Suggestions please. Upgrading my VAIO PC

I bought this computer back in 2003-2004. Can't remember right now. It's a VGC-RB44G

http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/model-documents.pl?mdl=VGCRB44G

And here's the link to the system specs.

http://www.iq.sony.com/srvs/DocsConnect/docget.asp?manualid=37361&DL=',600,560,10,10,'Manuals

Anyway, since I don't have the cash to pony up for a new one, I want to upgrade this one. I don't need a gaming machine. I do a lot of video editing so I would like to speed that process up if I can.

I would eventually like to connect it to an HDTV since it's a Media Center PC. I use it to record my TV shows and stream them to my XBox 360. I basically want to sup it up to be a better media center. Should I get some kind of HDTV tuner? Any suggestions would be great.

Thanks

 

i would get some new memory for a total of 2gb and i would get an 8400gs for use with high definition video decoding. im not sure what you motherboard can handle but a dual core would be a good upgrade.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115031
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145440

 

Your chipset only supports a Pentium 4 according to
http://www.intel.com/products/chipsets/915g/index.htm
You can try to use a Pentium Dual Core or any other processor with an 800MHz FSB which might work.

 

I'm still kinda stuck. I wouldn't want to buy something and then find out it doesn't work with my pc. Thanks for the advice guys but I need something more than "i'm not sure what your motherboard can handle" or "You can try to use a Pentium Dual Core or any other processor with an 800MHz FSB which might work". I hope I don't don't sound rude because I'm not trying to be. I know you're on here to help and I really appreciate it.

Here's the T.V. I've been saving my nickle and dimes for.

http://shop4.frys.com/product/55456...zHoFzaSdQ**.node2?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG

Is there a way I can hook up my computer to it through the HDMI connections? Does anyone know if my computer will handle it? I want to be able to download HD videos with 1080p resolution to my computer and watch it on that TV without it looking chopped up. I've come up with a little bit of cash but don't want to buy a new PC if I don't have to. PLease help

 

I understand your concern about the Shoulds but thats really all we can give you unless we have actually tried out things with you computer. I have had on many instances a processor work in a computer when its not supposed to and have the computer work fine and on many other instances where it doesn't work at all. Your best bet to get it to work at tip top condition is to reformat it to Windows XP Media Center Edition to get rid of all the useless stuff on the machine. Right there you will see a huge increase in speed. I would also, as krj15489 suggested, get atleast 2GB RAM in your system. I would guess that since your system has a 2GB limit that there are 2 RAM slots in your system with 2x512mb RAM sticks. This will make upgrading it more expencive than if you had 1x1GB stick since you need to get rid of both 512 sticks and buy 2 new 1gb sticks. For now though I would put that on hold.
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As for HD encoding, your processor again should be able to do it. It will NOT however be able to encode HD DVDs and BluRay discs. A way you can check if it works with HD movies is to download one from:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/musicandvideo/hdvideo/contentshowcase.aspx
and try it out on your system before the video card. If it works fairly well then get the video card. The video card you need to get if you want straight HDMI output would be something like this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127301
I think though the best thing to do is use your current hardware with a reformat and either output the video via VGA cable or DVI cable with an HDMI converter. VGA does support 1080p, on most TVs, It should on a Samsung.
I hope this helped a bit and again, sorry for the "Shoulds" but thats really all we can give you unless we have tried it out personally.

 

Thanks for your quick response core2kid. I've downloaded movies with 720p resolution on this computer and the movies plays flawlessly without any other programs running. I've just downloaded a sample video off that Microsoft link you gave me. It's 1080p. It played well. I've downloaded 1080p movies in the past but they were running pretty choppy.

Is it because the files were larger? This sample was inly 87mb compared to movies I've downloaded that were 8gb on up. Like I said I can watch 720p movies on here without any stuttering. One file is over 8gb and plays fine without any other programs running. Since I was able to watch that 1080p sample, does it mean my computer can decode those kind of movies? Am I just lacking power somewhere? Thanks again

 

Could just be that specific movie or lack in power from the video card side. Try this. First off, use VLC player instead of Windows Media Player to play HD video. If you have WMP11, then thats one problem right there, thats a system hog. Now when you run the 1080p video that stutters, run that and watch your CPU useage under task manager and see what it is. Post back with the results. Also see the 8GB file speed (The MBPS) and the other file MBPS I think you can only see this info through the properties of the video sometimes or with WMP.

 

I am using Media Player Classic because the 720p mivies were really lagging. Don't have any 1080p movies right now but I will download one and will post the results later. I'm off to work so it should finish downloading by the time I return. Thanks core2kid

 

I meant they were lagging on VLC. They play much better on MPC.

