Posted by null on January 30th, 2007 — Posted in TechnoGadgets
If I am told that there is a technology that allows me to watch my own TV or other media anywhere on the Internet, I have the following questions:
- How is the quality of streaming video? Do graphics skip, voices get choppy?
- How do I change channels?
- How do I find my home network if I have dynamic IP broadband?
- How difficult is the setup?
- How secure is the technology? Is my TV going to be exposed to the whole wide world?
I started looking at Slingbox AV by Sling Media with the above doubts. This unique piece of technology answers my questions well. Sling Media developed a stream technique that dynamically adjusts the video quality to provide uninterrupted viewing experience. The optimizer characterizes a variety of factors including network health and video/audio content and calculates in real time the correct buffer amount. For example, when watching remote TV on Sling Player, say the network bandwidth suddenly decreases due to the fact that a backup program just kicked in, instead of pausing the video and rebuffering, Sling Player will degrade the video quality slightly to compensate for the loss of bandwidth.
To change channels, Slingbox provides an IR blaster that can be fixed around the IR sensor on the cable/satellite receiver. It emulates remote controls for selected hardware models with the same layout and coloring. When a button is pressed on the Sling Player, the IR blaster emits corresponding code to the physical receiver. Slingbox, however, does not currently support devices that use UHF remote systems.
When Slingbox is properly set up for remote viewing, it uploads the IP address of the network to a centralized server at Sling Media. This process occurs every half an hour; therefore, if the IP address changes, the information will be automatically updated at Sling Media. The Player then uses the Finder ID, a 32-digit hexadecimal number to locate the network address and start streaming. The ID appears automatically when viewing on LAN and is stored in the Player.
The setup is easy and intuitive. The most difficult part for me is to get the network cable hooked up at where my satellite receiver is. If no physical link for networking is available, a wireless Ethernet bridge or powerline network extender can be purchased to accomplish the connection. The device has a MAC address and will be assigned with an internal dynamic IP address in the home network. Once the Slingbox is connected, the only piece is the Sling Player software that acts as both a configurator and media player. It is 45MB in size. I recommend downloading it from Sling Media website because it often contains firmware updates.
In terms of security, Sling Player enforces both viewer and administrator passwords. If they are not properly configured, and the Finder ID is stolen, then I guess unauthorized people could watch your TV for free. But for a reasonably configured network (firewall and password protected), I do not see major security problems.
There are however some subtleties related to Slingbox that could impose difficulty in setup if not planned carefully:
- Once Slingbox is set up, it takes control of the receiver. This could potentially lead to conflict if there are people who are watching the physical TV. Therefore, Slingbox is recommended to connect to a secondary tuner or receiver that’s less used in a family. If connecting to analog cable, Slingbox Tuner is a better choice.
- Not all entertainment centers have network connections. If so, depending on how hard it is to get CAT 5 cabling, one might opt for a wireless Ethernet bridge
or powerline network extender
, which without a doubt has lower performance.
Overall, the Slingbox offering is impressive. The software is well thought out and smooth. I paid $145 for it from Amazon with free shipping.
3,886 Comments »
Posted by null on January 23rd, 2007 — Posted in TechnoGadgets
My residence is inland; therefore, it gets pretty dry in the winter. The situation further exacerbates if heater is turned on for a prolonged time: hot air rises and accumulates on the second floor. I was in a need of a humidifier that can help alleviate my nasal dryness and chapped lips.
I’ve tried other so-called humidifiers before, whose mechanism is essentially using a fan to blow on a water reservoir. There is no mist of any kind being emitted, and the constant noise of the fan gets pretty annoying at night. Other types of humidifiers include vaporizers, which boils the water to emit warm mist, and ultrasonic ones.
I found ultrasonic humidifiers best suitable for my needs. They are quiet and very effective. The model I purchased is Medisana Ultrasonic Personal Humidifer. It is quite small in appearance, with a roughly half-a-gallon water tank. However, it supports continuous run-time of 9 hours between refills, which gets me through the night just right. Fill the tank with filtered tap water, put it on the main body, plug in AC power, and start enjoying the cool fog coming out of the turnable nozzle on the side. The gadget is rated to be able to moisten 1,000 cubic feet of air space in mere 2 hours. It has 2 vapor flow speeds; I usually have it set to low. What if all the water is consumed? The little guy is equipped with an auto shut-off feature that turns itself off upon detection of inadequate water level in the tank.
