modifying regular cards to fit low profile

[Adam]

hi,

I was wondering if anyone knows a way to modify a regular size expansion
card (ex:video card) to fit in a low profile slot.

thanks

 

[Yves Leclerc]

hi,

I was wondering if anyone knows a way to modify a regular size expansion
card (ex:video card) to fit in a low profile slot.

thanks

The only"user" mod is to remove the full size bracket. Any other mod,
involving cutting the video card's pc-board, it VERY complex. Your best bet
it to locate a low-profile card.

 

[Adam]

Thats what I was thinking about doing...

The only"user" mod is to remove the full size bracket. Any other mod,
involving cutting the video card's pc-board, it VERY complex. Your best
bet
it to locate a low-profile card.

 

[Yves Leclerc]

Thats what I was thinking about doing...

You are going to cut the video card's PC board in order to make it fit into a
low-profile system. You will be removing electronics and possibily cutting
wire paths. This is extremely difficult since you would not have the
schematics of the board (so as to see the layers on board and to locate the
"safe" cuts.)



http://www.xpcgear.com/lowprofilevga.html

 

[John O]

Thats what I was thinking about doing...
No way.

I mean, you'll never get it to work. Those boards are multiple layers, with
ground planes, power planes, and all sorts of connections between the top
and bottom that don't touch either of the internal planes. Break one foil
that you can't locate and fix, and the whole thing is toast.

You need the schematic AND the prints for each layer of foil, plus the skill
to be able to read them...they're not like Heathkits. Unless you work for
the company that makes the card, you're never going to get either document
anyway.

-John O

 

[Adam]

No, I was just gonna take off the expansion metal cover on the end of the
card I am going to install, I actually wanted to purchase a 1/100/1000
network card to replace the 10/100 I have now, hopefully I could get a
little more out of my connection.

 

[John O]

No, I was just gonna take off the expansion metal cover on the end of the

card I am going to install, I actually wanted to purchase a 1/100/1000
network card to replace the 10/100 I have now, hopefully I could get a
little more out of my connection.

Oh. Good. I've seen NICs that come with both size brackets. That's easy.

-John O

 

[NoNoBadDog!]

The card has absolutely nothing to do with your connection. A 10/100 cared
can deliver far more bandwidth than your ISP can deliver. If the card is
working with the latest drivers, switching to another card will not give you
any benefit. Your download speed is determined by your ISP. even at
802.11b speeds, (11Mbps), your card far outpaces what you are getting. Even
if you are on cable with a good connection, you are not going to get
anywhere near what the card can handle...you won't even get close to what
the cable company says you can get.

You are going to destroy a card, and possibly your computer, for a wild
goose chase.

I wish you luck.

You really should do some more research to understand your problem.

Hacking away at the card is not the solution.

Bobby

 

[Adam]

that was just a shot in the dark, I have DSL with supposidly 768k downloads,
but I actually get around 400-600k.

 

[NoNoBadDog!]

Changing cards will not improve it. As I stated, you will only get 768
under ideal conditions. 550-600 is normal with your speed.

Bobby

 

[Yves Leclerc]

No, I was just gonna take off the expansion metal cover on the end of the
card I am going to install, I actually wanted to purchase a 1/100/1000
network card to replace the 10/100 I have now, hopefully I could get a
little more out of my connection.

It is quite useless to replace a 10/100 network card now. Most ISPs are not
even up to 10MBps yet.

To get the 1G (1000) speeds,you need to replace every network
cable/hub/switch/router so as to have all the components that support 1G
speeds. I have yet to see affordable 1G network switches and I have not seen
any 1G routers.

 

[Breaker]

Typical crappy DSL performance. Changing your NIC is not going to
make any difference in this case. Your DSL speed is governed entirely
by your ISP and a few other factors which you really have no control
over. Sure hope you are not paying very much for that crappy speed.

DSL providers like to try to make you think that they are much better
than anything else when in actuality many of them are just marginally
better than dial up access. (Especially when you get their base
package)

Want high speed? Get a cable connection. DSL will try to tell you
that cable gets slower when more people in your neighborhood sign up
for it. I have not seen it happen. Have had cable access for over 5
years now in a very high density suburban area of a major city. Never
had any slowdown problems with it. In fact most of the time I get
right at or slightly better speed than what the company says I should
(6 Meg)

 

[NoNoBadDog!]

Bunkum!

Here are a few things to consider:

DSL can be every bit as fast as Cable.
DSL has less overhead, and does not share with TV and FM signals.
Cable subscribers *DO* share the bandwidth.
When the power goes out, so does your cable. With DSL, if you have a
notebook or a PDA, you can still surf.
I have DSL, 5Mbps, and my connection is faster than any of my neighbors
with the
supposedly faster Time Warner cable connection, and I pay less.
Cable Internet is not available for the price of a 768/128 DSL
connection.

Making blanket statement about DSL or Cable is misleading, as the
performance of either depends upon many variables.

Do not discount DSL just because a cable user says it is better.

Bobby