 

I'm looking at my processor(Intel Pentium 4 3.2 GHz 640 Processor with Hyper-Threading Support) and it looks like it cost more and may be better than some of the dual core processors. But what do I know. I'm just looking at the numbers. How do know which is better?

http://www.amazon.com/Intel-Pentium...1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1212961177&sr=8-1 mine

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116063

Here's a comparison chart but I don't know what to really look for except for these numbers 2.2 ghz and 3.2 ghz. What's the difference.

http://compare.intel.com/pcc/showchart.aspx?mmID=890242,867290&familyID=1&culture=en-US

Will this baby do?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116070

 

Also thinking about going with two of these

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820134008

Sorry for all the post but I have some downtime here at work and I've decided to do a little searching for the upgrades.

 

The reason its more expencive is because of a complicated archetecture and the fact that the chip is not produced any more. 2.2GHz dual core is essentially 2.2GHz x 2 so 4.4GHz single core. Just an approximate translation. Did you try reformating? Maybe install Ubuntu 8.04, that's always a light weight system. Use the 64bit version of it. You can now install through windows.

 

I was thinking of formatting it when my external hard drive arrives. Had to have it returned because it failed. Don't want to reformwt 'til I can back everything up. My other 2 external HDs are full. Never heard of Ubuntu. Never tried anything other than Windows. Always was afraid of trying Linux and never did any real reseach on it. How different is it than Windows. Can I run most of the same apps as in Windows. What do you mean I can now install through Windows? I take it that Windows and Ubuntu can run simoutaneously?

I'll read up on Ubuntu some more today

 

Im not really good in Ubuntu. I don't even know how to install apps on it. No it does not run your Windows apps. Just the neat thing is that you can download and burn the 64bit version of the CD and run an install through Windows. Then on the next reboot it will give you an option for Linux or Windows. Choose Linux and it will load/auto configure. Then try to run the 1080p video through that. Make sure though that it is on the external hard drive or some other media as this will not let you see the Windows drive in Linux.

 

So, just to be clear. That last processor should be better than the one I already have right? If my computer takes it I mean.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116070

Then 2 of these

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820134008

And should I order I get that video card that you recommended or should I just get that DVI to HDMI adapter? Will there be any loss in clarity ot whatever if I get that adapter?

maybe I should just wait and see how that new processor and those 2 memory sticks would help out my computer before I spend some cash on the video card. That and the reformatting. Am I right?

Damn! One more thing. I might need to upgrade my sound card. Do I really need one. More than likely i will want buy a nice surround system in the near future. Something like a 7.1. Would I need to upgrade the sound card for this?

 

The link to the RAM should work in your computer, there is always the 1% chance it won't though. The processor though will 99% NOT work. It would be best to see if any of your friends/family have a computer with that processor and try it out in yours before you buy that processor for your computer, just to make sure it works or not.
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About the video card, a new card will take a load off the processor and will most likely be a bit clearer but for now i suggest to get the DVI to HDMI adapter, that is if your computer has a DVI output currently. With that if you feel that you would like to upgrade to a better video card then you can and the adapter will come in handy. I doubt that you will see a clarity loss using the adapter. I don't see any by using VGA to DVI adapters.
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Now the sound card. A new sound card will give you more surroundsound options and more tweaking around with the sound options and will take a load off the processor. I don't think you should get one just yet, go right ahead if you have the money for it. I suggest the Sound Blaster Audigy 2. Though outdated, it gives me amazing sound and is recognized by Ubuntu. The X-Fi is the newer version of that not recognized by Ubuntu (I know from experience). Any sound card though that supports 7.1 channel audio will work fine.

 

Lol, internet lag. Sorry.

 

I'm home and went ahead and ran those test you told me. Here's the results when I play a 720p file. File size was 7.93gb. Movie was Gladiator. Plays great.


Here's the 1080p file. File size is 6.56gb. Movie was Ice Age The Meltdown. Very very choppy.


Here's the results when I played the 1080p sample I downloaded from the Microsoft site. File size is 87mb. Played flawlessly.



I don't know what the deal is. There was actually less cpu usage with the 1080p sample then there was with the Gladiator 720p file.

Here's another result. This is froma sample 720p file of Fight Club. File size is 66mb. Runs good too.


What gives? lol. Any thoughts core2kid?

 

I really don't understand either. First off though, 69 processes for that processor, or any processor is death. It's running way too many things at once. Why don't you partition and reformat, This way you don't lose your data. I feel that after you reformat you might see better results. About the 1080p IceAge file, Did you download that? It could just be a bad video but yea, it doesn't make sense how the sample 1080p uses less processor than the other 1080p. Another thing you can try to do is end the process "explorer.exe" when runing the 1080p video. That might help it. Try that out.

 

The Ice Age movie was an .MKV file. The 1080p sample is a .wmv file. I downloaded a 2gb 1080p movie that is in .wmv format and it worked. I am currently downloading a larger 1080p movie, around 8gb in .wmv format. I'm on my way to work. Will post results when I get back.

I think my comp just won't handle 1080p .mkv files but it will 720p .mkv files.