The build quality, however, is fair. It has occurred to me that after several uses, the humidifier wouldn’t start after refilling the water but would turn on just fine the next day. If excess water is kept in the humidifier body, the mist would not escape the nozzle. I’d also prefer a much better documentation from the manufacturer.
In any case, it is an overall satisfactory purchase. I paid $46 for it from Amazon with free shipping.
3,869 Comments »
Posted by null on January 15th, 2007 — Posted in TechnoGadgets
I have more trees than I want in my backyard; though they protect my privacy, they shed heavily in Autumn. When leaves and rain mix together, it leads to stains, clogging, and bad smell. Sweeping with brooms and rakes on uneven surfaces does not cut it. What about a power sweep?
I found this inexpensive handheld gadget on Amazon, Toro Electric Blower. It is a perfect tool for getting rid of fallen leaves and debris in the garden. The sweeping power (2-speed) is amazing (wet leaves, barks, wood chips, you name it, all swept), yet the unit itself is light weight. The ergonomic handle ensures a good balance in operation. Compared to the version that uses gas, the mobility is limited; however, there is no gas or oil to worry about and harmful fume to inhale.
The drawback is also related to its limited mobility as one has to plug a power cord into the machine, and how far one can go is directly proportional to the length of the cord. The unit does not come with power cord (I guess Toro did this to save cost and wanted to give consumers a feeling that it was designed to offer flexibility). It is relatively noisy, but it usually gets the job done in 10 minutes.
I bought it from Amazon for $30 with free shipping.
3,418 Comments »
Posted by null on January 11th, 2007 — Posted in TechnoGadgets
I am really tired of adjusting all clocks in my house twice a year; I even have a hard time remembering when to adjust them. For clocks hung so high on the wall, my grief exacerbates. Also, the my previous analog clock in the bedroom ticks so loudly that my sleep quality was diminishing. Is there a digital clock that keeps the time automatically?
Yes, the answer is an atomic clock that has a digital display, accurate time keeping and quiet. An atomic clock is controlled by radio signals emitted by a government source in Fort Collins, CO. The clock resets itself regularly to sync up with the time source with accuracy to seconds. This achieves automatic Daylight Savings Time adjustment.
The atomic clock, WS-6002U-A, made by LaCrosse Technology is a stylish, well-designed, and accurate time-keeping piece that one could hope for. The clock locked to the radio signal after 20 seconds and has been working flawlessly and accurate to the second since I put it up 3 months ago. It also display current date and day as well as indoor temperature, which is very neat for checking the heater effectiveness. The setup is flexible for all time zones and easy.
The only negative is that the clock is not back lit, making it difficult to see it in the dark. I guess a lot of clocks are the same, so turning on the light to view an at least ultra accurate clock is less of a hassle.
I bought the clock from Amazon for $25 with free shipping.
3,573 Comments »
Posted by null on January 9th, 2007 — Posted in TechnoBlog
The halogen headlight bulbs are my Honda are weak; my car is often overshadowed by HIDs behind me. It is time for a change.
Expectation: bright (4000K < color temperature < 6000K), safe (wattage < 70W), durable
Choice: PIAA Xtreme White Plus: 60/55W, 4000K white beams, high and low beams. Vendor specification.
Pros: whiter beams than most factory halogen bulbs, legendary PIAA performance build and quality, easy to install, life-time warranty.
Cons: I bought the pair in hopes of getting close to the HID looks; oh, was I wrong! The other day, I was parked side by side with a LandRover, its HID was at least 10 times whiter and brighter than my bulbs. The bottom line is halogen is never comparable with HID unless one risks burning the wire harness and gets a pair with much higher wattage rating, which might not be legal on the street to begin with. The alternative is to get an HID conversion kit. Most kits are plug and play and cost around ~$200.
Purchased from: Amazon
Price paid: $61, free shipping
Product links: Amazon, PIAA.
