New Build Suggestions

[Inferno 22]

Don't mention it

[Nmenth 291]

Not to mention you nearly die of magnetism/radiation/static electricity/etc when you even get close to the thing.

The electromagnetic field is significantly dissipated 35 cm from the source.

The X-ray radiation absorbed from a CRT (over a year) is 1/50th that which is typically absorbed during an average persons medical checkups. 1/20th that which is absorbed from the sun. 1/2 that of someone living inside a nuclear power plant.

 

I think he's safe if he wants a CRT as long as he won't be bothered by the sightseers and museum curators that will soon come to view the ancient technology he is preserving.

[mormreed 0]

And so says the master of all things radioactive

[Nmenth 291]

And so says the master of all things radioactive

It is one of my strong points.

[BioBen 3]

More arguements:

They're fat

[Malevolence 6]

I think he's safe if he wants a CRT as long as he won't be bothered by the sightseers and museum curators that will soon come to view the ancient technology he is preserving.

 

Yea, never underestimate the power of Ancient technology. Ok, now where is my Zack Pee Emm? :lol:

[Nmenth 291]

Zack Pee Emm

Is that meant to be ZPM, Zero-Point Module?

[Malevolence 6]

Is that meant to be ZPM, Zero-Point Module?

 

Yea, I was trying to be lame by pronouncing the same way Rodney said it in the show.

[Nmenth 291]

Yea, I was trying to be lame

Well then you were successful. He pronounced it zed, which is how the letter is normally pronounced in British and Commonwealth English.

 

I think if you tried merging a ZPM into your CRT technology, it would either commit suicide or die laughing, either way, you'd still be stuck with something even the Ancients would consider ancient. I think I have a few of those artifacts in my basement, but they've undoubtedly fossilized by now.

Edited April 13, 2009 by Nmenth

[Malevolence 6]

Alright then, I'll pass on my CRT technology to my Wraith buddies. Now where the hell can I purchase those screens/monitors/whatever they call it by teh Anicents?

[Sonic 296]

Well then you were successful. He pronounced it zed, which is how the letter is normally pronounced in British and Commonwealth English.

Just like the name of this site. Remember its CNCNZED dot COM, that's how you pronounce it Its not CNCNZEE dot COM as our American friends might think. But we have been over this many times before.

[Malevolence 6]

Just like the name of this site. Remember its CNCNZED dot COM, that's how you pronounce it Its not CNCNZEE dot COM as our American friends might think. But we have been over this many times before.

 

Actually, if given a choice to choose pronouncing CNCNZ as either "see and see en zed" or "see and see en zee", I think the second one sounds cooler. :lol:

[Inferno 22]

The electromagnetic field is significantly dissipated 35 cm from the source.

The X-ray radiation absorbed from a CRT (over a year) is 1/50th that which is typically absorbed during an average persons medical checkups. 1/20th that which is absorbed from the sun. 1/2 that of someone living inside a nuclear power plant.

 

I think he's safe if he wants a CRT as long as he won't be bothered by the sightseers and museum curators that will soon come to view the ancient technology he is preserving.

I was more saying that it's annoying to get close to, like it's annoying to get close to an non-flat screen tv

[BioBen 3]

Actually, if given a choice to choose pronouncing CNCNZ as either "see and see en zed" or "see and see en zee", I think the second one sounds cooler. :lol:

Trust me, we have been through this before.

Let's not do it again.

"see 'n' see 'n' zed" thats final

[mormreed 0]

it's different and better and cooler, though it did take me a few months until I found this one out XD

[Gben 20]

I bought the Sony 17" CRT monitor in the year of our lord, two thousand and one!!!

[Doctor Destiny 41]

So buy an LCD.

[Malevolence 6]

I bought the Sony 17" CRT monitor in the year of our lord, two thousand and one!!!

 

My CRT technology has been with me for more than a decade (and I lost count since), and the best part of all it is still well and alive! I don't know how long will the modern slim monitors last, 5 years?

[Gben 20]

(BioBen & Inferno, seemed to think that I was buying a CRT now... )

[Fiesta 0]

Need more arguments, Malevolence doesn't seem convinced yet.

 

Well, let's see. Near-instant power-on/-off times, lower energy consumption, much more compact (95% of available models are also wall- or ceiling-mountable), much more flexible as far as inputs go, and HDCP support. I do concede CRTs last forever and do not lose quality between resolutions, but trust me, once you've used an LCD you won't ever want a CRT again. Hell, my Samsung has lasted since Christmas 2006, and it works exactly like new. I figured I'd be like an old timer, and turn down LCD tech when I tried it out, preferring CRTs because "it's fine for what I want", but no. That's not how it worked out. Trust me, just get an LCD, you won't turn back (unless you get dead pixels, haha, very few new monitors slip through with dead pixels if any in the first place).

