i was looking at maybe poping 400 out right now after i looked alittle more for maybe a geforce 6800gt. kinda alittle more then i wanted to pay but o well i need it =P.
Cool thanks for the link. I am definitley going to take a serious look at this card. I had my eye on the Nvidia 6600gt, but if the X800Xl has comparable stats to a 6800, and it's just a bit more expensive than the 6600gt, it just looks to good. This just may be my first ATI card.
This is my question, the monitor I was looking at buying, the 'BenQ FP931 ' says the Imput types are 15-pin D-sub, DVI-D. I want to use the DVI-D connection but im not sure that my Video Card supports this. My video card is the ATI 9800 pro, and I have a 9600 too. They both say that they have DVI-I connector for digital flat pannels. Is a DVI-D connection compatable with a DVI-I connetor?
Yes, all under 1K and that is with doin no price comparison, all from tigerdirect with their stupid inflated holiday prices.
To anyone having a hard time finding parts or a good place for parts, check out the following. I have build multiple boxes fro mthese sites, and all have good customer service, and will not rip you off. Also keep in mind that a lot of these sites jack up prices for the holidays, So I would recommend waitin until after the new year to order if possible.
Okay, I'm usually okay with all my computer stuff, usually only software malfunctions, but this time my computer has lost it. A friend of mine and myself were reinstalling Windows on my computer but couldnt complete it because i didnt have an internet connection at the time and i needed to get the drivers for my Radeon 9200 loaded onto it. So, i had to install the zip drive from my old computer in order to accomidate the size of the file i would have to download from my other computer. Now, everything was going smoothly, my drivers installed perfectly and as we were letting out a sigh of victory and relief things went wrong. For some odd reason, after we tested everything with the side plates to the case off it was fine, but when we put the side plates back on, it stopped sending signals to the monitor. My first thought was that something had come loose so i opened it up and took everything out and put it back in. Failure ensued. My second guess was that something had fried, but, not wanting to believe this i decided to test the monitor. So i got my other monitor which i KNOW works because it is working now in the other room on my other computer as we speak. I hooked it all up...nothing. So, after this i got frustrated and have not touched it since it is still sitting on the floor next to my bed with the side plates off, unpowered, unplugged...pitiful. So, i either need someone to help me figure out how to fix it, or help me find new hardware. Thanks for all your input in advance.
(__/) (='.'=) (")_(") awww look at this cute little bunny.
(\__/) (='.'=) (")_(") awww look at this cute little bunny....OF IMPENDING DOOM!
Originally posted by Amar_Chaos Okay, I'm usually okay with all my computer stuff, usually only software malfunctions, but this time my computer has lost it. A friend of mine and myself were reinstalling Windows on my computer but couldnt complete it because i didnt have an internet connection at the time and i needed to get the drivers for my Radeon 9200 loaded onto it. So, i had to install the zip drive from my old computer in order to accomidate the size of the file i would have to download from my other computer. Now, everything was going smoothly, my drivers installed perfectly and as we were letting out a sigh of victory and relief things went wrong. For some odd reason, after we tested everything with the side plates to the case off it was fine, but when we put the side plates back on, it stopped sending signals to the monitor. My first thought was that something had come loose so i opened it up and took everything out and put it back in. Failure ensued. My second guess was that something had fried, but, not wanting to believe this i decided to test the monitor. So i got my other monitor which i KNOW works because it is working now in the other room on my other computer as we speak. I hooked it all up...nothing. So, after this i got frustrated and have not touched it since it is still sitting on the floor next to my bed with the side plates off, unpowered, unplugged...pitiful. So, i either need someone to help me figure out how to fix it, or help me find new hardware. Thanks for all your input in advance.
(__/) (='.'=) (")_(") awww look at this cute little bunny.
ooops sorry for the huge quote . Just wanted to make sure you saw this.....
Had exactly the same problem as you once... with a radeon 8500. Was stumped for many hours ... and I'm supposed to be a hardware engineer...... but on a hunch and becuase I knew it was not stricktly os/bios related I asked a friend of mine a few questions ... he is an electrical technition at the college I worked at .... and knew nothing about pcs, but a thorough understaning of electrical subsistems. He told me that occasionally voltages can become stuck in a certain state and you need to remove the power from the system completely to fix it.... and since most people dont think of pulling the power cord ........ hehe
Long story short .... unplug the graphics card, boot pc ... wait for the sos beaps ... turn off... remove power cord, wait ..... replace card and cord and BOOT !!!