Product picture:
5,753 Comments »
Posted by null on January 7th, 2007 — Posted in TechnoGadgets
Although I am an electronics fanatic, I am also a pragmatist. I wouldn’t pay more to satisfy manufacturers’ marketing tricks. With all the hypes about Garmin’s recent product family, the Nuvi, I still find the best value to be their legacy StreetPilot C340. I was looking for a portable GPS unit that:
- has accurate satellite tracking
- is equipped with solid mapping software in the US
- has plenty of Points of Interest (POIs) built-in
- is easy to configure and set up
A GPS has failed its primary purpose in automobiles if it focuses on:
- colorful but often confusing graphics
- complicated menu navigation
- unnecessary features that interfere with its intended use
- overly stylish design intended to catch eyes of a passerby
No GPS is 100% reliable, because of new constructions, detours or sometimes personal preference. I hear people complaining about a GPS failing to display a road that is not even yet paved or calling GPS stupid when it chooses another route that is less familiar. I am all for the claim that people should not use portable GPS’s if they know exactly where they go; less distraction, less chance of getting into an accident.
But I can’t express enough how peaceful I’ve become after owning a GPS; I no longer need to print out pages of maps in advance of trips. I start driving in unacquainted cities within seconds. I can find restaurants, shopping malls, gas stations, or repair shops any place anytime. The convenience is addictive.
Now back to the StreetPilot C340, what’s good about this unit is:
- with its Wide Area Augmentation System (WASS) enabled 12 parallel channel receiver, the positioning accuracy is amazing, usually within 20 feet.
- it has full maps for North America and over 6 million points of interest stored, plus the capability of uploading one’s own POIs.
- it pronounces street names instead of “turn right at intersection in 50 feet.” This feature is not available on C330 or earlier I generations.
- it is portable and able to run on the rechargeable battery for 4 hours under normal use.
- it is equipped with a 3.5″ auto-adjustable touch screen display.
What is fair about this product is:
- the startup time is rather long, usually around 3 to 5 minutes, before it begins tracking.
- the signal strength is mediocre in woody or high-rise surrounded areas.
- the home city does not change automatically with location, i.e. if I turned off my GPS in Houston and turn it back on in New York, the city remains in Houston unless I manually change it.
- the database lacks fuzzy search ability: Stone Ridge would not return anything, but Stoneridge would.
- due to its compactness in size, one would find the touch screen difficult to tap accurately.
- subscription to real-time traffic data is an extortion and not useful.
The more advanced Nuvi’s are slimmer, but the flip-up antenna just defeats the purpose. If bluetooth (if it works with your phone), MP3 player (if one would like to settle with its speaker), or bigger screen (if stowing it after use is not a problem) is important, then I still recommend getting a GPS built-in to the car.
I paid $550 for my C340 9 months ago. It is now around $380.
3,257 Comments »
Posted by null on January 5th, 2007 — Posted in TechnoBlog
I take many macro shots for eBay and posting purposes; I was hoping to get some lighting equipment for shadow-less illumination.
Expectation: compact and cost effective.
Choice: American Recorder Photo Studio-in-a-Box SIB-100: soft light box with 2 sides and 1 roof of nylon fiber diffuser, two-sided non-reflective background fabric with color blue and light gray, two tungsten lamps, a mini tripod for cameras. Vendor specification.
Pros: the package is complete for my purpose and easy to set up. All components seem durable. Lamps are reasonably bright. I now can take much better quality macro pictures for online auctions or blogs.
Cons: I would much prefer a white or black background than blue and gray combination. The camera stand is cheaply made and usually cannot withhold a digital SLR with heavy lenses. The lighting can be improved for I often times use flash to get better results than just the lamps alone.
Purchased from: Amazon
Price paid: $57, free shipping
Product picture:
3,950 Comments »
Posted by null on January 2nd, 2007 — Posted in TechnoGadgets
I still prefer carpet despite comments about hard flooring being healthier due to less hidden dirt. I am a strong believer of maintaining tidiness and utilizing technological assistance. When it comes to vacuum cleaners, I see no compromise. There are basically 3 types of household vacuums:
- Handheld: this type is often cordless and rechargeable, bagless, but limited to sucking up small debris or hair in bathrooms or the kitchen.
- Canister: this was my favorite design due to its light weight feeling while cleaning and its ability to traverse under bed and low coffee table. For models with two motors, the suction is amazing.
