The Official PC building thread -3rd Edition

Alright, so what excuses do you give your parents to explain why you have 3 PCs? I struggle sometimes.

 

I flat out told them that I am a performance hardware enthusiast and I just happen to be running 3 machines. My dad totally understands it as he is a hotrod/car enthusiast but it boggles my mom's mind. She sees no point to it. I don't try to argue or explain I just tell her because I feel like it.

And that's really not far from the truth. I could easily do as much stuff with 1 PC as I do with the three but I have no desire to keep a single super machine. I enjoy the freedom of not having my PC tied up when I want to do other things. Thus my crossfire machine is my gaming machine. My Intel quad is torrenting and folding. And my dual core is my LAN box so I don't have to rip my entire setup apart just to go to a friend's house. I just unplug the one, pack a keyboard mouse and headphones, and take my smaller 22" display with me. A lot less hauling around of my expensive stuff you get me?

 

LOL! My mother wonders why I have 2 PC's as well. I told her it makes much nicer for multi-tasking. While the quad can do just about anything simultaneously, I prefer not to. For instance, burning a dvd, while gaming. I've done it, but it just doesn't seem right...
I also encode with the dual core, so I can play games on my quad. So really, my quad has become my gaming rig SLASH insane encoder. When Im in a hurry, and gotta get it done LOL! Such a shame CCE only uses like 55% of my cpu. If it could utilize even 25% more, it'd be TRULY phenomenal!

 

And I only use one screen/Keyboard/Mouse for the lot. Special connection

 

It's my mum who I have to do the explaining to, my dad doesn't really like to get involved. I can understand how people can be a bit more sympathetic when they too know what it's like (and let's face it, performance PCs aren't the most expensive hobby out there). Also helps if you're gainfully employed, rather than a student waster like myself...
I couldn't easily do everything I do with 3 PCs with one, but it could be done, just. Short story is though they all have their uses. As 10% I'm a bit of a showoff but 90% I like having decent hardware to play with at LANs I bring most of my stuff to LAN parties, I considered making my work PC a lanbox instead but decided it would be better off being an ultra-low noise workstation, as it has become.
I never see the need to burn a DVD while gaming, because I never burn DVDs. There are a lot of things I accidentally do while gaming and don't notice through having a quad, but few things I deliberately choose to do. If I actually had a proper KVM switch and network hub (the latter of which I've just found) I'd be using my dual PC setup properly - run most things off my work PC, when gaming calls, boot up gaming PC. Boot time for win7 is unfortunately still nowhere near as hot as shutdown time, but it's a lot better than Vista which is a plus.

 

Found it!!! This is what im employing By double clicking the Scroll lock key, it switches between the two pc's
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817107407

 

Rather than degrade my image quality with analog split VGA, I wanted to keep with digital dual link so I can still use 2560x1600, the only KVM switch I thought existed for that purpose was an Aten CS1782, which it turns out is absolutely dire. Turns out there's a Belkin alternative. Too late for a refund though

 

I see no drop in quality
Ahhh...but you run 2560 mode.

 

I gather your ok with belkin then? I hate to discriminate a brand, but they've been less then desirable to me

LOL! My ethernet cable is belkin

 

I tend to go with experience per-product, whatever you say about Belkin's routers, I have yet to try their KVM switches. Double scroll lock is what the Aten employs, all very good but the USB ports do not support 64-bit operating systems, and the audio passthrough is unshielded directly next to the video feed - open a game and you are literally deafened by the video signal being sent straight out the headphone jack.

Have you been using VGA all this time? Do yourself a favour, buy a DVI Cable.

 

Yeah really give yourself a treat an switch to DVI. The image is so much crisper and cleaner

BTW currently using a KVM switch for my two quad machines. Not sure of the make but it has dual DVI inputs WITH a shielded audio jack. Perfectly clear audio with it

Really I'll look and try to find it but I'm not sure what brand it is as all the labels are gone. I swiped it from the computer lab in highschool.

 

At this time, its not a priority. Honestly, I would prefer to run a 30" right next to this 24(Via DVI or HDMI). Unfortunately, desk space and funds won't allow. Not to mention, the Cable adapter only supports VGA.

 

Again, seriously, you've no idea what you're missing.

 

Yah...I suppose I would notice a difference. A lot of people don't look closely at fine things. Sorta like the difference between DVD and Blu ray. I can see the need/desire to upgrade. Where others do not. Eventually(Probably soon), i'll upgrade.

LOL, I read your post estuansis. I'd be interested in knowing what your using.

 

Unfortunately very few KVMs are dual link...

 

Yeah I'm not entirely sure what it is. It must be somewhat old probably ~4-5 years and it also has the double scroll lock switch. It's a fairly plain looking gray box with 3 white dvi connections on the back(2 in 1 out) and 3 speaker connections + 3 sets of 2 USBs. No PS/2 ports on it and no surround sound hook ups.

This suits me just fine as only my crossfire PC is usually hooked up to my speakers. Oh and I do have 3 separate ethernet cables to them plus a crossover between my two quads.

I'm sure it's an expensive unit as it's pretty heavy and it switches almost instantly. About a second of two or wait when you first do it after a reboot and hardly any lag at all after you've done it a couple times. It works pretty well.

 

Quick Question. My friend wants to upgrade from his on board video to a PCI-E 16x video. He just asked me what I think of this card.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...-IGNEFL082709S-_-VideoCards-_-L11A-_-14150424

He's an nVidia Fan so Ati comparisons are not necessary. $70 from newegg. Good or bad deal?

Thanks,
Russ

 

There was no real lag with the CS1782, it's just that the resync time on the 3008WFP is quite slow, so that's what you end up waiting for. The audio for the KVM was really just an added bonus really, Dual link is all I was really after.
Russ: A Recertified card? I would advise against it. If it's got to be a 9800GT, you'd be better off with this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814187091
Of course, what he should really be buying is this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102824

 

Sam,
Usually I feel the same way about Recertified anything, but the deal and warranty is from XFX, so I look at it a little differently. A 1 year warranty for $70. Russell's gotten tired of being limited by his Video, and since I'm keeping the 9500GT, he came up with that one. My thinking is I know he can wear one out, right quick if it's no good! LOL!! He gets to playing AOE II or III and he can be at it forever. He's just tired of being limited by the video and the way it eventually cripples the system memory and locks up the game. His 4800+ x2 is up to the task, so it's time to let the Graphics catch up! LOL!!

Russ

 

sounds like just about the worst case scenario for a recertified card. He wants something he can keep using, not have to keep sending back, even if it is to XFX.