Sounds rediculous, but I have replicated the same error about 5 times on that particular pc..... and seen it across the net a few times too
give it a go
*scratches nose with his hackmaster +200 Universe Slaying pogo stick of DOOM
*scratches nose with his hackmaster +200 Universe Slaying pogo stick of DOOM
Seems alot simpler than i thought it would be, however, i believe i tried something to that effect, not exactly the same, but similar...with worse results. I removed the graphics card, the bios beeped as it should, put the card back in. i still had failure, after this i repeated the removal of the graphics card. this time the bios didnt beep...so, i am worried now that the mother board might be frie,d luckily i have another motherboard however, it is very outdated and isnt used for they typical machine its very akward and unpracticle. but i will deffinitly try your suggestion. Thanks for the help.
(__/) (='.'=) (")_(") awww look at this cute little bunny.
(\__/) (='.'=) (")_(") awww look at this cute little bunny....OF IMPENDING DOOM!
This is aort of a longshot, but I have had problems with MoBos shorting to the case on occasion. Have you tried removing ther MoBo from the case, and then booting? It is a delicate procedure, and you've gotta be careful, but I would give it a shot. If it works outside of the case try using different screws to anchor your board, this has worked for me before, but I think it's a bit of a long shot from what I understand of your problem.
right now my brother's computer is having a problem that i cannot figure out either. It started with a blue screen reboot then a "restart windows normally" screen. After that his computer just shut down and won't boot up again. I've tried switching out the graphics card to see if it was the monitor that was causing the screen to not show up, but no luck at all =/. My guess is that either his memory is messed up or the cpu is fried.
They look something like this I think, be sure to have a rifle handy!
Sorry I know I'm not being helpful, couldn't resist .
"Don't blame me, I voted for Badnarik." http://www.lp.org Still waiting for my next mmorpg... A definition of 'munchkin', origin forgotten: "A player who, when told that the game will involve political intrigue in 15th-century Italy, insists on playing a Ninja." -isomeme
WARNING: Spelling and grammatical errors intentionally left in document to test for Anal Retentive Trolls.
"The key to wasting time is distraction. Without distractions it's too obvious to your brain that you're not doing anything with it, and you start to feel uncomfortable." - Paul Graham http://paulgraham.com/hs.html
Originally posted by fatalblitzz right now my brother's computer is having a problem that i cannot figure out either. It started with a blue screen reboot then a "restart windows normally" screen. After that his computer just shut down and won't boot up again. I've tried switching out the graphics card to see if it was the monitor that was causing the screen to not show up, but no luck at all =/. My guess is that either his memory is messed up or the cpu is fried.
nah, i doubt that. I had it installed with a fresh copy of windows xp with sp2. I also had norton 2004, zone alarm pro, and other antivirus programs on it. But you could be right..
Ive got a question, Its christmas time and im getting a nVIDIA 6800 256mb video card, ()
And i have a 300w power supply, the card says that it needs a 350w power supply, do i need to upgrade my power supply? or will the card still run? any help here? thanks
I just got a 6600gt and im having problems with it becuase of my measily psu. It works but some of the renders are off and the textures are abit screwed, so ive ordered a new 480w PSU.
ok, swwet, thanks for the heads up, ill make sure to order a new power supply when i order the card btw, im novice at building conuters.. is isnstallling a new power supply hard?
Originally posted by Fat_Buddha ok, swwet, thanks for the heads up, ill make sure to order a new power supply when i order the card btw, im novice at building conuters.. is isnstallling a new power supply hard?
Power supplies are easy Just do these steps: 1) Shutdown the pc and remove the cord, 2) open your case and ground yourself by touching the frame of the case so as to discharge any electrostatic energy on your person, 3) carefully remove the power plugs from all your hard drives, motherboard and floppy drives and video card if it has one (some new ones do), also make sure to note which ones take the special plugs like floppies and mother board connections, 4) then once cables are disconnected, remove the four screws from the back side of the case that hold it in place (make sure you support it so it won't fall and hit your Motherboard etc), 5) Slide in the new Powersupply and work backwards through the steps. It's pretty much a no brainer as long as you are careful. Also keep in mind new connectors may take a bit of wiggling to get them into the sockets and don't push down hard on your motherboard getting it's connector in place. The only time it is more involved than this is if you have some HP's or OEM type machines that don't have a standard ATX power supply and provide some dinky midget supply. If you have one of those, you may have to do some more research.
If you don't know much about supplies, the link below is a good PS for a good price. It also has an aluminum housing which helps with heat dissipation and a second fan to help boost airflow. Hope this helps.
great! thanks when i get em ill take your advice on the installation my friends are taking classes for this stuff.. funny how i almost know more than them by teaching myself.
