The computer and electronics super geek thread

[azrael]

You do realize that HP is dropping out of the tablet market, right?

And the PC and smartphone markets. Heck, the fate of webOS is up in the air too.

[jenius]

I got a Palm Pre when it came out... thought it was a nice alternative to the Iphone... I wasn't ready for a phone without buttons yet. At the time, it did seem to have an edge on the IOS also. IOS5 looks like it will bury every plus WebOS had and have a bunch more strengths on top of that so, while I hate to see a competitor with a good product get beaten out of the market, I think WebOS is dead.

[mikeszekely]

You do realize that HP is dropping out of the tablet market, right?

Yep. That's how I scored a 32gb one for $150. I can sort of see why. HP is behind curve in a lot of respects hardware-wise, releasing a tablet with similar dimensions as the first iPad after the release of the slimmer and lighter iPad 2, and close to the lighter still Galaxy Tab. But the tablet is definitely worth more than I paid.

Heck, the fate of webOS is up in the air too.

That's the rub. webOS is fantastic, but it keeps winding up on sub-par hardware. I'm still holding out hope it will turn up as a quick boot option on HP's PCs.

[BeyondTheGrave]

Should I upgrade a system that I built over four years ago to win 7?

Debating on I should upgrade it and replace the computer my folks use or write it off as a loss and build system for them.

ASUS A8N-sli deluxe.

1gb ram

Windows vista

[azrael]

Should I upgrade a system that I built over four years ago to win 7?

Debating on I should upgrade it and replace the computer my folks use or write it off as a loss and build system for them.

ASUS A8N-sli deluxe.

1gb ram

Windows vista

And comes the eternal question, what are the parents using it for?

[BeyondTheGrave]

Little bro will be using itunes. Email internet ands few other programs possibly converting 45 to digital format.

[mikeszekely]

Should I upgrade a system that I built over four years ago to win 7?

Debating on I should upgrade it and replace the computer my folks use or write it off as a loss and build system for them.

ASUS A8N-sli deluxe.

1gb ram

Windows vista

Processor? Hard drive?

I'd add at least another gig of RAM, but if the other specs check, it's probably ok for a daily beater. Microsoft has a tool called Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor that will tell you if you'll have any driver issues or incompatible programs.

[BeyondTheGrave]

Amd Athlon 64 x2 2.01

Radeon x1600/1650

2 segate 250 gb 7200rpm(i think)

THe main proble is that the ram required is ddr and is close to $50 a stick.

[mikeszekely]

the ram required is ddr

Time to build a new one.

[BeyondTheGrave]

Time to build a new one.

I know. But my Dad doesn't see it that way.

On the plus side the adviser said the system is compatible. Only needs another 1gb of ram.

On another note how good of a video card would I need to hook a computer up to a 32"-46" television.

[mikeszekely]

I know. But my Dad doesn't see it that way.

On the plus side the adviser said the system is compatible. Only needs another 1gb of ram.

How is the RAM currently configured? Is it 1GB and one (or more) empty slot(s), or two 512s and two empty slots, or two 512s and no empty slots? Because that'll make a difference it what you need to upgrade with.

On another note how good of a video card would I need to hook a computer up to a 32"-46" television.

These days, that depends less on the size/resolution of the display and more on what kind of content. Even Intel's HD 3000 integrated graphics is quite capable of playing 1080p content on any size 1920x1080 display. If you want to do gaming, though, I've found the sweet spot where performance is good and the price doesn't get out of control to be the cards in the $200 or so price range.

[eugimon]

Yep. That's how I scored a 32gb one for $150. I can sort of see why. HP is behind curve in a lot of respects hardware-wise, releasing a tablet with similar dimensions as the first iPad after the release of the slimmer and lighter iPad 2, and close to the lighter still Galaxy Tab. But the tablet is definitely worth more than I paid.

That's the rub. webOS is fantastic, but it keeps winding up on sub-par hardware. I'm still holding out hope it will turn up as a quick boot option on HP's PCs.

I ordered one as well. I had 145 worth of amazon credit lying around so it came out to 26$ after tax and shipping.

Going to let my kid use it so I really don't care if it's not as awesome as some of the other ones out there. for 150$ it's really hard to beat. Bought a second one to ship off to my wife's cousin in the philippines.

[mechaninac]

On another note how good of a video card would I need to hook a computer up to a 32"-46" television.

I may be totally off base on this and if so please correct me, but since most, if not all, modern HDTVs can be used as computer monitors the Computer's video card specifics are irrelevant as far as compatibility is concerned; it would be the same thing as hooking up a dedicated PC monitor to a computer. The only caveat is that a wide screen capable video card would deliver better results, and if it's dual monitor capability then that would open extra possibilities. If the PC/Laptop has HDMI then the TV could be connected thus, or the old standard monitor cable interface jack can be used for image-only usage.

