The Official PC building thread -3rd Edition

Russ, sorry in not getting back to you sooner, have been digging out of this damn snowstorm the past two days, we got 24 inches, with my old bones I callapse afer I get inside, I live back in the woods with stone roads and driveways, need to stay on top of the snow or we don't get out, plus my Niece and her boyfriend are flying in from the UK in a couple of weeks so need to keep them clear before the snows frezze, I'm excited about the visit, plus her boyfriend is suppose to be pretty PC savvy, he plays in a band and supposedly knows how to convert LP's to CD's, can't wait to do that since I have so many LP's, I still have a bunch from the 60's, most are rock bands I bought at PX's while in the service in the 60's, I gave him some of the names, he couldn't believe it, plus the fact many are still un-opened, I think he's more excited getting his hands on them than I am.

No I haven't ordered the new headsets yet, but I will after the holidays, I still have my older set it beats a blank. As far as my extra HDD that I will be needing soon, I think I'm gonna get the one you suggested, again after the holidays, the external one.

My boy came home from school last night with some friends, I'm glad, gonna be putting them to work on the snows lol. He expressed some interest in building another PC for the family, we missed out last year, he also showed me his 09 deans list cirtificate, he made it two years in a row now, I asked him you didn't photoshop that thing did you lol, I think he was insulted a little bit lol, also said I hope he doesn't think he gonna get another car from me after he wrecked the first one, as proud as I am I still told him get a bike or a good pair of shoe's. Either way, all A's and one B+, not bad for a deaf kid huh Russ.

 

So one of these then?
http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/07/toshiba-showing-off-56-inch-cell-based-4k-x-2k-hdtv-prototype-m/

 

I must admit, I'd not heard about that until you posted it. Fortunately the TV I purchased this term already conforms to the energy regulations being imposed. I personally think a ban on energy inefficient TVs seems every bit as logical as a ban on incandescent light bulbs. Even moreso for TVs, because unlike the light bulbs, there's no downside whatsoever to buying them. They don't cost any more, and they don't have any disadvantages (i.e. the warm-up time of energy saving light bulbs). Given the amount of use TVs get these days, they're just as much an energy offender as light or heat sources. I do perhaps think though, that beyond 55" or so you'd be better off with a projector, which would likely use less energy. Once you reach a certain size pixel density becomes so poor it's less about image and more about having something big for the sake of having something big, and that is something worth cracking down on, IMO.
I don't have any regrets on owning what a lot of people would still consider an unreasonably large TV, but I do think there are sensible limits

 

As absurd as it might sound, having a physical power switch was actually a selling point for my TV...
The sad thing is that Toshiba know how to make every part of a TV to a good quality standard, except the power switch...
Both the 24Z33 CRT, and the 42XV635DB that replaced it have somewhat 'unconvincing' power switches - you had to wiggle the 24Z's button to get it to not stay stuck in. The 42XV is nowhere near as bad, but it doesn't feel very solid, and I have heard reports of them breaking. As naughty as it is, given there's a 24/7 fileserver machine right next to it, I usually employ standby just in case I have an RMA on my hands.

 

All you techs out there might think this is funny... fixing a friends OLD machine I seen something that I havent in quite awhile...Not as old as dirt cause only about 10yrs old but thats alot in computer years...
30GB quantum fireball HDD...it was too full of data to do anything and in an HP Pavilion with 766mhz celeron and 320mb SDRAM running XP SP2 and they wondered why it wasn't a very positive user experience...fun little cleanup project over the weekend...wiping data from the drive I also happened to stumble upon hardcore pron pics of him and his obese wife. Some things I've seen can't be unseen!

 

Deadrum33, ok were they can be posted, lol

 

Seems like i've seen that toshiba before. Very impressive.

Well...better get the ball rolling with newegg.

 

naw i would believe it's below factory specs anytime. I've installed memory bein it be G.Skill or any brand.I would have manually turn up the volts to meet the factory specs when it's set at auto the voltage set below factory.I have installed G.Skill,Corsair sticks with has stated at auto 1.8v to 1.9v on auto where manually turning them up to 2.1v to run right.I haven tryed the 1.5v,1.65v,1.8v sticks yet but.I heard they having alot problems in some cases

 

I get the feeling I should have stuck with what works. E.g AM2+/AM3 DDR2 board.

 

Well...they don't do cross shipping. So I have to buy the new board NOW, and they'll refund the other when they receive it. I pretty much expected as much. Though I have heard of them bending over backwards for customers in the past Now the question is, do I give the same board another chance, or do I go for a different one. E.g. the one with sideport memory, or AM2+/AM3

 

Oman7,
Most DDR3 modules are 1.65v, although there are a number of them that are 1.5v, especially in the cheaper memory. Kingston Hyper X are 1.7 to 1.9v. GSkill Ripjaws are 1.5v, Corsair XMS & the Dominators are 1.65v!

Russ

 

Thanks russ. I was looking at some on newegg that run at 1.3V! PSU's of the future should be pretty happy eh I decided to chance that the Mobo is dead, and unresponsive. In that I have bought basically the same board, with the Sideport Ram. At only a few more dollars, what the hey Should the next board have a same similar problem, I'll beat myself with a hammer, then buy tested and approved ram. Like I should have in the first place. When building for someone else, this is the way i'll do it in the future. But I don't very often. Still don't trust myself enough to do more than families computers. Not interested in the support i'll no doubt have to offer to non family members...

 

Oman7,
I personally think the two best boards from GigaByte for AMD are:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128387
for DDR2 and the:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128378
For DDR3. They are essentially the same MB, but the first is DDR2 and the second, DDR3!

Russ

 

For myself, that's probably what I would buy(AM3 board), but this is for my mother, and I was keeping it almost as cheap as possible

 

Oman7,
That's why I stayed with DDR2. I had the 2x2GB cas 5 Dominators already! My last two CPUs have been AM3, so when they eventually get DDR3 down to affordable lower cas latencies, I can switch to a DDR3 MB!

Russ

 

Already having the RAM is a big deciding factor. However, for new builds it's DDR3 all the way now since it's surprisingly cheaper than DDR2...

 

this review is funny seem to me he was'nt paying attention or inspected the board b4 he installed it in the case.I always check my board over for broken parts or missed solided parts b4 installing it in the case.I think he broke it himself trying to put a card in it Tech level Pro...Not


http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128378

 

Haha I'll have to admit I'm also paranoid a bit about my electronics. When I first got my DFI 790FX it actually had a dry solder joint. I called up DFI support and they sent me a replacement before the defective board even arrived to them. If It hadn't been a brand new board I might have repaired it.

I actually have already done such a repair on my X38 board and not a problem since I've done it. Dry solder joint on back of the second PCI-e slot which after a quick shot of solder has never given me problems. I even ran my second 4870 in the slot for several months problem-free. Also have had the board back out to inspect it and if I hadn't know which spot to check I don't think I would've found it again. Hmm I wonder if Gigabyte might notice the repair if I sent it back. It's still under warranty.

I'll blame my solder issues on the new RoHS compliant regulations. It's the same exact reason the Xbox 360 red rings. Crappy solder. They reduced the amount of lead, and consequently, the melting point.