I can't believe this thread is still going strong. Wow 260 pages and going. I haven't posted here at mmorpg.com in a long while, and I just wanted to drop in and see how Murt and everyone was doing. I've been busy at a couple of other forums and building a pc for a friend and one for my dad not to mention playing America's Army with my clan and Halo 2. I really haven't been playin any mmorpgs lately, but I'll probably have time to after the first of the year. Gad, my rank dropped like crazy. Oh well. I hope to be more of a regular here again just depends on how much time I have.
lol, good to have you stop by and say hi every now and then!
Many of you have been asking for advice on all kinds of technical topics, so we've created ComputerGeeks.com's "Tech Tips" to keep you on the cutting edge. Our goal is to deliver useful information to Computer Geeks of all types- whether you're a techno-rookie or a Geek veteran, Tech Tips is our way of saying "Thank you" for being a loyal GeekMail Subscriber!
Monitors - LCD vs. CRT As the technology has improved and the prices have come down, LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) monitors have rapidly been replacing CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) monitors on desktops around the world. ComputerWorld first reported that LCD sales would surpass CRT sales for the first time in 2003, a lead that it didnt hold for good. But according to DisplaySearch, a flat panel display market research and consulting company, the sales of LCD monitors regained the lead over CRT sales in the third quarter of 2004, a lead that it should eventually hold for good.
The question is why choose LCD over CRT? There are several pros and cons to consider, and the few items listed below will be considered in this Geek Tip.
Price
Size
Image Quality
Energy Consumption
Personal Comfort
Response Time
Price The price of LCD monitors is much lower than a few years (or even months) ago, but still far exceeds the price of a comparable CRT monitor. For example, I spent about $600 (US) on a Viewsonic VA-720 17 LCD monitor in early 2003, and see that the same model now sells for less than $300. A significant price drop, but in comparison a 17 Viewsonic CRT monitor can currently be purchased for less than $100. The ratio of prices may have narrowed from about 5:1 to 3:1, but the aging technology behind CRTs still allows it to hold the lead.
You cant even compare prices of CRTs to LCDs in ComputerGeeks.com's monitor sectionas they are right in step with the sales information provided above, and now only carry LCD monitors. Prices vary, even among LCD monitors of the same screen size, so there has to be something more to it than price.
Size One reason that LCDs have gained in popularity is because of their small foot print. The overall size and weight of CRT monitors far exceeds that of LCD monitors. CRTs share the same image processing technology with tube televisions, and therefore share the same bulky style of housing. For example, the manufacturersweb page lists this ACER 19 LCD monitoras having a depth of a mere 6.9 (including the base) and a weight of 12.1 pounds. As a point of reference, a 19 ACER CRT is significantly larger with a depth of 16.86 and a hefty weight of 46.31 pounds.
Desktop real estate is precious, and an LCD will require only a small fraction of the depth that a CRT would require. And if there isnt even enough room on your desk for a slim LCD monitor, the low weight makes them perfectly adaptable to be hung on the wall, or off of a radial arm mount, such as this one from Office Innovations.
Image Quality Image quality is generally considered to be better on an LCD, as each pixel is generated by a specific set of transistors in the screen, which produces a crisp image. But some features that fall under the general heading of image quality might not favor an LCD, including viewing angle, brightness, and contrast.
Early LCD monitors had a fairly narrow viewing angle that made clearly seeing the screen from anywhere but directly in front of it difficult. This has improved greatly, but still doesnt quite rival the viewing angle of CRTs which provide the same picture quality regardless of the angle. A monitor with a maximum vertical viewing angle of 120 degrees should not be hard to find at this point, with many monitors now being able to provide an even greater angle.
Brightness is an area that LCD monitors may have the edge over CRTs, but it varies widely from unit to unit. The standard measure for brightness is referred to as nits, which have units of cd/m2 (candelas per square meter), where a higher number is better. Looking at the three 17 LCD monitors currently available from ComputerGeeks.comas examples shows two with brightness specifications of 400 cd/m2 and one with a brightness specification of 250 cd/m2. As a comparison, the typical CRT monitor may provide half the brightness of an LCD, as confirmed at Viewsonics Monitor University.
Contrast is similar to brightness in the fact that it varies widely from unit to unit, and is a specification where a higher number is desired. The contrast is represented as a ratio, where higher numbers imply that bright colors can be displayed next to dark colors without them appearing washed out. Monitors with lower numbers in the ratio may also result in dark shades being displayed as just black, and any detail in these areas may be lost. As a point of reference, CRT monitors may have contrast ratios around 700:1, and using the three 17 LCD monitors currently available from ComputerGeeks.comas examples shows two with contrast ratios of 450:1 and one with a contrast ratio of 400:1. 400:1 and 450:1 are quite respectable values for LCD monitors, but CRTs may still have the edge in this department.