[BeyondTheGrave]

How is the RAM currently configured? Is it 1GB and one (or more) empty slot(s), or two 512s and two empty slots, or two 512s and no empty slots? Because that'll make a difference it what you need to upgrade with.

These days, that depends less on the size/resolution of the display and more on what kind of content. Even Intel's HD 3000 integrated graphics is quite capable of playing 1080p content on any size 1920x1080 display. If you want to do gaming, though, I've found the sweet spot where performance is good and the price doesn't get out of control to be the cards in the $200 or so price range.

Only one stick of 1 gb of ram in sytem currently.

Also no gaming mainly hulu and netflix.

[azrael]

If you can find cheap RAM, then I would definitely just upgrade to a minimum of 2GB. But yes, DDR is old and well, you can find 4GB of DDR3 for half that price whereas a single 1GB stick of DDR could cost you $50.

But I would agree with mikeszekely, an upgrade would be preferable. Honestly, you can shoot low with a micro-ATX, Intel Core i3 or i5/AMD X2 or X3 (Athlon or Phenom), built-in video (like the Intel HD 3000 or AMD 700/800 series graphics) and be fine.

[BeyondTheGrave]

If you can find cheap RAM, then I would definitely just upgrade to a minimum of 2GB. But yes, DDR is old and well, you can find 4GB of DDR3 for half that price whereas a single 1GB stick of DDR could cost you $50.

But I would agree with mikeszekely, an upgrade would be preferable. Honestly, you can shoot low with a micro-ATX, Intel Core i3 or i5/AMD X2 or X3 (Athlon or Phenom), built-in video (like the Intel HD 3000 or AMD 700/800 series graphics) and be fine.

I did get a "free" Mobo from microcenter when I bought a processor. So I was thinking about using it for a base.

gigabyte 78LMT-S2P

[mikeszekely]

Are you in the US?

I found a 1GB PC3200 DDR stick at Newegg for $25 and free shipping.

[Chewie]

So, did anyone else score an HP TouchPad now that HP has abruptly slashed the price?

Once we were allowed to sell them again today it took all of 15 minutes to sell around 30 of them. Was crazy.

[BeyondTheGrave]

I'd need two. For when I bought the first stick.I got it from compusa.

[Chewie]

I'm still holding out hope it will turn up as a quick boot option on HP's PCs.

If they even continue selling consumer PCs in the next few months.

WebOS and Palm are just the start of HPs future weirdness.

[mikeszekely]

If they even continue selling consumer PCs in the next few months.

WebOS and Palm are just the start of HPs future weirdness.

You can expect no change for at least 12-18 months. Even then, HP is the number 1 PC manufacturer in the world. I think the shareholders will oust Leo Apotheker as CEO before HP actually stops making and selling consumer PCs.

[eugimon]

You can expect no change for at least 12-18 months. Even then, HP is the number 1 PC manufacturer in the world. I think the shareholders will oust Leo Apotheker as CEO before HP actually stops making and selling consumer PCs.

the margin on computers is only 5%. Services gives them a MUCH higher rate of return.

[mikeszekely]

the margin on computers is only 5%. Services gives them a MUCH higher rate of return.

No argument there. But their PC division alone, if spun off into its own company, would be a Fortune 60 company. They make money. And you don't throw that away just because your current CEO has a hard on for the enterprise scene.

Honestly, I think Leo's got ideas for the future. And they may be good ones. I just don't think they're the right ones for HP.

[BeyondTheGrave]

Extraordinarily similar. C is maybe a tick smaller, but is LED and has a slightly faster response rate. D is a little cheaper, LCD, and has a slightly slower response rate (but I haven't noticed a difference between 2ms and 5ms personally, even while gaming). Same resolution, same connections, both have built-in speakers. I guess I'd probably go with C.

Update:

Apparently C is discontinued.so I went with the ASUS VE249H for 189.99.

System specs:

Win 7 Professional OEM

Evga geforce GTX 570

Kingston 8Gb

Amd Phenom II x6 1100T Black Edition

Corsair Ax850 PSU

Segate 1Tb Internal HDD

ASUS Crosshair Formula V

HP 1270i DVD Writer

[Duke Togo]

Currently have an E6600 Conroe (2.4Ghz 4MB L2 Cache) running a stable and cool 2.88GHz on an Asus P5B Deluxe mobo. GPU, sound, and PSU are new within the past 2 years. I'm looking to do a cheap and fast upgrade to my CPU.

My best options are an E7600 and an E6800:

E7600 Wolfdale 3.06Ghz 3MB L2 Cache vs E6800 Wolfdale 3.33GHz 2MB L2 Cache

E7600 will overclock to 3.6GHz and the E6800 will overlock to 4GHz. +1MB L2 Cache or +400MHz. Also, the E7600 is $50 more, but I'm not overly concerned about that.

Edited August 23, 2011 by Duke Togo

[azrael]

Currently have an E6600 Conroe (2.4Ghz 4MB L2 Cache) running a stable and cool 2.88GHz on an Asus P5B Deluxe mobo. GPU, sound, and PSU are new within the past 2 years. I'm looking to do a cheap and fast upgrade to my CPU.