- Upright: this is the most common among households; the dirt chamber attaches to the handle, then motorized brush in a square plastic casing.
Sadly, most vacuum cleaners have a tendency to lose suction power over time due to the fact that, in bagless design, accumulated dirt clogs the intake, greatly reducing suction, or in bagged models, dirt fills up the pores of the bag, rendering vacuum ineffective. The Dyson vacuums is among the forerunners that tackled the suction loss issue with their patented Root Cyclone technology. In short, what their superior design does is to create a tornado inside the dirt chamber; debris brought in would fall to the bottom naturally due to gravity. Ideally, the intake is never clogged; therefore, suction is maintained through each cleaning period. Afterwards, the exhaust passes through a lifetime HEPA filter and comes out clean. Dyson has 4 upright models, DC07, DC14, DC15, and DC17. The latter is new. There is little difference between variations within a model except different accessory packages.
My choice is DC15. Its feet is replaced with a ball-shaped wheel, in which the motor resides. This allows easy glide and maneuver between furniture and around corners. The all floor brush bar has a wide channel for large debris and can be turned off to use on delicate rugs. There is no bag or belt to replace; everything is self-contained and ready to go every time. Every aspect of Dyson engineering, from how accessories are stowed on the vacuum body to hygienic bin cleaning, to air nozzles that prevent upholstery from being stuck to the cleaner, is considerate and well thought of.
Aside from its impressive performance and marvelous design, it, DC15, has a few shortcomings: the motor has a 10amp rating, which is less than what its counterparts offer (DC07 and DC14 have 12amp motors). The dirt can is rather small, 0.3 gallons less space compared to DC07; what this implies is if the dirt level submerges most air eyelets, contrary to advertised, suction will drop.
In any case, the Dyson cleaner is a true engineering marvel. I guarantee DC15 will pick up in one pass an astounding amount of fine grade dirt that your old vacuum has missed.
I paid $270 + tax for my DC15 at Bed Bath & Beyond when price-matched to BestBuy.
3,723 Comments »
Posted by null on December 28th, 2006 — Posted in TechnoGadgets
Unfortunately, my car is not equipped with an MP3 player, and I got tired of burning CDs. Is there a way of turning my iPod into the audio engine for my car? The answer is YES. There are more or less 3 ways to achieve it:
- Auxiliary input: plug MP3 players directly into the jack provided on the audio system and enjoy a clean broadcast in the car.
- Cassette Adapter
: for cars that lack the AUX port but have a cassette player, this adapter, shaped as a regular tape but has a long wire coming out from the side that plugs into the MP3 player, is relatively cheap and easy to set up.
- FM Transmitter: the gadget broadcasts audio signal from the MP3 player in forms of FM radio inside the car; all one has to do is to tune both the transmitter and car radio to the same frequency, and done.
Comparing the above methods, however, one will find the AUX connection has the best sound quality but most expensive (imagine change the whole CD player or at least a major conversion just for that) while the tape adapter is the noisiest but cheapest. For connecting most audio devices to AUX, an adapter
is likely required linking two 3.5mm jacks. I finally gave Griffin RoadTrip a try, and it was definitely a worthwhile investment!
Pros: though varying from car to car, the sound quality in mine is surprisingly good. I rarely hear echoes or feedback like radio stations afar (or when solar wind is charging). The gadget plugs into the cigarette lighter slot and charges my iPod via its docking port while playing. It supports all iPod variations, video or nano. It can also be powered by USB for home or office use.
A few drawbacks, though: in high radio-density areas, it is likely that the frequency set by RoadTrip is used by another station; this is when the noise level gets overwhelming, often times prompting for a frequency change. Another complaint is the device inserts into where the cigarette lighter is; therefore, if its location makes it hard for the user to read the screens of both the frequency meter and iPod, it would be unsafe to operate while driving.
Overall, the RoadTrip is among the best devices categorized as FM transmitters. I paid $50 for it.
3,189 Comments »
Posted by null on December 25th, 2006 — Posted in TechnoGadgets
I was searching for a GSM cell phone to replace my old Sony Ericsson T610. The must-have features are:
- Unlocked GSM 850/1900MHz bands (for use with Cingular Wireless)
- High quality camera
- Email and high speed Internet/data transfer
- Block design, not flip phone
- Strong battery life (I always forget to charge my phone)
- Expandable memory
Optional features might be:
- Music player (imagine phone, camera, and iPod in one body)
- Bluetooth (it sounds stupid, but I rarely use headset and bluetooth transfers)
- Voice activated dialing
My price budget was $400.