Energy Consumption LCD monitors definitely hold the edge over CRT monitors when it comes to being energy efficient. The huge tube in a CRT monitor is the source of most of its energy consumption, and a comparably sized LCD may use just a fraction of the electricity. Taking a look at this 19 Jetway LCD monitorshows that it consumes 48 Watts during normal operation, which is less than your typical light bulb. In contrast, a 19 CRT such as this one from Viewsonicmay draw up to 160 Watts. Therefore the fraction of electricity used in this case is 3/10, and could translate to noticeable savings on your electric bill.
Personal Health and Comfort The main benefit that LCDs have when it comes to comfort is the reduced strain on your eyes. The reduced glare on the screens surface, and the elimination of a typical CRTs refresh, can prevent your eyes from getting tired from extended use. A CRT monitor redraws the image on the entire screen as it refreshes, whereas an LCD monitor only changes the necessary pixels during a refresh.
There may also be the unquantifiable effect of reduced electromagnetic emissions on LCD monitors. The exact impact of electromagnetic emissions may not be fully understood, but in general less is considered to better, as addressed in this article. And, your back may also appreciate an LCD when it comes time to move, as the example above shows a 19 LCD monitor weighs about ¼ as much as its CRT counterpart.
Response Time The transistors that create the image on a TFT LCD can be a bottleneck to its performance, especially in fast paced 3D games where speed is critical. Related to the different approach taken with screen refreshes, the amount of time it takes the pixels to change in order to display the new image is referred to as the response time. If the response time is too slow, one may experience blurred images or ghost effects where the previous image is still slightly visible with the new image.
LCD monitor response times have greatly improved over the past few years, and many LCDs are now fast enough to consider for serious 3D gaming use, but specifications still vary from unit to unit. A few years ago a typical response time on an LCD monitor may have been anywhere from 30 to 50 milliseconds, and today these numbers can get down into the single digits, with anything 25 milliseconds or less being quite common (lower is definitely better). Using the three 17 LCD monitors currently available from ComputerGeeks.comas examples shows two with response times of 25ms and one with a response time of 16ms.
Final Words In addition to some of the positives mentioned, many LCD monitors now incorporate other features to make them more practical and even fun. LCD monitors can now be found with integrated USB hubs, stereo speakers, and TV tuners (such as this 15 Sharp unit), and for the right price HDTV is even an option.
LCD monitors will continue to replace CRTs as they become less expensive and the many benefits are realized by consumers, but CRTs wont disappear all together as many situations require the performance that LCDs currently cant provide.
Tech Tips Update:
Thanks to all you Geeks who caught the AC/DC error on our last Tech Tip! We apologize for not being more careful. I guess its true what they say Geeks are human too.
The article read: "Computer power supplies take the high (110V or 220V) DC voltages from an electrical outlet and convert it to the various lower AC voltages required for a system to operate.
It should have read: "Computer power supplies take the high (110V or 220V) AC voltages from an electrical outlet and convert it to the various lower DC voltages required for a system to operate."
The Power and Your PC article received a good deal of feedback from readers. Much of it was related to the error of having the terms AC and DC reversed. But there were also many remarks unrelated to that slip, and I thought I would address one
Your article says: A typical ATX power supply, such as this Echo-Star 680W unit In reality: Power supplies over 400W are NOT typical, in fact, are unusual, except in commercial servers with >4 disk drives. Paul
680W may be an unusually high rating for a desktop computers power supply, but the power supply referenced is fairly typical in many other ways. It has the appropriate connectors and basic features, and cooling arrangement as recommended by both AMD and Intel, both of whom provide design guidelines as PDFs.
400W power supplies are quite typical today, and it may be more difficult to find, or recommend, a power supply rated lower. Systems with cutting edge graphics cards, top of the line processors, multiple drives, and other power hungry components require ample, stable power to perform.
Using ComputerGeeks.com's Computer Cases selection of cases with power supplies pre-installed, you can see that not one comes with anything less than a 400W unit. The same can be said of their selection of stand alone power supplies, where the only ones rated less than 400W are Micro ATX form factor, intended for mini computers that generally have fewer components and less electrical demand. This isnt unique to ComputerGeeks.com, and can be seen at most computer component retailers, as well as in complete systems, like Dells XPS desktop (460W).
this is an article from Computergeeks.com monthly tech tip newsletter
I thought I would post it , because frankly..many of you have been asking about monitors
No didn't kick the bucket, but I did have some damage here at the duplex I rent from all the freaking tropical storm reminence of the hurricanes in late August and through much of September. I had to rebuild my pc as well due to some water damage it received. My grandfather has been quite sick too, and I've been busy at a couple of my other forum haunts.