 

I don't know how long will the modern slim monitors last, 5 years?

 

Longer than that if you don't treat it the way drunk nannies treat babies (joke, seriously) and replace the backlight however often the manual says to do.

Edited April 13, 2009 by Fiesta

[Sonic 296]

I can't look at CRT screens any more, they have some sort of blurry haze on them that irritates me. All of the old concerns such as ghosting images, dead pixels are a thing of the past as long as you pick a quality brand. CRT screens are bad for your eyes.

 

Buying a CRT these days is a bad investment.

[Malevolence 6]

Even if someone wants to buy CRT monitors, I don't think its available at all. unless that someone wants to get it in those junk shops.

[Gben 20]

sigh...

 

The sony crt is a spare, I've been using LCD's for over 5 years!

[Gben 20]

Please forgive the double-post...

 

I finally got more spec information on the quote:-

(Prices sourced online from a local supplier.)

 

$215 - Windows XP PRO OEM SP3

$456 – Intel Core i7 920 Processor 2.66mhz/8mb cache

$386 – Gigabyte EX58-UD3R Motherboard

$420 – Corsair TR3X3G1600C9 3GB RAM Triple Channel Memory

$262 – WD Veloci Raptor 150GB 10,000rpm (system drive)

$157 – Seagate 1TB SATA2 (data drive)

$ 16 – 56in1 Multimedia card reader internal

$889 – Gigabyte ATI HD4870x2 2 GB PCI-E Video Card

$ 34 – Pioneer Dual Layer DVD Burner

$ 79 – Logitech Quickcam s7500

$527 – BenQ E2200 HD 21.5inch LCD Monitor ($264 x2)

$222 – Antec P182 Studio Case

$239 – Antec 650watt Signature Series Power Supply

$174 – Logitech MX5500 Wireless Keyboard Mouse Combo

 

So if i go back through everyone's comments (ignoring the CRT nonsense) what I understand is this.

 

WINXP

Everyone thinks I should wait for vista 7. This comp will be used in a small network environment with user level restrictions to certain files. The tech guy therefore reccomends I stick with xp for the business environment. Win7 should be be fine to switch after the first service pack.

 

OVERCLOCKING

I don't plan too, stability over performance is the official line. Unofficial comment is I am a Hardward noob.

 

INTEL CORE I7

So this new technology, is it going to be worth the jump? Should I take a generation back for economy of scale? For multi-tasking will I benefit from this 'quad-core' thingy!

 

CORSAIR

Other reccomendations are G.Skill, PNY Tech and Kingston. And actually to increase to 4 or 6 GB Ram.

But I note the concerns about voltage...

 

RAPTOR DRIVE

I note the comments about solid state, but way too expensive for a desktop. Worth it in a laptop though IMO.

 

SEAGATE 1 TB DRIVE

Nobody likes Seagate it seems. Some suggestions have been to switch to 2 smaller drives rather than 1 large TB drive. Is this a sumb question - can my computer handle 3 drives? The raptor and 2 other storage drives? Other brands suggested are Western Digital,

 

DVD BURNER

I'm actually interested in a BluRay burner now that I think of it, for the storage capacity. But I think DVD is fine compared to the prices...

 

56IN1 READER

Hmm I didn't actually request this. It doesn't cost much, but I note the comment about internal space. A Firewire connection is useful for downloading video. Perhaps this is what it was for. We have one of these readers on the file-server so it's not a big issue. I can take it or leave it.

 

ATI GFX CARDS

Perhaps... this would be something to nerf. But I don't want too!

 

BENQ MONITORS

This is perhaps the one item here that I wouldn't mind spending a little bit more on for a better product. Everything else I will probably end up reducing to save money. So your suggestions here are helpful...

 

The vibe I'm getting is that I should give up on the i7 for price considerations.

In terms of cpu, mobo and ram what is the a better alternative?

