Personal computing discussed

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by insulin_junkie72
Wed Dec 16, 2020 10:07 pm
Forum: Announcements
Topic: The Tech Report forums got a big upgrade
Replies: 137
Views: 56967

Re: The Tech Report forums got a big upgrade

I hadn't visited in a couple of years, and talk about a shock to the system! Had to hit Wikipedia to get the lowdown.

Good to see some of the old familiar names in the last page, though.
by insulin_junkie72
Mon Jan 18, 2016 6:04 pm
Forum: Echo Vale
Topic: Anyone have Kingston’s HyperX Cloud Headset
Replies: 10
Views: 4149

Re: Anyone have Kingston’s HyperX Cloud Headset

Am I missing something? (Always possible) The Kingstons ARE relabeled Takstar Pro80s with a mic.

The Takstars do have quite a few fans amongst the Head-Fi crowd.
by insulin_junkie72
Tue Aug 18, 2015 8:51 pm
Forum: System Builders Anonymous
Topic: Return to PC Gaming
Replies: 16
Views: 2527

Re: Return to PC Gaming

The 100R is light because it's flimsy. For a fraction more cost and weight the 200R is a much better option. If he's coming from a P18x series (I still have one, but not in active service) - virtually ANYTHING he's going to purchase is going to seem like it's made out of cardboard in terms of build...
by insulin_junkie72
Thu Jul 11, 2013 5:37 pm
Forum: Cases and Power Supplies
Topic: flashy yet practical case?
Replies: 28
Views: 7474

Re: flashy yet practical case?

There is a lot of talk about the Fractal Define R4 here. Sorry to derail the thread, but for a micro ATX build, given that the price was the same, would you go for the R4 or the Mini? I went R4 of the two. The R4 isn't much larger, but it is newer by about a year, so it has some nicer refinements l...
by insulin_junkie72
Fri Nov 30, 2012 11:40 pm
Forum: System Builders Anonymous
Topic: File Server and HTPC (Separate Builds)
Replies: 26
Views: 9244

Re: File Server and HTPC (Separate Builds)

If you decide to use Vista, hunt down a Microsoft update called TV Pack 2008. It had bugfixes and added some additional minor features (I seem to recall it making the setup of ClearQAM channels a lot simpler, for instance). It was originally intended for OEMs, and at the time of release had to be fo...
by insulin_junkie72
Wed Nov 28, 2012 10:15 pm
Forum: Overclocking, Tweaking, & Cooling
Topic: Scythe USA no more?
Replies: 30
Views: 12677

Re: Scythe USA no more?

This was announced back on the tenth of September? Talk about falling through the cracks... As a number of folks already have mentioned themselves, they were also my primary go-to company for reasonably priced, good performing coolers (Ninjas, Mugen 2) and fans (Slipstreams and S-Flexes). I suppose ...
by insulin_junkie72
Sat Nov 10, 2012 8:46 pm
Forum: General Hardware
Topic: Cheap Mouse
Replies: 6
Views: 2410

Re: Cheap Mouse

FWIW, it appears Sams Club is now carrying the M325 - price was $16.78 at my local club. Cardboard display had M305/M325/the larger M310 all for the same price.

Picked up a M325 for my desktop, after buying a M305 for my laptop a few weeks ago.
by insulin_junkie72
Thu Nov 01, 2012 6:08 pm
Forum: General Hardware
Topic: Cheap Mouse
Replies: 6
Views: 2410

Re: Cheap Mouse

just brew it! wrote:
Current favorite is the M325, which lists for $30 but can frequently be found on sale for around $20.


This week, Best Buy has it for $15.

The previous M305 might be found super-cheap if you look around. (got one for $9.50 + tax last week from a local OfficeMax on sale).
by insulin_junkie72
Mon Oct 22, 2012 11:10 pm
Forum: System Builders Anonymous
Topic: My new HTPC
Replies: 15
Views: 6830

Re: My new HTPC

kc77 wrote:
HTPC's are the one thing where CPU matters the least while the GPU matters the most.


One exception to the rule that I can think of would perhaps be people playing a lot of anime files (I'm not one), since 10-bit encodes have become more common there, and those can't be hardware-accelerated at all.
by insulin_junkie72
Mon Oct 22, 2012 4:08 pm
Forum: Storage
Topic: How to disable drives in win7 without reboot. Please assist!
Replies: 12
Views: 4188

Re: How to disable drives in win7 without reboot. Please ass

Holy necro!

(check the date of the OP)
by insulin_junkie72
Tue Jul 31, 2012 4:55 pm
Forum: System Builders Anonymous
Topic: Tivo xl4 Vs. HTPC
Replies: 7
Views: 2258

Re: Tivo xl4 Vs. HTPC

Jason181 wrote:
If you went with Linux it would be quite easily doable


With Cablecard, Linux would be an option only if the OP's FIOS provider doesn't set any copyright-protection flags.