Three potential candidates came into play: Sony Ericsson W810i, Nokia N73, and Sony Ericsson K790a. W810i, $300, is an excellent phone: quad-band with EDGE, 2MP video camera with auto-focus, light-weight and expandable with Sony’s memory stick duo. N73, $520, is also tempting: quad-band and 3G, 3.2MP Carl Zeiss video camera, legendary Nokia call quality and Symbian OS reliability, expandable with a miniSD card. Finally, I chose K790a, $430, over its superior CyberShot 3.2MP camera with auto-focus and Xenon flash, crystal clear 2.0″ QVGA display, rich feature set, and quality build. Vendor specification.
Two notes: N73 and K790 are not available through either Cingular or T-Mobile, but W810 is; therefore, the only way to get the two is to pay the face value and get unlocked ones. K800i is a newer version of K790; though 3G capable, it only has 900MHz band, which is not good for Cingular users on the west coast.
This Howard’s Forum article compares N73 and K800.
Place to buy: Amazon, Buy.
13,722 Comments »
Posted by null on December 22nd, 2006 — Posted in TechnoBlog
9. Mouse
Expectation: high resolution optical or laser, ergonomic, programmable buttons
Choice: Logitech G5 Laser Corded Mouse: 400/800/2000 user selectable dpi settings, 6.4 MP/s processing, 6 programmable buttons, adjustable weight cartridge. Vendor specification.
Pros: highly precise and noticeably faster than conventional optical mouse. adjustable dpi settings with indicator for flexibility, quiet and sensitive scroll wheel, horizontal scrolling, fits in hand naturally. I think the adjustable weight is just another marketing hype, which I do not find it much advanced.
Cons: Logitech took away the traditional 2 thumb buttons design and replaced the pair with only one; I used to program them to be forward and back buttons on web browsers, but now I have to find another way to achieve the same. It takes time to get used to the sensitivity and find optimal settings for oneself. The driver for this mouse is 42MB in size!
Purchased from: Buy, free shipping.
Price paid: $51 – $20 (Google Checkout discount) + tax = ~$38
Product links: Amazon, Newegg, Buy.
Product picture:
3,301 Comments »
Posted by null on December 18th, 2006 — Posted in TechnoBlog
8. Cooling:
Expectation: quiet, long-lasting, cost-effective air cooling.
Choice:
CPU fan: Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro: Swiss engineering, tower structure, aluminum & copper, 92mm fan capable of 45 CFM, 4-pin sensed connector, 6-year MTBF/warranty. Vendor specification.
Case fan: Antec TriCool 120mm Case Fan: 2 ball bearing, 3-speed manual switch (1200/39/25, 1600/56/28, 2000/79/30 RPM/CFM/dBA), 3 or 4-pin power connector. Vendor specification.
Pros: the AC Freezer is ultra quiet, comes with thermal compound applied, easy to install (needless to dismantle motherboard), sturdily constructed, and most importantly effective in cooling (my CPU is 33C idle and 38C loaded). The TriCool is also quiet; it is installed in the optional slot front of the hard drive cage and keeps my hard drives running sweat-less.
Cons: AC Freezer is bit heavy, although stable without being bolted on, it imposes unnecessary mechanical stress onto the motherboard. I hope the TriCool would have a black variation.
Purchased from: AC Freezer: ChiefValue; TriCool: Amazon.
Price paid: AC Freezer: $20 + tax + $5 shipping; TriCool: $15
Product links: AC Freezer, TriCool.
Product pictures:
1,619 Comments »
Posted by null on December 15th, 2006 — Posted in TechnoBlog
7. Video Card
Expectation: performance level (<$200, cards supporting DirectX 10 will drop in price after Windows Vista comes out later this month), PCI-E x16, Dual-DVI, support max resolution of 2560x1600
Choice: NVidia GeForce 7600GT, ASUS EN7600GT/HTDI/256M: 560MHz core clock, 256MB 128-bit DDR3 memory @ 1.4GHz, Dual-DVI-I, HDTV, HDMI and SPDIF outputs (here for connection instruction), 2048×1536 max resolution. Vendor specification.