FYI since you are on monitors. I just built a pc for a friend of mine for his wife for xmas. I got the Samsung 17" LCD, Model 710T for their system. It has to be the best LCD monitor I've seen. The image was clear and crisp, and I got no ghosting at all when I tested out Half-Life 2 and Far Cry on it. Just at a word up if anyone is looking at a 17" LCD for their system. While she isn't a hard core gamer, Scott's wife is an avid EQ player and is going to be playing EQ2 on this system not to mention Half-Life2. She also needed a monitor that wouldn't take up a lot of space and that she could use with her photography work. I can say I was very impressed with it. I got to compare the image to my 17" Samsung SyncMaster CRT, and I must say the LCD had a better picture.
Here is a good article to read if anyone is considering if they need a new PSU for their system or are looking into buying one; A Buyers Guide To Power SuppliesIt is from 2003, but it is very informative to those that are new to PCs or building and working on PCs. I like to use this online psu wattage calculator just to check my calculations for wattage draw on a system when deciding on a PSU to buy as well. You should also figure up or estimate wattage draw for items that you might add to a system in the future and give yourself some headroom on the wattage. This is also true if you are going to do any overclocking.
Comments
i gotcha covered
http://anandtech.com/news/shownews.aspx?i=23485 or http://www.hexus.net/#X700
Cool thanks for the link. I am definitley going to take a serious look at this card. I had my eye on the Nvidia 6600gt, but if the X800Xl has comparable stats to a 6800, and it's just a bit more expensive than the 6600gt, it just looks to good. This just may be my first ATI card.
This is my question, the monitor I was looking at buying, the 'BenQ FP931 ' says the Imput types are 15-pin D-sub, DVI-D. I want to use the DVI-D connection but im not sure that my Video Card supports this. My video card is the ATI 9800 pro, and I have a 9600 too. They both say that they have DVI-I connector for digital flat pannels. Is a DVI-D connection compatable with a DVI-I connetor?
This is the monitor in question
BenQ
Yes, all under 1K and that is with doin no price comparison, all from tigerdirect with their stupid inflated holiday prices.
To anyone having a hard time finding parts or a good place for parts, check out the following. I have build multiple boxes fro mthese sites, and all have good customer service, and will not rip you off. Also keep in mind that a lot of these sites jack up prices for the holidays, So I would recommend waitin until after the new year to order if possible.
http://www.tigerdirect.com
http://www.zipzoomfly.com (free 2 day shipping!!)
http://www.newegg.com
_____________________________
Quantum materiae materietur marmota monax si marmota monax materiam possit materiari?
Linux is free.....if your time costs nothing.
blah
www.mwave.com is pretty good too.
Okay, I'm usually okay with all my computer stuff, usually only software malfunctions, but this time my computer has lost it. A friend of mine and myself were reinstalling Windows on my computer but couldnt complete it because i didnt have an internet connection at the time and i needed to get the drivers for my Radeon 9200 loaded onto it. So, i had to install the zip drive from my old computer in order to accomidate the size of the file i would have to download from my other computer. Now, everything was going smoothly, my drivers installed perfectly and as we were letting out a sigh of victory and relief things went wrong. For some odd reason, after we tested everything with the side plates to the case off it was fine, but when we put the side plates back on, it stopped sending signals to the monitor. My first thought was that something had come loose so i opened it up and took everything out and put it back in. Failure ensued. My second guess was that something had fried, but, not wanting to believe this i decided to test the monitor. So i got my other monitor which i KNOW works because it is working now in the other room on my other computer as we speak. I hooked it all up...nothing. So, after this i got frustrated and have not touched it since it is still sitting on the floor next to my bed with the side plates off, unpowered, unplugged...pitiful. So, i either need someone to help me figure out how to fix it, or help me find new hardware. Thanks for all your input in advance.
(__/)
(='.'=)
(")_(") awww look at this cute little bunny.
(\__/)
(='.'=)
(")_(") awww look at this cute little bunny....OF IMPENDING DOOM!
ooops sorry for the huge quote
. Just wanted to make sure you saw this.....