I had that same CPU and mobo....

My best options are an E7600 and an E6800:

E7600 Wolfdale 3.06Ghz 3MB L2 Cache vs E6800 Wolfdale 3.33GHz 2MB L2 Cache

E7600 will overclock to 3.6GHz and the E6800 will overlock to 4GHz. +1MB L2 Cache or +400MHz. Also, the E7600 is $50 more, but I'm not overly concerned about that.

You want more L2 cache or would you be happy with 2MB of L2? Other than that, that's all the E7600 has going on it. Spec wise, they're the same. If you want to save the money and spend it on something else, I'd go with the E6800.

[Duke Togo]

I had that same CPU and mobo....

You want more L2 cache or would you be happy with 2MB of L2? Other than that, that's all the E7600 has going on it. Spec wise, they're the same. If you want to save the money and spend it on something else, I'd go with the E6800.

Well see, that's the question, Az. I'm not sure the 400MHz is worth the loss of 1MB of L2 cache.

I'd love to do a mobo/cpu/ram upgrade, but spending the 450-500 bucks on that impacts my ability to pick up the new iPhone and get a new TV in the not too distant future.

[azrael]

Well see, that's the question, Az. I'm not sure the 400MHz is worth the loss of 1MB of L2 cache.

I'd love to do a mobo/cpu/ram upgrade, but spending the 450-500 bucks on that impacts my ability to pick up the new iPhone and get a new TV in the not too distant future.

In terms of synthetic benchmarks, I would say it's better to get the E6800. How that would translate to the real-world, I can't say. That extra speed may make up for the 1/3 less cache. At the same time, the extra cache of the E7600 would help make things run faster by reducing load times. Because these 2 processors are nearly identical, it's hard to answer the question.

[Duke Togo]

In terms of synthetic benchmarks, I would say it's better to get the E6800. How that would translate to the real-world, I can't say. That extra speed may make up for the 1/3 less cache. At the same time, the extra cache of the E7600 would help make things run faster by reducing load times. Because these 2 processors are nearly identical, it's hard to answer the question.

Unfortunately, that seems to be the case. I'm probably best just holding off for a few months and then decide where I most want to spend my money. Either I'll do a full cpu/mobo/ram upgrade, or keep rolling with what I have.

[eugimon]

I ordered one as well. I had 145 worth of amazon credit lying around so it came out to 26$ after tax and shipping.

Going to let my kid use it so I really don't care if it's not as awesome as some of the other ones out there. for 150$ it's really hard to beat. Bought a second one to ship off to my wife's cousin in the philippines.

So, "on sale" has cancelled my order with the reason "out of stock" even though they're continuing to sell the item on their amazon.com store... now it's 3x more expensive though.

Complaining to amazon did nothing, calling on sale directly now: 1-800-896-2011

This is pure bullshit.

[Gubaba]

Okay...I'm baffled. I'm trying to "perfect" my subtitles for SDFM. I'm using Arial for nearly all the fonts, and yet...

When I use Mplayer, it looks fine:

But when I use VLC, it looks like this:

I've tried adjusting the settings using both Jubler and Aegisub, I've tried the preferences on both Mplayer and VLC...I can't figure out why this is happening.

Any answers...?

[azrael]

Okay...I'm baffled. I'm trying to "perfect" my subtitles for SDFM. I'm using Arial for nearly all the fonts, and yet...

When I use Mplayer, it looks fine:

...

But when I use VLC, it looks like this:

...

I've tried adjusting the settings using both Jubler and Aegisub, I've tried the preferences on both Mplayer and VLC...I can't figure out why this is happening.

Any answers...?

If you're softcoding the subs, I believe you can specify which fonts to use in both Mplayer and VLC which will override any specific fonts of the file. Hardcoding should be able to avoid that problem.

[Gubaba]

If you're softcoding the subs, I believe you can specify which fonts to use in both Mplayer and VLC which will override any specific fonts of the file. Hardcoding should be able to avoid that problem.

I'm trying to avoid hardcoding...and trying to override the subs doesn't seem to work...but ah well, I guess that's just how it goes...

[boinger]

Hello Gubaba:

Good news!

The problem with your VLC subs can be fixed by either re-installing VLC with default settings or setting to default

the extra software that does the soft subtitle formatting for VLC, such as VobSub that is included with the CCCP Codec pack/ K-lite codec pack.

When I play GN remastered SDF TV ep 34, the subtitles appear the same as the mplayer picture you posted.

[Chewie]

Kind of a "judging interest" post, and quite possibly not the place for it, but would there be one of you fine gentlemen interested in a brand new(unopened) Intel i7 2600k processor?

A real life incident may be barring me from finishing my new computer at all and I may need to get rid of what components I have.

Drop me a PM if you might be, if dis ain't da place, my apologies ahead of time.