest spec one as far as i can tell is only dual core @3.3 gig .

@thecontrolcentre, nice idea.
They dont really feel threatened just groans when they have to wait for me to edit something.

Thanks for all the suggestions BTW

You can buy just a small book size computer for a couple of hundred at a computer surplus shop, SSD 120 GB can be had for $120. It will boot in seconds. Set it up to boot into apps you'll be running. Windows 7 is good, or use Linux and Wine like the receptor. Or buy a mac mini with SSD.

Go screenless with Novation Zero
Or used NI Kore
Or if you use just basically one setup and just do patch changes any midi controller will work.

Or use an iPhone, iPod, iPad or Android to remote desktop to the PC to control things.

You shouldn't have to look at a screen if you've got everything set up beforehand. The only thing a screenless system does differently is not give you a screen to look at. You don't HAVE to look at your laptop's screen either. Set it up so you can change/tweak patches with your MIDI controller, or maybe invest in a second for doing patch/knob work if your keyboard doesn't have much in the way of knobs etc. Hide your laptop under the table.

Alternatively, do none of this and tell your bandmates to either:

a: front up £20,000 for a wide range of hardware synths, or
b: shut the f**k up.

Im leaning to putting the guts of my PC into a rackmount case now as Wasi suggested for about 75 quid and i have a 19 inch lcd monitor lying around and can still afford the Kurzweil too.

Only issue is the sound card which has a Midiman delta breakout box which draws the line at being lugged around ! Need to find a cheap reasonable small usb sound card and i think it's sorted, certainly a lot less than the drummer has to drag around !

Wise words

I've always gone for B myself

I do hate to offend them though as it bums out the whole vibe and im keen to change the negative image they have of music technology and work with it, slave to a sequencer it has been said, shows up their sloppy timing i say

Maybe they jammed with someone on an atari years ago