Recommendations for new build

[William J. Lunsford]

I noticed they have a 705e that runs at 2.5 GHz but is rated at 65 watts.

It's spec'd at a lower voltage, and costs $23 more, but I wonder if that
would run cooler and quieter if overclocked slightly. I imagine that
"Cool and Quiet" would probably keep any of them just that, though.

I will change to the 705e.

Wow, super price on a highly rated board and firewire to boot! I guess
you
decided against the integrated graphics route.

What ATX board with integrated graphics would you recommend? I would like to
take a look at it.

Decent reviews for same kit and a bit cheaper at Newegg, if that's where
you are buying your parts. Somehow I thought you were in the UK...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148262

Isn't that something? They can sell a Crucial procuct cheaper than Crucial.
I will definitely get it from Newegg.
I'm not in the UK. I'm right here with all the corn in Indiana.

Another huge gotcha I discovered is audio. Because the protectors of
digital
content have really made this difficult on the HTPC and demand a protected
audio path. Read about it here:
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/windows-7-htpc,2349-8.html

I guess it all depends upon what level of audio quality you can be happy
with.

I get lost really fast when reading technical discussions about audio. I
want decent sound, but I'm not sure that I could tell the difference between
decent sound and great sound. I think I would be happy with CD-quality
sound. The onboard audio card is the Realtek ALC888, which is supposed to
provide 8 audio channels. What do I need in order to get decent sound?



I haven't started looking at monitors yet. The largest monitor I can use in
the space I have is a 24".


I really appreciate all of the help you have given me!

Bill

 

[William J. Lunsford]

I'd spend the extra $23 for the low-power CPU. I doubt you'd notice the

0.1 GHz difference...

Yes, I'm going to get the low-power one.

I have 2 higher-end Samsungs, and highly recommend them. Check the specs
on any you consider; the viewing angles -- both vertical and horizontal --
are a clue to the quality and type of LCD used. I have the 244T which is
apparently the predecessor to the current 245T:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824001246

The 130 Watt power draw cited is for full brightness, which I suspect you
will NEVER use. Mine draws more like 40 Watts at normal brightness level.

I haven't started looking at monitors yet. Yours is just the size I can use,
but I was somewhat taken aback by the price.

Thank you for your help!

Bill


"

 

[Fishface]

Yes, I'm going to get the low-power one.

They are on sale at Newegg until the 29th with coupon code EMCLVNP39
for $209, if that's where you'd get it and if you are ready to move.

http://promotions.newegg.com/NEemail/latest/index-landing.aspx
www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103683

 

[JR Weiss]

I haven't started looking at monitors yet. Yours is just the size I can
use, but I was somewhat taken aback by the price.

You can probably find a better price elsewhere. I think I bought mine at
Mac Mall.

Yes, the price is a bit high. However, if this will be your last/only
monitor, and you use it mainly as a home theater or to process video, it
will be your main interface to the computer. Don't skimp here!

 

[Fishface]

What ATX board with integrated graphics would you recommend? I would
like to take a look at it.

Well, since you are favoring DDR3 and AM3, the 790GX is the top of the AMD
integrated graphics heap at the moment. This board has eight five star ratings
at Newegg and has a current combo deal with the 705e for $214.
www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.212217

I get lost really fast when reading technical discussions about audio. I want decent sound, but I'm not sure that I
could tell the difference between decent sound and great sound. I think I would be happy with CD-quality sound. The
onboard audio card is the Realtek ALC888, which is supposed
to provide 8 audio channels. What do I need in order to get decent sound?

I really don't know. I'm happy with my 2.0 setup.
www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16836136102
Deactivated Item. ...or my headphones, and I just use the TV speakers
most of the time. I guess if you're not happy with it, you can always throw
more money at it later!

I haven't started looking at monitors yet. The largest monitor I can use in the space I have is a 24".

The 24" is a great size on the desktop. The non-TN Dell looks like a good
deal. Wait, the stupid thing went up in price overnight to $449. Sheesh!

I'd say go for the Antec case with the chrome and the door if it's going to
live on the floor...

I have two of these Samsung F1 1TB HDDs in my computer:
www.newegg.com/Product/ProductReview.aspx?Item=N82E16822152102

They're very fast and run cool and quiet.

 

[Fishface]

Ok, why is Outlook Express unwrapping text?!

 

[Fishface]

HIS Hightech H467QT512P Radeon HD 4670 IceQ Turbo 512MB 128-bit

GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video
Card - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161252 $69.99

Right now, the HD 4850 with the very same cooler is on sale for $99 at
Newegg. www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161244
This is capable of playing actual games, should the need ever arise. Other
applications are starting to use the GPU for specialized tasks, as well.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GPGPU#Applications

If you're going the discrete graphics card route, for $30 you'd never have
to say, "What if?"

At any rate, it scares me to hang those dvi to hdmi adapters a.k.a.
"levers" off the back of the video card. I feel the same about the
usb to PS/2 adapters that come with mice and keyboards. I'd much
rather see a pigtail adapter, but that would just cost them too much,
wouldn't it? Hey, looky here, a whole cable for five bucks on eBay!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120432817049

 

[Fishface]

I get lost really fast when reading technical discussions about audio.
This explains the sound situation very well:
http://www.anandtech.com/printarticle.aspx?i=3411

....and I found the link to that page here:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081026144650AAqGzRN

 

[JR Weiss]

Right now, the HD 4850 with the very same cooler is on sale for $99 at
Newegg. www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161244
This is capable of playing actual games, should the need ever arise.
Other
applications are starting to use the GPU for specialized tasks, as well.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GPGPU#Applications

If you're going the discrete graphics card route, for $30 you'd never have
to say, "What if?"