Had exactly the same problem as you once... with a radeon 8500. Was stumped for many hours ... and I'm supposed to be a hardware engineer...... but on a hunch and becuase I knew it was not stricktly os/bios related I asked a friend of mine a few questions ... he is an electrical technition at the college I worked at .... and knew nothing about pcs, but a thorough understaning of electrical subsistems. He told me that occasionally voltages can become stuck in a certain state and you need to remove the power from the system completely to fix it.... and since most people dont think of pulling the power cord ........ hehe
Long story short .... unplug the graphics card, boot pc ... wait for the sos beaps ... turn off... remove power cord, wait ..... replace card and cord and BOOT !!!
Sounds rediculous, but I have replicated the same error about 5 times on that particular pc..... and seen it across the net a few times too
give it a go
*scratches nose with his hackmaster +200 Universe Slaying pogo stick of DOOM
*scratches nose with his hackmaster +200 Universe Slaying pogo stick of DOOM
(__/)
(='.'=)
(")_(") awww look at this cute little bunny.
(\__/)
(='.'=)
(")_(") awww look at this cute little bunny....OF IMPENDING DOOM!
This is aort of a longshot, but I have had problems with MoBos shorting to the case on occasion. Have you tried removing ther MoBo from the case, and then booting? It is a delicate procedure, and you've gotta be careful, but I would give it a shot. If it works outside of the case try using different screws to anchor your board, this has worked for me before, but I think it's a bit of a long shot from what I understand of your problem.
_____________________________
Quantum materiae materietur marmota monax si marmota monax materiam possit materiari?
Linux is free.....if your time costs nothing.
right now my brother's computer is having a problem that i cannot figure out either. It started with a blue screen reboot then a "restart windows normally" screen. After that his computer just shut down and won't boot up again. I've tried switching out the graphics card to see if it was the monitor that was causing the screen to not show up, but no luck at all =/. My guess is that either his memory is messed up or the cpu is fried.
It's starting to sound like you have grimlins!
They look something like this I think, be sure to have a rifle handy!
Sorry I know I'm not being helpful, couldn't resist
.
"Don't blame me, I voted for Badnarik."
http://www.lp.org
Still waiting for my next mmorpg...
A definition of 'munchkin', origin forgotten: "A player who, when told that the game will involve political intrigue in 15th-century Italy, insists on playing a Ninja." -isomeme
WARNING: Spelling and grammatical errors intentionally left in document to test for Anal Retentive Trolls.
"The key to wasting time is distraction. Without distractions it's too obvious to your brain that you're not doing anything with it, and you start to feel uncomfortable." - Paul Graham http://paulgraham.com/hs.html
My guess is blasterworm.
Ive got a question, Its christmas time
and im getting a nVIDIA 6800 256mb video card, (
)
And i have a 300w power supply, the card says that it needs a 350w power supply, do i need to upgrade my power supply? or will the card still run? any help here? thanks
it'll run, no doubt
but it will give you trouble.
I suggest spending the extra 40 bucks or so and buying a 450-500 pw psu.
http://www.facebook.com/murtb
I just got a 6600gt and im having problems with it becuase of my measily psu. It works but some of the renders are off and the textures are abit screwed, so ive ordered a new 480w PSU.
Power supplies are easy
If you don't know much about supplies, the link below is a good PS for a good price. It also has an aluminum housing which helps with heat dissipation and a second fan to help boost airflow. Hope this helps.
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=935377&CatId=1078
Tacklebury --}>>>
Tacklebury --}>>>
I can't believe this thread is still going strong. Wow 260 pages and going. I haven't posted here at mmorpg.com in a long while, and I just wanted to drop in and see how Murt and everyone was doing. I've been busy at a couple of other forums and building a pc for a friend and one for my dad not to mention playing America's Army with my clan and Halo 2. I really haven't been playin any mmorpgs lately, but I'll probably have time to after the first of the year. Gad, my rank dropped like crazy. Oh well. I hope to be more of a regular here again just depends on how much time I have.
hey rabbid! I thought you kicked the bucket!
lol, good to have you stop by and say hi every now and then!
goal is to deliver useful information to Computer Geeks of all types- whether you're
a techno-rookie or a Geek veteran, Tech Tips is our way of saying "Thank you" for being a loyal GeekMail Subscriber!
Monitors - LCD vs. CRT
As the technology has improved and the prices have come down, LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) monitors have rapidly been replacing CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) monitors on desktops around the world. ComputerWorld first reported that LCD sales would surpass CRT sales for the first time in 2003, a lead that it didnt hold for good. But according to DisplaySearch, a flat panel display market research and consulting company, the sales of LCD monitors regained the lead over CRT sales in the third quarter of 2004, a lead that it should eventually hold for good.
