synchronized loops/the best solution ???

[Raphael Vanoli <raphaelvanoli@gmx.net>]

Dear all,

i am seeking for a good solution of recording synchronized live-loops 
with an ambient/trip-hop duo that I have ( guitar/live drums ).
I would need a looping tool that can be synchronized with a simple 
metronome that my drummer uses, what I want are loops that are maximum 2 
minutes long, multi -layered and of a good sound-quality..
Untill now I've been using cheap solutions: Line6 delay modeller and 
Boss RC 20 since a couple of years and i can really say there's NO way 
that rhytmical loops would run in synch with a drummer for a longer 
period of time, even if you have the tightest drummer in the world and 
the best sound you could imagine to have during a concert... AARGGH----

So... What would you guys  recommend ? EDP, electrix repeater or a 
laptop? If a laptop would be the best way (I don't know much about 
them), can they really be used with the same intuition as hardware; is 
there no latency with midi-switches? Ableton or LiSa? Questions 
questions questionsssss
Probably there are different solutions, which would be the cheapest one?

In the meantime:
the only thing that seems to work with those two pedals that I own are 
the one shot & play-once function ( restarting the loop by foot as tight 
as a human being can do it everytime I want to have it played back ) or 
stoping and restarting the loop (that was recorded while drums played to 
a metronome)... Any other possibilities I didn't think of?

I am looking forward for any kind of answer, thanks a lot....

Raphael