However, the 4670 uses MUCH less power than the 4850. For a non-gamer, the
$30 would likely be wasted, along with the extra electricity...

 

[William J. Lunsford]

This explains the sound situation very well:
http://www.anandtech.com/printarticle.aspx?i=3411

...and I found the link to that page here:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081026144650AAqGzRN

My struggle to understand all of these audio problems may have been for
naught. My wife says she will not have speakers all over our livingroom. In
order to keep the peace, I may have to settle for good quality 2.1 speakers.
If I am not mistaken, I can get this lower quality of sound from Blu-ray
disks without any of the problems to which you have been referring.

I am considering a change to the Foxconn 790GX board.

What do you think about this monitor?
LG W2453V-PF Black 24" 2ms(GTG) HDMI Full HD 1080P Widescreen LCD Monitor
300 cd/m2 50000:1 w/ Smart Package - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824005126&Tpk=lg w2453v-pf
$309.99

Bill

 

[Fishface]

What do you think about this monitor?
LG W2453V-PF Black 24" 2ms(GTG) HDMI Full HD 1080P Widescreen
LCD Monitor 300 cd/m2 50000:1 w/ Smart Package - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824005126
$309.99

Well, it's got a TN panel, which I hate. The viewing angle would be terrible,
especially on a big monitor, and you would likely see noticable color shifting
along the vertical range. TN panels are only 6-bit, although trickery allows
the marketing people to say they can produce 16.7 million colors. Before I
got my 24" I had a 22" LG. It had all five star reviews everywhere. The
dynamic range was terrible, meaning I could not adjust it to show all the
various shades of gray.
http://www.stegmann.dk/mikkel/photo/calibration/

My digital photos looked terrible and I could not properly adjust them because
I did not know what they *really* looked like. My wife uses it now to surf the
web and do text based work. The DVI input went south in normal use after
about a year and now only the VGA input works. It was not inexpensive,
and I seriously considered giving it away.

http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/articles/panel_technologies.htm

I would definitely go for the S-PVA Dell.
http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/products/Monitors/productdetail.aspx?sku=320-6272

It'll go on sale again; or maybe this H-IPS panel from HP:
www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824176104

 

[Fishface]

However, the 4670 uses MUCH less power than the 4850. For a
non-gamer, the $30 would likely be wasted, along with the extra electricity...

Yes, quite right. It looks like about 28 watts here at idle:
www.tomshardware.com/reviews/radeon-hd-4770,2281-13.html

I was surprised to see the 4770 use almost as much power at
idle. Another plus for integrated graphics as well, I imagine.

 

[Jaimie Vandenbergh]

My struggle to understand all of these audio problems may have been for
naught. My wife says she will not have speakers all over our livingroom. In
order to keep the peace, I may have to settle for good quality 2.1 speakers.

You can get 6.1 headphones, if that's any help.

Cheers - Jaimie

 

[Jaimie Vandenbergh]

Yes, quite right. It looks like about 28 watts here at idle:
www.tomshardware.com/reviews/radeon-hd-4770,2281-13.html

I was surprised to see the 4770 use almost as much power at
idle. Another plus for integrated graphics as well, I imagine.

Group test showing power of various combos at

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/geforce-radeon-power,2122-3.html

Cheers - Jaimie

 

[Fishface]

Group test showing power of various combos at

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/geforce-radeon-power,2122-3.html

Nice find! Too bad they didn't include any IG only boards for 2-D
comparison. My HD 4770 doesn't do so well. I guess that explains
why it gets so hot here in "the computer room."

(2) HD 4770
(1) x 8600GS
(1) Q9550 @ 3.4 GHz
(1) Q6600 @ 3.0 GHz
(1) E6400 @ 3.2 Ghz

Good thing we only play games eight hours a day on weekends!

 

[Fishface]

I have two of these Samsung F1 1TB HDDs in my computer:

www.newegg.com/Product/ProductReview.aspx?Item=N82E16822152102

They're very fast and run cool and quiet.

Scratch that. They're fast but the seeks are audible. My 500 GB
Samsung is almost completely silent, though.

 

[Fishface]

I am considering a change to the Foxconn 790GX board.

I'm not sure what all this adds up to, but another option is to
just get the stripped down Dell Studio XPS Core i7 computer
for $750. HDHomeRun and Monitor not included.
http://www.dell.com/us/en/home/desk...=desktop-studioxps-435mt&s=dhs&cs=19&ref=dthp

*Mostly* favorable reviews...

 

[Jaimie Vandenbergh]

Scratch that. They're fast but the seeks are audible. My 500 GB
Samsung is almost completely silent, though.

My 1Tb Samsungs are both quite vibration-heavy from rotation. Hitachi
1Tbs are quieter rotating, but louder seeking.

Cheers - Jaimie

 

[Fishface]

HDHomeRun and Monitor not included.

Oh, and Blu-ray drive!

 

[William J. Lunsford]

I would definitely go for the S-PVA Dell.
http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/products/Monitors/productdetail.aspx?sku=320-6272

Thanks! I think I will go with th Dell.

Bill