Pros: quality ASUS build, runs most games smoothly, blazing fast in terms of Frames per Second, SLI-capable, does not require additional power connection, good price and Vista ready.
Cons: runs a bit hot (high 40C’s when idle), the card likely to outrun the cooling fan.
Purchased from: Amazon
Price paid: $158 free shipping
Product links: Amazon, Newegg.
Product picture:
3,216 Comments »
Posted by null on December 13th, 2006 — Posted in TechnoBlog
6. Hard Disk Drive
Expectation: enterprise grade SATA drives, OEM version
Choice:
OS Drive: Western Digital Raptor WD740ADFD: 74GB, SATA 150, 10,000RPM, 16MB cache, 2.99ms latency, NCQ, 1.2 million-hour MTBF, 5-year warranty. Vendor specification.
Storage Drive 1: Maxtor MaxLine Pro 500 7H500F0: 500GB, SATA II, 7,200RPM, 16MB cache, NCQ, 1 million-hour MTBF, 5-year warranty. Vendor specification.
Storage Drive 2: Western Digital Caviar RE2 WD5000YS: 500GB, SATA II, 7,200RPM, 16MB cache, RAID-specific features (prevents the drive from being taken offline in case of error detection), NCQ, 1.2 million-hour MTBF, 5-year warranty. Vendor specification.
Pros: the Raptor is the fastest and most reliable SATA drive around; it reduces application loading time significantly. The MaxLine is quiet and reliable; 500GB formats to 460GB. The Caviar RE2 is silent, cool and high-performing, making it one of the best large capacity HDDs available, except Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 series, which employs perpendicular recording but emits much higher noise level.
Cons: the Raptor is loud and small in capacity (69GB formatted => $2.5/GB). The MaxLine runs a bit hot and does not run as fast compared to the Caviar RE2, whose only drawback is its fair construction (the casing has irregular dents and is not as smooth).
Purchased from: Newegg
Price paid: Raptor: $150 + tax; MaxLine: $150 + tax; Caviar RE2: $150 + tax
Product links: Raptor, MaxLine, Caviar RE2.
Product reviews: this StorageReview.com article compares 3 enterprise 500GB drives.
Product pictures:
3,191 Comments »
Posted by null on December 11th, 2006 — Posted in TechnoBlog
5. Memory
Expectation: matched DIMMs, stable, >600MHz, CAS latency 5 or better
Choice: Corsair XMS2 6400 TWIN2X2048-6400: 2x 1GB matched DIMMs, 800MHz, 5-5-5-12 latency at 1.9V. Vendor specification.
Pros: highly reliable RAM, fast and cool, great overclocking potential, stylish heat spreader design.
Cons: It shows 5-5-5-18 with default voltages supplied by Intel Bad Axe 2 board. Should’ve spent ~$20 more and got the C4 version of this with Enhanced Performance Profiles (EPP), but overclocking this baby to 4-4-4-12 wouldn’t be difficult with increased juice.
Purchased from: Newegg, free 3-day shipping
Price paid: $270 + tax – $40 (mail-in rebate)
Product links: Amazon, Newegg, Zipzoomfly.
Product picture:
3,221 Comments »
Posted by null on December 9th, 2006 — Posted in TechnoBlog
4. Motherboard
Expectation: stable, 1066MHz FSB, PC-6400/800MHz DDR2 memory slots, dual PCI Express x16 slots, fast Gigabit Ethernet port, onboard RAID 0, 1, and 5, >5 SATA connectors, moderate overclockability.
Choice: Intel BOXD975XBX2KR ATX Motherboard: Intel 975x chipset, LGA 775 socket, 1066MHz FSB, 800MHz DDR2, 3x PCI-E x16 slots, 8x SATA II ports, Intel & Marvell RAID 0, 1, 5, 8-channel Sigmatel 9274D audio chip, Intel PRO 1000 GigE LAN port, USB and IEEE 1394/FireWire ports. Vendor specification.