The question is why choose LCD over CRT? There are several pros and cons to consider, and the few items listed below will be considered in this Geek Tip.
Price
The price of LCD monitors is much lower than a few years (or even months) ago, but still far exceeds the price of a comparable CRT monitor. For example, I spent about $600 (US) on a Viewsonic VA-720 17 LCD monitor in early 2003, and see that the same model now sells for less than $300. A significant price drop, but in comparison a 17 Viewsonic CRT monitor can currently be purchased for less than $100. The ratio of prices may have narrowed from about 5:1 to 3:1, but the aging technology behind CRTs still allows it to hold the lead.
You cant even compare prices of CRTs to LCDs in ComputerGeeks.com's monitor sectionas they are right in step with the sales information provided above, and now only carry LCD monitors. Prices vary, even among LCD monitors of the same screen size, so there has to be something more to it than price.
Size
One reason that LCDs have gained in popularity is because of their small foot print. The overall size and weight of CRT monitors far exceeds that of LCD monitors. CRTs share the same image processing technology with tube televisions, and therefore share the same bulky style of housing. For example, the manufacturersweb page lists this ACER 19 LCD monitoras having a depth of a mere 6.9 (including the base) and a weight of 12.1 pounds. As a point of reference, a 19 ACER CRT is significantly larger with a depth of 16.86 and a hefty weight of 46.31 pounds.
Desktop real estate is precious, and an LCD will require only a small fraction of the depth that a CRT would require. And if there isnt even enough room on your desk for a slim LCD monitor, the low weight makes them perfectly adaptable to be hung on the wall, or off of a radial arm mount, such as this one from Office Innovations.
Image quality is generally considered to be better on an LCD, as each pixel is generated by a specific set of transistors in the screen, which produces a crisp image. But some features that fall under the general heading of image quality might not favor an LCD, including viewing angle, brightness, and contrast.
Early LCD monitors had a fairly narrow viewing angle that made clearly seeing the screen from anywhere but directly in front of it difficult. This has improved greatly, but still doesnt quite rival the viewing angle of CRTs which provide the same picture quality regardless of the angle. A monitor with a maximum vertical viewing angle of 120 degrees should not be hard to find at this point, with many monitors now being able to provide an even greater angle.
Brightness is an area that LCD monitors may have the edge over CRTs, but it varies widely from unit to unit. The standard measure for brightness is referred to as nits, which have units of cd/m2 (candelas per square meter), where a higher number is better. Looking at the three 17 LCD monitors currently available from ComputerGeeks.comas examples shows two with brightness specifications of 400 cd/m2 and one with a brightness specification of 250 cd/m2. As a comparison, the typical CRT monitor may provide half the brightness of an LCD, as confirmed at Viewsonics Monitor University.
Contrast is similar to brightness in the fact that it varies widely from unit to unit, and is a specification where a higher number is desired. The contrast is represented as a ratio, where higher numbers imply that bright colors can be displayed next to dark colors without them appearing washed out. Monitors with lower numbers in the ratio may also result in dark shades being displayed as just black, and any detail in these areas may be lost. As a point of reference, CRT monitors may have contrast ratios around 700:1, and using the three 17 LCD monitors currently available from ComputerGeeks.comas examples shows two with contrast ratios of 450:1 and one with a contrast ratio of 400:1. 400:1 and 450:1 are quite respectable values for LCD monitors, but CRTs may still have the edge in this department.
Energy Consumption
LCD monitors definitely hold the edge over CRT monitors when it comes to being energy efficient. The huge tube in a CRT monitor is the source of most of its energy consumption, and a comparably sized LCD may use just a fraction of the electricity. Taking a look at this 19 Jetway LCD monitorshows that it consumes 48 Watts during normal operation, which is less than your typical light bulb. In contrast, a 19 CRT such as this one from Viewsonicmay draw up to 160 Watts. Therefore the fraction of electricity used in this case is 3/10, and could translate to noticeable savings on your electric bill.
Personal Health and Comfort
The main benefit that LCDs have when it comes to comfort is the reduced strain on your eyes. The reduced glare on the screens surface, and the elimination of a typical CRTs refresh, can prevent your eyes from getting tired from extended use. A CRT monitor redraws the image on the entire screen as it refreshes, whereas an LCD monitor only changes the necessary pixels during a refresh.
There may also be the unquantifiable effect of reduced electromagnetic emissions on LCD monitors. The exact impact of electromagnetic emissions may not be fully understood, but in general less is considered to better, as addressed in this article. And, your back may also appreciate an LCD when it comes time to move, as the example above shows a 19 LCD monitor weighs about ¼ as much as its CRT counterpart.