If the OP's FIOS provider DOES set copyright-protection flags, WMC is the only game in town on a PC.
by insulin_junkie72
Tue Jul 03, 2012 8:10 pm
Forum: Visual Haven
Topic: Searching for a new TV
Replies: 29
Views: 7351

Re: Searching for a new TV

(a) that the high refresh feature can be used TODAY with many great applications - game consoles and games that support 3D, Roku, PC / Apple TV / Mac, etc. 120 Hz + makes the pictures sharper, animations smoother, etc. 120hz monitors and 120+hz TVs are two different things. Televisions top out at 6...
by insulin_junkie72
Mon Jul 02, 2012 8:16 pm
Forum: Visual Haven
Topic: Searching for a new TV
Replies: 29
Views: 7351

Re: Searching for a new TV

As others have suggested, I would also add a "120 Hz" requirement to that list. I wont get into the argument that 120Hz is pure bunk. We all know that the current standard for HDTV is 60Hz and movies are 24 FPS (rounded to 30). Play back a Blu-ray at 1080p24 and you'll appreciate a 120Hz ...
by insulin_junkie72
Sun Mar 04, 2012 7:36 pm
Forum: General Hardware
Topic: Integrated vs Dedicated audio
Replies: 20
Views: 3805

Re: Integrated vs Dedicated audio

And doesn't it say something about Creative that in order to use their cards, you have to use 3rd party drivers? Shouldn't be that way. You can also substitute 'Asus' into that sentence and it works just as well. It's the curse of consumer sound card drivers (I'd classify the HT cards are more pros...
by insulin_junkie72
Mon Feb 06, 2012 10:04 pm
Forum: System Builders Anonymous
Topic: End of the World Build - 2012 :)
Replies: 20
Views: 3033

Re: End of the World Build - 2012 :)

Welch wrote:
Like I said before, im also well aware of the huge performance gap between AMD and Intel. My major heartache would be supporting a company...


But luckily for you, the end of the world is the perfect time to do all those things you normally would feel guilty about doing! :lol:
by insulin_junkie72
Fri Feb 03, 2012 7:40 pm
Forum: Graphics
Topic: Dual digital displays via IGP
Replies: 15
Views: 2227

Re: You're not looking that hard then

Bauxite wrote:
Both of my llano boards will output DP + another digital...


On the other hand, the non-DP boards (at least in the Asus line) can't do DVI/HDMI at the same time. So unlike Intel, it must not be "baked in" the chipset.
by insulin_junkie72
Fri Feb 03, 2012 3:16 am
Forum: Graphics
Topic: Dual digital displays via IGP
Replies: 15
Views: 2227

Re: Dual digital displays via IGP

It seems to be more common on Intel motherboards. I wonder if there is some feature of Intel IGPs that makes it easier/cheaper to implement? Intel made dual-digital support a standard feature at the same time they moved graphics onto the CPU. Before then, there were some business-oriented s775 boar...
by insulin_junkie72
Mon Jan 30, 2012 7:34 pm
Forum: General Hardware
Topic: LCD or LED
Replies: 8
Views: 2011

Re: LCD or LED

emorgoch wrote:
LEDs are supposed to provide a more uniform back-light

It depends. Like LED TVs, the cheaper edge-lit kind are most prominent, which means potential uniformity issues.
by insulin_junkie72
Tue Jan 03, 2012 10:32 pm
Forum: General Hardware
Topic: I think what I want is a HTPC, but I'm unsure.
Replies: 12
Views: 1819

Re: I think what I want is a HTPC, but I'm unsure.

You could probably use the brazos platform if you're just wanting something cheap that will stream videos. Netflix for the PC isn't GPU-optimized, so it needs some grunt on the CPU - particularly if streaming HD. The PC version is like the red-headed stepchild of Netflix compared to the console/Blu...
by insulin_junkie72
Fri Dec 23, 2011 7:45 pm
Forum: System Builders Anonymous
Topic: A Little Help Setting Up A New HTPC/DVR
Replies: 13
Views: 3638

Re: A Little Help Setting Up A New HTPC/DVR

Maybe I'm a bit too persistent, but would I still have the ability to transcode the files (likely compressed with h.264) and store them away to play or stream to another computer? No, only streams flagged with "COPY FREELY" will let you do that. With TWC, that generally means the local ch...
by insulin_junkie72
Thu Dec 22, 2011 5:45 pm
Forum: System Builders Anonymous
Topic: A Little Help Setting Up A New HTPC/DVR
Replies: 13
Views: 3638