 

 

 

[Malevolence 6]

$215 - Windows XP PRO OEM SP3

$456 – Intel Core i7 920 Processor 2.66mhz/8mb cache

$386 – Gigabyte EX58-UD3R Motherboard

$420 – Corsair TR3X3G1600C9 3GB RAM Triple Channel Memory

$262 – WD Veloci Raptor 150GB 10,000rpm (system drive)

$157 – Seagate 1TB SATA2 (data drive)

$ 16 – 56in1 Multimedia card reader internal

$889 – Gigabyte ATI HD4870x2 2 GB PCI-E Video Card

$ 34 – Pioneer Dual Layer DVD Burner

$ 79 – Logitech Quickcam s7500

$527 – BenQ E2200 HD 21.5inch LCD Monitor ($264 x2)

$222 – Antec P182 Studio Case

$239 – Antec 650watt Signature Series Power Supply

$174 – Logitech MX5500 Wireless Keyboard Mouse Combo

 

WINXP

Everyone thinks I should wait for vista 7. This comp will be used in a small network environment with user level restrictions to certain files. The tech guy therefore reccomends I stick with xp for the business environment. Win7 should be be fine to switch after the first service pack.

 

OVERCLOCKING

I don't plan too, stability over performance is the official line. Unofficial comment is I am a Hardward noob.

 

INTEL CORE I7

So this new technology, is it going to be worth the jump? Should I take a generation back for economy of scale? For multi-tasking will I benefit from this 'quad-core' thingy! smile.gif

 

CORSAIR

Other reccomendations are G.Skill, PNY Tech and Kingston. And actually to increase to 4 or 6 GB Ram.

But I note the concerns about voltage...

 

RAPTOR DRIVE

I note the comments about solid state, but way too expensive for a desktop. Worth it in a laptop though IMO.

 

SEAGATE 1 TB DRIVE

Nobody likes Seagate it seems. Some suggestions have been to switch to 2 smaller drives rather than 1 large TB drive. Is this a sumb question - can my computer handle 3 drives? The raptor and 2 other storage drives? Other brands suggested are Western Digital,

 

DVD BURNER

I'm actually interested in a BluRay burner now that I think of it, for the storage capacity. But I think DVD is fine compared to the prices...

 

56IN1 READER

Hmm I didn't actually request this. It doesn't cost much, but I note the comment about internal space. A Firewire connection is useful for downloading video. Perhaps this is what it was for. We have one of these readers on the file-server so it's not a big issue. I can take it or leave it.

 

ATI GFX CARDS

Perhaps... this would be something to nerf. But I don't want too! smile.gif

 

BENQ MONITORS

This is perhaps the one item here that I wouldn't mind spending a little bit more on for a better product. Everything else I will probably end up reducing to save money. So your suggestions here are helpful...

 

The vibe I'm getting is that I should give up on the i7 for price considerations.

In terms of cpu, mobo and ram what is the a better alternative?

 

What currency is that in? USD, NZD, others?

 

Windows XP

Scenario 1: For now, check the prices of XP and Vista. Is the retailer selling them at the same price, or close to the same price? If yes pick Vista.

Scenario 2: If you are using this rig for gaming, take Vista for it's DirectX10 because XP supports DirectX9 only.

Conclusion: Whatever you intend to do, jump to Windows 7 once its out.

 

Overclocking

It's an absolute waste if you aren't overclocking and using the full advantage of Intel Core i7 920. You can always learn or seek help in overclocking the processor to at least 3.66Ghz, if you want to be safe. By doing so you have to replace the stock Heat Sink Fan (HSF) with a third party HSF.

 

Intel Core i7

Usually people purchased Intel Core i7 920, the reason is because it's the cheapest of the i7 family, and they have the intention to overclock that 2.66Ghz to 3.8Ghz or so. If you are not into overclocking, try Intel Core i7 940 @ 2.93Ghz, or wait a month (May 09) for the new revision Intel Core i7 950 @ 3.06Ghz (which cost the same as Core i7 940).

 

 

CORSAIR ram

If you are not overclocking your rig it is absolutely pointless to use these high end rams designed for overclocking. Use Kingston DDR3 triple channel value rams, it's cheaper, and good enough for users who don't overclock their rigs.

 

 

RAPTOR DRIVE

WD Veloci Raptor 150GB is an excellent choice, trust me.

 

SEAGATE 1 TB DRIVE

Yes you can have as many hard drives as you want as long as your motherboard doesn't run out of SATA ports. Western Digital Black Caviar series FTW!

 

DVD BURNER

Any DVDRW 22X is decent enough. Make sure by double checking it is a DVD RW, 22X and it's SATA, not IDE.

 

56IN1 READER

If you care about Firewire, I believe modern casings include Firewire ports and USB2.0 ports, and some of the casings come in extra eSATA port. In conclusion, this reader is pointless.

 

ATI GFX CARDS

If you are talking about stability over performance in your rig, you should choose Nvidia GTX 285 or Nvidia GTX 295. Besides, Nvidia has PhysX, which is very useful for games which has PhysX support, such as Mirror's Edge and Cryostasis.

Edited April 15, 2009 by Malevolence