Response Time
The transistors that create the image on a TFT LCD can be a bottleneck to its performance, especially in fast paced 3D games where speed is critical. Related to the different approach taken with screen refreshes, the amount of time it takes the pixels to change in order to display the new image is referred to as the response time. If the response time is too slow, one may experience blurred images or ghost effects where the previous image is still slightly visible with the new image.
LCD monitor response times have greatly improved over the past few years, and many LCDs are now fast enough to consider for serious 3D gaming use, but specifications still vary from unit to unit. A few years ago a typical response time on an LCD monitor may have been anywhere from 30 to 50 milliseconds, and today these numbers can get down into the single digits, with anything 25 milliseconds or less being quite common (lower is definitely better). Using the three 17 LCD monitors currently available from ComputerGeeks.comas examples shows two with response times of 25ms and one with a response time of 16ms.
Final Words
In addition to some of the positives mentioned, many LCD monitors now incorporate other features to make them more practical and even fun. LCD monitors can now be found with integrated USB hubs, stereo speakers, and TV tuners (such as this 15 Sharp unit), and for the right price HDTV is even an option.
LCD monitors will continue to replace CRTs as they become less expensive and the many benefits are realized by consumers, but CRTs wont disappear all together as many situations require the performance that LCDs currently cant provide.
Thanks to all you Geeks who caught the AC/DC error on our last Tech Tip! We apologize for not being more careful. I guess its true what they say Geeks are human too.
The article read: "Computer power supplies take the high (110V or 220V) DC voltages from an electrical outlet and convert it to the various lower AC voltages required for a system to operate.
It should have read: "Computer power supplies take the high (110V or 220V) AC voltages from an electrical outlet and convert it to the various lower DC voltages required for a system to operate."
The Power and Your PC article received a good deal of feedback from readers. Much of it was related to the error of having the terms AC and DC reversed. But there were also many remarks unrelated to that slip, and I thought I would address one
Your article says: A typical ATX power supply, such as this Echo-Star 680W unit In reality: Power supplies over 400W are NOT typical, in fact, are unusual, except in commercial servers with >4 disk drives. Paul
680W may be an unusually high rating for a desktop computers power supply, but the power supply referenced is fairly typical in many other ways. It has the appropriate connectors and basic features, and cooling arrangement as recommended by both AMD and Intel, both of whom provide design guidelines as PDFs.
400W power supplies are quite typical today, and it may be more difficult to find, or recommend, a power supply rated lower. Systems with cutting edge graphics cards, top of the line processors, multiple drives, and other power hungry components require ample, stable power to perform.
Using ComputerGeeks.com's Computer Cases selection of cases with power supplies pre-installed, you can see that not one comes with anything less than a 400W unit. The same can be said of their selection of stand alone power supplies, where the only ones rated less than 400W are Micro ATX form factor, intended for mini computers that generally have fewer components and less electrical demand. This isnt unique to ComputerGeeks.com, and can be seen at most computer component retailers, as well as in complete systems, like Dells XPS desktop (460W).
this is an article from Computergeeks.com monthly tech tip newsletter
I thought I would post it , because frankly..many of you have been asking about monitors
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No didn't kick the bucket, but I did have some damage here at the duplex I rent from all the freaking tropical storm reminence of the hurricanes in late August and through much of September. I had to rebuild my pc as well due to some water damage it received. My grandfather has been quite sick too, and I've been busy at a couple of my other forum haunts.
FYI since you are on monitors. I just built a pc for a friend of mine for his wife for xmas. I got the Samsung 17" LCD, Model 710T for their system. It has to be the best LCD monitor I've seen. The image was clear and crisp, and I got no ghosting at all when I tested out Half-Life 2 and Far Cry on it. Just at a word up if anyone is looking at a 17" LCD for their system. While she isn't a hard core gamer, Scott's wife is an avid EQ player and is going to be playing EQ2 on this system not to mention Half-Life2. She also needed a monitor that wouldn't take up a lot of space and that she could use with her photography work. I can say I was very impressed with it. I got to compare the image to my 17" Samsung SyncMaster CRT, and I must say the LCD had a better picture.
Here is a good article to read if anyone is considering if they need a new PSU for their system or are looking into buying one; A Buyers Guide To Power Supplies It is from 2003, but it is very informative to those that are new to PCs or building and working on PCs. I like to use this online psu wattage calculator just to check my calculations for wattage draw on a system when deciding on a PSU to buy as well. You should also figure up or estimate wattage draw for items that you might add to a system in the future and give yourself some headroom on the wattage. This is also true if you are going to do any overclocking.