Re: A Little Help Setting Up A New HTPC/DVR

I need some way to capture video from our cable provider (Time Warner Cable) If you go the CableCard route, in virtually all markets TWC sets the "Copy Once" flag on everything but the local OTA channels, so your non-local channel recordings are going to be usable only on the PC they were...
by insulin_junkie72
Fri Oct 21, 2011 8:07 pm
Forum: System Builders Anonymous
Topic: Going for the The Double-Stuff Workstation Oct 2011
Replies: 26
Views: 5258

Re: Going for the The Double-Stuff Workstation Oct 2011

I was wondering about that as those drives were listed for around $80 when the latest Tech Report builder guide came out. Since there was no way I could hold out storage-wise for a few months until prices likely stabilize - and my original plan of waiting until Black Friday for possible HDD sales o...
by insulin_junkie72
Thu Oct 20, 2011 7:17 pm
Forum: System Builders Anonymous
Topic: Going for the The Double-Stuff Workstation Oct 2011
Replies: 26
Views: 5258

Re: Going for the The Double-Stuff Workstation Oct 2011

SAMSUNG EcoGreen F4 2TB (Newegg limits to 1 per) $109.99 As an aside, that's up $30 over a couple of days ago (I was going to pick up another 2TB in the next month or so, so I've been keeping an eye on prices). The flooding overseas has hit NewEgg's HDD pricing with a vengence... all the 2 TB drive...
by insulin_junkie72
Sat Sep 10, 2011 6:32 pm
Forum: System Builders Anonymous
Topic: New HTPC build
Replies: 11
Views: 2525

Re: New HTPC build

I've pretty much decided I'm going to do move from an E-350 to an i3 2120T at 35W... And at 35W, it makes me feel much better about a 24/7 file server/htpc/blu-ray player. Comparing Sandy Bridge processors in a HTPC scenario, the power consumption difference for idle & video playback is pretty ...
by insulin_junkie72
Sun Jul 24, 2011 9:29 pm
Forum: System Builders Anonymous
Topic: HTPC build.. Ordering tonight please help review!
Replies: 11
Views: 1959

Re: HTPC build.. Ordering tonight please help review!

To get the encrypted channels, you need something with a Cablecard (or whatever the two-way standard is that will replace cablecard and allow OnDemand and PayPerView in the next few years). Since the good folks at ReplayTV are set to discontinue the guide service for my ancient analog DVR at the en...
by insulin_junkie72
Sun Jul 24, 2011 9:21 pm
Forum: General Hardware
Topic: Good Speakers for good price help
Replies: 12
Views: 2341

Re: Good Speakers for good price help

The one wildcard about Klipsch is now that Audiovox bought them, what does that mean for quality?

Audiovox is the one hand saying Klipsch will be run as a stand-alone company, but on the other said they've been looking how to implement cost savings at the company.
by insulin_junkie72
Sun Jul 03, 2011 5:52 pm
Forum: Graphics
Topic: 6850 Triple Monitor Support Woes. What they don't tell you.
Replies: 34
Views: 14746

Re: 6850 Triple Monitor Support Woes. What they don't tell y

just brew it! wrote:
Most people don't even have two monitors, let alone three.

Indeed, their prior mainstream IGPs (Llano may have fixed this; I'm not sure) couldn't even drive two digital displays at once - one had to be VGA.
by insulin_junkie72
Sun Jun 26, 2011 5:03 pm
Forum: General Hardware
Topic: Creative or Asus sound cards?
Replies: 16
Views: 2733

Re: Creative or Asus sound cards?

I have one minor complaint with my Xonar DG drivers. For some reason, it keeps reverting the output source to FP headphones everytime my system wakes up. You're not the only one (this is with latest Asus drivers, not the third-party drivers). It's not just sleep - I shutdown, and it does the same t...
by insulin_junkie72
Wed Jun 22, 2011 7:17 pm
Forum: Echo Vale
Topic: Headsets vs. In-ear?
Replies: 25
Views: 5698

Re: Headsets vs. In-ear?

Most of the music I have is 256 kbs or higher, VBR, or FLAC so I take it the $30 pair of Phillips are the bottleneck at this point. What kinds of music you listen to is also going to be a factor. You say wide variety, but what's a general breakdown? Are you a basshead (you indicate you prefer clari...
by insulin_junkie72
Mon May 23, 2011 1:03 am
Forum: System Builders Anonymous
Topic: H67 and 2600 Build
Replies: 35
Views: 6897

Re: H67 and 2600 Build

The salesman at Microcenter checked (with someone in the back) and reported that the H67 doesn't let you combine integrated and discrete GPUs; he said the Z68 does. I've got an H67, and I've done it. I must have a magic board! I better put that puppy on Ebay (or offer it to Apple for a large sum, s...
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