Pros: super stable, trouble-free setup, latest BIOS revision offers unprecedented (at least by Intel standard) overclocking features including processor, memory, and bus voltage/parameter overrides, Intel Matrix RAID technology, fast and proven Intel Gigabit LAN, high bandwidth PCI-E bus, Intel signature monitoring program included.
Cons: SATA ports too close to the edge (and case bottom); when used with supplied SATA cables with clamps, they are impossible to unplug. Hard drive activity light is non-functional with Marvel RAID disabled (should be fixed in later BIOS upgrades), onboard fan control (except the processor fan) is malfunctioning; I had to use fixed-speed fans instead of MB-controlled ones. Although 3 physical x16 PCI-E slots, only 1 is real electrically 16 lanes. Overclocking features are not as full-fledged as many other competitors, but stability is far more superior.
Purchased from: TigerDirect through Amazon.com, if ordering directly from TD, the shipping is higher.
Price paid:$250 + $8 shipping
Product links: Amazon, Newegg, TigerDirect.
Product picture:
5,162 Comments »
Posted by null on December 7th, 2006 — Posted in TechnoBlog
3. Processor
Expectation: stable, 64-bit, dual-core, high-performing, power-efficient, overclockability
Choice: Intel Core 2 Duo E6600, 2.4GHz dual-core, 1066MHz Front Side Bus, 4MB L2 cache, compatible with LGA775 socket, Intel 64 Architecture. Vendor specification.
Pros: stable, fast, power-efficient (~65W TDP max), runs cool, tons of overclocking potential, has the best value in Intel Conroe line.
Cons: the stock heatsink & fan is loud and less effective.
Purchased from: Amazon.com, free shipping
Price paid: $310
Product links: Amazon, Newegg, TigerDirect.
Product picture:
3,815 Comments »
Posted by null on December 5th, 2006 — Posted in TechnoBlog
2. Power Supply Unit
Expectations: powerful (>500W and >40A on 12V rail sustained), efficient (>80% efficiency), clean (<3% ripple peak-to-peak), reliable (>80,000 hours MTBF)
Choice: PC Power & Cooling Silencer 610 EPS12V: 610W, 83% efficiency, 49A on single +12V rail, 1% ripple, 100,000-hour MTBF, NVidia SLI certified. Vendor specification.
Pros: clean and steady power output at normal operating temperatures. Ultra quiet design: the spacing between fan and heatsink reduces vibration, sufficient power connectors, long processor power cord 8-pin 12V and 24-pin main board connectors.
Cons: it is physically longer than normal PSU, sometimes causing difficulties in mounting. Each SATA cord only has 3 connectors instead of 4; therefore, connecting 4 hard drives in the cage means dragging two think cords into the compartment. I am not going to complain about the lack of modular cabling because often times extra connectors in the middle cause more resistance. Relatively pricey.
Purchased from: Fry’s Electronics brick and mortar store.
Price: $160 + tax
Product links: Newegg, Frys.
Product Picture:
3,115 Comments »
Posted by null on December 3rd, 2006 — Posted in TechnoBlog
I built a PC from scratch recently. It was a fun experience. To illustrate how I did it, please read the rest:
1. PC Case
Expectations: Cool, quiet, many internal hard drive bays for RAID, future proof design
Choice: Antec P180B Performance One ATX Mid Tower: 4x external 5.25″ bays and 1x external 3.5″ bay, 6x internal 3.5″ bays, 7x expansion slots, 5x 120mm fan mounting slots (comes with 3 fans), bottom-mounted power supply chamber, ultra quiet features including rubber grommets, tri-layer side panel. Vendor specification.
Pros: lots of space, keeps everything cool (I will post temperature numbers in Accessories and Cooling section below), very quiet (hardly noticeable while turned on), sufficient mounting screws/nuts.
Cons: the power supply (PSU) is mounted on the bottom, separating itself from the rest compartment for better noise isolation and cooling; this, however, sometimes makes routing of cables difficult. The front door is a bit flimsy. If the PSU is longer than normal, like in my case, the bottom chamber fan has to be customized to fit in between the PSU and hard drive cage.
Purchased from: Frys.com, order placed on Friday, shipped free the same day, received quickly on Monday.
Price paid: $110 – $40 (mail-in rebate) + tax
Product links: Amazon, Newegg, Frys.
Product Picture:
5,264 Comments »
