When it comes to computer-based location recording, the issue isn't so much the computer itself as it is the audio interface. I usually shy away from using laptops because their fan and drive noise is more difficult to control than a desktop system's. For example, for the location foley for "The Company," we used a Mac G4 in a soundproof flight case, and it worked beautifully. A laptop, on the other had, can be akward to soundproof.

Still, it doesn't matter how physically quiet the system is if the inputs and analogue to digital converters are noisey. I don't reccomend using the mic input on the top of the line Sound Blaster cards, let alone the poorly shielded messes they cram into laptops. An USB audio interface such as Digidesign's popular MBox is a great way to get clean audio into your computer. I've used one on a G4 for about a year now, and have been quite happy with its performance.

One point that I completely forgot about is that any time you record very loud sounds, be careful not to damage your hearing. A good set of circumaural headphones like the Sony MDR-7506 will help protect your hearing, but to block out everything but the sound from the recorder you need headphones designed for outside sound rejection.

For really rough-and-tumble field recording, a laptop will prove both ackward and fragile. Your portable recording rig has to be able to take the abuse that is part of field recording, and most laptops just aren't meant for that kind of punishment. Nagra 4.2s, on the other hand, have been known to survive being dropped from low-altitude aircraft (Kudeleski built them to military specs, after all).

Before you know it, you'll have speant thousands of dollars on gear that may not do exactly what you want it to. My advice is still to go to a local film and broadcast rental house, and get them to reccomend a package. Rent for a day, and see if you like the gear. Resist the temptation to drop huge sums on unproven gear, especially if you're new to field recording.

When all is said and done, you'll probably be further ahead if you just drop a couple of hundred bucks on one of the general purpose libraries "Sound Ideas" sells. That way, the hard work has already been done.

smuir:
Of course, when you have the means and your career and skills have reached the point where quality is the topmost concern, the rule comes to bear that you will never have more than what you have recorded, so do not trust post to make appear what is not there.

What I assume, when answering basic-level questions in a public forum, especially here on GDnet, that the person in need of help is at the beginning point of their audio career, possibly in high school or early college, and I give decent advice for decent quality at decent cost, because odds are good that is what they need at this point.

Thanks for your posts, smuir, I pulled a lot of good info from them myself.